By Ramishah Maruf, CNN

New York (CNN) — Betting big on memestocks could pay off, at least for GameStop CEO Ryan Cohen. But a potentially huge payout hinges on a massive turnaround for the volatile video game retailer.

Cohen could receive a pay package worth $35 billion in performance-based stock options, the company’s board announced on Wednesday. The award is “designed to incentivize Mr. Cohen to achieve extraordinary growth,” meaning he only gets the package if GameStop’s market cap hits $100 billion (about ten times its current value) and its cumulative earnings — before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization — reach $10 billion.

Cohen gets “no guaranteed pay—no salary, no cash bonuses, and no stock that vests simply over time. Instead, his compensation is entirely ‘at-risk,’ meaning he will only be paid if the Company achieves significant market and operational goals,” according to an SEC filing on Wednesday.

The plan “ensures that Mr. Cohen’s incentives are directly aligned with creating long-term value for GameStop’s stockholders,” according to the filing. It’s a structure that echoes Elon Musk’s enormous plan at Tesla.

GameStop has been through a wild ride since Cohen became CEO in 2021.

The company became synonymous with the memestock frenzy in 2021, when day traders stuck it to the company’s short-sellers and fueled up to a 2,000% surge. The meme mania made a comeback in 2024 when a post by memestock leader “RoaringKitty” set off another burst.

The company also shuttered hundreds of stores in the last couple years, struggling to adapt to consumers’ changing habit of buying games online. As part of its pivot away from retail, GameStop has heavily invested its cash in cryptocurrencies.

GameStop’s stock value was approximately $1.3 billion in 2021. Now it’s roughly $9.3 billion, according to the SEC filing.

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LOMPOC, Calif. (KEYT) - The Lompoc Division of Santa Barbara Superior Court was packed to standing room only Wednesday morning.

Many of the seats were filled with family members of the late 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, reporters and media representatives, as well as spectators from the Vandenberg Village neighborhood where she lived with her mother Ashlee.

40-year-old Ashlee Buzzard is accused of killing her daughter Melodee in October by shooting her in the head and leaving her body on a remote Utah roadside.

Many of the spectators expressed hopes that this would be a fast trial, but Buzzard agreed to waive the right to a speedy preliminary hearing during her arraignment last month.

Judge Stephen Dunkle has maintained the gag order against Santa Barbara County Sheriffs moved by public defender Adrian Galvan and approved by Judge McGregor at the arraignment.

While it appeared unclear if Adrian Galvan is still representing her, Buzzard’s preliminary hearing has been set for January 21st.

Melodee’s paternal grandmother Lilly Denes, who works with your News Channel, says Melodee’s entire family — including Ashlee’s mother — is hurting.

Denes says if anyone does feel inclined to donate to the family, to please make sure they're donating to the GoFundMe created by DeeDee Moreno.

They are eager to lay Melodee to rest, and they hope the trial doesn’t take too long so they can see closure and justice.

The Latest Breaking News, Weather Alerts, Sports and More Anytime On Our Mobile Apps. Keep Up With The Latest Articles by Signing Up for the News Channel 3-12 Newsletter.

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VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. (KEYT) – The California Department of Fire and Forestry Protection shared Wednesday that there have been multiple confirmed detections of the invasive goldspotted oak borer in Ventura County.

Since its discovery in San Diego County in 2008, the invasive beetle species is estimated to have killed more than 200,000 mature oak trees as it has spread to San Bernardino, Riverside, Orange, Los Angeles, and now, Ventura counties stated Cal Fire in a press release Wednesday.

In August of 2024, a coast live oak along Box Canyon Road on the eastern edge of Ventura County was found to be infested with the goldspotted oak borer and the infected tree was removed and disposed of the limit the spread of the beetle detailed Cal Fire.

Despite those efforts, a second oak that was already dead from the infestation was found in Santa Susana in April of 2025 and several additional dead or dying coast live oaks showing the signs of a goldspotted oak borer infestation were discovered along Las Llajas Canyon Road the following month noted Cal Fire.

According to Cal Fire, large oaks can die within a few years after an initial infestation and are highly vulnerable once goldspotted oak borers are established in the region.

The most common way for the beetles to make it into new regions is usually through infested fire wood.

If you believe you have spotted goldspotted oak borer, you can report your sighting here and you can sign up for a University of California mailing list about the spreading species here.

With Ventura County now on the front lines of the infestation, members of the community are encouraged to participate in a coordinated response managed by Cal Fire, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, the Ventura County Fire Department, and the Ventura County Department of Agriculture Weights and Measures.

On Feb. 13, interested participants can attend an informational session for the Goldspotted Oak Borer Blitz. For more information about the information session, visit here.

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SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. (KEYT) - The 8th Annual News Channel 3-11-12 MLK Day of Service Blood Drive will be held later this month in an effort to help boost local supply levels.

The yearly event is held in partnership with Vitalant and is scheduled for Monday, Jan. 19, 2026 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo.

"Supplies definitely are low," said Beau Mercurio, Vitalant Account Manager. "Especially now, just because of the weather. We've had a lot of blood drives canceled in the community due to the weather and that's really hurt our numbers and our stock levels for the blood and blood products, so we definitely are in a high need for blood right now. We definitely need all hands on deck for blood donors."

For the first six years of the event, the blood drive was held in Vitalant blood centers. However, last year the drive moved to the Elks Lodge sites in Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo.

Once again this year, the blood drive will take place in the same three Elks Lodge locations.

"They stepped up," said Mercurio. "It just didn't make sense anymore in the center because we were growing and it's really neat that the Elks has stepped up to host this drive. This is open to the public. Anybody and everybody in our community can come out there and donate."

Vitalant points out that one donation of blood may save up to three lives, highlighting the impact donors have on the community.

"Just keep in mind that every two seconds somebody is needing blood, there is a transfusion happening," said Mercurio. "One out of seven patients that walks in a hospital is going to need a transfusion. Just one pint of blood can help save three lives. It's that important you're saving lives with that blood donation."

To learn more about the 8th Annual News Channel MLK Day of Service Blood Drive, or to schedule an appointment, click here.

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By Lisa Respers France, CNN

(CNN) — Despite what your group text may believe, the return of Connor Storrie’s mustache is not the biggest storyline of Wednesday morning’s Actor Award nominations.

The “Heated Rivalry” breakout star and “Abbott Elementary’s” Janelle James announced the nominees for the Actor Awards presented by SAG-AFTRA, which were formerly known as the SAG Awards and celebrate acting across film and television, voted on by actors in the Screen Actors Guild.

In some of the categories the voters this time around took a “this, but not that” approach.

For instance, Ariana Grande scored a nod for outstanding performance by a female actor in a supporting role for her performance in “Wicked: For Good,” while her costar and publicity tour bff Cynthia Erivo was not recognized for the sequel.

On the television side, Adam Brody earned a nomination in the lead male actor in a comedy series category for his role as a rabbi in love in the popular Netflix series “Nobody Wants This,” but Kristen Bell who plays his love interest was snubbed.

The lack of a nomination for Wagner Moura – who has been widely seen as a frontrunner for an Academy Award with his star turn as a former educator caught in the turmoil of a Brazilian military dictatorship in “The Secret Agent” – was also viewed as a snub and highlighted the lack of international nominees in the movie categories. Same goes for snubs all around to the cast of the Norwegian family drama “Sentimental Value,” which was expected to get at least some recognition.

On the other hand, Hollywood loves content about Hollywood, so Seth Rogen’s sendup of the industry, the Apple TV+ series “The Studio,” did well in the television categories.

This awards season already has its darlings – especially when it comes to films.

From Timothée Chalamet’s performance in “Marty Supreme” to the star-studded Leonardo DiCaprio-led cast of Paul Thomas Anderson’s drama “One Battle After Another,” those who are following the action are using nominations such as these to sharpen prediction for the Academy Awards.

“One Battle After Another” dominated Wednesday’s nominations with seven nominations, including for outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture.

The Ryan Coogler horror blockbuster “Sinners” also scored several nods, including in supporting categories for Wunmi Mosaku and Miles Caton. Its prominent placement may further change the trajectory for horror films in terms of award recognition, along with Amy Madigan’s nod for “Weapons.”

The Actor Awards ceremony will stream live on Netflix on March 1.

The following are the nominations in full:

MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role

Timothée Chalamet – “Marty Supreme”

Leonardo DiCaprio – “One Battle After Another”

Ethan Hawke – “Blue Moon”

Michael B. Jordan – “Sinners”

Jesse Plemons – “Bugonia”

Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role

Jessie Buckley – “Hamnet”

Rose Byrne – “If I Had Legs I’d Kick Yo