Waters of Monterey Bay, Monterey, California, August 5, 2025. (Photo by Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
(MONTEREY, Calif) — A search is ongoing in California for a missing swimmer who may have been attacked by a shark, officials said.
The swimmer was reported missing just after noon on Sunday at Lovers Point in Pacific Grove in Monterey Bay, according to a joint statement from the Coast Guard and the cities of Pacific Grove and Monterey.
Two witnesses said the swimmer – who is a 55-year-old woman, according to ABC Fresno station KFSN – “may have encountered a shark,” the statement said. The swimmer’s family has been notified, officials said.
Boats and helicopters were deployed for Sunday’s search, which lasted until 8 p.m., officials said. The search will resume on Monday.
Lovers Point Beach in Pacific Grove and McAbee Beach and San Carlos Beach in Monterey are closed through Tuesday, the officials said.
ABC News’ Tristan Maglunog and Amanda Morris contributed to this report.
A sign is displayed outside of the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Building on June 7, 2025 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) — Heading into the new year, Senate Democrats are raising concerns about the Internal Revenue Service’s ability to handle the upcoming tax filing season, amid changes in leadership and to the workforce in the first year of the Trump administration.
In a letter to Treasury Secretary and acting IRS Commissioner Scott Bessent obtained first by ABC News, the group of 17 senators, led by Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, and Angus King, a Maine independent who caucuses with Democrats, wrote that they have “serious concerns” the IRS is “not prepared” for the next tax season, and that taxpayers “may face delays and difficulties in filing returns and receiving refunds.”
The Trump administration has conducted large-scale layoffs and voluntary buyouts — some of which have been reversed — at the IRS, which is also responsible this year for implementing new changes to the tax code following the passage of Republicans’ major tax and domestic policy bill.
Bessent has served as acting IRS commissioner since August after President Donald Trump removed Billy Long, a former GOP congressman, from the role two months after he was confirmed by the Senate and nominated Long to become the U.S. ambassador to Iceland.
Bessent became the seventh official to lead the agency in 2025, following Long and a string of other senior officials.
The law made permanent the 2017 GOP tax cuts, while boosting funding for border security and the Defense Department, scaling back some social safety net programs, and limiting taxes on tips and overtime for some workers.
In a statement to ABC News, Warren accused the Trump administration of enacting changes that will benefit wealthy Americans and make it harder for other Americans seeking help from the agency.
“Donald Trump’s endless attacks on the IRS are good news for his billionaire buddies and giant tax prep companies, but bad news for Americans getting ready for filing season. Americans rely on the IRS to file their taxes and get their tax refunds quickly and easily, and I’m pressing for answers,” she wrote.
The Democrats also cited a September report from the Treasury Department Inspector General for Tax Administration on the previous filing season.
While the watchdog called the 2025 filing season “successful” and found that the agency processed more tax returns compared to the same time period in the previous year, it also found that the Trump administration’s workforce reductions “had no significant impact” on the 2025 filing season — but that they could “impact key processing programs and customer service going forward.”
According to the inspector general’s office, the staffing losses on customer service and anti-fraud teams could lead to the agency processing fewer returns, assisting fewer taxpayers, and failing to prevent $360 million in fraudulent refunds from being paid out.
The Treasury Department did not immediately respond to questions from ABC News about the inspector general’s report and the concerns raised by Democrats.
If you haven’t watched the movie Bugonia yet, you’ll have an opportunity to do it at home very soon. The YorgosLanthimos-directed film arrives on Peacock for its streaming debut on Dec. 26. Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons star in the psychological thriller that’s been nominated for three Golden Globe awards …
Nate Bargatze makes his feature film acting debut in the official trailer for The Breadwinner. The Sony Pictures film also stars Mandy Moore as a wife and mother who lands a coveted business deal after an appearance on Shark Tank. This leaves her husband (Bargatze) in charge of their three daughters as she goes away on business for an extended stretch. The movie arrives in theaters on March 13, 2026 …
Another actress has joined the cast of Dig. Deadline reports that The Good Doctor‘s Antonia Thomas has been added as a series regular in the upcoming Peacock comedy series starring Amy Poehler. The latter writes and executive produces the series alongside Mike Schur …
South Carolina pastor John Paul Miller (right) was indicted, December 18, 2025, on federal charges of cyberstalking his estranged wife, Mica Miller(left), who authorities said died from suicide in April 2024. (Robeson County Sheriff’s Office)
(NEW YORK) — A former South Carolina pastor has been indicted on federal charges of cyberstalking his wife, including allegedly posting a nude photo of her online, before she died by suicide in 2024, authorities said.
A federal grand jury in Columbia, S.C., returned a two-count indictment on Thursday, charging 46-year-old John-Paul Miller with cyberstalking and making false statements to federal investigators, stemming from the investigation into his wife’s death.
“This case underscores the seriousness of domestic violence abuse and related offenses and serves as a reminder that such behavior has no place in our society,” Robeson County, North Carolina, Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said in a statement posted on his office’s Facebook page, along with photos of both John-Paul and Mica Miller.
Miller is scheduled be arraigned on Jan. 12 in federal court in Florence, S.C., according to the sheriff’s office.
Miller and his 30-year-old wife were estranged and in the process of getting a divorce at the time of her death.
Mica Miller’s remains were discovered on April 27, 2024, at Lumber River State Park in Robeson County, N.C., about an hour north of Myrtle Beach, S.C., according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office.
Robeson County sheriff’s deputies went to the park to conduct a welfare check on Mica Miller after she contacted the Robeson County 911 Communications Center, expressing concern that she might harm herself, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies found Mica Miller at the park, “deceased in the water with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,” according to the sheriff’s office, which also said a firearm was found near her body.
The North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office ruled her death a suicide.
“During the course of the investigation, Detectives identified information that, while not directly related to the actual cause of death, warranted further review regarding Miller’s husband, John-Paul Miller. That information was believed to be relevant in understanding the broader circumstances surrounding Miller’s death,” according to the sheriff’s office statement.
On May 6, 2024, Wilkins formally requested that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Carolina “investigate allegations that were reported to have occurred outside the jurisdiction of the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office,” according to the statement. The FBI also joined the investigation, according to the sheriff’s office.
According to the indictment, federal prosecutors said the investigation found that beginning in November 2022 and up to his wife’s death, John-Paul Miller allegedly sent his wife “unwanted and harassing communications.”
“The harassing behavior included Miller posting a nude photo of the victim online without her consent, causing tracking devices to be placed on her vehicle, and in one instance, contacting her over 50 times in a single day,” the indictment alleges.
The indictment also alleges that John-Paul Miller “interfered with [his wife’s] finances and her daily activities and on one occasion damaged her vehicle tires.”
“Federal investigators interviewed Miller about these allegations and Miller lied in his responses,” the indictment alleges. “Miller said he did not damage the victim’s tires, when in fact he purchased a tire deflation device online and sent messages to others regarding the victim’s vehicle.”
The indictment further states that Miller’s alleged cyberstalking put his wife in “reasonable fear of death and serious bodily injury,” and that his conduct “would be reasonably expected to cause [Mica Miller] substantial emotional distress.”
ABC News attempts to reach John-Paul Miller for comment were unsuccessful. It is unclear if he has hired an attorney.
If convicted, Miller faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison on the cyberstalking charge and two years in prison for allegedly making false statements to investigators, according to the Department of Justice. He could also face a fine of up to $250,000.
South Carolina pastor John Paul Miller (right) was indicted, December 18, 2025, on federal charges of cyberstalking his estranged wife, Mica Miller(left), who authorities said died from suicide in April 2024. (Robeson County Sheriff’s Office)
(NEW YORK) — A former South Carolina pastor has been indicted on federal charges of cyberstalking his wife, including allegedly posting a nude photo of her online, before she died by suicide in 2024, authorities said.
A federal grand jury in Columbia, S.C., returned a two-count indictment on Thursday, charging 46-year-old John-Paul Miller with cyberstalking and making false statements to federal investigators, stemming from the investigation into his wife’s death.
“This case underscores the seriousness of domestic violence abuse and related offenses and serves as a reminder that such behavior has no place in our society,” Robeson County, North Carolina, Sheriff Burnis Wilkins said in a statement posted on his office’s Facebook page, along with photos of both John-Paul and Mica Miller.
Miller is scheduled be arraigned on Jan. 12 in federal court in Florence, S.C., according to the sheriff’s office.
Miller and his 30-year-old wife were estranged and in the process of getting a divorce at the time of her death.
Mica Miller’s remains were discovered on April 27, 2024, at Lumber River State Park in Robeson County, N.C., about an hour north of Myrtle Beach, S.C., according to the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office.
Robeson County sheriff’s deputies went to the park to conduct a welfare check on Mica Miller after she contacted the Robeson County 911 Communications Center, expressing concern that she might harm herself, according to the sheriff’s office.
Deputies found Mica Miller at the park, “deceased in the water with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound,” according to the sheriff’s office, which also said a firearm was found near her body.
The North Carolina Medical Examiner’s Office ruled her death a suicide.
“During the course of the investigation, Detectives identified information that, while not directly related to the actual cause of death, warranted further review regarding Miller’s husband, John-Paul Miller. That information was believed to be relevant in understanding the broader circumstances surrounding Miller’s death,” according to the sheriff’s office statement.
On May 6, 2024, Wilkins formally requested that the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Carolina “investigate allegations that were reported to have occurred outside the jurisdiction of the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office,” according to the statement. The FBI also joined the investigation, according to the sheriff’s office.
According to the indictment, federal prosecutors said the investigation found that beginning in November 2022 and up to his wife’s death, John-Paul Miller allegedly sent his wife “unwanted and harassing communications.”
“The harassing behavior included Miller posting a nude photo of the victim online without her consent, causing tracking devices to be placed on her vehicle, and in one instance, contacting her over 50 times in a single day,” the indictment alleges.
The indictment also alleges that John-Paul Miller “interfered with [his wife’s] finances and her daily activities and on one occasion damaged her vehicle tires.”
“Federal investigators interviewed Miller about these allegations and Miller lied in his responses,” the indictment alleges. “Miller said he did not damage the victim’s tires, when in fact he purchased a tire deflation device online and sent messages to others regarding the victim’s vehicle.”
The indictment further states that Miller’s alleged cyberstalking put his wife in “reasonable fear of death and serious bodily injury,” and that his conduct “would be reasonably expected to cause [Mica Miller] substantial emotional distress.”
ABC News attempts to reach John-Paul Miller for comment were unsuccessful. It is unclear if he has hired an attorney.
If convicted, Miller faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison on the cyberstalking charge and two years in prison for allegedly making false statements to investigators, according to the Department of Justice. He could also face a fine of up to $250,000.
Shoplifting suspect Shane C.L. Newman (left) is captured on security video inside a Walmart loss prevention office in Canton, Ohio, December 18, 2025. (Canton Police Department)
(NEW YORK) — Dramatic police body-camera video released by officials captured the moment an accused shoplifter allegedly pulled a handgun on a police officer inside a Canton, Ohio, Walmart before he was tackled by a store employee.
The incident unfolded on Thursday after the suspect, identified as 21-year-old Shane C.L. Newman, and a female companion were being held in a back office by an off-duty Canton police officer, who was a working security detail at the store, officials said.
“This incident is a reminder of the ever-present threat of violence against police officers and the gracious provision of God’s protection. Thank you to all who regularly pray with me for our offices and our community,” Canton Police Chief John Gabbard said in a statement.
Police body-camera video showed store employees stopping Newman and a woman he was with on Thursday afternoon at the front door of the Walmart and then escorting them to the store’s loss prevention office.
Inside the office, a police officer, according to the security video, conducted a partial pat-down search of Newman, asking, “Nothing on you that’s going to poke me or stab me?”
After conducting a search, the officers told Newman and his female companion to sit on a metal bench inside the office, the video showed.
As the officer radioed in the names of Newman and the woman to confirm their identities, Newman is seen on security video turning to his side and reaching into a pouch he had on him that the officer apparently missed in his search.
Newman is seen in the video pulling out a handgun and pointing it at the officer, but the gun didn’t fire.
The footage showed a Walmart loss prevention employee lunging for the gun and tackling Newman before he could open fire. After a brief struggle, Newman was handcuffed by the police officer, who immediately called for backup.
In the aftermath of the incident, the officer told a sergeant who responded to the store that the suspect allegedly “pulls out a gun and points it at my head and pulls the trigger. It doesn’t go off. I draw. He ends up giving up,” the officer said, according to the video.
The officer, according to the video, told the sergeant he patted him down, but “didn’t get his pouch he had.”
The officer, according to the video, added, “I was going to release them, that was the thing, like it was just going to be a summons.”
Newman was arrested on charges of attempt to commit murder, felonious assault of a peace officer and possession of drugs.
The 23-year-old woman was taken into custody along with Newman and charged with complicity to commit robbery.
Cities across Northern California on Sunday saw roadways inundated with flooding, leaving vehicles stranded. (Placer County Sheriff’s Office)
(LOS ANGELES) — Heavy rain and dangerous flooding left one person dead in Redding, California, the mayor announced on Sunday.
It comes as flood watches are in effect for more than 30 million across California due to the threat of heavy rain and flash flooding in the coming days.
Redding Mayor Mike Littau said in a post on Facebook that local police and fire crews have been out doing water rescues while Public Works and Redding Electric Utility have been working to clear roads and restore power to customers.
Cities across Northern California on Sunday saw roadways inundated with flooding, leaving vehicles stranded.
The deadly flooding is due to repeat atmospheric rivers that continue to swamp the West Coast.
A Flood Watch was announced for much of Northern California, including Redding and Sacramento, on Saturday, with some areas expected to get 4 to 6+ inches.
On Christmas Eve Wednesday, another coastal storm will set its sights on the West Coast, but this time Southern California will bear the brunt.
There is growing concern for potentially significant flash flooding, mudslides and debris flows impacting portions of SoCal, as heavy rain sweeps across the region. The greatest concern will be across wildfire burn scars.
Zoe Saldaña stars as Neytiri in ‘Avatar: Fire and Ash.’ (20th Century Studios)
We see you, Avatar: Fire and Ash, at the top of the box office.
The third film in James Cameron‘s epic sci-fi series opens at #1 with an $88 million haul in its debut weekend, Box Office Mojo reports.
While certainly a good start, Avatar: Fire and Ash has a ways to go if it hopes to catch up to its predecessors. The 20th Century Studios franchise has spawned the highest and third-highest grossing films of all time in the original 2009 movie and its 2022 sequel, Avatar: The Way of Water, respectively.
Coming in second at the weekend box office is the animated Bible adaptation David, which brought in just over $22 million. It was followed by two other new releases: The Housemaid, starring Amanda Seyfried and Sydney Sweeney, took #3 with $18.95 million, and The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, notched #4 with $16 million.
The Disney sequel Zootopia 2 added an extra $14.5 million to round out the top five.
Here are the top 10 films at the box office:
1. Avatar: Fire and Ash — $88 million 2. David — $22.017 million 3. The Housemaid — $18.95 million 4. The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants — $16 million 5. Zootopia 2 — $14.5 million 6. Five Nights at Freddy’s 2 — $7.25 million 7. Wicked: For Good — $4.3 million 8. Marty Supreme — $875,000 9. Hamnet — $850,000 10. Now You See Me: Now You Don’t — $600,000
Disney is the parent company of 20th Century Studiosand ABC News.
