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By Lisa Respers France, CNN

(CNN) — James Van Der Beek, the soft-eyed actor whose boyish good looks and earnestness landed him the leading role in ’90s teen drama “Dawson’s Creek” and catapulted him to stardom, has died. He was 48.

The actor died Wednesday, according to a statement posted to the actor’s verified Instagram.

“He met his final days with courage, faith, and grace,” the statement said. “There is much to share regarding his wishes, love for humanity and the sacredness of time. Those days will come. For now we ask for peaceful privacy as we grieve our loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend.”

His representative Whitney Tancred also confirmed the news when reached by CNN.

Van Der Beek and his wife Kimberly shared six children.

Van Der Beek announced in November 2024 that he was living with stage 3 colorectal cancer.

Born in 1977 in Cheshire, Connecticut, Van Der Beek was the eldest of three children.

Van Der Beek caught the acting bug in middle school, and as a teen, asked to be taken to New York City to get an agent and audition for roles.

Soon after, he was cast in an off-Broadway play, “Finding the Sun,” and later won an academic scholarship to Drew University in New Jersey.

More roles followed, including the role of Rick Sanford in the 1995 film “Angus,” followed by a bit part in “I Love You, I Love You Not” starring Claire Danes.

After talking some time off from college to travel, Van Der Beek auditioned for the starring role in “Dawson’s Creek,” which would make him a star.

The nighttime WB teen soap also starred Katie Holmes, Joshua Jackson and Michelle Williams.

The show would run for six seasons from 1998 until 2003, launching the careers of the four primary cast members.

Van Der Beek also found success on the big screen in 1999’s “Varsity Blues,” 2001’s “Texas Rangers” and “The Rules of Attraction” in 2002.

In 2003, he married actress Heather McComb, but they divorced seven years later.

At the time of his death, Van Der Beek’s wife Kimberly shared a GoFundMe campaign through representatives as well as on social media alerting the public to the financial strain their family has faced since Van Der Beek’s illness began.

“The costs of James’s medical care and the extended fight against cancer have left the family out of funds. They are working hard to stay in their home and to ensure the children can continue their education and maintain some stability during this incredibly difficult time,” the campaign summary reads. “The support of friends, family, and the wider community will make a world of difference as they navigate the road ahead.”

This is a developing story.

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SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) – Five teens were arrested Tuesday after allegedly assaulting a 15-year-old girl in a parking lot on Morro Street on Thursday of last week.

On Feb. 5, around 8 p.m., officers were dispatched to a reported fight in a parking lot in the 1100 block of Morro Street stated a press release from the San Luis Obispo Police Department Wednesday.

The suspected perpetrators left the scene before the arrival of police in several vehicles noted the San Luis Obispo Police Department.

Officers were able to determine after an investigation that a 15-year-old female was assault by two juvenile boys, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, and three juvenile females, two 14-year-olds and a 16-year-old, shared the San Luis Obispo Police Department.

According to San Luis Obispo Police, the 15-year-old was thrown to the ground during the assault and repeatedly kicked and punched by the assailants, causing her to loose consciousness.

She was transported from the scene by an ambulance for further medical treatment and her purse and phone were stolen during the incident added the San Luis Obispo Police Department.

Detectives took over the investigation, identified the attackers, and all five juveniles were arrested on Feb. 10 on felony charges of assault with a deadly weapon with great bodily injury, robbery, and conspiracy detailed the San Luis Obispo Police Department.

One of the juveniles was also booked on a misdemeanor charge of being a minor in possession of less than one ounce of marijuana and another was booked on a misdemeanor charge of being a minor in possession of pepper spray shared the San Luis Obispo Police Department.

Anyone with more information is asked to contact Detective Magana at 805-594-8025 or via email at [email protected].

You can also report information while remaining anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at 805-549-7867.

The post Five teens arrested for felony-level assault and robbery charges after attacking 15-year-old girl in Morro Street parking lot appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

By Eric Levenson, Dianne Gallagher, Jason Morris, CNN

Columbia, South Carolina (CNN) — At Alex Murdaugh’s appeal of his double-murder conviction Wednesday, South Carolina Supreme Court justices asked tough questions about improper comments from a county clerk and the fairness of including so much testimony about Murdaugh’s financial crimes.

Overall, the five-member panel of justices appeared skeptical of the prosecution’s arguments on those points. Chief Justice John W. Kittredge in particular criticized the “rogue” clerk and suggested the prosecution’s focus on financial crimes was overdone.

“The granular detail and the expansiveness of which everything under the sun was allowed is arguably problematic,” he said.

The oral arguments Wednesday were the latest twist in the sprawling Murdaugh saga that has riveted the public and spawned true crime documentaries, podcasts and books.

Murdaugh, a prominent attorney from a South Carolina Lowcountry legal dynasty, was accused of the murders of his wife, Maggie, and 22-year-old son, Paul, at the family’s hunting property in June 2021. The six-week trial featured extensive testimony about Murdaugh stealing millions of dollars from vulnerable clients and his own law firm. He took the stand in his own defense and denied he killed his wife and son, a position he still maintains.

The jury found Murdaugh, 57, guilty of the murders, and he received two life sentences. He separately pleaded guilty to dozens of financial crimes and is serving concurrent state and federal sentences of 27 and 40 years.

He was not present at the hearing Wednesday.

Murdaugh’s attorneys have appealed his murder conviction and argued he deserves a new trial based on the court clerk’s improper comments to the jury, prejudicial evidence and failures at trial and in the investigation.

The state has argued Murdaugh was convicted because the evidence against him was overwhelming and he was “obviously guilty.” They acknowledged the clerk’s comments were inappropriate but downplayed their importance to the verdict.

The justices are now tasked with deciding whether to uphold the murder conviction, remand the case for further proceedings, or overturn it and order a new trial. There is no deadline for their written ruling.

Here’s a closer look at two of the most prominent issues from the hearing.

Did court clerk influence jury?

The first part of the hearing concerned former Colleton Court county clerk Becky Hill, who clerked during Murdaugh’s trial and later wrote a tell-all book about it.

Murdaugh’s attorneys argued Hill improperly influenced jurors during the trial by making comments, such as “watch his body language,” implying Murdaugh’s guilt. A few jurors affirmed she made these comments in affidavits and in testimony, but the majority said they did not hear them.

In January 2024, after a one-day evidentiary hearing, retired South Carolina Chief Justice Jean Toal determined those comments did not influence the jury’s verdict and denied Murdaugh’s request for a new trial. Still, Toal found Hill made improper comments to the jury, was not credible and was “attracted by the siren call of celebrity.”

Hill was Read more

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (KEYT) – Santa Barbara City College has unveiled its newly renovated Radiography Lab, giving students updated space and equipment to train for careers in medical imaging.

The upgraded lab provides hands-on experience with modern technology used in hospitals and clinics. College leaders say the improvements strengthen SBCC’s role in preparing students to enter the local healthcare workforce.

The program reports a 95 percent job placement rate over the past five years and a 100 percent pass rate on the national certification exam.

SBCC Superintendent/President Erika Endrijonas says the program has made a meaningful impact on the community, helping meet the demand for skilled healthcare professionals.

Students train in the lab before heading to clinical sites for real-world experience, while faculty say the renovation supports hands-on learning focused on both technical skills and patient care.

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The post SBCC Opens Renovated Radiography Lab to Train Future Imaging Professionals appeared first on News Channel 3-12.

Por Lisa Respers France, CNN

James Van Der Beek, quien saltó a la fama interpretando a Dawson Leery en el exitoso drama adolescente de los años 90 “Dawson’s Creek”, ha muerto.

Según informes, tenía 48 años.

La noticia fue confirmada a través del Instagram verificado del actor el miércoles, donde se publicó: “Nuestro amado James David Van Der Beek falleció pacíficamente esta mañana. Enfrentó sus últimos días con valentía, fe y gracia. Hay mucho que compartir sobre sus deseos, amor por la humanidad y la sacralidad del tiempo. Esos días llegarán. Por ahora pedimos privacidad y tranquilidad mientras lamentamos la pérdida de nuestro amado esposo, padre, hijo, hermano y amigo”.

Su representante Stuart Manashil escribió a CNN en un correo electrónico solicitando privacidad para la familia.

Van Der Beek anunció en noviembre de 2024 que vivía con cáncer colorrectal en etapa 3.

Esta es una noticia en desarrollo.

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The post Muere el actor James Van Der Beek, protagonista de “Dawson’s Creek” appeared first on News Channel 3-12.