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Arizona Cardinals' Jonathan Ledbetter, on his foundation, Led-a-Better Way
Watch Next
Arizona Cardinals' Budda Baker, on talks with team about his contract
Cardinals running back James Conner on why he enjoys the position he plays
Arizona Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon on the start of training camp | https://www.azcentral.com/videos/sports/nfl/cardinals/2023/07/29/arizona-cardinals-zach-ertz-watching-wife-julies-womens-world-cup-games/12295281002/ | 2023-07-29T18:11:30 | 1 | https://www.azcentral.com/videos/sports/nfl/cardinals/2023/07/29/arizona-cardinals-zach-ertz-watching-wife-julies-womens-world-cup-games/12295281002/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — Omni Hotel in downtown Indianapolis caught fire early Saturday morning, according to the Indianapolis Fire Department.
Crews were dispatched around 1:08 a.m. to 25 W Georgia St. on a report of a dumpster fire. Upon arrival, firefighters requested a partial evacuation and additional units due to the extent of the fire particularly on the 2nd and 3rd floors.
Smoke conditions were cleared and residents were allowed to return by 2:30 a.m.
Neither occupants of the hotel or firefighters were injured. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/fire-blazes-in-downtown-indy-evacuates-omni-hotel/ | 2023-07-29T18:11:31 | 0 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/fire-blazes-in-downtown-indy-evacuates-omni-hotel/ |
HUARINA, Bolivia (AP) — A 70-year-old man’s feet sink into the soil as he passes abandoned boats where there used to be the water of Lake Titicaca. The highest navigable lake in the world has receded to what Bolivian authorities say are critically low levels due to a persistent drought.
“It’s completely dry,” Jaime Mamani said in exasperation while walking along the new shoreline in Huarina, a farming town 70 kilometers (43 miles) west of La Paz where he is a community leader.
The National Service of Naval Hydrography declared an alert this week for the iconic lake after its surface fell 2 centimeters (0.8 inches) below the drought warning stage, or 3,807.8 meters (12492.7 feet) above sea level. But the agency says this is just the beginning of a situation that is worrying Indigenous Aymara communities that rely on the lake for their livelihoods and fear the dry spell could permanently impact the region’s flora and fauna.
The hydrology unit of Bolivia’s navy warned that water levels could reach historically low levels in the coming months. By December, there is a “high probability” Lake Titicaca will be 64 centimeters (more than 25 inches) below the drought alert level, breaking a low water record set in 1998 by 33 centimeters (almost 13 inches).
“In three months, the water has decreased by 30 centimeters (11.8 inches), and considering that radiation is much stronger during this time of the year … we expect it to keep decreasing,” Carlos Carrasco, a hydraulic engineer for the hydrography service said.
The drought is the result of a combination of factors, including natural phenomena like La Niña and El Niño, which arrived unusually early this year and have been particularly strong due in part to climate change, according to Lucía Walper, who heads up the Hydrological Forecasting Unit at Bolivia’s National Meteorology and Hydrology Service.
But the vast lake is vital for this region of the Bolivian highlands, where hundreds of Aymara rural communities have relied on the blue body of water for millennia to practice subsistence farming and raise livestock.
Authorities in the Peruvian city of Puno also issued a warning about the declining water levels and expressed concern about the potential impact on tourism.
“We’re reaching a critical point. There will be a significant loss of water,” said Juan José Ocola, president of the Binational Authority of Lake Titicaca. The lake serves as the border between Bolivia and Peru.
Mateo Vargas, 56, a fisherman who has lived off the Lake Titicaca for 28 years, said he used to catch “lots” of fish daily. Now he considers himself lucky if he can catch six.
Vargas’ wife, Justina Condori, shares his concerns.
“The fish have vanished,” Condori, 58, said, predicting there will be famine if the current conditions persist.
Condori makes a living by renting boats to tourists. She worries fewer people will come to visit the lake, which at an elevation of 3,810 meters above sea level, is the largest body of freshwater in the Andes mountain range.
Evidence of the receding lake is seemingly everywhere. Women who sell fried fish and other snacks by the lake face rising costs for ingredients. Those who make a living transporting people from one side of the lake to the other are altering their routes because their rafts and boats no longer reach their usual docks.
Livestock farmers who rely on the plants that grow on the shores of the Titicaca to feed their animals are also seeing their livelihoods threatened.
The economic hardship is causing many residents of Huarina to migrate to other areas of the country, leaving behind mostly older townspeople, Mamani said. The waters of the Titicaca have always been shallow around the town, so the drought is even more visible there.
“There is a detriment to the economy of the inhabitants of the region,” he said.
Vargas, the fisherman, is also concerned about what the declining water levels will mean for the future.
“It looks like it will continue to decrease, day by day,” he said. “We’re worried because if we continue like this, what’s going to happen to our children?”
___
Follow AP’s coverage of the climate and environment at https://apnews.com/climate-and-environment | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-a-drought-alert-for-receding-lake-titicaca-has-indigenous-communities-worried-for-their-future/ | 2023-07-29T18:11:37 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-a-drought-alert-for-receding-lake-titicaca-has-indigenous-communities-worried-for-their-future/ |
4.4 magnitude earthquake reported off Oregon coast
A 4.4 magnitude earthquake hit off the Oregon Coast early Saturday morning, officials said.
According to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the quake happened just before 7 a.m. at a depth measured at 10 kilometers.
4.4 magnitude earthquake off the Oregon Coast (U.S. Geological Survey)
According to the USGS earthquake map, it appears the epicenter of the quake happened directly west of Coos Bay.
As of now, there are no tsunami alerts connected with this quake.
For more information on the earthquake, visit the USGS website page here. | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/4-4-magnitude-earthquake-reported-off-oregon-coast | 2023-07-29T18:11:38 | 0 | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/4-4-magnitude-earthquake-reported-off-oregon-coast |
Florida teen, adult rescued from accused human trafficker they met online, sheriff says: 'Sick individual'
SPRING HILL, Fla. - The Hernando County sheriff is urging parents to pay attention to what their children are doing online after he says a teen and a young adult were human trafficked by a man they met on an online dating app and recently rescued in Spring Hill.
On Monday, July 10, the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office says is was contacted by the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office about the possible location of a runaway teen.
Sheriff Al Nienhuis says his agency receives calls like that every day and his deputies try to recover the runaway.
When deputies went to the 5000 block of Pinehurst Drive in Spring Hill and found James Peter Houllis, 56, and a young female adult the sheriff referred to as victim number one, as well as the missing teen from Charlotte County.
At the time, deputies say they did not have any indication that the females were victims of human trafficking.
Sheriff Nienhuis said the suspect told deputies that he and the young adult female were under the impression that the teen was 18 years old and was kicked out of her home. He went on to say that he paid to have an Uber driver take her from Charlotte County to Spring Hill. The teen was taken to a runaway shelter in Hernando County to wait for her father to pick her up the next day.
The next day, before her father showed up, Sheriff Nienhuis says the teen told deputies and employees of the shelter that she had met the suspect and the adult victim on an uncommon social media dating platform.
READ: Human trafficking victim leads investigators to second victim: Tampa police
Teen victim signs contract
On the Sunday evening before the teen left home, she said she thought she was discussing sexual activity with the adult victim on the app. During the conversation, the sheriff said the pair decided that the teen would go to Hernando County to live with the suspect and the adult victim.
The teen also told authorities that she was sent a contract by email and it was referred to as a dominant and submissive agreement.
The teen, according to the sheriff, said she didn’t read the contract, but agreed to abide by it and sent it back to the suspect. HCSO says the suspect sent an Uber to get the teen and drive her to his house on July 9. She arrived around 10:30 p.m.
Sheriff Nienhuis says she was given her own bedroom and food. Then, according to HCSO, the suspect and both victims consumed marijuana and watched a movie. The three then moved to the suspect’s bedroom and engaged in sexual activity, according to HCSO.
READ: 'We will not stop': 2 rescued, 2 arrested in Hillsborough County human trafficking stings
The sheriff says the teen told officials that she never intended to engage in sexual activity with Houlis because she thought it would just be with the adult female. However, he said that the teen was told that she must adhere to her contract and perform any sexual act as demanded by the ‘dominant’ who is the suspect because she was his ‘submissive’.
The sheriff says in the agreement the ‘dominant’ would provide a beautiful home on the ocean (Sheriff Neihuis noted that the home on Pinehurst Drive is nowhere near the ocean), pay for all expenses, including food, drinks and utilities associated with the home in exchange for the ‘submissive’ to serve, please and obey the ‘dominant’.
The contract, according to the sheriff, stated that the ‘submissive’ would always respond to the sexual needs of the ‘dominant’ in any manner he saw fit, even if it was outside of her comfort zone.
The teen said the suspect forced the adult victim to perform sex acts on her. The suspect also took control of the victim’s cell phones, according to HCSO.
On Monday, July 10, the suspect and the adult victim took the teen to a department store to buy clothes.
According to HCSO, the teen was able to take photos of the suspect sitting on a couch in the nude before deputies arrived to investigate the report that she was a runaway teen out of Charlotte County.
The adult human trafficking victim
On Tuesday, July 11, the suspect was charged with unlawful sexual activity of a minor, unlawful use of a two-way communication device and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
While interviewing the suspect and the adult female, deputies learned that she was also a human trafficking victim.
Sheriff Nienhuis said the suspect admitted to the sexual activity, but said he said he believed the underage teen was over the age of 18. The sheriff says he also admitted to drafting up the contract.
James Peter Houllis mugshot courtesy of the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.
"He also said several times during the interview how fortunate the victim was that he provided for her, and he benefited from the sexual contact as described in the contract. He is definitely a sick individual to say the least," Sheriff Nienhuis said.
The young adult, according to HCSO, told deputies she was not a willing participant. He said she told authorities she felt obligated because she also signed a contract with the suspect. She went on to say that when she refused, he physically forced her to engage in sexual activity with the teen victim.
"I don’t think you could ever sign away your right to be raped," Sheriff Nienhuis stated. "If it is against your will, it is against your will even if you say in a contract that you are going to let a particular person do anything to you."
READ: Florida holds roundtable to discuss human trafficking as arrests climb across state roadways
The young adult, according to HCSO, said the suspect strangled the teen to force her into sexual activity and because she knew how rough the suspect could be she traded places with the teen to keep her safe.
James Houllis arrested
On July 13, the suspect was charged with sexual battery on the young adult victim, which led to a no-contact order by a judge. The sheriff said he violated the no-contact order several times and ordered the adult victim to drop the charges and stop speaking with law enforcement. He was then charged with witness tampering and violation of pre-trial contact with the victim.
Since the teen was under the age of 18 she cannot consent to a sex act, so the suspect was trafficking the victim in violation of Florida statute, according to HCSO.
The sheriff said Houllis met the adult victim more than a year ago out west on an online dating site, according to HCSO.
READ: Two arrested in human trafficking bust in Hillsborough County
While the young adult victim and the suspect were in Colorado, the sheriff says Houllis arranged for multiple men to have sex with her for money.
The sheriff said two other women who were romantically involved with the suspect said he was extremely controlling and filed police reports against him.
According to HCSO, Houllis has a history of domestic violence and has lived in 53 different places since 1980 including California, Colorado, Miami, Hudson and Hollywood before moving to Spring Hill and believe there may be more victims.
The sheriff says both victims are in a safe place receiving treatment.
Reality of human trafficking
Advocates say human trafficking can take many shapes, and they said the most common myth is that it always involves kidnapping. Selah Freedom, an anti-human trafficking organization, said the vast majority of cases involve some type of relationship, including close friendship, romantic or mentoring.
"Unfortunately, the reality is that for traffickers, for exploiters, there is no boundaries," Hilda Arreola, the prevention coordinator with Selah Freedom, said.
Selah Freedom said one in nine children are subject to some form of online sexual solicitation.
"It's not just a one and done conversation," Arreola said. "'I'm going to have one conversation with you. And if I get you hooked, great. If not, then I'm just going to leave it at that.' No, they form a relationship with whoever it is that they're trying to kind of reel in."
The Attorney General’s Office says since 2000, traffickers recruited 55% of sex trafficking victims online. The AG’s office says the median age of a child being contacted is 15 years old.
"Here in the United States, 90% of sex trafficking occurs, and it looks like a relationship that is formed, whether that be a friendship, a romantic relationship, a mother figure," Arreola said.
The Attorney General’s Office put out a push this summer, when most children usually have more free time. Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody is urging families to monitor what children are doing on and offline.
"Especially during summer time and kids being on technology so much," Arreola said. "It’s just like, little subtle changes in behavior, could indicate that maybe something is going on, that they're maybe engaging in conversations with someone that may be deterring them from whatever it is that you're trying to teach them at home."
To report trafficking, you can call Selah Freedom’s hotline at 1-888-8-FREE-ME. | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/florida-teen-young-adult-rescued-from-accused-human-trafficker-they-met-online-hcso | 2023-07-29T18:11:44 | 1 | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/florida-teen-young-adult-rescued-from-accused-human-trafficker-they-met-online-hcso |
NIAMEY, Niger (AP) — The African Union has issued a 15-day ultimatum to the junta in Niger to reinstall the country’s democratically elected government just as the coup leaders met with senior civil servants to discuss how they would run the country and as the U.S. and the European Union threatened sanctions against the regime.
Brig. Gen. Mohamed Toumba, one of the soldiers who ousted President Mohamed Bazoum on Wednesday, told state television that the junta met with civil servants on Friday and asked them to continue their work as usual following the suspension of the constitution. “The message given was not to stop the processes underway, to keep on with things,” said Brig. Gen. Toumba.
“Everything that must be done will be done,” he said, signaling the intention of the regime led by Gen. Abdourahmane Tchiani, who also goes by Omar, to remain in power.
After its meeting on Friday, the African Union Peace and Security Council said it was concerned by the “alarming resurgence” of coups that undermine democracy and stability on the continent. It asked the soldiers to “return immediately and unconditionally to their barracks and restore constitutional authority, within a maximum of fifteen (15) days.”
Bazoum, whose condition and that of his officials remains unknown since the government was overthrown, should also be released immediately and unconditionally, the AU said. Failure to do so would compel the bloc to take “necessary action, including punitive measures against the perpetrators.”
On the streets of the Nigerien capital Niamey on Saturday, things appeared to be returning to normal, though many in the international community were still on lockdown with hotels full of foreigners, many given instructions not to leave.
Locals say they’re waiting to see what unfolds, with many still in support of Bazoum who has not yet resigned. “I’m with him, he does a good work. (But) what can we do?” said Mohamed Cisse, a street seller. “This is (the new leader’s) time, Bazoum’s time is over,” he said.
Tchiani, the junta leader and commander of Niger’s presidential guard, is close to former Nigerien president Mahamadou Issoufou, who stepped down in 2021 after a decade in office. Tchiani’s takeover of power will reinforce speculation that Issoufou is behind the coup, said Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, a German think tank and consultancy.
The U.S. threatened to halt its economic support to Niger while the European Union announced the immediate indefinite suspension of budgetary support and security assistance.
U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken, who is in Australia as part of a Pacific tour, estimated America’s economic and security partnership with Niger at hundreds of millions of dollars and said its continuity depends on “the continuation of the democratic governance and constitutional order.”
“So that assistance, that support, is in clear jeopardy as a result of these actions, which is another reason why they need to be immediately reversed,” Blinken said.
While there are no signs of the junta backing down amid growing international pressure, analysts called for synergy in the interventions of the international community and continental organizations such as the AU and the regional bloc of ECOWAS, which is scheduled to meet over the coup on Sunday.
A successful coup in Niger and the sanctions in the aftermath could cause more hardship for millions of poor and hungry people in West Africa and could further threaten international relations with the region, which is seeing a resurgence of coups in recent years, according to Idayat Hassan, senior Africa program fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
“A non-reversal of the coup also means that we are defining a new world order in West Africa in particular as you are pitching the west and other countries against few military regimes which may be backed by Russia,” said Hassan.
———
Asadu reported from Abuja, Nigeria. Baba Ahmed in Bamako, Mali contributed. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-african-union-gives-15-day-ultimatum-to-niger-junta-to-end-regime-but-soldiers-seek-continuity/ | 2023-07-29T18:11:43 | 0 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-african-union-gives-15-day-ultimatum-to-niger-junta-to-end-regime-but-soldiers-seek-continuity/ |
Hunter Biden's daughter, Navy, publicly acknowledged by president for 1st time
WASHINGTON - President Joe Biden on Friday for the first time publicly acknowledged his seventh grandchild, a four-year-old girl fathered by his son Hunter with an Arkansas woman, Lunden Roberts, in 2018.
"Our son Hunter and Navy’s mother, Lunden, are working together to foster a relationship that is in the best interests of their daughter, preserving her privacy as much as possible going forward," Biden said in a statement. It was his first acknowledgement of the child.
"This is not a political issue, it’s a family matter," he said. "Jill and I only want what is best for all of our grandchildren, including Navy."
Hunter Biden's paternity was established by DNA testing after Roberts sued for child support, and the two parties recently resolved outstanding child support issues. The president's son wrote about his encounter with Roberts in his 2021 memoir, saying it came while he was deep in addiction to alcohol and drugs, including crack cocaine.
"I had no recollection of our encounter," he wrote. "That’s how little connection I had with anyone. I was a mess, but a mess I’ve taken responsibility for."
An attorney for Roberts did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
FILE - Hunter Biden, son of US President Joe Biden, arrives at Fort Lesley J. McNair in Washington, DC, US, on Tuesday, July 4, 2023. (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The president, who has made a commitment to family central to his public persona, has faced increasing criticism from political rivals and pundits for failing to acknowledge the granddaughter. According to a person familiar with the matter, he was taking the cue from his son while the legal proceedings played out. The person spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private matters.
Hunter Biden has four other children, including a son, Beau, born by his wife Melissa Cohen in 2020. He was named after the president's late son who died of cancer in 2015, leaving behind two children.
Biden's grandchildren have played a distinctive role in his presidency, often accompanying the president or first lady on trips and making regular visits to the White House. The president has also credited his grandchildren with persuading him to challenge then-President Donald Trump for the White House in 2020.
Biden's statement was first reported by People Magazine. | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/hunter-bidens-daughter-navy-publicly-acknowledged-by-president-for-1st-time | 2023-07-29T18:11:50 | 0 | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/hunter-bidens-daughter-navy-publicly-acknowledged-by-president-for-1st-time |
THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Salvage crews were preparing Saturday to tow a car-carrying cargo ship that has been burning for days to an anchor point in the North Sea after flames and smoke on board subsided, the Dutch government said.
Fire erupted in the Fremantle Highway late Tuesday night near a chain of islands in the northern Netherlands and has been blazing ever since. The ship is carrying 3,783 new vehicles, including 498 electric vehicles, the company that chartered the vessel said.
One crew member died and others were injured after the fire broke out on the ship that was heading from Bremerhaven in Germany to Singapore. The crew was evacuated in the early hours of Wednesday. The cause of the fire has not been established.
Measurements Friday showed that heat, flames and smoke had subsided enough for salvage experts to board the ship for the first time and establish a strong towing connection with a tugboat, the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management said.
It will be towed, likely over the weekend, to a new position 16 kilometers (10 miles) north of the island of Schiermonnikoog , the ministry said in a statement. The timing of the operation that is expected to take 12-14 hours depends on smoke development and weather, the ministry added. The aim is ultimately “once conditions on board allow,” to tow the ship to a port, though the destination has not yet been decided.
The ministry said the ship is stable and intact below the waterline.
The burning vessel is close to the shallow Wadden Sea, a World Heritage-listed area that is considered one of the world’s most significant habitats for migratory birds. It’s also near the Netherlands’ border with Germany, whose environment minister, Steffi Lemke, has warned of “an environmental catastrophe of unknown proportions,” if the ship were to sink. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-burning-cargo-ship-off-dutch-coast-will-be-towed-to-a-new-location-after-flames-and-smoke-subsided/ | 2023-07-29T18:11:51 | 0 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-burning-cargo-ship-off-dutch-coast-will-be-towed-to-a-new-location-after-flames-and-smoke-subsided/ |
Landlord collecting overdue rent saves tenants he found overdosing
FOX 2 (WJBK) - A Pontiac landlord found two tenants passed out from an opioid overdose - but luckily he got to them just in time-to call 911.
Police officers who responded were able to use Narcan to save both of their lives.
"I just think God or the universe works in mysterious ways and I was meant to be there," said Nicholas Somberg.
Somberg is a criminal defense attorney – and owns rental properties in Pontiac. When he went to collect overdue rent this week, he had no idea he’d be saving the lives of his tenants.
"They didn't look good and I saw a tray of white powder on the table," he said.
Somberg’s new tenants at a house on Mary Day Avenue in Pontiac were only there a month and behind on rent.
"They were nice and kind, had kids, he had a good job, they got a couple extensions – but Thursday night was it," he said. "I called him and i wasn't answering and neither was his girlfriend or wife, so I decided to go over there."
He found a pile of powder inside and the tenants – a couple with five kids between them - were passed out and twitching. Somberg made an immediate call to 911, then Oakland County Sheriff’s deputies got there.
"They were very professional, they knew what they were doing like they do this everyday," Somberg said. "Probably because they do
No kids were there, but their toys, the backdrop to the Narcan rescue – which was eerie even for this seasoned criminal defense attorney.
"It was a slow revival bringing them back, being kind, telling them 'Hey honey we are here to help,'" Somberg said.
He said that Narcan worked – and they were taken to the hospital for treatment and will recover.
"The EMS (workers) were like, if you wouldn't have been here, they would have died," Somberg said.
He’s filing an emergency eviction – he doesn’t want this kind of drug use in his homes. | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/landlord-collecting-overdue-rent-saves-tenants-he-found-overdosing | 2023-07-29T18:11:56 | 0 | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/landlord-collecting-overdue-rent-saves-tenants-he-found-overdosing |
COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron held discussions with his Sri Lankan counterpart Saturday on an open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region in the first-ever visit by a French leader to the Indian Ocean island nation.
As the fourth-largest creditor to Sri Lanka, France had pledged cooperation in debt restructuring to help the island nation recover from its economic crisis.
Macron arrived in Sri Lanka Friday night, following his trip to the South Pacific region, to mark the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations, Sri Lanka’s president’s office said.
Sri Lanka President Ranil Wickremesinghe praised France’s significant role in global affairs, particularly in areas such as climate mitigation, global debt restructuring, and matters related to the Indo-Pacific region, the statement said.
“Sri Lanka and France are two Indian Ocean nations that share the same goal: an open, inclusive and prosperous Indo-Pacific. In Colombo we confirmed it: strengthened by 75 years of diplomatic relations, we can open a new era of our partnership,” Macron said in a Twitter message after the meeting. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-french-president-macron-visits-his-counterpart-in-sri-lanka/ | 2023-07-29T18:11:58 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-french-president-macron-visits-his-counterpart-in-sri-lanka/ |
McDonald's to debut new spinoff restaurant concept called CosMc's next year
McDonald's is working on a spinoff restaurant. It's called CosMc's.
CEO Chris Kempczinski told analysts on an earnings call Thursday that the small-format concept restaurant will have "all the DNA of McDonald's, but its own unique personality."
The name of the new restaurant stems from a six-armed alien character that appeared in the company's advertisements from the 1980s.
The fast food giant will debut the new concept in a "small handful of sites in a limited geography beginning early next year," a McDonald's spokesperson told FOX Business.
MCDONALD'S GETS SALES BOOST FROM GRIMACE, HIGHER MENU PRICES
Kempczinski didn't elaborate on the company's plans. However, McDonald's will have more information about development plans and new format innovations at its investor day in December.
A car is seen leaving a McDonalds restaurant in San Leandro, California, on April 28, 2022. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
The company appears to be riding off of the strong momentum it's seeing in the U.S., where consumers have remained largely resilient.
Kempczinski said the company is gaining a share of higher-income customers who are trading down from sit-down restaurants. Customers with incomes of $45,000 or lower are spending less on each order, but are coming in more often, he said.
"There is certainly concern with the US consumer that shows up in their sentiment, but our business and our value positioning in the market has put us into a good position to be able to weather that and continue to drive the share gains that you’re seeing," Kempczinski said.
A tray with a Big Mac, french fries and a drink is seen on a table in a McDonald's restaurant on Nov. 9, 2022. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Same-store sales in the U.S. more than doubled, rising 10.3% in the quarter compared with a 3.7% rise a year earlier.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
LINK: Get updates and more on this story at foxbusiness.com. | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/mcdonalds-new-spinoff-restaurants-cosmcs | 2023-07-29T18:12:02 | 1 | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/mcdonalds-new-spinoff-restaurants-cosmcs |
BAGHDAD (AP) — The leader of Lebanon’s Shiite militant group Hezbollah said Saturday that if governments of Muslim-majority nations do not act against countries that allow the desecration of the Quran, Muslims should “punish” those who facilitate attacks on Islam’s holy book.
The comments by Hassan Nasrallah came in a video address to tens of thousands gathered in Beirut’s southern suburbs to mark Ashoura, a Shiite holy day commemorating the 7th century martyrdom of the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson Hussein.
Nasrallah often uses religious occasions to send political messages to followers, and on Saturday slammed recent incidents in which the Quran was burned or otherwise desecrated at authorized demonstrations in Sweden and Denmark.
He said Muslims should watch for the outcome of an emergency meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, scheduled to take place in Baghdad on Monday to discuss the organization’s response to the Quran burnings.
The organization and its member states should “send a firm, decisive and unequivocal message to these governments that any repeat of the attacks will be met with a boycott,” Nasrallah said. If they do not, he said, Muslim youth should “punish the desecrators.”
He did not elaborate what such a boycott and punishment should entail.
Members of the crowd, who carried banners with religious slogans alongside the flags of Hezbollah, Lebanon and Palestine, chanted, “Oh, Quran, we are at your service; Oh, Hussein, we are at your service.”
Shiites represent over 10% of the world’s 1.8 billion Muslims and view Hussein as the rightful successor to the Prophet Muhammad. Hussein’s death in battle at the hands of Sunnis at Karbala, south of Baghdad, ingrained a deep rift in Islam and continues to this day to play a key role in shaping Shiite identity.
Millions of Shiite Muslims in Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan and around the world on Friday commemorated Ashoura, while Saturday marked the culmination of the observances in countries such as Lebanon, Iraq and Syria.
Hundreds of thousands of pilgrims gathered in the Iraqi city of Karbala, where Hussein is entombed in a gold-domed shrine. In the streets of the Baghdad suburb of Sadr City, mourners gathered to watch reenactments of the Battle of Karbala and Hussein’s death.
In the streets, young men clad in black and white slashed their heads with swords and knives to demonstrate their grief. Friends swabbed each other’s heads with tissues and handed each other water.
In Syria’s capital, Damascus, the crowds were mourning not only the death of Hussein but a deadly attack in the suburb of Sayida Zeinab, home to a shrine to Zeinab, the daughter of the first Shiite imam, Ali, and granddaughter of the Prophet Muhammad.
A bomb hidden in a motorcycle exploded there on Thursday, killing at least six people and wounding dozens more. On Tuesday, another bomb in a motorcycle had wounded two people.
On Friday, the Islamic State group — a Sunni militant group that often targets Shiites — claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying Thursday’s bombing came “during their annual polytheistic rituals.” The group’s extreme interpretation of Islam holds Shiite Muslims to be apostates.
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Associated Press writers Anmar Khalil in Karbala, Iraq, and Hassan Ammar in Beirut contributed to this report. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-lebanons-hezbollah-leader-urges-muslims-to-punish-quran-desecrators-if-governments-fail-to-do-so/ | 2023-07-29T18:12:04 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-lebanons-hezbollah-leader-urges-muslims-to-punish-quran-desecrators-if-governments-fail-to-do-so/ |
Mega Millions jackpot tops $1B after another drawing with no big winner
The Mega Millions jackpot climbed to an estimated $1.05 billion Friday night, only the fifth time in the history of the game that the grand prize has reached into the billions.
No one managed to beat the massive odds and match all six numbers for Friday's estimated $940 million jackpot. The numbers drawn were: 5, 10, 28, 52, 63 and the gold ball 18.
READ MORE: 'I think I cried all the way home': North Carolina woman wins 'life-changing' jackpot
There have been 29 straight draws without a Mega Millions jackpot winner since the last grand prize ticket on April 18.
The $1.05 billion prize up for grabs in the next drawing Tuesday night would be for a sole winner choosing to be paid through an annuity, with annual payments over 30 years. Jackpot winners almost always opt for a lump sum payment, which for Tuesday’s drawing would be an estimated $527.9 million.
The potential jackpot is the fourth-largest in the game and the fifth over $1 billion, Mega Millions said in a statement early Saturday.
Although there were no jackpot winners, one ticket in Pennsylvania was worth $5 million and another in the state connected for $1 million. There also were $1 million winners in Arizona, California and New York, Mega Millions said.
It has been less than two weeks since someone in Los Angeles won a $1.08 billion Powerball prize that ranked as the sixth-largest in U.S. history. The winner of the prize is still a mystery.
READ MORE: Pennsylvania man wins 2nd $50,000 lottery prize from same scratch-off game
Lottery jackpots grow so large because the odds of winning are so small. For Mega Millions, the odds of winning the jackpot are about 1 in 302.6 million.
Winners also would be subject to federal taxes, and many states also tax lottery winnings.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/mega-millions-drawing-jackpot-july-2023-winning-numbers | 2023-07-29T18:12:08 | 1 | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/mega-millions-drawing-jackpot-july-2023-winning-numbers |
TALLINN, Estonia (AP) —
A 9-year-old girl and her 10-year-old brother have been called as witnesses in a criminal case against their mother after she was accused of repeatedly “discrediting” the Russian army.
Lidia Prudovskaya and her two children were summoned by investigators in the northern Russian region of Arkhangelsk on Friday to give testimony in the case, Russian news outlet Sota reported.
Prudovskaya previously faced administrative charges on similar allegations after sharing anti-war posts on Russian social media platform VKontakte in September 2022.
Discrediting the Russian military is a criminal offense under a law adopted after Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022. The law is regularly used against Kremlin critics.
In April, Russian authorities petitioned to restrict the parental rights of a single father convicted of discrediting the army following an anti-war sketch drawn by his daughter at school.
Alexei Moskalyov, 54, was sentenced to two years in prison for social media comments he had made criticizing Moscow’s war in Ukraine, while his daughter Maria was placed in an orphanage.
The 13-year-old was later moved to live with her mother. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-russian-investigators-call-children-as-witnesses-against-their-mother-accused-of-discrediting-army/ | 2023-07-29T18:12:10 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-russian-investigators-call-children-as-witnesses-against-their-mother-accused-of-discrediting-army/ |
Singapore hangs first woman in 19 years following conviction for trafficking heroin
Singapore executed a woman for the first time in 19 years on Friday, marking the city-state's second death by hanging this week for convicted drug traffickers.
Saridewi Djamani, 45, was sentenced to death in 2018 for trafficking nearly 31 grams of pure heroin, according to the Central Narcotics Bureau. The agency described the amount as "sufficient to feed the addiction of about 370 abusers for a week."
Despite calls from activists to end capital punishment for drug-related crimes, Singapore mandates the death penalty for anyone convicted of trafficking more than 500 grams of cannabis and 15 grams of heroin.
Two days before Djamani's execution, 56-year-old Mohammed Aziz Hussain was executed by hanging for trafficking approximately 50 grams of heroin, and another drug trafficker is set to be executed next week, the Associated Press reported.
SINGAPORE EXECUTES MAN WHO ALLEGEDLY CONSPIRED TO TRAFFIC 2 POUNDS OF CANNABIS
Buildings in Singapore, on Monday, June 5, 2023. Photographer: Ore Huiying/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Both Djamani and Hussain were given due process, according to the Central Narcotics Bureau, which allegedly includes appeals of their conviction and sentence, and petition for clemency.
The last known time a woman was hanged in Singapore was in 2004 when 36-year-old hairdresser Yen May Woen was executed for drug trafficking.
The city-state has been asked to do away with executions for drug offenses by human rights groups, international activists and the United Nations, all of whom say evidence shows that capital punishment does not deter illegal drug activity.
Singapore authorities disagree with those findings and insist the death sentences are important in slowing drug demand and supply, according to the AP.
WORLDWIDE EXECUTIONS INCREASED BY 53% IN 2022
Singapore authorities have ignored pleas from human rights groups, international activists and the United Nations to put a halt on executions for drug-related offenses. (MOHD RASFAN/AFP via Getty Images)
The execution set for Aug. 3 is for a former delivery driver convicted in 2019 of trafficking around 50 grams of heroin, according to Transformative Justice Collective, a Singapore group that advocates to abolish capital punishment.
The man maintained in his trial that he thought he was delivering contraband cigarettes for a friend he owed money to, adding that he trusted his friend, so he didn't check the bag's contents. Though the court determined him to be a courier, he still had to be given the death penalty under Singapore's laws, the group said.
If his execution takes place as scheduled, it would be the city-state's fifth this year.
Human rights groups say 15 people have been executed in Singapore for drug offenses since hangings resumed in March 2022, an average of one a month.
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/singapore-hangs-woman-heroin-trafficking | 2023-07-29T18:12:14 | 0 | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/singapore-hangs-woman-heroin-trafficking |
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) — Colombian police arrested the president’s son Saturday as part of a high-profile money laundering probe into funds he allegedly collected from convicted drug traffickers during last year’s presidential campaign.
President Gustavo Petro, a former rebel who rose through Colombia’s political ranks as an anti-corruption crusader, said he wouldn’t interfere with the investigation.
“As an individual and father, it pains me to see so much self destruction and one of my sons going to jail,” Petro said in an early morning message on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “As president of the republic, I’ve assured the chief prosecutor’s office that it will have all of the guarantees so it can proceed according to the law.”
The arrest of Nicolas Petro is a major blow to the government, which has been buffeted by conservative attacks from day one at the same time it has struggled to maintain bipartisan support for Colombia in the U.S., a longtime ally in the war on drugs and fight against illegal armed groups.
The investigation stems from shocking declarations made by Nicolas Petro’s ex-wife, Daysuris del Carmen Vasquez, to local media outlet Semana earlier this year.
In the extended interview, Vasquez detailed how she was present at meetings when her husband arranged a donation of more than 600 million pesos (around $150,000) from a politician once convicted in Washington of drug trafficking and who was seeking the Petro campaign’s support to resume his political career.
She said President Petro was unaware of her son’s dealings and the money he collected in his campaign’s name was kept inside a safe inside the couple’s home in the coastal city of Barranquilla.
Nicolas Petro has denied his ex wife’s claims as unfounded.
The chief prosecutor’s office said in a statement that Nicolas Petro and his ex-wife were taken into custody on orders of a court in Bogota around 6 a.m. local time Saturday. It said that once brought before a judge, prosecutors would seek their provisional detention as it investigates the two for money laundering. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-son-of-colombias-president-arrested-as-part-of-money-laundering-probe/ | 2023-07-29T18:12:17 | 0 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-son-of-colombias-president-arrested-as-part-of-money-laundering-probe/ |
US to send Taiwan $345 million military aid package
WASHINGTON - The U.S. on Friday announced $345 million in military aid for Taiwan, in what is the Biden administration's first major package drawing on America's own stockpiles to help Taiwan counter China.
The White House's announcement said the package would include defense, education and training for the Taiwanese. Washington will send man-portable air defense systems, or MANPADS, intelligence and surveillance capabilities, firearms and missiles, according to two U.S. officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters ahead of the announcement.
U.S. lawmakers have been pressuring the Pentagon and White House to speed weapons to Taiwan. The goals are to help it counter China and to deter China from considering attacking, by providing Taipei enough weaponry that it would make the price of invasion too high.
While Chinese diplomats protested the move, Taiwan's trade office in Washington said the U.S. decision to pull arms and other materiel from its stores provided "an important tool to support Taiwan's self-defense." In a statement, it pledged to work with the United States to maintain "peace, stability and the status quo across the Taiwan Strait."
FILE - Armed vehicles launch smoke during the annual Han Guang anti-landing drill at Bali beach, New Taipei City on July 27, 2023. (Sam Yeh / AFP) (Photo by SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images)
The package is in addition to nearly $19 billion in military sales of F-16s and other major weapons systems that the U.S. has approved for Taiwan. Delivery of those weapons has been hampered by supply chain issues that started during the COVID-19 pandemic and have been exacerbated by the global defense industrial base pressures created by Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
The difference is that this aid is part of a presidential authority approved by Congress last year to draw weapons from current U.S. military stockpiles — so Taiwan will not have to wait for military production and sales. This gets weapons delivered faster than providing funding for new weapons.
The Pentagon has used a similar authority to get billions of dollars worth of munitions to Ukraine.
Taiwan split from China in 1949 amid civil war. Chinese President Xi Jinping maintains China’s right to take over the now self-ruled island, by force if necessary. China has accused the U.S. of turning Taiwan into a "powder keg" through the billions of dollars in weapons sales it has pledged.
The U.S. maintains a "One China" policy under which it does not recognize Taiwan’s formal independence and has no formal diplomatic relations with the island in deference to Beijing. However, U.S. law requires a credible defense for Taiwan and for the U.S. to treat all threats to the island as matters of "grave concern."
Getting stockpiles of weapons to Taiwan now, before an attack begins, is one of the lessons the U.S. has learned from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Pentagon deputy defense secretary Kathleen Hicks told The Associated Press earlier this year.
FILE - Armed vehicles and Taiwan military soldiers attend the annual Han Guang anti-landing drill at Bali beach, New Taipei City on July 27, 2023. (SAM YEH/AFP via Getty Images)
Ukraine "was more of a cold-start approach than the planned approach we have been working on for Taiwan, and we will apply those lessons," Hicks said. Efforts to resupply Taiwan after a conflict erupted would be complicated because it is an island, she said.
China regularly sends warships and planes across the center line in the Taiwan Strait that provides a buffer between the sides, as well as into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone, in an effort to intimidate the island’s 23 million people and wear down its military capabilities.
Liu Pengyu, a spokesman for China's embassy in Washington, said in a statement Friday that Beijing was "firmly opposed" to U.S. military ties with Taiwan. The U.S. should "stop selling arms to Taiwan" and "stop creating new factors that could lead to tensions in the Taiwan Strait," Liu said. | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/us-to-send-taiwan-345-million-military-aid-package | 2023-07-29T18:12:20 | 0 | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/us-to-send-taiwan-345-million-military-aid-package |
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Saturday pushed back against Australian demands for an end to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s prosecution, saying the Australian citizen was accused of “very serious criminal conduct” in publishing a trove of classified documents more than a decade ago.
Australia’s center-left Labor Party government has been arguing since winning the elections last year that the United States should end its pursuit of the 52-year-old, who has spent four years in a British prison fighting extradition to the United States.
Assange’s freedom is widely seen as a test of Australia’s leverage with President Joe Biden’s administration.
Blinken confirmed on Saturday that Assange had been discussed in annual talks with Foreign Minister Penny Wong in Brisbane, Australia.
“I understand the concerns and views of Australians. I think it’s very important that our friends here understand our concerns about this matter,” Blinken told reporters.
“Mr. Assange was charged with very serious criminal conduct in the United States in connection with his alleged role in one of the largest compromises of classified information in the history of our country,” he added.
Wong said Assange’s prosecution had “dragged for too long” and that Australia wanted the charges “brought to a conclusion.”
Australia remains ambiguous about whether the United States should drop the prosecution or strike a plea bargain.
Assange faces 17 charges of espionage and one charge of computer misuse over WikiLeaks’ publication of of hundreds of thousands of classified diplomatic and military documents in 2010.
American prosecutors allege he helped U.S. Army intelligence analyst Chelsea Manning steal classified diplomatic cables and military files that WikiLeaks later published, putting lives at risk.
Australia argues there is a “disconnect” between the U.S. treatment of Assange and Manning. Then-U.S. President Barack Obama commuted Manning’s 35-year sentence to seven years, which allowed her release in 2017. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-us-secretary-of-state-tells-australia-that-wikileaks-founder-is-accused-of-very-serious-crime/ | 2023-07-29T18:12:25 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-us-secretary-of-state-tells-australia-that-wikileaks-founder-is-accused-of-very-serious-crime/ |
WSP arrests DUI driver who hit pedestrian and fled scene in Snohomish County
SNOHOMISH COUNTY, Wash. - The Washington State Patrol (WSP) arrested a driver for DUI after they crashed into a pedestrian and fled the scene Friday night.
According to the WSP, the crash happened on SR-2 at milepost 39 at around 10:21 p.m. This area is just northwest of the city of Halford.
Investigators say 25-year-old Raphael Landry was driving the wrong way in the westbound lane when he crashed into a 20-year-old man, and continued driving eastbound.
Authorities say the victim was taken to Harborview Medical Center, but the extent of his injuries have not been specified.
The suspect was later found on eastbound SR-2 at milepost 55, and was taken into custody for driving under the influence.
The WSP says the incident remains under investigation.
This is a developing story. | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/wsp-arrests-dui-driver-who-hit-pedestrian-and-fled-scene-in-snohomish-county | 2023-07-29T18:12:27 | 1 | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/wsp-arrests-dui-driver-who-hit-pedestrian-and-fled-scene-in-snohomish-county |
WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Over 100 mercenaries belonging to the Russian-linked Wagner group in Belarus have moved close to the border with Poland, the Polish prime minister said Saturday.
Mateusz Morawiecki said at a news conference that the mercenaries had moved close to the Suwalki Gap, a strategic stretch of Polish territory situated between Belarus and Kaliningrad, a Russian territory separated from the mainland.
Poland is a member of both the European Union and NATO, and it has worried about its security with Russian ally Belarus and Ukraine on its eastern border.
Those fears have grown since Wagner group mercenaries arrived in Belarus since the group’s short-lived rebellion earlier this summer.
The Poland-Belarus border has already been a tense place for a couple of years, ever since large numbers of immigrants from the Middle East and Africa began arriving, seeking to enter the EU by crossing into Poland, as well as Lithuania.
Poland’s government accuses Russia and Belarus of using the migrants to destabilize Poland and other EU countries. It calls the migration a form of hybrid warfare, and has responded by building a high wall along part of its border with Belarus.
“Now the situation becomes even more dangerous,” Morawiecki told reporters.
He added that “this is certainly a step towards a further hybrid attack on Polish territory.”
Morawiecki spoke during a visit to an arms factory in Gliwice, in southern Poland, where Leopard tanks used by the Ukrainian army are being repaired. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-wagner-mercenaries-in-belarus-move-closer-to-the-polish-border-polands-prime-minister-says/ | 2023-07-29T18:12:31 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-international/ap-wagner-mercenaries-in-belarus-move-closer-to-the-polish-border-polands-prime-minister-says/ |
WSP trooper injured after driver crashes into their cruiser near Lake Sammamish
KING COUNTY, Wash. - A Washington State Patrol (WSP) trooper was injured after another driver crashed into their cruiser near Lake Sammamish Saturday morning.
According to the WSP, just after 3 a.m., the trooper was struck while sitting along the shoulder of eastbound I-90 near W Lake Sammamish Pkwy.
Washington State Patrol
The trooper was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries.
The driver that drifted onto the shoulder and crashed into the trooper declined medical treatment.
Authorities do not believe drugs or alcohol played a role in this crash.
RELATED: WSP arrests DUI driver who hit pedestrian and fled scene in Snohomish County | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/wsp-trooper-injured-after-driver-crashes-into-their-cruiser-near-lake-sammamish | 2023-07-29T18:12:33 | 0 | https://www.fox13seattle.com/news/wsp-trooper-injured-after-driver-crashes-into-their-cruiser-near-lake-sammamish |
ATLANTA (AP) — “Excuse me, are you a city of Atlanta voter? Do you know about ‘Cop City?’”
Clipboards in hand, canvassers Sienna Giraldi and Gabriel Sanchez approached shopper after shopper at a Kroger supermarket lot on a recent evening collecting signatures for a referendum over whether to cancel the city’s lease of a proposed police and firefighter training center that’s become a national rallying cry for environmentalists and anti-police protesters.
Most people kept on walking. Others said they weren’t registered to vote or didn’t live within the city limits, both of which are required. Many seemed to have no idea what “Cop City” was and weren’t interested in finding out. The fact that it began raining certainly didn’t help. By the end of a 90-minute shift, 21 people had signed.
“We definitely need to come back here,” Sanchez said. “I was on a roll before the rain started.”
Over the past month, hundreds of people like them — many volunteers, some paid — have spread out across the city of about 500,000, in hopes of persuading more than 70,000 registered voters to sign on to the petition drive. The deadline had been mid-August, but the effort got a boost Thursday when a federal judge extended it to late September, though significant logistical and legal hurdles remain.
Technically, organizers say, they need just 58,203 signatures by Aug. 14 to qualify for the November ballot — the equivalent of 15% of registered voters as of the last city election — but they set the higher goal knowing some will be disqualified. If that’s not reached until late August or September, the referendum wouldn’t happen until March, when a competitive GOP presidential primary could turn out conservative voters and hurt its chances. The city also could move forward with construction in the meantime, unless a judge intervenes.
As of July 25, the drive had collected more than 30,000 signatures, according to Paul Glaze, a spokesperson for the Vote to Stop Cop City Coalition. And with the paid canvassing effort still ramping up, he expects the pace to pick up significantly.
“We’re confident of hitting our number,” Glaze said. “How much extra padding we’re able to get is still a question. … Our experience is that when you talk about this with people, when they hear the price tag, when you ask them if they would choose this or something else to spend the money on, the vast majority are against it.”
Organizers of the drive say Mayor Andre Dickens and the City Council have failed to listen to a groundswell of opposition to the $90 million, 85-acre (34-hectare) training center, which they fear will lead to greater militarization of the police and exacerbate environmental damage in the South River Forest in a poor, predominantly Black area.
Officials counter that the campus would replace outdated, far-flung facilities and boost police morale, which is beset by hiring and retention struggles, especially in the wake of 2020 protests over racial injustice. Dickens has said that the facility will teach the “most progressive training and curriculum in the country” and that officials have repeatedly revised their plans to address concerns about noise pollution and environmental impact.
In June, after hearing about 14 hours of public testimony that was overwhelmingly against the training center, council members voted 11-4 to approve $67 million toward the project. Outraged but not surprised, organizers of the petition drive announced it the next day.
Outside the Kroger, located in a majority-Black neighborhood a few miles south of a Wendy’s parking lot where officers fatally shot Rayshard Brooks in 2020, Giraldi chatted with Lee Little, a Black construction worker who stopped to talk despite the rain, his hands full of bagged groceries.
Little was working near the proposed training center in March and saw the helicopters and mass of armed officers that descended on the area after about 150 masked activists stormed the site and torched construction equipment. He hadn’t thought about it much since, but he signed the petition after hearing Giraldi’s pitch.
“She was just saying that City Council approved 60-something million dollars without listening to the taxpayers. Does that sound fair to you? That should be for the voters to decide,” Little said afterward.
Another who signed was Makela Atchison, who was wearing a “Black Voters Matter” T-shirt as she left the store with her two children.
“I’m not saying I’m for it or against it,” Atchison said, “but I want to be able to have my input.”
The signature drive is the most ambitious in terms of numbers that has ever been launched in a Georgia city, but it has precedent from last year in Camden County, where voters overwhelmingly rejected a planned launchpad for blasting commercial rockets into space. The Georgia Supreme Court in February unanimously upheld the legality of that referendum, though it remains an open question whether citizens can veto decisions of city governments.
In a recent court filing seeking to quash the Atlanta referendum, attorneys for the city said residents can’t force officials to retroactively revoke the lease agreement, which was made in 2021. They called organizers’ efforts “futile” and “invalid.” The state agreed with the city in a separate filing, though that dispute is on hold for now.
Still, activists see the referendum as the best remaining option to block the project. They’ve gotten support from numerous groups, including the Working Families Party and the New Georgia Project Action Fund, which pledged to get 15,000 signatures over the next few weeks.
Activist Hannah Riley tries to collect a handful of them whenever she is out in public, including on a recent afternoon as she worked remotely from Muchacho, a popular taco restaurant in the ultra-liberal Reynoldstown neighborhood. At the end of her table, she taped a sign that read: “Voter? Sign Stop Cop City Petition Here.”
“This is a bit of a Hail Mary, but it’s a Hail Mary that makes a lot of sense,” Riley said. “They’ve begun to clear-cut the trees. They’re getting close to pouring concrete. … Our options are quite limited right now, so this does feel like the most practical, effective next step.”
At the same time, a small number of activists have continued taking a more violent tack, including torching eight police motorcycles over the Fourth of July weekend, actions that canvass organizers have not condemned.
Curtis Duncan, 40, said the first day he went out canvassing, a man approached and accused him of being one of the vandals.
“I said, ‘Well, sir, respectfully, I wasn’t burning cars, and the majority of people within this movement have not been engaging in any type of violent actions,’” Duncan said. He added that troopers fatally shot an activist in the forest and that authorities have brought dozens of “very flimsy” domestic terrorism charges against “Stop Cop City” protesters this year — actions he considers far worse.
Sanchez, who works for a voting rights nonprofit, said that even if the signature drive falls short, it will have made an important impact.
“I feel like we’ve exhausted all the other options, aside from full-on revolution, which I don’t think we need for this,” he said. “There’s a lot of obstacles in our way. … If we only get to 50,000, I think that still shows a real warning sign for these politicians for the 2025 election.” | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-us-news/ap-atlanta-cop-city-activists-say-theyre-confident-of-getting-70k-signatures-but-big-hurdles-remain/ | 2023-07-29T18:12:37 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-us-news/ap-atlanta-cop-city-activists-say-theyre-confident-of-getting-70k-signatures-but-big-hurdles-remain/ |
The intense heat wave continued its grip on many parts of the country, including in New York City, where temperatures were expected to surge into the lower 90s (around 35 C) on Saturday, but the humid, thick air could make it feel well over the century mark.
The sizzling air has heated up everything from the ocean to pools, making it difficult to cool off. One woman in the Southwest has been throwing blocks of ice in her pool.
Metro Phoenix could see its 30th day of 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) or higher on Saturday before temperatures start dropping in the city and other areas that saw some of the most extreme temperatures in July. Scientists expect this month will be the hottest globally on record and likely the warmest human civilization has seen.
Here’s what’s happening related to extreme weather and the climate right now:
— Heat advisories continued in New York City, where high humidity has made it uncomfortable and dangerous. Some 500 cooling centers have opened across the city’s five boroughs, and the governor authorized the state’s swimming pools to stay open later. The extreme heat was forecast to ease Sunday.
— Parts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut were under a heat advisory through Saturday night. In northern New England, temperatures were down 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit after getting into the 90s (around 35 C) on Friday, but the humidity lingered throughout the region. Afternoon and evening storms were forecast and could bring a chance of flash flooding.
— The weather was equally stifling and muggy in the center of the United States. An excessive heat warning was issued for much of Missouri, Kansas and western Illinois, where the sweaty mix of heat and humidity could make it feel like up to 112 degrees Fahrenheit (about 44 C) in parts. St. Louis health director Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis said the risk of heat stroke was high and warned that interior car temperatures could reach lethal levels in minutes.
— Temperatures are forecast to start to drop in the hottest areas in the southwest of the United States, including Phoenix, Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Death Valley, California.
— With the scorching heat, even going for a swim offered little to no relief. Sea surface temperatures rose above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (about 38 C) at a spot off Florida’s southern tip, while pools in the Southwest gave the sensation of being in soup.
— The high temperatures are reaching across the globe, including in Bolivia, where a drought alert has been declared for Lake Titicaca after water levels of the world’s highest navigable lake receded to a critically low threshold.
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Associated Press writers Bobby Caina Calvan in New York; Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas; Ken Ritter in Las Vegas; and Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire contributed to this report.
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Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
) | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-us-news/ap-climate-glimpse-heres-what-you-need-to-see-and-know-today-8/ | 2023-07-29T18:12:44 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-us-news/ap-climate-glimpse-heres-what-you-need-to-see-and-know-today-8/ |
Compared with the devil, angels carry more credence in America.
Angels even get more credence than, well, hell. More than astrology, reincarnation, and the belief that physical things can have spiritual energies.
In fact, about 7 in 10 U.S. adults say they believe in angels, according to a new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
“People are yearning for something greater than themselves — beyond their own understanding,” said Jack Grogger, a chaplain for the Los Angeles Angels and a longtime Southern California fire captain who has aided many people in their gravest moments.
That search for something bigger, he said, can take on many forms, from following a religion to crafting a self-driven purpose to believing in, of course, angels.
“For a lot of people, angels are a lot safer to worship,” said Grogger, who also pastors a nondenominational church in Orange, California, and is a chaplain for the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks.
People turn to angels for comfort, he said. They are familiar, regularly showing up in pop culture as well as in the Bible. Comparably, worshipping Jesus is far more involved; when Grogger preaches about angels it is with the context that they are part of God’s kingdom.
American’s belief in angels (69%) is about on par with belief in heaven and the power of prayer, but bested by belief in God or a higher power (79%). Fewer U.S. adults believe in the devil or Satan (56%), astrology (34%), reincarnation (34%), and that physical things can have spiritual energies, such as plants, rivers or crystals (42%).
The widespread acceptance of angels shown in the AP-NORC poll makes sense to Susan Garrett, an angel expert and New Testament professor at Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Kentucky. It tracks with historical surveys, she said, adding that the U.S. remains a faith-filled country even as more Americans reject organized religion.
But if the devil is in the details, so are people’s understandings of angels.
“They’re very malleable,” Garrett said of angels. “You can have any one of a number of quite different worldviews in terms of your understanding of how the cosmos is arranged, whether there’s spirit beings, whether there’s life after death, whether there’s a God … and still find a place for angels in that worldview.”
Talk of angels, Garrett said, is often also about something else, like the ways God interacts with the world and other hard-to-articulate ideas.
The large number of U.S. adults who say they believe in angels includes 84% of those with a religious affiliation — 94% of evangelical Protestants, 81% of mainline Protestants and 82% of Catholics — and 33% of those without one. And of those angel-believing religiously unaffiliated, that includes 2% of atheists, 25% of agnostics and 50% of those identified as “nothing in particular.”
The broad acceptance is what fascinates San Francisco-based witch and author Devin Hunter: Angels show up independently in different religions and traditions, making them part of the fabric that unites humanity.
“We’re all getting to the same conclusion,” said Hunter, who spent 16 years as a professional medium, and started communicating as a child with what he believed were angels.
Hunter estimates that a belief in angels applies to about half of those practicing modern witchcraft today, and for some who don’t believe, their rejection is often rooted in the religious trauma they experienced growing up.
“Angels become a very big deal” for long-time practitioners who’ve made occultism their primary focus, said Hunter, an angel-loving occultist. “We cannot escape them in any way, shape or form.”
Jennifer Goodwin of Oviedo, Florida, also is among the roughly seven in 10 U.S. adults who say they believe in angels. She isn’t sure if God exists and rejects the afterlife dichotomy of heaven and hell, but the recent deaths of her parents solidified her views on these celestial beings.
Goodwin believes her parents are still keeping an eye on the family — not in any physical way or as a supernatural apparition, but that they manifest in those moments when she feels a general sense of comfort.
“I think that they are around us, but it’s in a way that we can’t understand,” Goodwin said. “I don’t know what else to call it except an angel.”
Angels mean different things to different people, and the idea of loved ones becoming heavenly angels after death is neither an unusual belief nor a universally held one.
In his reading of Scripture as an evangelical Protestant, Grogger said he believes angels are something else entirely — they have never been human and are on another level in heaven’s hierarchy. “We are higher than angels,” he said. “We do not become an angel.”
Angels do interact with humans though, said Grogger, but what “that looks like we’re not 100% sure.” They worship God who created this angelic legion of unknown numbers, he said, adding that evangelicals often attribute the demonic forces in the world to the angels who fell from heaven when the devil rebelled.
The Western ideas about angels can be traced through the Bible — and to the worldviews of its monotheistic authors, Garrett said. Those beliefs have changed and developed for millennia, influenced by cultures, theologians and even the ancient polytheistic beliefs that came before the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament, she said.
“There are sort of lines of continuity from the Bible that you can trace all the way up to the New Age movement,” said Susan Garrett, who wrote “No Ordinary Angel: Celestial Spirits and Christian Claims about Jesus.”
The angels in the Bible do God’s bidding, and angelic violence is one part of their job description, said Esther Hamori, author of the upcoming book, “God’s Monsters: Vengeful Spirits, Deadly Angels, Hybrid Creatures, and Divine Hitmen of the Bible.”
“The angels of the Bible are just as likely to assassinate individuals and slaughter entire populations as they are to offer help and protect and deliver,” said Hamori. She doesn’t believe in these angels, but studies them as a Hebrew Bible professor at Union Theological Seminary in New York where she teaches a popular “Monster Heaven” class.
“They’re just God’s obedient soldiers doing the task at hand, and sometimes that task is in human beings’ best interests, and sometimes it’s not,” she said.
The perception that angels act angelic and look like the idyllic, winged figurines atop Christmas trees could be attributed to an early centuries belief that people are assigned one good angel and one bad — or have a good and bad spirit to guide them, Garrett said.
This idea shows up on the shoulders of cartoon characters and is likely what Abraham Lincoln was alluding to in his famous appeal for unity when he referenced “the better angels of our nature” in his first inaugural address, she said.
“It’s also tied in with ideas about guardian angels, which again, very ancient views that got developed over the centuries,” Garrett said.
For Sheila Avery of Chicago, angels are protectors, capable of keeping someone from harm. Avery, who belongs to a nondenominational church, credits them with those moments like when a person’s plans fall through, but ultimately it saves them from being in the thick of an unexpected disaster.
“They turn on the news and a terrible tragedy happened at that particular place,” Avery said, suggesting it was an “angel that was probably watching over them.”
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-us-news/ap-do-you-believe-in-angels-about-7-in-10-u-s-adults-do-a-new-ap-norc-poll-shows/ | 2023-07-29T18:12:52 | 0 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-us-news/ap-do-you-believe-in-angels-about-7-in-10-u-s-adults-do-a-new-ap-norc-poll-shows/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Trader Joe’s is recalling a broccoli cheddar soup that may contain insects and cooked falafel that may contain rocks, about one week after the grocery chain recalled two cookie products over similar concerns.
The soup recall impacts Trader Joe’s Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup with “Use By” dates ranging from July 18 to Sept. 15, according to a Thursday announcement from the company. On Friday, the grocer announced that Trader Joe’s Fully Cooked Falafel sold in 35 states and Washington, D.C., was also under recall.
On July 21, Trader Joe’s announced that it was recalling Trader Joe’s Almond Windmill Cookies and Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies with “sell by” dates ranging from Oct. 17 to Oct. 21. Like the falafel, the cookies may also contain rocks, the company said.
When asked for further information about how the insects and rocks may have gotten into these products, a Trader Joe’s spokesperson said that “there was an issue in the manufacturing processes in the facilities.” Suppliers alerted Trader Joe’s of the possible foreign material for each recall, the company said.
“We pulled the product from our shelves as soon as we were made aware of the issue. Once we understood the issue we notified our customers,” the spokesperson said in a statement sent to The Associated Press Saturday.
All of the recalled cookies, soup and falafel have been removed from sale or destroyed, Trader Joe’s said in its announcements. But the Monrovia, California-based company is still urging consumers to check their kitchens for the products.
Trader Joe’s says customers who have the recalled products should throw them away or return them to any store for a full refund. Lot codes and further details about the products under recall, as well as customer service contact information, can be found on the company’s website.
Trader Joe’s did not specify how many products were impacted with each recall or identify suppliers. But one Food and Drug Administration notice cited by NBC News says that the Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup recall impacts around 10,889 cases sold in seven states. Winter Gardens Quality Foods, Inc. is identified as the recalling firm, per the notice.
No formal releases about the three recalls were published on the FDA’s Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts page as of Saturday. The Associated Press reached out to the FDA and Winter Gardens Quality Foods for information on Saturday.
“We have a close relationship with our vendors and they alerted us of these issues. We don’t hesitate or wait for regulatory agencies to tell us what to do,” the Trader Joe’s spokesperson said. “We will never leave to chance the safety of the products we offer.” | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-us-news/ap-more-trader-joes-recalls-this-soup-may-contain-bugs-and-falafel-may-have-rocks-grocer-says/ | 2023-07-29T18:12:59 | 0 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/ap-us-news/ap-more-trader-joes-recalls-this-soup-may-contain-bugs-and-falafel-may-have-rocks-grocer-says/ |
(NerdWallet) – On July 14, 804,000 longtime student loan borrowers began receiving word that their $39 billion in remaining debt would be forgiven as the result of the Education Department’s income-driven repayment (IDR) account adjustment. This one-time program, first announced in April 2022 to repair past missteps in the IDR system, is counting more past repayment periods toward income-driven repayment (IDR) forgiveness. Many borrowers will be at least three years closer to IDR forgiveness — and some will automatically see their loans forgiven altogether.
“At the start of this Administration, millions of borrowers had earned loan forgiveness but never received it. That’s unacceptable,” Department of Education Under Secretary James Kvaal said in a July 14 press release announcing the news. “Today we are holding up the bargain we offered borrowers who have completed decades of repayment.”
This is just the tip of the iceberg. More than 4.4 million borrowers have been repaying their loans for at least 20 years, and 2.3 million of these borrowers have never defaulted or been delinquent on their loans, according to April 2021 Education Department data provided to Sen. Elizabeth Warren. However, there’s not yet a final count of total borrowers who will receive the IDR account adjustment forgiveness, says Mike Pierce, executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center (SBPC).
While the Supreme Court recently struck down President Joe Biden’s up-to-$20,000 student debt cancellation plan, no one has challenged this account adjustment since it was introduced in April 2022, and future legal roadblocks are highly unlikely, Pierce says.
“If I were a borrower, I would feel pretty good about this happening, but you know, we never say never,” Pierce says. “This is something that has never been put in front of a federal judge, and we have not seen any signs that it’s going to.”
All this is occurring as borrowers gear up for student loan payments to resume in October. Here’s what you need to know about the next waves of loan forgiveness under the IDR account adjustment and what qualified borrowers can do to prepare for it.
When will IDR adjustments be made?
The Education Department said it will notify waves of loan forgiveness recipients about every two months. Since the first major batch was announced on July 14, borrowers can expect the next announcement by mid-September.
The department plans to apply the account adjustment by the end of 2023 to all borrowers who’ve reached enough payments for forgiveness; all other borrowers will receive at least three additional years of credit toward IDR loan forgiveness in 2024.
Will I get IDR account adjustment forgiveness?
To find out whether you’ll receive loan forgiveness under the one-time IDR account adjustment, you must count your past payments yourself.
Generally, borrowers with undergraduate loans will receive loan forgiveness if they’ve made at least 240 monthly student loan payments, and those with some graduate loans will reach forgiveness if they’ve made at least 300 payments, Pierce says.
From July 1994 onward, the adjustment counts the following periods toward the 240 or 300 payments needed to reach forgiveness:
- Any month a borrower was in repayment, even if the payments were late or partial. The type of repayment plan also doesn’t matter.
- Time spent in forbearance, either periods lasting 12 or more consecutive months or a cumulative 36 or more months.
- Any month spent in deferment other than in-school deferment before 2013.
- Any month spent in economic hardship or military deferments on or after Jan. 1, 2013.
- Any months in repayment, forbearance or a qualifying deferment before a loan consolidation.
Months spent in default will generally not be included in the recount, though borrowers who enroll in the temporary Fresh Start program to get out of default will get IDR credit from March 2020 through the date they leave default.
Log in to your Federal Student Aid (FSA) account at StudentAid.gov to see how long you’ve been in repayment. To see detailed information, including descriptions of the specific forbearance or deferment periods, request your account history from your servicer.
How to prepare for the IDR account adjustment
The loan forgiveness will be largely automatic for most eligible federal borrowers with older direct loans, federally held Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) loans and parent PLUS loans. These borrowers don’t need to take any action to qualify or receive loan forgiveness.
“The good news is, for most people, you don’t actually need to be an expert on this program to benefit from it,” Pierce says. “If you have a loan that’s owned by the Department of Education, it’s just gonna work for you.”
But there are some small steps you can take to be proactive.
Update your contact information
Regardless of the type of federal student loans you have, check that your current contact information is listed in both your FSA and servicer accounts. While you’re at it, make sure you still have the password to these accounts, and reset your login credentials if needed.
Forty-four percent of federal borrowers were transferred to a new servicer during the pandemic payment pause, according to a June estimate from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, so now is also a good time to see if your servicer changed.
You’ll likely be notified by email if and when your loans are forgiven under the IDR account adjustment, but student loan communications may also arrive by mail.
Consolidate commercially managed federal loans
Some federal loans are not held by the government, but by a private entity. Borrowers with these commercially managed federal loans won’t benefit from the recount automatically — they’ll need to consolidate these loans to qualify. The account adjustment will count periods of repayment prior to consolidation toward IDR forgiveness.
Commercially held loans include certain FFELP loans, Perkins loans and Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL) Program loans. You can see what type of loans you have on the dashboard of your FSA account or servicer portal.
You have until the end of 2023 to consolidate commercially held loans, but don’t delay. The full consolidation process can take from 30 to 60 days, Pierce says. Get started by submitting a direct loan consolidation application on the Federal Student Aid office website.
Consolidate newer parent PLUS loans
Parent PLUS loans are included in the IDR account adjustment. If you reach 300 payments — or 120 payments if you’re eligible for PSLF — your parent PLUS debt will be discharged automatically this year, regardless of whether or not your PLUS loans are consolidated.
But if you have fewer payments than that, you’ll need to act. Consolidate your parent PLUS loans before the end of 2023 to benefit from the adjustment, and enroll in an IDR plan called Income-Contingent Repayment to continue making progress toward forgiveness.
Apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Borrowers eligible for PSLF are also eligible for the account adjustment; they can receive IDR loan forgiveness after just 10 years, or 120 eligible payments. PSLF-eligible borrowers with direct loans, including parent PLUS loans, will benefit automatically. Those with either federally or commercially managed FFELP loans must consolidate them into a direct consolidation loan by the end of 2023 to get PSLF credit under the account adjustment.
After the adjustment is applied to your account, you’ll see credit toward PSLF for any month after October 2007 during which you were in repayment and had qualifying employment.
“If you’ve applied or will apply for PSLF and certify your employment, you may see the benefits of this adjustment to your qualifying payment count,” writes the office of Federal Student Aid. Do so as soon as possible to ensure you benefit from the recount.
Check your state’s tax policy
The federal government won’t tax any debt forgiven as a result of the IDR account adjustment.
However, certain states, including Indiana and Mississippi, treat forgiven student loans as taxable earned income, and thus may tax the amount of forgiven debt you receive. The vast majority of states don’t do this, so check the rules in your state.
If you’re concerned about a state tax bill, you can opt out of loan forgiveness. You have 30 days to do so after you receive notice that your remaining debt will be forgiven under the IDR account adjustment. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/more-student-loan-forgiveness-coming-for-longtime-borrowers/ | 2023-07-29T18:13:05 | 0 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/more-student-loan-forgiveness-coming-for-longtime-borrowers/ |
UVALDE, Texas (KXAN) – Kimberly Mata-Rubio, whose daughter Lexi was killed last year in the Robb Elementary School shooting, is planning to turn her grief into action, after announcing Thursday she will run for mayor of Uvalde, Texas, in an upcoming special election.
“This past year, it’s been so frustrating navigating our country’s political system, and sometimes you have to be the change you seek. So, here I am running for mayor,” Rubio told Nexstar.
The 34-year-old mother is looking to fill the soon-vacant seat held by Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin in an upcoming special election on Nov. 7.
McLaughlin has served as the South Texas town’s mayor since 2014, and has reached his term limit. He is now running to succeed Rep. Tracy King, D-Uvalde, in the Texas House.
Mata-Rubio shared news of her run for mayor Thursday. On social media, she addressed her daughter directly, explaining why she chose to take action.
“I grieve for the woman you would have become and all the difference you would have made in this world,” Mata-Rubio wrote. “I grieve for the woman I was when you were still here. But, one part of me still exist, I am still your mom. I will honor your life with action. This is only the beginning.”
Lexi, 10, was one of the 21 people killed at Robb Elementary on May 24, 2022, in the nation’s second-deadliest school shooting. In the year since, Mata-Rubio has been a regular at the Texas Capitol and U.S. Capitol, advocating for tighter gun restrictions she believes will help prevent other parents from feeling her pain.
“Bridging the gap in our fractured community is my number one focus. And the reason being is because we cannot move on or forward without the entire community coming together,” she said. “And when I say moving on, I want to bring those two teachers and 19 students with me along on this journey. That’s the only way to do this. And the only way to move forward and they deserve that they’re part of this community as well.”
Mata-Rubio will face off against Cody Smith, a banker and former mayor of Uvalde, in the Nov. 7 special election. No other candidates have announced a bid for the seat. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/mother-of-uvalde-shooting-victim-to-run-for-mayor-of-town/ | 2023-07-29T18:13:11 | 0 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/mother-of-uvalde-shooting-victim-to-run-for-mayor-of-town/ |
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The city of San Francisco has opened a complaint and launched an investigation into a giant “X” sign that was installed Friday on top of the downtown building formerly known as Twitter headquarters.
The complaint comes as Twitter owner Elon Musk continues his rebrand of the social media platform.
City officials say replacing letters or symbols on buildings, or erecting a sign on top of one, requires a permit for design and safety reasons.
The X appeared after San Francisco police stopped workers on Monday from removing the brand’s iconic bird and logo from the side of the building, saying they hadn’t taped off the sidewalk to keep pedestrians safe if anything fell.
Any replacement letters or symbols would require a permit to ensure “consistency with the historic nature of the building” and to make sure additions are safely attached to the sign, Patrick Hannan, spokesperson for the Department of Building Inspection, said earlier this week.
Erecting a sign on top of a building also requires a permit, Hannan said Friday.
“Planning review and approval is also necessary for the installation of this sign. The city is opening a complaint and initiating an investigation,” he said in an email.
Musk unveiled a new “X” logo to replace Twitter’s famous blue bird as he remakes the social media platform he bought for $44 billion last year. The X started appearing at the top of the desktop version of Twitter on Monday.
Musk, who is also CEO of Tesla, has long been fascinated with the letter X and had already renamed Twitter’s corporate name to X Corp. after he bought it in October. One of his children is called “X,” though the child’s actual name is a collection of letters and symbols.
On Friday afternoon, a worker on a lift machine made adjustments to the sign and then left. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/new-x-logo-atop-twitter-building-in-san-francisco-prompts-complaint-investigation-from-city/ | 2023-07-29T18:13:17 | 0 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/national-world/new-x-logo-atop-twitter-building-in-san-francisco-prompts-complaint-investigation-from-city/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Former Democratic Gov. Jay Nixon of Missouri is joining No Labels ‘ increasingly contentious effort to lay the groundwork for a moderate third-party presidential ticket in the 2024 election. He gives the embattled organization another prominent ally amid escalating concerns from Democratic officials that the No Labels campaign could unintentionally help Republican Donald Trump return to the White House.
Nixon, a 67-year-old lawyer, is stepping back into national politics for the first time since leaving office in 2017 and will serve as No Labels’ director of ballot integrity. He said in an interview that he was drawn to the role after learning that well-funded groups aligned with Democrats were working to stop No Labels from securing ballot access in key states.
He said that those seeking to block the group’s right to appear on the presidential ballot are attacking a pillar of American democracy.
“What do I say to those Democrats? I say, ‘You’re entitled to your opinion. But we are also entitled to use our constitutional and statutory rights to allow Americans to have another choice,’” Nixon told The Associated Press.
President Joe Biden and Trump have dominated the 2024 campaign conversation so far. But No Labels, a Washington-based group that promotes compromise, national unity and centrist policy solutions, has been preparing for the strongest third-party presidential bid at least since Texas businessman Ross Perot earned nearly 19% of the popular vote in 1992.
Working with an operating budget of roughly $70 million, No Labels is taking steps to secure presidential ballot spots in roughly 20 states this year; the group has done so already in Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Oregon and Utah.
While No Labels has yet to nominate candidates for president and vice president, its leadership insists there is a path to victory for a centrist third-party ticket “if the two parties select unreasonably divisive presidential nominees.”
The group’s critics across the Democratic Party are terrified that No Labels will siphon votes that would otherwise go to Biden, who narrowly beat Trump in 2020 with a coalition that included moderate Democrats, independents and disaffected Republicans.
No Labels’ leadership has promised a series of checks and balances that would allow the organization to withdraw its presidential ticket if it appears the group’s participation would help Trump win. No Labels has not outlined a detailed plan about that, and leaders acknowledge privately there is some urgency to come out with their specific safeguards, which would vary state by state. They intend to do so by “early fall.”
Anxious Democrats are unconvinced.
On Thursday, two prominent Democratic groups, the centrist Third Way and more progressive MoveOn, hosted private meetings on Capitol Hill with dozens of chiefs of staff and senior aides to House and Senate Democrats to emphasize the need to stop No Label’s presidential ambitions. In a nod to the seriousness of the Democratic establishment’s concerns, the meetings were held in both the House and Senate Democrats’ campaign headquarters.
“We told them what we have been saying consistently now for a long time: This is dangerous,” said Third Way co-founder Matt Bennett, who helped lead the briefing along with MoveOn’s executive director, Rahna Epting.
The organizers detailed data showing that a No Labels ticket would undercut Biden in the general election and warned that it could handicap vulnerable House and Senate candidates is tight elections. They also questioned that No Labels’ promise to withdraw its ticket if necessary to stop Trump.
No Labels’ leaders are furious.
“They are telling the elected leaders of this country right now that our ballot is a runaway train. And that is categorically false. That is propaganda. And that is why we’re bringing on a director of ballot integrity to stop it because it’s outrageous,” said No Labels’ founder Nancy Jacobson, a former Democratic fundraiser.
For now, Democrats are not willing to take Jacobson’s word for it.
“I don’t want to be doing this. I’d much rather focus on other things. I am concerned, genuinely,” Epting said. “They’re in over their head. They have not given any assurances that they’re clear and sober in their analysis. And when they talk about being able to put the horse back in the barn, they are not consistent about when or how they’re going to do that.”
“They’re just saying, ‘Trust us,’” Epting said. “We can’t. We don’t know you. And the stakes are too high.”
Meanwhile, Nixon joins a growing roster of former elected officials in both parties now affiliated with No Labels. Among the others: Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va.; former Govs. Jon Huntsman Jr., R-Utah, Larry Hogan, R-Md., and Pat McCrory, R-N.C.; and former Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, a Democrat who became an independent late in his political career.
Manchin and Huntsman, ambassador to China under President Barack Obama and to Russia under Trump, hosted a town hall in New Hampshire this month, driving speculation they may ultimately become the No Labels presidential ticket.
No Labels plans to hold a presidential nominating convention next April in Dallas, and the group is showing no signs of backing off its 2024 plans. With a massive budget fueled by anonymous donations, No Labels can afford to be patient in the fights ahead.
Democrats in Arizona filed a complaint this month with the secretary of state asking to have the group suspended until it discloses it donors. In May, Maine’s top elections official sent a cease-and-desist letter regarding No Labels voter registration efforts after claiming the group was misleading voters.
The group Citizens to Save Our Republic formed a super political action committee this month specifically designed to stop No Labels. The group’s members includes Bennett from Third Way, several advisers to the anti-Trump Lincoln Project and former House Majority Leader Dick Gephardt, D-Mo.
Nixon, who declined to criticize Biden or Trump, said he understands that he is walking into a political firestorm. But he said he is passionate about No Labels’ constitutional right to secure a place on the ballot.
“I feel calm. I feel correct. I think we have a high moral ground here,” he said. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-ex-missouri-gov-jay-nixon-joins-push-for-third-party-presidential-bid-as-democrats-try-to-stop-it/ | 2023-07-29T18:13:23 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-ex-missouri-gov-jay-nixon-joins-push-for-third-party-presidential-bid-as-democrats-try-to-stop-it/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s a stunning new allegation in an already serious case: Former President Donald Trump sought to delete Mar-a-Lago surveillance footage to obstruct the Justice Department’s investigation into his handling of classified documents.
The latest criminal charges unsealed Thursday deepen Trump’s legal jeopardy, alleging a more central role for the former president than previously known in a cover-up that prosecutors say was meant to prevent them from recovering top-secret documents he took with him after he left the White House. Coming as Trump braces for possible additional indictments related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election, the new allegations strengthen special counsel Jack Smith’s already powerful case against Trump while undercutting potential defenses floated by the former president, experts say.
“Before these new charges, you could maybe try some sort of defense that ‘this was all a mistake, it was my staff’ or confusion about what documents he actually had,” said former federal prosecutor Randall Eliason, a George Washington University law professor.
“But especially now, when you’re trying to destroy video footage,” he added, “that’s kind of the final nail in the coffin. I don’t see much in the way of a defense, not a real defense. All he can do is claim he’s being persecuted and hope for a holdout juror or something.”
Trump resorted to that familiar playbook on Friday, writing in a post on his Truth Social platform that “this is textbook Third World intimidation by rabid, lawless prosecutors.” He insisted during an interview with radio host John Fredericks that he did nothing wrong and accused prosecutors of trying to intimidate his staff into making up lies about him.
Later Friday, Trump posted on Truth Social that Mar-a-Lago security tapes were voluntarily handed over to prosecutors. Trump said he was told they were not “deleted in any way, shape or form.”
The new Florida charges came as a surprise given that Trump and his legal team have been focused on the prospect of an additional indictment in Washington — possibly within days — related to his efforts to cling to power after he lost to President Joe Biden. Trump received a letter this month informing him that he’s a target in that probe, and his lawyers met Thursday with special counsel Jack Smith’s office.
Hours after that meeting, Smith revealed the new classified documents case charges on top of a 38-count indictment issued last month against Trump and his valet, Walt Nauta. The updated indictment includes a detailed chronology of phone conversations and other interactions between Trump, Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager, Carlos De Oliveira, in the days after the Justice Department last June drafted a subpoena for security camera footage at Mar-a-Lago.
Video from the home would ultimately become vital to the government’s case because, prosecutors said, it shows Nauta moving boxes in and out of a storage room — an act alleged to have been done at Trump’s direction and in an effort to hide records not only only from investigators but Trump’s own lawyers.
The day after a draft subpoena was sent to the Trump Organization, the indictment says, Trump called De Oliveira and spoke with him for about 24 minutes. Though the details of that conversation are not included in the indictment, De Oliveira is described by prosecutors as asking a Mar-a-Lago information technology staffer several days later how long the server retained footage for and is quoted as telling the employee that “the boss” wanted it deleted.
Lawyers for Nauta, who has pleaded not guilty, and De Oliveira declined to comment on the allegations. De Oliveira is expected to make his first court appearance in Miami on Monday.
To the extent that evidence of Trump’s involvement in trying to delete video is circumstantial rather than direct, it might present a challenge for prosecutors, said David Aaron, a former Justice Department national security prosecutor who has worked on cases involving the mishandling of classified documents.
But if they can tie the effort to Trump, he added, “it’s devastating in its own right, because it doesn’t matter at that point what he thought he had the right to do, or whatever other defense he’s going to have about the classified documents. That’s in and of itself very bad.”
It could also help prosecutors establish that Trump knew what he was doing was wrong because “you only delete video of what you’ve done if you think it’s going to get you in trouble,” Aaron said. And Trump’s own accusations against others, like his claims against Hillary Clinton, his opponent in the 2016 presidential race, could boomerang against him.
Trump has claimed that Clinton deleted emails from her private server for the purpose of obstructing a criminal investigation into her own handling of classified information — something the FBI and Justice Department never alleged — but now stands himself accused of scheming to delete evidence he feared would be incriminating.
“He has specifically criticized other public figures for deleting data when he says they thought they were going to be in trouble,” Aaron said. “So if you needed to prove his consciousness of guilt, it’s not just an obvious thing that you would ask the jury to rely on common sense for — he’s actually made statements about what it means when someone does this.”
Trump and Nauta are set for trial next May, though it’s not clear if that date will hold.
Smith’s team also added a new count of willful retention of national defense information related to a classified document about a Pentagon plan of attack on a foreign country prosecutors say Trump showed off during a July 2021 meeting at his Bedminster, New Jersey resort.
That charge comes after Trump repeatedly claimed he didn’t have any secret documents when he spoke, only magazine and newspaper clippings, even though an audio recording captured him saying “this is secret information.” The document was returned to the government in January 2022, months before the subpoena for classified records.
It’s not clear why prosecutors moved now to indict another one of Trump’s underlings, though bringing charges against De Oliveira that could carry significant prison time adds serious pressure on him, potentially increasing the odds that he could decide to cut a plea deal and cooperate.
“But, you know, Trump seems to inspire a lot of loyalty, at least in some people,” Eliason said. “Maybe they are holding out for the idea that he is reelected and he can pardon them.”
____
Richer reported from Boston. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-fresh-charges-tie-trump-even-more-closely-to-coverup-effort-that-could-deepen-his-legal-woes/ | 2023-07-29T18:13:29 | 0 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-fresh-charges-tie-trump-even-more-closely-to-coverup-effort-that-could-deepen-his-legal-woes/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The oldest historically Black collegiate fraternity in the U.S. says it is relocating a planned convention in two years from Florida because of what it described as Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration’s “harmful, racist and insensitive” policies towards African Americans.
Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity said this week that it would move its 2025 convention from Orlando to another location that is yet undecided. The convention draws between 4,000 and 6,000 people and has an economic impact of $4.6 million, the fraternity said.
The decision comes after the NAACP and other civil rights organizations this spring issued a travel advisory for Florida, warning that recently passed laws and policies are openly hostile to African Americans, people of color and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Willis Lonzer, the fraternity’s general president, said in statement on Wednesday that the decision was motivated in part by Florida’s new education standards that require teachers to instruct middle school students that slaves developed skills that “could be applied for their personal benefit.”
“Although we are moving our convention from Florida, Alpha Phi Alpha will continue to support the strong advocacy of Alpha Brothers and other advocates fighting against the continued assault on our communities in Florida by Governor Ron DeSantis,” Lonzer said.
An email seeking comment on Saturday about the fraternity’s decision was sent to Jeremy Redfern, the governor’s press secretary and the governor’s office.
DeSantis, who is running for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, has come under fire this week over Florida’s new education standards. Among those criticizing the Florida governor on Friday was a rival for the Republican nomination, U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, the sole Black Republican in the Senate.
Responding to the criticism, DeSantis said Friday that he was “defending” Florida “against false accusations and against lies. And we’re going to continue to speak the truth.”
In May, the NAACP joined the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), a Latino civil rights organization, and Equality Florida, a gay rights advocacy group, in issuing travel advisories for the Sunshine State, where tourism is one of the state’s largest job sectors. The groups cited recent laws that prohibited state colleges from having programs on diversity, equity and inclusion, as well as critical race theory, and the Stop WOKE Act that restricts certain race-based conversations and analysis in schools and businesses.
They also cited laws that they say made life more difficult for immigrants in Florida and limited discussions on LGBTQ topics in schools.
At least nine other organizations or associations have pulled the plug on hosting conventions in Orlando and Fort Lauderdale, two of the state’s most population convention cities, because of Florida’s political climate, according to local media reports.
Florida is one of the most popular states in the U.S. for tourists, and tourism is one of its biggest industries. More than 137.5 million tourists visited Florida last year, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels, according to Visit Florida, the state’s tourism promotion agency. Tourism supports 1.6 million full-time and part-time jobs, and visitors spent $98.8 billion in Florida in 2019, the last year figures are available.
___
Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at @MikeSchneiderAP | https://cbs4indy.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-historically-black-fraternity-drops-florida-for-convention-because-of-desantis-policies/ | 2023-07-29T18:13:35 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-historically-black-fraternity-drops-florida-for-convention-because-of-desantis-policies/ |
An Allegiant Air flight attendant was injured on a plane that took "evasive action" to avoid a collision with another jet near a South Florida airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said, according to reports.
On Sunday, an Allegiant Air plane headed for Kentucky had just taken off from Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport when the pilot received a message about a plane flying at the same altitude, according to CNN.
An air traffic controller from the Miami Air Route Traffic Control Center instructed the Allegiant Air pilot "to turn eastbound at an altitude of 23,000 feet when it crossed in front of a northbound Gulfstream business jet," the FAA said, according to CNN.
The Gulfstream jet also took evasive action.
Allegiant Air passenger Jerrica Thacker told CNN that the plane abruptly "went straight up."
"It truly felt like a roller coaster," she said. "We went up and down and then leveled out."
When the plane went upward, two flight attendants fell backwards — one of whom stayed on the ground for five minutes until being helped to the rear of the plane, Thacker recounted.
"The flight crew asked if there were any medically trained individuals on the plane," said Thacker.
About 20 minutes later, the pilot explained over the intercom that the sudden ascension was a maneuver to avoid a collision, and that the aircraft would be returning to Fort Lauderdale.
Thacker said people began crying and praying after the announcement.
She said her and her family rented a car and drove 15 hours to Kentucky because they were too shaken to get back on a plane.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.kxlf.com/evasive-action-taken-to-avoid-plane-collision-near-florida-airport | 2023-07-29T18:13:40 | 0 | https://www.kxlf.com/evasive-action-taken-to-avoid-plane-collision-near-florida-airport |
Alexandria Police Department arrest juveniles in connection to armed robbery
ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - The Alexandria Police Department announced that two juveniles were arrested in connection to a reported armed robbery on Friday, July 28.
According to APD, officers were called to 2050 North Mall Drive, the Walmart Supercenter address, in reference to a victim who claimed he was robbed at gunpoint by two people.
APD said within a few hours, a 17-year-old male was arrested after a short chase. That juvenile faces one count of armed robbery, aggravated flight and illegal possession of a handgun by a juvenile.
A second juvenile, a 16-year-old, was also arrested and faces charges of one count of armed robbery and illegal possession of a handgun by a juvenile.
APD said the weapon used to commit the crime and some of the property taken during the robbery was recovered by police.
The investigation is ongoing.
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Copyright 2023 KALB. All rights reserved. | https://www.kalb.com/2023/07/29/alexandria-police-department-arrest-juveniles-connection-armed-robbery/ | 2023-07-29T18:13:41 | 0 | https://www.kalb.com/2023/07/29/alexandria-police-department-arrest-juveniles-connection-armed-robbery/ |
PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. (AP) — Not long ago, Marine Col. Jennifer Nash, a combat engineer with war deployments under her belt, made a vow to fellow officers as they headed to a dinner in Atlanta: She would get two new recruiting contacts by the end of the evening.
She admits recruiting is not the job that she or other Marines had in mind when they enlisted. But after stints as a recruiter and senior officer at the Eastern recruiting command, she has become emblematic of the Corps’ tradition of putting its best, battle-tested Marines on enlistment duty. They get results.
Marine leaders say they will make their recruiting goal this year, while the active-duty Army, Navy and Air Force all expect to fall short. The services have struggled in the tight job market to compete with higher-paying businesses for the dwindling number of young people who can meet the military’s physical, mental and moral standards.
On that night, Nash achieved her own goal. She had gotten the valet at the hotel and the hostess at the restaurant to provide their phone numbers and to consider a Marine career.
Nash’s boss, Brig. Gen. Walker Field, who head the Eastern recruiting region, says the Corps has historically put an emphasis on selecting top-performing Marines to fill recruiting jobs. He says that has been a key to the Marines’ recruiting success, along with efforts to increase the number of recruiters, extend those who do well and speed their return to high schools, where in-person recruiting stopped during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He said his recruiters — who cover the territory between Canada and Puerto Rico and as far west as Mississippi — will meet their mission and expect to have 30% of their 2024 goal when they start the next fiscal year, Oct. 1. More broadly, Marine officials say they expect the Corps to achieve its recruiting target of more than 33,000.
Last year, the Navy, Air Force and Marines had to eat into their pools of delayed entry applicants in order to make their goals. The Marines will avoid that this year.
“That would be a great ending,” said Field, speaking to The Associated Press on a recent steamy day at South Carolina’s Parris Island, along the Atlantic Coast. “I’m bearish for not only concluding FY23 on a strong footing, but also how we set the conditions for FY24.”
The Marine Corps may get some help from its small size. The Army, for example, has a recruiting goal of 65,000 this year, which is nearly double the Corps’, and expects to fall substantially short of that. Air Force and Navy officials say they will also miss their goals, although the Space Force, which is the smallest service and does its recruiting within Air Force stations, is expected to meet its goal of about 500 recruits.
Sitting in the shadow of Parris Island’s replica of the Iwo Jima monument, Field said his biggest challenge is that a number of Marine hopefuls cannot pass the military’s academic test, known as the Armed Services Voluntary Aptitude Battery.
That is a widespread problem, but the Army recently set up a program that targets recruits who score below 30 on the test and provides schooling for several weeks to help them pass. Already more than 8,800 recruits have successfully gone through the classes, raised their scores and moved on to basic training.
The Navy is taking another route with a pilot program that allows up to 20% of their recruits to score below 30 on the test, as long as they meet specific standards for their chosen naval job. Marine leaders, however, do not take those lowest scoring recruits, and so far have no plans for any type of formal improvement program such as the Army’s.
Field said the Marines are repositioning recruiting stations, moving them around based on where population totals have increased in the latest census. More important, he said, the Corps maintains its focus on choosing the right recruiters, encouraging successful ones to stay in the job and increasing the number of Marine reservists tapped for recruit duties from the current 31 to 96 by the end of next year.
Nash, who until last month was assistant chief of staff for the Eastern region, said Marines are hand-selected for recruiting command jobs. Many three- and four-star Marines, including former Defense Secretary James Mattis, will cite their years doing enlistment duty.
“We put our best and brightest in those positions,” said Nash, adding that those chosen for recruiting posts have a proven track record of success in previous assignments and have demonstrated critical leadership skills. “That’s why they got selected, because they were above their peers.”
She acknowledged that the first time she was picked for a recruiting job she was “voluntold.” But now, recounting her sales pitch in Atlanta, her rapid fire pitch comes without taking a breath.
“I say, ‘Hey, ever thought about being Marine? We’re a bunch of Marines. And, you know, I think you potentially could be a good Marine. You ever thought about it?’ And usually you get, ‘Yeah, I thought about it.’ And I’m, like, ‘What’s holding you back? Would you like to learn more about your opportunities?’ ‘Absolutely.’ `OK. Mind giving me your name and phone number? I’ll have one of my recruiters give you a phone call.’”
The Marines have resisted increasing bonuses to attract recruits — something the other services have found helpful.
Gen. Eric Smith, the acting Marine Corps commandant, got some ribbing for his response when he was asked about bonuses during a naval conference in February.
“Your bonus is you get to call yourself a Marine,” he said. “That’s your bonus, right? There’s no dollar amount that goes with that.”
Field, Nash and others also say the Corps prefers to give a lot of recruits a few thousand dollars, rather than increasing the amount and giving money to far fewer people.
Field said that getting Marine recruiters in uniform back into high schools this year, after several years of COVID-19 restrictions, has been a key driver. There, young people line up to compete in pull-up contests, vying for a free T-shirt if they can do 20. And recruiters say many are drawn to the cache of being a Marine.
“If you told me you’ll give me $10 million worth of advertising and I can do something with it, or you’ll give me 10 great-looking Marines in a Marine uniform — what’s going to get the most value? Give me those 10 Marines and give me a day,” Nash said. “We’ll go out and we’ll get more out of that, I think, than $10 million in advertising.” | https://cbs4indy.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-the-few-and-the-proud-arent-so-few-marines-recruiting-surges-while-other-services-struggle/ | 2023-07-29T18:13:41 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-the-few-and-the-proud-arent-so-few-marines-recruiting-surges-while-other-services-struggle/ |
Juvenile stabbed on East Sycamore Street
Published: Jul. 29, 2023 at 12:59 PM CDT|Updated: 12 minutes ago
ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - The Alexandria Police Department has arrested one juvenile in connection to a juvenile who was stabbed on East Sycamore Street in the early morning of Saturday, July 29.
According to APD, around 1:30 a.m., officers responded to a report of a stabbing on East Sycamore Street. When officers arrived on the scene, a 16-year-old female victim was found with minor stab wounds and was taken to the hospital.
APD said a 16-year-old female was arrested in connection to the stabbing and faces one count of aggravated second-degree battery.
The investigation is ongoing.
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Copyright 2023 KALB. All rights reserved. | https://www.kalb.com/2023/07/29/juvenile-stabbed-east-sycamore-street/ | 2023-07-29T18:13:47 | 1 | https://www.kalb.com/2023/07/29/juvenile-stabbed-east-sycamore-street/ |
A judge in Georgia has now set a hearing date for a motion by former President Donald Trump's lawyers to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the potential case over criminal interference in the 2020 election.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Senior Superior Court Judge Stephen Schuster will hear the motion on August 10. He also directed both sides to submit their legal briefs by no later than August 8.
This comes as a possible indictment from the grand jury that could be handed down any day. Earlier this year, Willis said there would likely be a decision on an indictment in August.
SEE MORE: Georgia DA to announce possible charges in Trump probe this summer
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.kxlf.com/judge-sets-date-for-trump-s-motion-to-dismiss-da-from-election-probe | 2023-07-29T18:13:47 | 1 | https://www.kxlf.com/judge-sets-date-for-trump-s-motion-to-dismiss-da-from-election-probe |
CANBERRA, Australia (AP) — The United States will expand its military industrial base by helping Australia manufacture guided missiles and rockets for both countries within two years, the allies announced on Saturday as they ramped up defense cooperation to counter China’s growing influence in the Indo-Pacific.
The new cooperation on guided weapon production follows a trilateral partnership announcement in March that will see Britain provide Australia with a fleet of eight submarines powered by U.S. nuclear technology.
The greater integration of U.S. and Australian militaries was announced after annual talks between U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken and their Australian counterparts, Defense Minister Richard Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong.
They agreed to cooperate on Australia producing Guided Multiple Launch Rocket Systems by 2025, a communique said.
U.S. companies Raytheon and Lockheed Martin only established an Australian enterprise to build such weapons last year. That followed the drain on Western countries’ munitions caused by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Austin said the move on missiles would strengthen the two allies’ defense industrial base and technological edge.
“We’re racing to accelerate Australia’s priority access to munitions through a streamlined acquisition process,” Austin told reporters in Brisbane, Australia.
Marles welcomed U.S. support to achieve Australian missile production within two years.
“We are really pleased with the steps that we are taking in respect of establishing a guided weapons and explosive ordnance enterprise in this country,” Marles said.
The two governments also agreed to upgrade joint military facilities in Australia and to increase U.S. nuclear submarine visits as the United States increases its focus on the South Pacific.
The region came to the forefront of the U.S. competition with China for influence last year, when Beijing signed a security pact with Solomon Islands and raised the prospect of a Chinese naval base being established there.
Austin became the first U.S. defense secretary to visit Papua New Guinea and Blinken visited New Zealand and Tonga before they arrived in Australia.
Saturday’s meeting was overshadowed by the loss of an Australian Army helicopter with four air crew late Friday, during military exercises with the U.S. off the northeastern coast of Australia.
U.S., Australian and Canadian militaries are taking part in the search for potential survivors near Whitsunday Islands off the Queensland state coast.
Austin and Marles will travel to north Queensland on Sunday to inspect Talisman Sabre, a biennial military exercise between the two countries that this year includes 13 nations and more than 30,000 military personnel. | https://cbs4indy.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-us-pledges-to-help-australia-manufacture-guided-missiles-by-2025/ | 2023-07-29T18:13:47 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-us-pledges-to-help-australia-manufacture-guided-missiles-by-2025/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pamela Smith’s voice soared and quivered like a preacher in midsermon as she recalled her troubled childhood and how it helped prepare her for the challenges she faces as the new police chief in the nation’s capital.
“I stand before you as a child who had no hopes, who had no dreams — they were far beyond my reach. But I believe that all things are possible,” she said at her introductory news conference in Washington, in cadences honed by years as an ordained Baptist minister. “I believe I bring a fresh perspective, a different kind of energy, a different level of passion to what I’m going to do.”
Smith takes on the job at a precarious time.
Violent crime is rising sharply, fueled by more homicides and carjackings. The District of Columbia’s mayor, Muriel Bowser, and the D.C. Council have, at times, been at odds about crime legislation. On Capitol Hill, the Republican-led House has begun citing the city’s crime statistics while aggressively reviewing local public safety laws.
On July 24, the Mexican Consulate posted a tweet urging its nationals to “take precautions” in the city due to “a significant increase in crime in areas previously considered safe.”
Smith, 55, now becomes one of the public faces of this long-term fight even before the Council votes on her nomination as chief. She brings an inspirational story to her new role leading the Metropolitan Police Department. Raised in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, by a single mother who battled substance abuse, Smith and her siblings were at one point removed from their home and spent time in foster care. Smith emerged as a track star and went on to a 24-year career in the U.S. Park Police, where she served as the agency’s first Black female chief before retiring in 2022 to take up a senior leadership position at the MPD.
Law enforcement and government officials repeatedly point out that overall crime numbers in Washington have stayed relatively stable. But the crimes that have increased the most — murders and carjackings — are the ones most likely to damage public confidence.
“The scariest crimes are going up and regardless of what’s happening with other crimes, that’s what’s going to fuel the overall perception,” U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves told The Associated Press.
Graves’ office prosecutes most felonies in Washington, in a unique arrangement due to the district’s status as a nonstate. The city’s attorney general’s office prosecutes misdemeanors and juvenile crime, which is also on the rise.
This intricate dynamic among two separate sets of prosecutors, the city’s police force, Bowser’s administration and the Council has been publicly tested as the crime numbers have stayed high — all with Congress taking an increasing interest in the district’s affairs. Public safety was a primary topic of debate last year when Bowser, 50, successfully ran for a third term in office. She has spent this term sparring with both the Council and the House Oversight and Accountability Committee over how best to address crime.
July has been a particular bloody month, with 22 homicides as of Friday, including murders on the campuses of both Howard and Catholic universities. The victims include an Afghan man who survived years of working as a translator for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan only to be murdered in America while driving for Lyft. Nine people, including two children, were shot at a July Fourth party, when an assailant in an SUV opened fire on the crowd. A 12-year old girl remains hospitalized after being shot in the back Tuesday night by a bullet that penetrated the walls of her home.
Although the local murder rate is well below the levels in the 1980s and early 1990s, when Washington regularly led the nation in murders per capita, it has climbed steadily in recent years. In 2022, there was a roughly 10% drop in homicides, but now, homicides are up 15 percent compared with this time a year ago and the city is on pace to surpass 200 for the third year in a row. Police also reported 140 carjacking incidents in the month of June — the highest monthly total in more than five years.
Crime in Washington is now a national headline issue in Congress. In the spring, Bowser and Council members were summoned before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee for a heated session on local crime rates.
Congress voted to completely overturn the Council’s comprehensive rewrite of the district’s criminal code. Bowser was caught in the middle of the dispute. She had vetoed the overhaul, saying the reduction of maximum penalties for certain violent crimes “sent the wrong message,” but was overridden by the Council.
The mayor opposes congressional intervention in local affairs as part of Washington’s long push for statehood, but her initial veto was frequently cited by Republican lawmakers as proof that the rewrite was soft on crime. In an embarrassment for the heavily Democratic city, the move to cancel the criminal code revision drew support from dozens of congressional Democratic and was signed into law by President Joe Biden.
Earlier this month, the Council, with Bowser’s support, passed emergency public safety legislation meant to serve as a temporary fix. The bill makes it a felony to fire a gun in public and makes it easier for judges, in cases where people are charged with a violent crime, to detain them before trial. As an emergency bill, the changes will only last 90 days and will not be subject to congressional review; plans to make the changes permanent in the fall will face scrutiny by lawmakers.
“It is no secret … to the public that we are in a state of emergency right now,” said Brooke Pinto, the D.C. Council member who was the bill’s architect. “Like in any emergency, we have to act like it and we have to act urgently to address the problem we’re seeing.”
But some pushing for a criminal justice overhaul said city lawmakers were reverting to mass incarceration policies that had long ago been discredited.
“We’re way beyond thinking that we can just incarcerate more people,” said Patrice Sulton, executive director of the D.C. Justice Lab, who helped draft the now-canceled criminal code revision. “I think everybody who voted for it knows that it will not have an impact.”
The local branch of the American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement on Twitter that the new bill “essentially flips due process on its head — treating people as guilty and detaining them.”
All sides point to one primary factor fueling the violence: a flood to firearms entering Washington.
Graves, the district’s federal prosecutor, said the number of guns being used in crimes has skyrocketed, turning petty disputes into deadly battles. This includes a new wave of “ghost guns” — firearms that can be ordered in kits and assembled at home. Other kits can easily turn a semiautomatic weapon into an automatic, enabling a rapid-fire and generally less accurate spray of dozens of bullets. In 2018, authorities recovered three such guns; in 2022, the number was 461.
Graves compared the illegal guns to “a virus” in the neighborhood.
“The more virus there is in the community, the more people are going to get sick,” he said. “The more illegal firearms are in the community, the more likelihood those illegal firearms are going to be used.” | https://cbs4indy.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-violent-crime-is-rising-in-the-nations-capital-dc-seeks-solutions-as-congress-keeps-close-watch/ | 2023-07-29T18:13:53 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/news/politics/ap-politics/ap-violent-crime-is-rising-in-the-nations-capital-dc-seeks-solutions-as-congress-keeps-close-watch/ |
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Partly cloudy. A stray afternoon thunderstorm is possible. High near 95F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..
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A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable.
It was more than two years ago when Tim and I went to our first wine-tasting event at Garfrerick’s Café in Oxford. We’ve been faithful attendees ever since. | https://www.annistonstar.com/columnists/where-there-s-a-wine-there-s-a-way-garfrerick-s-monthly-wine-tasting-events/article_33d661c0-2be0-11ee-a58e-e3ec7416ede9.html | 2023-07-29T18:13:57 | 1 | https://www.annistonstar.com/columnists/where-there-s-a-wine-there-s-a-way-garfrerick-s-monthly-wine-tasting-events/article_33d661c0-2be0-11ee-a58e-e3ec7416ede9.html |
COLFAX, Iowa (AP) — In the small central Iowa town of Colfax, thousands of cyclists participating in the largest and oldest recreational bike ride in the world were stopped along its historic main street, staring ahead at a daunting climb that would lead them out of town.
The hill, coupled with soaring temps and the vibrant downtown, made a morning sitting in the shade quite appealing.
It’s become almost simplistic to say that “small-town America” is slowly dying. That opportunities for young people have dried up, just like businesses and main streets. That the only way forward in life involves moving to a big city. But the reality is towns such as Colfax are flourishing, and that was especially evident on RAGBRAI, the annual bike ride across the state, where dozens of small towns dotting the 500-mile route welcomed some 50,000 riders with open arms.
Colfax is a prime example. It experienced a nearly 8% increase in population from the 2010 census to the most recent in 2020, turning around two decades of decline. Its population of 2,255 represented its highest since the 1990s.
Sure, many small towns are still struggling, but what has allowed those such as Colfax to thrive?
“Mostly, a wonderful mayor and council and volunteers that just ensure a vital community,” explains Wade Wagoner, the former city manager for the small town of Lake Park, and now the city administrator for Colfax.
“Des Moines and the metro growing to the east doesn’t hurt,” Wagoner said. “Also, the fact that we still have a high school and citizens just approved a $14 million bond for athletic and academic improvements make people want to raise a family here.”
Wagoner underscores that location is important. After the COVID-19 pandemic, when many jobs became partially or fully remote, people who may have once worked in a city could suddenly live just about anywhere, including small towns across America.
Wagoner goes on to talk about the smallest Fareway grocery store in the state, the coffee shop and bank and city hall, all of which make for a bustling hub. There’s also a rich history with mineral water that makes Colfax’s downtown large for its size.
In other words, Colfax has leaned into its strengths to create a community that people want to call home.
And every few years, big events such as RAGBRAI roll through, giving them a chance to shine.
“Lots of trash and (Port-o-potties,” Wagoner said of the traveling circus, “but it is actually pretty cool. It lets us show off the town and certain businesses do make some money. Others find it a pain. But it’s only for a single day.”
If nothing else, the horde of cyclists are good for making money.
In Polk City, between the busy metros of Ames and Des Moines, high school students collected money to fund their after-prom party. Elsewhere on the ride, residents of Slater were using donations to build a new community center and library. In Breda, where the route went through Monday, the town was trying to raise $300,000 to replace the lights at its baseball grandstand, which was built in 1946 and has withstood the test of time.
Breda, population 500, is another example of a small town doing well. It has steadily gained residents for the past 30 years.
In the quiet hamlet of Oxford, just past the fire department and the Deja Brew Coffee House & Bakery, four boys took turns in a dunk tank Friday as cyclists passed through on a day of unrelenting heat — the index topped out at 112 degrees.
For just $5, riders got three shots at the tank. All the proceeds went to their little league program.
The boys were winning on two fronts: staying cool and making cash.
The population of Slater, just north of Polk City, has steadily grown the past three decades.
“Many young families have moved into Slater recently for the school system, and safety of our small town, and ease of getting around,” said Evy Raes of the Slater Area Historical Association. “Our sense of community was tested when a derecho roared through in August 2020. Never fear: anyone with a pickup truck, a chain saw and a six-pack was out in the streets after the storm, helping neighbors clear and dispose of the debris. People really pulled together and no one was a stranger.”
That sense of community isn’t always felt in bigger cities. And more than anything, Raes said, that has helped them to thrive.
“We are a small town with big ideals,” Raes said. “Many people who move into Slater feel an instant connection with the community. It is said though, ‘Don’t gossip about anybody who’s lived here awhile, because they may be related to the person you’re talking to.’ My family has lived here over 74 years, and some days we feel like the new people.”
Turns out that, at least in some small towns, there are in fact plenty of new people.
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Dave Skretta is a Kansas City, Missouri-based AP Sports Writer. He grew up in the small-but-vibrant northeast Iowa town of Decorah and and has ridden RAGBRAI many times, though he’s never written about it while doing it. Skretta wrote periodic updates from the road. He covered 579 miles from start to finish.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cbs4indy.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bike-ride-across-iowa-puts-vibrant-small-town-america-into-sharp-focus/ | 2023-07-29T18:13:59 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-bike-ride-across-iowa-puts-vibrant-small-town-america-into-sharp-focus/ |
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Partly cloudy. A stray afternoon thunderstorm is possible. High near 95F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..
Tonight
A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable.
One of my favorite letters was in the news this week, after eccentric billionaire Elon Musk changed the name of his social media network from Twitter to X.
Musk also has a son named X (full name X Æ A-12 Musk), so I’m assuming he also loves the letter.
kAm$:8? FA 7@C >J 6>2:= ?6HD=6EE6C 2E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^w@>6=2?5x?D64FC:EJ]:?7@Qmw@>6=2?5x?D64FC:EJ]:?7@k^2m] t>2:= >6 2E k2 9C67lQ>2:=E@i=:D2]<6DE=6C]52G:Do8>2:=]4@>Qm=:D2]<6DE=6C]52G:Do8>2:=]4@>k^2m]k^Am | https://www.annistonstar.com/columnists/x-marks-the-spot/article_f9b9fa82-2be5-11ee-8913-c7e0238915b1.html | 2023-07-29T18:14:03 | 0 | https://www.annistonstar.com/columnists/x-marks-the-spot/article_f9b9fa82-2be5-11ee-8913-c7e0238915b1.html |
FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) — Here’s why Katie Ledecky is one of the greatest freestyle swimmers in the history of the sport: She is never quite satisfied.
The 26-year-old American won the 800-meter freestyle on Saturday at the world championships to become the first swimmer to win six golds in the same event at worlds. It was also her 16th individual world title, breaking a tie with Michael Phelps for the most golds at worlds.
She also is a seven-time Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder in both the 800 and 1,500.
But that winning time — 8 minutes, 8.87 seconds, which is the seventh-quickest she’d ever swum — wasn’t quite good enough in her favorite event.
“I’m just always trying to think of new ways to improve. I mean I’ve already got everything turning in my head right now. I kind of wanted to be better than I was tonight,” she said, twirling her right hand beside her right ear, trying to stir up ideas.
“I’m pretty tough on myself,” she said. “But I think I have found the balance of being tough on myself but also having that grace.”
The 800 was Ledecky’s second individual gold following her win in the 1,500 free on Tuesday. She also took silver in the 400 free. Li Bingjie of China took silver in 8:13.31, and Ariarne Titmus of Australia got the bronze in 8:13.59.
“It’s fun to leave a meet with your favorite event, and I just wanted to leave it all in the pool,” Ledecky said.
It was only the fourth gold for the United States in the seventh of eight days in the pool. Meanwhile, Australia has been piling it on with 13 golds, matching its best at the worlds. Australia won three more golds on Saturday.
The Americans lead the overall table with 31 medals (16 silver), Australia has 20 and China 13.
Kaylee McKeown of Australia made history of her own with gold in the women’s 200 backstroke. McKeown’s victory gave her a sweep of all three backstroke events after earlier wins in the 50 and 100. She became the first swimmer to sweep all three backstrokes at the worlds.
It all made up for her disqualification earlier in the 200 IM.
“You can’t change the rules,” she said. “I got ruled out. It’s just the cards I was dealt with and I couldn’t do much more than that. So I just had to carry myself the best I could and channel all my anger and turn a huge negative into a positive.”
Regan Smith of the United States picked up the silver in 2:04.94, while Peng Xuwei of China got the bronze in 2:06.74.
Sarah Sjöström of Sweden continued her dominance with gold in the 50 butterfly. The 29-year-old won in 24.77 seconds and has now won the event five consecutive times at the worlds. The win brought Sjöström’s individual medals at the worlds to 20, equaling Phelps’ mark.
Sjöström also broke her own record in the 50 free, going 23.61 in a semifinal heat. Her old mark was 23.67 set in 2017.
“There are not too many secrets,” Sjöström said about her longevity. “Just do the work every day, go to practice, and stay humble.”
Zhang Yufei of China, who took gold in the 100 fly, claimed the silver in 25.05, while American Gretchen Walsh got the bronze in 25.46.
Japanese fan favorite Rikako Ikee finished seventh (25.78) in the 50 fly but was greeted warmly by the home crowd.
The 23-year-old Ikee won six gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games and was expected to be a favorite in the Tokyo Olympics. But she was diagnosed with leukemia in February 2019. Her comeback continues to resonate with both the Japanese public and her fellow competitors.
Cameron McEvoy of Australia led all the way to capture the gold in the 50 free in 21.06. It was his first individual gold in the worlds or Olympics.
American Jack Alexy collected his second silver of the worlds in 21.57 to go with his silver in the 100 free. Benjamin Proud of Britian, last year’s world champion, took the bronze in 21.58.
Caeleb Dressel won the event at the Olympics but did not qualify for the U.S. team. McEvoy’s time was quicker than Dressel’s winning time in Tokyo — 21.07.
Maxime Grousset of France won gold in the 100 fly in 50.14. The 24-year-old took the early lead and held on. Josh Liendo of Canada earned the silver in 50.34, while American Dare Rose made the podium with the bronze (50.46).
Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania equaled the world record of 29.30 in her semifinal in the 50 breaststroke.
Australia won the 4×100 mixed freestyle relay in a world record of 3:18.83. The Americans took silver in 3:20.82, with Britain getting the bronze in 3:21.68. The relay is not an Olympic event.
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AP sports: https://apnews.com/hub/sports and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cbs4indy.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-katie-ledecky-passes-michael-phelps-for-most-individual-golds-at-world-championships/ | 2023-07-29T18:14:05 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-katie-ledecky-passes-michael-phelps-for-most-individual-golds-at-world-championships/ |
BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Wendie Renard was threatening to skip the Women’s World Cup and Eugénie Le Sommer wasn’t in selection contention just a few months ago under France’s previous coaching regime.
A management overhaul and a change of heart ultimately led to two of French football’s most experienced players combining for Les Bleues on Saturday to deliver a 2-1 win over Brazil that put them into a strong position to progress to the round of 16.
Le Sommer missed with a diving header in the 13th minute but needed only four more minutes to convert her next chance, beating Brazilian goalkeeper Leticia with a more emphatic header to score her record-extending 90th international goal.
Debinha equalized for Brazil as the hour approached, and the game opened up as both teams pressed for a winner. That’s when Renaud stepped in.
Renard, who’d been in doubt for the match because of a calf injury she picked up in France’s lackluster opening 0-0 draw against Jamaica, drifted unmarked to the back edge of the box to meet a corner kick with a powerful header in the 83rd and clinch victory.
It meant the well-traveled Hervé Renard, who was hired in March to replace Corinne Diacre, became the first head coach to win games at both the women’s and men’s World Cups.
His upset victory with Saudi Arabia over eventual champion Argentina was one of the highlights of the men’s World Cup in Qatar last year. His French women’s team showed signs against Brazil that it could go deep in the tournament.
He credited his veteran players, either recalled or convinced to remain, for the turnaround.
Wendie Renard “is the most important player in the dressing room. Always talking, motivating the the other girls,” the France coach said, describing his captain’s influence on the team. Of other veterans like Le Sommer and Kadidiatou Diani, he added: “You need leaders in the team — they have a good experience and we need them to motivate also the other players.”
Le Sommer, who missed selection for the 2022 Euros under former coach Diacre, was in the thick of the early action for France.
The French started with a high tempo and had three chances before Sakina Karchaoui’s long floating ball into the area found Diani, who leaped and headed square for Le Sommer to finish off from directly in front.
The Brazilian women had never beaten France but started to meet them for intensity as halftime approached, helped by the majority of an almost 50,000-strong crowd.
Debinha equalized in the 58th, finishing off a quick passing movement into the area, controlling a deflected ball with the outside of her leg before firing in a right-foot shot.
Leticia kept Brazil in the game with a string of impressive saves, and Selma Bacha hit the side netting with her shot from the right in the 75th, unable to break the deadlock for France.
After Renard broke the deadlock, Brazil sent Marta in the 86th for her 22nd World Cup appearance — moving her to outright second on the country’s all-time list — but she wasn’t able to equalize in a frenetic finish.
Brazil is now winless in 12 women’s internationals against France, a setback for a team that opened the Women’s World Cup with a thumping 4-0 win over Panama, with Ary Borges scoring three goals and providing the back-heel assist for one of the goals of the tournament.
Against a more disciplined defense, the Brazilians weren’t able to finish despite creating ample opportunities.
Coach Pia Sundhage said she was disappointed with her Brazilian team’s first half and overall lack of cohesion.
The defensive lapse on the set piece that led to France’s winning goal was discouraging, she said, before adding: “I’m more disappointed we couldn’t make this a game where we play like the Brazilian style.”
Jamaica edged Panama 1-0 later Saturday in Perth to join France on four competition points in Group F, one ahead of Brazil. On Wednesday, three teams will be vying for two spots in the next round when Brazil meets Jamaica in Melbourne and France takes on Panama in Sydney.
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cbs4indy.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-le-sommer-renard-score-as-france-edges-brazil-2-1-at-the-womens-world-cup/ | 2023-07-29T18:14:12 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-le-sommer-renard-score-as-france-edges-brazil-2-1-at-the-womens-world-cup/ |
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Partly cloudy. A stray afternoon thunderstorm is possible. High near 95F. Winds WNW at 5 to 10 mph..
Tonight
A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible early. Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 71F. Winds light and variable.
MOE. has been a staple in the racks at my store since we opened in 1997. They’re mostly known for being a jam band. That wasn’t the experience with my customer base. We had a broad spectrum of customers that picked up their albums, citing their nimble musicianship, irreverence and their loose live shows.
I interviewed guitarist Al Schnier about the current state of the band, his journey as an artist and all things MOE. in advance of their show on July 21st in Birmingham at Avondale Brewing Company. | https://www.annistonstar.com/features/entertainment/music/moe-plans-a-full-tour-for-the-fall/article_b13cf328-2bdf-11ee-80d5-ff42e8a9f8a4.html | 2023-07-29T18:14:15 | 0 | https://www.annistonstar.com/features/entertainment/music/moe-plans-a-full-tour-for-the-fall/article_b13cf328-2bdf-11ee-80d5-ff42e8a9f8a4.html |
BALTIMORE (AP) — Anthony Santander said it felt like a playoff game at Camden Yards.
A few more performances like this, and the Baltimore Orioles will be there.
Santander homered off Tommy Kahnle in the ninth inning to give the Orioles a 1-0 victory over New York on Friday night, spoiling Aaron Judge’s return for the Yankees. Judge walked three times in his first game back from a toe injury, but the Orioles kept New York off the scoreboard with a spectacular defensive effort.
In the eighth inning alone, Santander made a lunging, sliding catch in right field, and second baseman Adam Frazier made a diving stop on Anthony Rizzo’s grounder with a man on second.
“Great defense, great pitching, that’s how we win baseball games,” Santander said.
Orioles rookie Grayson Rodriguez pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings, going toe to toe with New York’s Gerrit Cole, who went seven. Félix Bautista (6-1) struck out two in a scoreless ninth. Kahnle (1-1) couldn’t match that in the bottom half, allowing Santander’s one-out drive that went well beyond the fence in right-center field.
The Orioles remained 1 1/2 games ahead of Tampa Bay atop the AL East, and they now lead the last-place Yankees by nine.
The game was delayed 2 hours, 32 minutes by rain, but that did little to dampen the enthusiasm of a crowd that included a mix of Yankees fans cheering Judge and Orioles fans embracing their first-place team.
“Right before the start of the game, it felt like a playoff game,” Santander said. “That’s good to have those fans to support us. Hopefully they can continue to do that.”
Judge lined out to right field on the first pitch to him in the first, but he reached base the other three times he came up.
Anthony Volpe was robbed twice by stellar Baltimore defense. Third baseman Ramón Urías made a diving stop on his one-hopper in the fifth. In the eighth, Volpe led off with a fly to right that Santander reached out and caught before sliding on his stomach across the grass.
New York eventually had two on and two out that inning when Rizzo’s grounder looked headed to right field. Frazier’s diving play prevented that.
“Defense won us the game,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “Adam Frazier, diving play off Rizz. Santander with a great diving catch. We turned some double plays.”
Each team had only four hits. Rodriguez was one of Baltimore’s prized prospects, and after being sent back to the minors for a bit, he may be finding a groove.
“I just love his delivery right now and the tempo of his delivery,” Hyde said. “Just really, really competitive.”
DEADLINE OUTLOOK
Orioles general manager Mike Elias said it’s no secret that the Orioles are working on potentially adding pitching upgrades at the trade deadline. He said the team has the wherewithal to make “good baseball trades” even if it means adding payroll.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Orioles: Elias said he hopes OFs Cedric Mullins (right adductor groin strain) and Aaron Hicks (left hamstring strain) can return and play a large part of August. … Elias said LHP John Means (left elbow UCL surgery) and RHP Mychal Givens (right shoulder inflammation) will probably be pitching in games in the Florida Complex League in the early part of August.
UP NEXT
Baltimore’s Tyler Wells (7-5) takes the mound against New York’s Clarke Schmidt (6-6) on Saturday night. Schmidt will be on extended rest, having last pitched July 21.
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Follow Noah Trister at https://twitter.com/noahtrister
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cbs4indy.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-santander-hits-9th-inning-homer-to-give-orioles-1-0-win-over-yankees-and-spoil-judges-return/ | 2023-07-29T18:14:18 | 1 | https://cbs4indy.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-santander-hits-9th-inning-homer-to-give-orioles-1-0-win-over-yankees-and-spoil-judges-return/ |
July 29, 1948, in The Star: The city of Montgomery will soon have a number of wartime hardware “trophies” adorning its public parks, thanks to Anniston Ordnance Depot. The relics, likely to include cannons and light tanks, will be picked out in person next week by a Montgomery representative. They will be free, except for the cost of transporting them to the state capital. Also this date: A midsummer hike taken by Explorer Post 105, Boy Scouts of America, was climaxed by the entire post getting lost for two hours a couple of days ago. Ten explorer Scouts started out to explore the uncharged national forest west of Camp Mac and along the Cheaha Creek below Devil’s Den, but for a couple of hours there they were completely lost. They got reoriented, but then two of the group got separated from the others, and Mr. McBride, who operates Camp Mac, found the pair behind Lake Chinnabee. Those taking part in the trip were William Moore, Louie Bowling, George Kilby, George Longshore, Jimmy Fite, Robert LeFoy, Larry Armstrong, Gordon Mallory and Charles Horne. The Rev. William S. Stoney serves as adviser to the patrol.
July 29, 1998, in The Star: The Piedmont public school system is seriously considering implementing a year-round school calendar, and a preliminary report from teams of parents, teachers and students investigating the idea is overwhelmingly positive. But other parents and teachers who attended a public forum at the high school last night said they aren’t fully satisfied. The 175-day attendance mandate would remain in place; if it’s generally approved, the new schedule wouldn’t be adopted until the fall of 1999. Also this date: The Anniston City Council last night voted to give a local school support group known as Next Start $25,000 – after voting against the appropriation at least twice over the past few months. Next Start is Mayor Gene Stedham’s independent nonprofit that works with the school system to provide support and motivate the students. The committee was formed in March 1997 and has organized city clubs and business groups to serve in mentoring and tutoring programs at the city schools. | https://www.annistonstar.com/features/look-back-to-a-bunch-of-lost-scouts-1948/article_3a0bf1a6-2de6-11ee-a0d6-33ec72b5315c.html | 2023-07-29T18:14:22 | 1 | https://www.annistonstar.com/features/look-back-to-a-bunch-of-lost-scouts-1948/article_3a0bf1a6-2de6-11ee-a0d6-33ec72b5315c.html |
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — United States midfielder Savannah DeMelo can speak some Portuguese and may be able to put it to use in the Women’s World Cup.
The U.S. plays Portugal on Tuesday to wrap up the tournament’s group stage, and a fter a disappointing 1-1 draw against the Netherlands, the Americans needs a win. At stake is both the top spot in Group E and also a much-needed boost to team confidence.
That’s where DeMelo can help.
The 25-year-old’s dad, Robert, is from Portugal and had a successful career as a player in that country before becoming a coach. DeMelo has dual citizenship and understands Portuguese.
“I’ll definitely be listening for it,” she laughed.
DeMelo made her first international start for the United States against Vietnam in the group opener, a 3-0 victory for the Americans.
Prior to the World Cup, DeMelo had played in only one other match for the United States: she was a substitute in the team’s send-off match against Wales in San Jose in early July. DeMelo, who plays for Racing Louisville FC in the National Women’s Soccer League, was the first U.S. player since Shannon Boxx in 2003 and third overall to be named to the World Cup roster without any previous appearances for the national team.
U.S. coach Vlatko Andonovski started DeMelo in the both of the American’s World Cup matches. She played both opening halves before being subbed off for veteran Rose Lavelle, who has been playing limited minutes for the United States because of a knee injury suffered in April.
The journey from being named to the team to getting a start in the World Cup has “been a crazy roller coaster of emotions,” said DeMelo.
“But I think I’ve had a lot of great people, including the girls on the team, who have been super helpful with getting me acclimated to the team,” she said. “And I’m just super grateful to be here.”
The United States may need to switch up its tactics against Portugal.
The Americans are tied on points with the Netherlands in Group E and have an advantage over the Dutch on goal difference. The top two teams in the group advance to the knockout round.
But the results haven’t been as emphatic as they were in 2019, when the U.S. opened with a 13-0 victory over Thailand and went on to win their second straight World Cup title, and fourth overall.
The United States trailed the Netherlands by a goal in the first half before Lindsey Horan scored a game-tying header in the 62nd minute.
One reason for the less-than-dominant play could be inexperience. DeMelo is among 14 U.S. players appearing in their first World Cup.
Fellow midfielder Andi Sullivan, who is also making her tournament debut, said it takes some adjustment to play together as newcomers.
“That’s definitely a challenge that we’re going through, is that we just kind of came together,” Sullivan said. “It’s not like a team that you’re training with all year round, constantly. You’re in and out all the time. So I think you’re constantly adjusting.
“But the way that you get in sync is we watch a lot of stuff together, we communicate constantly. We’re very direct when something’s not going the way we want it to go,” Sullivan added. “You have to be direct and clear and honest and loud.”
DeMelo is also among six players at the World Cup who play for Racing Louisville. Among the Racing Louisville representatives are Ary Borges, who scored a hat trick for Brazil in its 4-0 victory over Panama to start the tournament.
DeMelo, who said her father never pushed her into soccer growing up, could have played for Portugal at the senior level.
“It could have been an option,” she said, “but I think my heart was always with the United States.”
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AP Women’s World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://cbs4indy.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-savannah-demelos-ability-to-speak-portuguese-may-help-us-in-critical-womens-world-cup-match/ | 2023-07-29T18:14:24 | 0 | https://cbs4indy.com/sports/ap-sports/ap-savannah-demelos-ability-to-speak-portuguese-may-help-us-in-critical-womens-world-cup-match/ |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – In states across the country this year, Republicans have talked a lot about restricting drag performances in front of children.
But that talk, and even their efforts, haven't amounted to much.
Bills restricting drag have failed to pass, passed as watered-down laws, have been vetoed or, in the case of three states that did manage to pass meaningful restrictions, laws have been temporarily halted by federal judges.
Friday, in fact, a judge temporarily blocked drag restrictions in the last remaining state with enforceable restrictions – Montana – just days before the start of Pride festivities.
A few states' lawmakers are still in session, though, so more efforts could be afoot.
In Arkansas, where Republican state Sen. Gary Stubblefield championed and sponsored a bill earlier this year, he said drag shows harm kids and "take away their innocence."
"I can't think of any redeeming quality, anything good that can come from taking children and putting them in front of a bunch of grown men that are dressed like women," Stubblefield said back in January as he introduced his bill on the floor of the Arkansas Senate.
'Prurient interest' and the First Amendment
Stubblefield's bill contained key language that showed up in a lot of states' attempted drag restrictions – an appeal to the "prurient interest." (Texas, Tennessee, Montana, Arizona, South Dakota, for example.)
"That word – prurient interest – means excessive interest in sexual matters," Stubblefield explained to lawmakers in committee.
"Most drag shows do not appeal to the prurient interest," says JT Morris, an attorney for the free-speech group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
"Even if they did, saying something appeals to the 'prurient interest' under the First Amendment is not enough to regulate it," he says, noting that this kind of language makes it harder for a bill to hold up to basic legal scrutiny.
"You can't pass a state law based on disagreement with somebody's viewpoint. It's a textbook First Amendment violation."
And that disagreement has been palpable across the country. In Arkansas, Stubblefield's bill was met with large public backlash from those who say drag is about showmanship, not sex.
"I do drag as an art form," says Jeremy Stuthard, an Arkansas drag performer.
"I take a decent-looking guy and turn him into a statue-esk Barbie doll, and have a great time and put smiles on people's faces and that's all I really try to do."
Stuthard says most of the children he meets at drag brunches and story hours aren't there to indulge a 'prurient interest', but to have fun listening to a story read by a costumed actor.
Drag restrictions put on hold and watered down
In Tennessee, the day before that state's drag restrictions were due to go into effect, a Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge temporarily struck down the law due to its constitutional vagueness.
In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker wrote, "Whether some of us may like it or not," the U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted the First Amendment "as protecting speech that is indecent but not obscene."
A similar law in Florida has been temporarily blocked. For a while, that left Montana as the only state in the country with an enforceable drag law, until the courts temporarily blocked that one, too.
In Arkansas, Sen. Stubblefield's drag ban bill was amended until it hardly resembled a drag ban. The final version of the law, which passed by large margins, now regulates stripping, not drag shows.
"[The]Amended House Bill is the only way to really protect minors. For another reason, it's the only draft that will stand up in court," Stubblefield said of the amendment, which he didn't write but ultimately agreed to.
"None of us like to pass a bill that's going to get struck down by a judge and not help any children at all."
Josie Lenora is the politics/government reporter at KUAR in Little Rock, Ark.
Copyright 2023 KUAR | https://www.knau.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-29/almost-nothing-has-come-from-all-the-talk-about-states-banning-drag-in-front-of-kids | 2023-07-29T18:15:17 | 0 | https://www.knau.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-29/almost-nothing-has-come-from-all-the-talk-about-states-banning-drag-in-front-of-kids |
Mega Millions soars to $1.05 billion after another night with no jackpot winner
After more than three months without a big winner, the Mega Millions jackpot climbed to over $1 billion Friday night.
No player hit all six numbers and won the $940 million jackpot Friday. The next drawing Tuesday night will be worth an estimated $1.05 billion, or $527.9 million for the cash option.
What were the Mega Millions winning numbers Friday, July 28?
The numbers drawn on Friday were 05-10-28-52-63 and Mega Ball 18. The Megaplier was 5X.
There have been 29 straight draws without a Mega Millions jackpot winner since the last grand-prize ticket on April 18.
The potential jackpot of $1.05 billion is the fourth largest in the game’s history and only the fifth time the game has reached over $1 billion, according to a statement by Mega Millions.
Who were the winners in the Mega Millions drawing on Friday, July 28?
Although there were no big jackpot winners on Friday, there was a $5 million winner in Pennsylvania, who had five numbers but not the Mega Ball correct. That ticket had the Megaplier option so the $1 million prize for matching five numbers was multiplied by five. Another ticket in Pennsylvania, along with tickets in Arizona, California and New York, won $1 million for matching five numbers.
Since the last jackpot was claimed on April 18, there have been 46 prizes of $1 million or more won from 22 different jurisdictions in the nation, Mega Millions stated in a news release. Delaware is not among those 22.
In Delaware, 13,615 tickets won a prize Friday. The big winner was a non-jackpot prize of $2,500, which was won by someone who matched four white ball numbers and had the Megaplier, according to the Delaware Lottery website.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states; Washington, D.C.; and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The states not offering Mega Millions are Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah.
PLAYING MEGA MILLIONS:What you need to know about buying a ticket
Contact local reporter Cameron Goodnight at cgoodnight@delawareonline.com, or by calling or texting 302-324-2208. Follow him on Twitter at @CamGoodnight. | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2023/07/29/mega-millions-friday-july-28-2023-drawing-no-jackpot-winner/70488799007/ | 2023-07-29T18:15:44 | 0 | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/2023/07/29/mega-millions-friday-july-28-2023-drawing-no-jackpot-winner/70488799007/ |
LA PORTE, Ind. (WXIN) – A 36-year-old woman from La Porte, Indiana, has been found guilty of murdering her husband, chopping his body with an axe, and then asking her children to help dispose of the body.
On Thursday, a jury found Thessalonica Allen guilty of eight counts including murder, abuse of a corpse, neglect of a dependent and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.
Allen was originally arrested after allegedly shooting and killing her husband Randy Allen in July 2021.
According to court documents, Randy Allen had been helping the two teenage children with homework on July 27, 2021, when he noticed a website he believed their mother had visited. Randy Allen confronted his wife about the site, leading to an argument. The children told investigators they then heard a loud bang come from the bedroom.
According to his autopsy report, the bullet entered Randy Allen’s arm and penetrated the right side of his body. The bullet is believed to have struck his spinal cord, leaving him unable to move and causing him to bleed out.
The teenagers later told police that their mother instructed them to ignore Randy Allen as he laid on the floor and asked for them to call 911. After he died, Thessalonica Allen reportedly stuffed her husband’s body in her daughter’s closet.
Thessalonica Allen reportedly used an axe to cut off Randy Allen’s legs the following day after failing to cram his body into a plastic tote. She was also accused of recruiting her children to help move the body and put body parts into bags.
The police were eventually notified about the murder after Thessalonica Allen called her ex-partner, whom she shared a child with, to come over to the home. It was the ex who notified police.
Police reported finding a handwritten note in the apartment during a later search that revealed a list of tasks related to the disposal of a body.
Thessalonica Allen’s sentencing is scheduled for Sept. 29. She faces between 45 and 60 years in prison. | https://www.wivb.com/news/national/indiana-woman-found-guilty-of-chopping-up-husband-asking-kids-to-help-dispose-of-body/ | 2023-07-29T18:15:46 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/national/indiana-woman-found-guilty-of-chopping-up-husband-asking-kids-to-help-dispose-of-body/ |
Is the late-week heat wave contining this weekend in Delaware? Here’s the latest forecast
Consecutive days with high temperatures are expected to continue in Delaware through at least Saturday, according to the National Weather Service.
Saturday’s forecast calls for mostly sunny skies and high temperatures near 91. In New Castle, Kent and Sussex counties, a heat advisory has been issued until 8 p.m. Saturday.
A chance of showers and thunderstorms may develop during the day with a 60% chance of precipitation. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. A thunderstorm is possible between 4 and 5 p.m., the weather service predicts.
With temperatures climbing to the low 90s Saturday, the weather service continues to issue caution with outdoor activities.
The main way to stay safe during a heat wave is to stay out of the sun. You should drink plenty of fluids and stay indoors, according to the weather service.
Tired of the heat in Delaware?
There is a slight end in sight on Sunday. Temperatures are expected to dip below 90 and into the mid-80s across Delaware. There will be mostly sunny skies during the day and a 30% chance of precipitation on Sunday night, the weather service predicts.
More:Heat wave guide: Delaware weekend temperatures, how to keep yourself and pets safe
Contact local reporter Cameron Goodnight at cgoodnight@delawareonline.com, or by calling or texting 302-324-2208. Follow him on Twitter at @CamGoodnight. | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/weather/2023/07/29/delaware-forecast-heat-advisory-showers-thunderstorms-saturday/70488656007/ | 2023-07-29T18:15:50 | 1 | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/weather/2023/07/29/delaware-forecast-heat-advisory-showers-thunderstorms-saturday/70488656007/ |
The intense heat wave continued its grip on many parts of the country, including in New York City, where temperatures were expected to surge into the lower 90s (around 35 C) on Saturday, but the humid, thick air could make it feel well over the century mark.
The sizzling air has heated up everything from the ocean to pools, making it difficult to cool off. One woman in the Southwest has been throwing blocks of ice in her pool.
Metro Phoenix could see its 30th day of 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43.3 degrees Celsius) or higher on Saturday before temperatures start dropping in the city and other areas that saw some of the most extreme temperatures in July. Scientists expect this month will be the hottest globally on record and likely the warmest human civilization has seen.
Here’s what’s happening related to extreme weather and the climate right now:
— Heat advisories continued in New York City, where high humidity has made it uncomfortable and dangerous. Some 500 cooling centers have opened across the city’s five boroughs, and the governor authorized the state’s swimming pools to stay open later. The extreme heat was forecast to ease Sunday.
— Parts of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut were under a heat advisory through Saturday night. In northern New England, temperatures were down 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit after getting into the 90s (around 35 C) on Friday, but the humidity lingered throughout the region. Afternoon and evening storms were forecast and could bring a chance of flash flooding.
— The weather was equally stifling and muggy in the center of the United States. An excessive heat warning was issued for much of Missouri, Kansas and western Illinois, where the sweaty mix of heat and humidity could make it feel like up to 112 degrees Fahrenheit (about 44 C) in parts. St. Louis health director Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis said the risk of heat stroke was high and warned that interior car temperatures could reach lethal levels in minutes.
— Temperatures are forecast to start to drop in the hottest areas in the southwest of the United States, including Phoenix, Las Vegas, Albuquerque and Death Valley, California.
— With the scorching heat, even going for a swim offered little to no relief. Sea surface temperatures rose above 100 degrees Fahrenheit (about 38 C) at a spot off Florida’s southern tip, while pools in the Southwest gave the sensation of being in soup.
— The high temperatures are reaching across the globe, including in Bolivia, where a drought alert has been declared for Lake Titicaca after water levels of the world’s highest navigable lake receded to a critically low threshold.
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Associated Press writers Bobby Caina Calvan in New York; Heather Hollingsworth in Mission, Kansas; Ken Ritter in Las Vegas; and Kathy McCormack in Concord, New Hampshire contributed to this report.
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Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
) | https://www.wivb.com/news/u-s-headlines/ap-climate-glimpse-heres-what-you-need-to-see-and-know-today-8/ | 2023-07-29T18:15:52 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/u-s-headlines/ap-climate-glimpse-heres-what-you-need-to-see-and-know-today-8/ |
Police ID motorcyclist killed in crash. He had collided with car and was hit by pickup
A motorcyclist killed in a crash early Friday near Middletown has been identified by Delaware State Police.
Police said 47-year-old Luis Lopez of Dover was killed after colliding with a car and being struck by a pickup. He was not wearing a helmet when the crash occurred at about 12:20 a.m. on Friday, according to police.
The 47-year-old was on a 2016 Harley-Davidson Softail as he approached a curve on Route 1 south, near the Middletown Odessa Road (Route 299) overpass. The Harley failed to stay in the left lane through the curve and entered the right lane where it struck the back of a 2013 Hyundai Sonata, police said.
Lopez was then ejected from the motorcycle, according to police, and landed on the roadway where he was hit by a 2022 Ford F-250 that was also southbound on Route 1. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
No other injuries were reported.
Police continue to investigate this crash, which closed the road for about four hours on Friday. Anyone who witnessed this collision is asked to contact Cpl. P. McAndrew at 302-365-8486 or Delaware Crime Stoppers at 800-847-3333.
DELAWARE TRAFFIC:Why the state's new searchable crash database has years of wrong information
Contact local reporter Cameron Goodnight at cgoodnight@delawareonline.com, or by calling or texting 302-324-2208. Follow him on Twitter at @CamGoodnight. | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/07/29/motorcyclist-luis-lopez-fatal-crash-near-middletown-identified-delaware-state-police/70492121007/ | 2023-07-29T18:15:56 | 1 | https://www.delawareonline.com/story/news/local/2023/07/29/motorcyclist-luis-lopez-fatal-crash-near-middletown-identified-delaware-state-police/70492121007/ |
NEW YORK (AP) — Trader Joe’s is recalling a broccoli cheddar soup that may contain insects and cooked falafel that may contain rocks, about one week after the grocery chain recalled two cookie products over similar concerns.
The soup recall impacts Trader Joe’s Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup with “Use By” dates ranging from July 18 to Sept. 15, according to a Thursday announcement from the company. On Friday, the grocer announced that Trader Joe’s Fully Cooked Falafel sold in 35 states and Washington, D.C., was also under recall.
On July 21, Trader Joe’s announced that it was recalling Trader Joe’s Almond Windmill Cookies and Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies with “sell by” dates ranging from Oct. 17 to Oct. 21. Like the falafel, the cookies may also contain rocks, the company said.
When asked for further information about how the insects and rocks may have gotten into these products, a Trader Joe’s spokesperson said that “there was an issue in the manufacturing processes in the facilities.” Suppliers alerted Trader Joe’s of the possible foreign material for each recall, the company said.
“We pulled the product from our shelves as soon as we were made aware of the issue. Once we understood the issue we notified our customers,” the spokesperson said in a statement sent to The Associated Press Saturday.
All of the recalled cookies, soup and falafel have been removed from sale or destroyed, Trader Joe’s said in its announcements. But the Monrovia, California-based company is still urging consumers to check their kitchens for the products.
Trader Joe’s says customers who have the recalled products should throw them away or return them to any store for a full refund. Lot codes and further details about the products under recall, as well as customer service contact information, can be found on the company’s website.
Trader Joe’s did not specify how many products were impacted with each recall or identify suppliers. But one Food and Drug Administration notice cited by NBC News says that the Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup recall impacts around 10,889 cases sold in seven states. Winter Gardens Quality Foods, Inc. is identified as the recalling firm, per the notice.
No formal releases about the three recalls were published on the FDA’s Recalls, Market Withdrawals, & Safety Alerts page as of Saturday. The Associated Press reached out to the FDA and Winter Gardens Quality Foods for information on Saturday.
“We have a close relationship with our vendors and they alerted us of these issues. We don’t hesitate or wait for regulatory agencies to tell us what to do,” the Trader Joe’s spokesperson said. “We will never leave to chance the safety of the products we offer.” | https://www.wivb.com/news/u-s-headlines/ap-more-trader-joes-recalls-this-soup-may-contain-bugs-and-falafel-may-have-rocks-grocer-says/ | 2023-07-29T18:15:58 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/u-s-headlines/ap-more-trader-joes-recalls-this-soup-may-contain-bugs-and-falafel-may-have-rocks-grocer-says/ |
PINELLAS PARK, Fla. — A 37-year-old man is dead after a hit-and-run crash Saturday morning in Pinellas Park, according to a news release.
Police said William Rothey was riding a bike around 3 a.m. near 66th Street North and 118 Avenue North when he was struck by a vehicle.
Rothey was taken to a nearby hospital where he later died.
Investigators suspect 26-year-old Anaya Millan was driving the vehicle during the crash. Pinellas County deputies found the vehicle connected to the crash abandoned in a Publix parking lot at 733 Park Blvd, police said.
Authorities are asking the public for help in locating Millan. Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers (1-800-973-TIPS) or the Pinellas Park Police Department (727-369-7840). | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/crime/hit-and-run-pinellas-park/67-1e8406c7-2c3d-4dfe-b1e9-f0aff6d7b9e7 | 2023-07-29T18:15:59 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/crime/hit-and-run-pinellas-park/67-1e8406c7-2c3d-4dfe-b1e9-f0aff6d7b9e7 |
CRYSTAL RIVER, Fla. — The Citrus County Sheriff's Office is looking for a missing 64-year-old man last seen walking on foot in Crystal River, according to a news release.
Authorities said George Stephenson was seen around 10 p.m. leaving his home near NE 2nd Street and Three Sisters Trail.
Stephenson is described to be 5 foot, 6 inches with gray hair and blue hair. He may have had on a pair of black shoes with a gray stripe, deputies said.
Anyone with information about Stephenson's whereabouts is asked to contact the Citrus County Sheriff's Office at 352-249-2790. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/citruscounty/george-stephenson-missing-crystal-river/67-220e75f0-252c-4094-b7d2-0011ccffa6cd | 2023-07-29T18:16:06 | 0 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/citruscounty/george-stephenson-missing-crystal-river/67-220e75f0-252c-4094-b7d2-0011ccffa6cd |
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio’s craft beer industry has been expanding rapidly over the past few years.
This growth has been challenging for some small breweries who are struggling under the weight of a statewide franchise law. In response, an Ohio senator is pushing for an exemption in the law for these local craft breweries.
What You Need To Know
- Some small breweries say the franchise law has made it difficult to maintain their daily functions
- Jim Gokenbach, who is the managing partner at Zaftig Brewing Company, said he cannot break his contract with his distributor because of the "Alcoholic Beverages Franchise Act"
- He said, the new proposal will help him create a fair playing-field with his beer distributor
- Gokenbach says they have lost sales, and that has left him frustrated
Jim Gokenbach is the managing partner at Zaftig Brewing Company in Franklin County. He is a local brewer who has faced significant hurdles because of the current law. In 2016, hoping to grow his business statewide, Gokenbach entered a contract with a beer distributor.
However, the deal failed to meet his expectations, and he soon found himself unable to end the agreement because of the state’s ‘Alcoholic Beverages Franchise Act.’ This law stipulates that contracts can only be broken if a “just cause” is provided for the termination, or if one party enters bankruptcy.
“Unfortunately, there’s nothing in the contract that obligates them to sell your beer,” Gokenbach said. “You’re essentially entering a business relationship with someone who promises to sell your beer, but can just as easily choose not to. In such cases, we’re left powerless.”
The franchise act was originally put in place during the 1970s. This law was intended to protect small distributors. However, faced with Ohio’s recent brewery boom, Gokenbach asserts that the legislation is now outdated, placing breweries in a tough spot where they are obligated to buy back beer that their distributors fail to sell.
“Our distributor sales are down 54%, while our sales here in Franklin County have risen by 24%,” Gokenbach said.
State Senator Andrew Brenner has recognized the problem in Ohio and is seeking to pass “The Ohio Craft Brewer Freedom Act.” The proposal would exempt small craft breweries from the state’s franchise law. If passed, breweries like Zaftig Brewing Company could negotiate their distribution contracts with wholesale partners, free from state intervention.
Senator Brenner emphasized the importance of his proposal, stating, “Without this change, small breweries are essentially locked into a delivery service contract until a court decides to break the agreement. This process can take well over a year, during which the brewery remains dependent on the same distributor for delivery services.”
Senator Brenner’s proposal is a beacon of hope for brewers like Gokenbach.
“This new bill could grant us the freedom to expand and make things fair for us in this business,” Gokenbach said.
While the path forward may still be long, these proposed changes highlight a growing recognition of the unique challenges faced by small breweries, marking a possible new chapter in the ongoing story of Ohio’s craft beer industry.
The proposal has not been assigned to a committee yet. | https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/politics/2023/07/28/ohio-senator-aims-to-amend-state-franchise-law | 2023-07-29T18:16:06 | 0 | https://www.mynews13.com/fl/orlando/politics/2023/07/28/ohio-senator-aims-to-amend-state-franchise-law |
TAMPA, Fla. — WWE Global Ambassador Titus O'Neil is helping students across the Tampa Bay area this weekend.
O'Neil whose real name is Thaddeus Bullard is hosting his annual back-to-school bash on Saturday, July 29 at Raymond James Stadium, according to a news release from the Bullard Family Foundation.
The Bullard Foundation is an organization that helps provide families and children with community resources.
In partnership with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the event will give away more than 30,000 backpacks that contain school supplies such as writing utensils, notebooks, folders and more.
More than 500 volunteers helped fill those backpacks ahead of the event.
AdventHealth will also provide physicals to pre-registered families at the event, and the Glazer Family Foundation will offer eye exams and eyeglasses.
"...More than 20 local food proprietors including Bolay, Moe’s Southwestern Grill, PDQ, and Livy O’s will offer complimentary food to attendees," the news release mentioned.
Students will also receive free haircuts if they wish to get one as well as various medical screenings including physical, dental, and eye exams if parents have signed them up.
Last year more than 37,000 people showed up to take advantage of the assistance and services that were on offer.
The back-to-school bash will run from 9:01 a.m. through 1:01 p.m. Guests are asked to enter through Gate B at the stadium.
To register for the event, click here.
To learn more about the Bullard Family Foundation, click here. | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/titus-oneil-back-to-school-bash/67-d99c120b-5159-4033-bddf-553b26e8e8e7 | 2023-07-29T18:16:12 | 1 | https://www.wtsp.com/article/news/local/titus-oneil-back-to-school-bash/67-d99c120b-5159-4033-bddf-553b26e8e8e7 |
ALLEN PARK -- Detroit Lions versatile defensive back Will Harris has endured an interesting ride through his four years and some change around these parts.
Harris was a third-round pick of the previous regime back in 2019. The former Boston College standout safety struggled with the rest of the defense through his first two seasons. But then he saw a more versatile role with work between safety, outside corner and nickelback when Dan Campbell and Co. took over.
And it’s worth noting he started 17 games that year, and another 10 this last season, so Campbell and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn have proven to trust the defensive back more than a couple of times.
The Lions brought Harris back on a one-year deal in the offseason. And when Campbell was asked about the 27-year-old, he didn’t hold back in his praise.
“I love Will Harris. I do, and -- because he is. He’s a pro. He’s a pro. He’s a vet,” Campbell said on Saturday morning. “You don’t have to worry about Will.
“Will’s going to be where he’s supposed to be when he’s supposed to be there. He’s a four-corps guy for us. He’s played safety. He can play nickel. He can play outside corner. And he’s just steady and reliable. He’s dependable, man. He’s always going to be there for you and that’s one of the biggest reasons that help -- guys like him help you sleep good at night.”
Related: Lions training camp observations: Will Harris, Brian Branch step up after injury
Related: Versatile defensive back Will Harris agrees to new deal with Lions
It hasn’t been perfect by any means. But it’s been quite the step in the right direction for Harris over the two most recent seasons. He proved himself even more with the move to the slot, receiving the top coverage grade of his career from Pro Football Focus in 2022. It’s worth remembering that Harris was among PFF’s worst-graded safeties through his first two seasons, so Campbell and Co. saw a vision to get more and stuck with it.
“I could’ve never imagined my rookie year being kinda where I am now,” Harris said. “I just have the upmost respect for the guys in this building. I appreciate them for even putting me on this platform to be able to play in meaningful games at these different roles. Wherever I’m needed, that’s where I’m going to play and I’m going to be productive there. And go all out, bro.”
And staying ready and versatile is what he believes has helped him stick with this franchise despite being drafted by a previous regime, struggling as much as he did early on and through those position changes. The Lions have also added several new faces to their secondary, not to mention a new cornerbacks coach (Dre’ Bly), so being able to handle multiple roles is more important than ever.
The Lions signed Cam Sutton, Emmanuel Moseley and C.J. Gardner-Johnson in free agency, and also spent a second-round pick on Brian Branch.
Sutton and Moseley are outside cornerbacks. The Lions also have Jerry Jacobs back in the fold, while Starling Thomas and Steven Gilmore have earned praise for their early work while Moseley remains away from the team. Gardner-Johnson, Branch and Harris will move between the slot and safety in certain spots. And it’s worth noting Ifeatu Melifonwu flipped from corner to safety, so versatile pieces are sprinkled throughout this roster.
For Harris? It’s about making sure he’s ready to play from wherever they want.
“I stay within myself. I take it a day at a time,” Harris said. “I know what I can do. I know what my capabilities are. And I’m confident in myself in my own right. Whenever I’m out there on the field, I’m thinking win. Win the rep. Whoever I’m lining up against. I need to win the rep. Whatever it is. I take a lot of pride in that.
“I study more than ... man, I put so much work into studying my craft and studying our opponent. It’s just by the time we end up playing, it’s second nature ... Study. You got to study. You got to stay in your book. You got to stay in the film room and just know you got to go over every situation I could possibly be in as a corner. Then you got to start all over again and do the whole film session and everything in every situation I could possibly be in as a nickel or a safety. So, it’s definitely a lot more studying and a lot more time in the film room. But that’s something that I pride myself on as a pro.” | https://www.mlive.com/lions/2023/07/versatile-db-will-harris-helping-lions-sleep-good-at-night-entering-year-5.html | 2023-07-29T18:17:30 | 1 | https://www.mlive.com/lions/2023/07/versatile-db-will-harris-helping-lions-sleep-good-at-night-entering-year-5.html |
(iSeeCars) — Most consumers know there are various electric vehicle tax credits available if they buy a new electric vehicle.
The original credit, officially known as the “Qualified Plug-in Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit”, was instituted over a decade ago. It created a tax credit amount between $2,500 and $7,500 based on a specific qualifying vehicle’s battery capacity. There was also a 200,000-unit limit to how many zero-emissions electric cars a single manufacturer could sell before the credit would phase out and eventually be eliminated. Two automakers, General Motors and Tesla, had already hit this limit in recent years, with a few more getting very close in 2022
But the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 has altered the existing rules for the federal tax credit, removing the 200,000 limit, extending the up-to-$7,500 credit through 2032…but also adding a new set of eligibility requirements based on the final assembly location of the vehicle and its battery components. New vehicle pricing and adjusted gross income requirements have also been enacted. The new rules are a reaction to China’s dominance in the EV space, a dominance President Biden and the U.S. Department of Energy would like to reverse by encouraging the production of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and battery components in North America.
The Inflation Reduction Act – Pros and Cons
Encouraging the American production of clean vehicles, including plug-in electric vehicles (EVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), is commendable. However, the change in eligibility requirements could actually limit new vehicle tax credits more than the outgoing legislation. Let’s take a closer look at where this new legislation helps, and hurts, your chances at seeing a rebate.
Pros:
- No 200,000 Vehicle Limit per Manufacturer – which means brands like Cadillac, Chevrolet and Tesla will be back in the running for a $7,500 tax break, along with every other automaker selling EVs, PHEVs (with a battery of 7 kilowatt hours or larger), or FCEVs.
- Income and MSRP Restrictions – the previous legislation had no limit on household income or eligible vehicle pricing, which meant a lot of taxpayer money was spent helping millionaires get a $7,500 price break on their $100,000-plus Tesla. Starting on January 1st, 2023, the new legislation puts an MSRP limit of $80,000 on electric vans, SUVs, and pickup trucks, and a $55,000 MSRP limit on electric sedans, coupes, wagons, and convertibles. The IRS also puts a $150,000 annual income limit on single tax filers, a $225,000 limit on head-of-household filers, and a $300,000 limit on joint filers.
- Used EVs Count Too – For the first time ever, car buyers seeking a lower cost of entry into EV ownership don’t have to choose from pricier current or new model year vehicles. A tax credit on used vehicles, worth either $4,000 or 30% of the used EV’s sales price (whichever is lower) will be available on used models costing less than $25,000. This credit is only available to single filers below $75,000, head-of-household filers below $112,000, and joint filers of $150,000.
- Commercial Tax Credit – If you happen to be a business owner looking to go electric the new bill provides up to $7,500 for electric vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) under 14,000 pounds and up to $40,000 for vehicles with a GVWR above 14,000 pounds. The rebate is based on either 30 percent of the total vehicle cost, or the incremental cost of a commercial EV over the cost of an equivalent non-EV vehicle. For instance, the Ford F-150 Lightning has a starting MSRP of $46,974, but you can buy an equivalent crew-cab F-150 with an internal combustion engine for around $50,000. There’s no incremental cost to buying the Lightning, so a commercial buyer could only benefit from 30 percent of the truck’s $46,974 price (around $15,680).
- Point of Sale Price Reduction: Starting on January 1st, 2024, buyers can transfer their credit to the selling dealer, essentially providing an immediate reduction in the price of an EV during purchase versus waiting to receive the benefit as part of their next tax filing.
Cons:
- Final Assembly Must be in North America – Starting on August 17th, 2022, only plug-in electric vehicles assembled in North America are eligible for tax credits. As of this writing, that includes 26 EVs from model year 2022, but only 8 EVs from model year 2023. A vehicle’s VIN (vehicle identification number) will be used to determine where a potential candidate was built. Popular EVs like the BMW 330e, Chevrolet Bolt, and Nissan Leaf have already been approved for model year 2023, and we’d expect other models assembled in Canada, Mexico, or the U.S. to be approved soon, including the Audi Q5, Ford Mustang Mach E, and every Rivian and Tesla model. However…
- Critical Mineral and Battery Component Requirements – Even if an electric vehicle is assembled in North America it will need to meet increasingly stringent battery requirements over the coming 5 years. Starting in 2023 an EV’s battery will need 40 percent of its critical minerals value to have been extracted or processed in the U.S. or a U.S. free-trade agreement partner to receive up to $3,750 in tax credits. This percentage will increase 10 percent a year, up to 80% of the battery’s critical mineral value in 2027 and beyond. Additionally, starting in 2023, 50 percent of the value of an EV battery’s components must be assembled in the U.S., increasing 10 percent a year until it reaches 100 percent in 2029.
The newest bill’s final assembly and critical mineral battery requirements are meant to shift the production of electric vehicles back toward the U.S. and its allies, and away from foreign entities of concern, including China. Given the supply chain issues we’ve experienced over the past 2 years this is a wise long-term goal. However, the time and resources needed to transplant the electric vehicle alternative fuels industry from the Asia Pacific region to the U.S are substantial.
Foreign automakers like Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz, and Toyota have already committed to high-volume North American vehicle production in recent decades. There’s every reason to believe they can relatively quickly do the same for their electric vehicle fleets to meet the final assembly requirement for successful new models not yet produced here, like the Hyundai Ioniq 5. Several automakers with smaller U.S. production capacity, including BMW, Volkswagen, and Volvo, also continue to expand their U.S. presence.
But battery production is an entirely different process compared to vehicle assembly. It involves significant investments in land assessment/exploration, permit applications, approval, mining, extraction, refining, etc. You can imagine the processes and time frame involved in, for instance, setting up a lithium mine in California. Investing in, and establishing, those capabilities will take several years at least, and could easily prove a limiting factor on how many new EVs can fully qualify for the latest tax credits under the current legislation.
More from iSeeCars:
- How Much Does it Cost to Charge an Electric Car?
- How Long Do Electric Car Batteries Last?
- Electric Cars with the Longest Range
If you’re in the market for a new or used electric vehicle you can search over 4 million used electric cars, SUVs, and trucks with iSeeCars’ award-winning car search engine that helps shoppers find the best car deals by providing key insights and valuable resources, like the iSeeCars free VIN check report and Best Cars rankings. Filter by vehicle type, front or all-wheel drive, and other parameters in order to narrow down your car search.
This article, The New EV Tax Credits Explained, originally appeared on iSeeCars.com. | https://fox59.com/automotive/ev-tax-credits-explained/ | 2023-07-29T18:17:32 | 0 | https://fox59.com/automotive/ev-tax-credits-explained/ |
The Detroit Tigers have recalled rookie left-hander Joey Wentz from Triple-A Toledo.
Wentz is expected to pitch multiple innings out of the bullpen behind opener Beau Brieske in Saturday’s game against the Miami Marlins.
The Tigers optioned right-handed reliever Trey Wingenter to Toledo to create a spot for Wentz.
Wentz, 25, spent most of the season with the Tigers until being optioned to Toledo on June 29.
Wentz is 1-9 with a 6.78 ERA in 16 appearances (15 starts and one long outing after an opener) this year for the Tigers. He’s struck out 66, walked 31 and allowed 16 home runs in 71 2/3 innings.
He pitched well in four starts with the Mud Hens since his demotion, striking out 26 in 18 innings.
The Kansas native was selected by the Atlanta Braves in the first round (40th overall) of the 2016 draft. He was traded to the Tigers along with outfielder Travis Demeritte in exchange for reliever Shane Greene in 2019.
Wingenter spent just two days on the roster in his second stint with the big-league club. He served as the 27th man for Thursday’s doubleheader in Detroit and then remained on the 26-man roster and accompanied the team to Miami.
Wingenter pitched two innings in Game 2 on Thursday, his first big-league action since April 15. He warmed up but did not pitch on Friday.
The 29-year-old made the club out of spring training as a minor-league free agent and non-roster invitee but had been on the IL since April 22 with right biceps tendinitis.
Wingenter was an emerging high-leverage reliever with the San Diego Padres in 2018 and 2019, striking out one of three batters using a mid-to-upper 90s fastball and a nearly impossible-to-hit slider. But he underwent Tommy John surgery just before the start of the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He was aiming for a late-season return with the Padres in 2021 but suffered a back injury while on a rehab assignment and was sidelined once again with surgery. When he made his Tigers’ debut on April 1, it was his first time on a big-league mound in three-and-a-half years.
TIGERS’ 40-MAN ROSTER (40)
Left-handed pitchers (6): Tyler Holton, Zach Logue, Eduardo Rodriguez, Chasen Shreve, Tarik Skubal, Joey Wentz.
Right-handed pitchers (14): Beau Brieske, Blair Calvo, Jose Cisnero, Mason Englert*, Alex Faedo, Jason Foley, Garrett Hill, Alex Lange, Michael Lorenzen, Matt Manning, Reese Olson, Will Vest*, Brendan White, Trey Wingenter.
Catchers (3): Eric Haase, Jake Rogers, Donny Sands.
Infielders (12): Javier Báez, Miguel Cabrera, Andy Ibañez, Ryan Kreidler, Andre Lipcius, Nick Maton, Zach McKinstry, Tyler Nevin, Wenceel Perez, Zack Short, Nick Solak, Spencer Torkelson.
Outfielders (5): Akil Baddoo, Kerry Carpenter, Riley Greene, Parker Meadows, Matt Vierling.
Players on the active roster are in bold.
*Player on 10- or 15-day injured list.
Outfielder Austin Meadows (anxiety); left-handed pitchers Tyler Alexander (left lat/shoulder strain) and Matthew Boyd (left elbow); and right-handed pitchers Casey Mize (Tommy John surgery), Freddy Pacheco (right elbow sprain) and Spencer Turnbull (neck discomfort) are on the 60-day injured list and do not count against the 40-man roster. | https://www.mlive.com/tigers/2023/07/tigers-swap-out-pitchers-to-bring-back-rookie-lefty.html | 2023-07-29T18:17:36 | 1 | https://www.mlive.com/tigers/2023/07/tigers-swap-out-pitchers-to-bring-back-rookie-lefty.html |
Former President Trump’s outsized influence is already being felt in GOP Senate primaries, underscoring his grip on the party even as he faces numerous primary challengers in the 2024 White House race.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose, who’s running to replace Sen. Sherrod Brown (D), endorsed Trump’s presidential bid earlier this week. West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice (R), who’s running to unseat Sen. Joe Manchin (D), did the same — prompting his GOP primary rival Alex Mooney to point out that he had come out in support of Trump last year.
And prior to officially jumping into Montana’s contested Senate race last month, former Navy SEAL and businessman Tim Sheehy said he supports Trump “100 percent.”
The public show of support for the former president is just the latest example of the political sway he continues to hold over Republicans, and could serve as a headache for party leaders who want the GOP to move on from him.
“Donald Trump continues to be the biggest elephant in the Republican tent,” said Mark Weaver, an Ohio-based Republican strategist. “Republican voters still want to see him as our party’s leader.”
One Republican strategist described the strategy of endorsing Trump as “the path of least resistance.”
“In order to take back the Senate, you’ve got to win a couple of these key seats, and the only way to win back these key seats is to make it through the primary unscathed,” the strategist said.
Some strategists see the endorsements as a sign of how the presidential primary is likely to shake out.
“This is a greater sign than ever before that Trump is most likely going to win the Republican nomination despite the noise in the media,” said Republican strategist Ford O’Connell.
“Endorsing Trump at this stage is one of the safest things a candidate could do,” he added. “This is more about the candidates trying to cozy up to him.”
The eagerness from some Senate Republican hopefuls to embrace the former president comes after many of Trump’s endorsed candidates performed poorly in their general elections last cycle.
“Former President Trump’s endorsement continues to be a boon in a primary and a bane in a general election,” Weaver said.
The National Republican Senatorial Campaign Committee (NRSC) is also taking a different approach in the 2024 cycle by playing a more hands-on role in some primaries. Like Trump, the committee’s Chairman Steve Daines (R-Mont.) has thrown his support behind Justice in West Virginia’s Republican Senate primary.
While there has been tension and disagreement between Trump and Senate leadership, particularly on Trump’s unfounded claims that he won the 2020 presidential election, Daines has said he is working with the former president ahead of 2024.
“We chat frequently. And he’s very thoughtful right now looking at these races. He understands it’s important we have candidates that can win,” Daines told CBS News in an interview earlier this month. “If you notice, there hasn’t been a wave of endorsements coming out so far, because I think we’re having these thoughtful conversations and getting on the same page.”
Trump has endorsed in less competitive GOP Senate primaries, like in Indiana, where he threw his support behind Rep. Jim Banks (R-Ind.) a day after former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels (R) announced that he would not run for the seat and after the NRSC endorsed Banks.
And earlier this month, CNN reported that Trump told Mooney in West Virginia and potential Senate candidate Rep. Matt Rosendale (R-Mont.) that he would not endorse them. Daines has endorsed Sheehy in Montana.
Democrats, meanwhile, are seeking to use Trump’s endorsement against him in the general election, harkening back to Republican losses in 2022.
“Trump is looming over Senate Republicans’ primaries and making the GOP’s nasty infighting even worse,” said Tommy Garcia, a spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. “As Republican candidates fight for Trump’s favor, they’re showing the voters who will decide the general election in their states why they should be rejected in 2024.”
And not every Republican running for Senate is immediately tying themselves to the former president. In Nevada, Sam Brown, who has been endorsed by Daines, has yet to endorse Trump despite volunteering for his campaign in 2020. His primary opponent Jim Marchant, on the other hand, has endorsed Trump. Marchant has also said Brown is the GOP establishment’s choice, pointing to his endorsement from the NRSC.
“Mitch McConnell & the establishment needed a candidate & found him in Sam Brown,” Marchant said in a tweet earlier this month. “We see Reagan’s ‘bold-colored differences’ between DC & the real America.”
Weaver noted that while more anti-establishment candidates may try to use this attack line, there’s still much to be gained from an endorsement from the Senate GOP campaign arm.
“Being endorsed by the Washington establishment can bring valuable contributions from interest groups around the country, but it can also bring some criticism for being too close to the Beltway,” he said.
Others caution that endorsements should not be seen as integral to the success of a campaign.
“Ultimately these candidates have got to focus on their message and they’ve got to focus on having the resources to disseminate their message,” the GOP strategist said. “They need to be able to actually run a functional campaign and no endorsement is going to matter if those things aren’t done,” the strategist added. | https://fox59.com/hill-politics/trumps-role-in-gop-senate-primaries-underscores-his-strength/ | 2023-07-29T18:17:38 | 0 | https://fox59.com/hill-politics/trumps-role-in-gop-senate-primaries-underscores-his-strength/ |
INDIANAPOLIS — Omni Hotel in downtown Indianapolis caught fire early Saturday morning, according to the Indianapolis Fire Department.
Crews were dispatched around 1:08 a.m. to 25 W Georgia St. on a report of a dumpster fire. Upon arrival, firefighters requested a partial evacuation and additional units due to the extent of the fire particularly on the 2nd and 3rd floors.
Smoke conditions were cleared and residents were allowed to return by 2:30 a.m.
Neither occupants of the hotel or firefighters were injured. | https://fox59.com/news/fire-blazes-in-downtown-indy-evacuates-omni-hotel/ | 2023-07-29T18:17:44 | 1 | https://fox59.com/news/fire-blazes-in-downtown-indy-evacuates-omni-hotel/ |
(NerdWallet) – On July 14, 804,000 longtime student loan borrowers began receiving word that their $39 billion in remaining debt would be forgiven as the result of the Education Department’s income-driven repayment (IDR) account adjustment. This one-time program, first announced in April 2022 to repair past missteps in the IDR system, is counting more past repayment periods toward income-driven repayment (IDR) forgiveness. Many borrowers will be at least three years closer to IDR forgiveness — and some will automatically see their loans forgiven altogether.
“At the start of this Administration, millions of borrowers had earned loan forgiveness but never received it. That’s unacceptable,” Department of Education Under Secretary James Kvaal said in a July 14 press release announcing the news. “Today we are holding up the bargain we offered borrowers who have completed decades of repayment.”
This is just the tip of the iceberg. More than 4.4 million borrowers have been repaying their loans for at least 20 years, and 2.3 million of these borrowers have never defaulted or been delinquent on their loans, according to April 2021 Education Department data provided to Sen. Elizabeth Warren. However, there’s not yet a final count of total borrowers who will receive the IDR account adjustment forgiveness, says Mike Pierce, executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center (SBPC).
While the Supreme Court recently struck down President Joe Biden’s up-to-$20,000 student debt cancellation plan, no one has challenged this account adjustment since it was introduced in April 2022, and future legal roadblocks are highly unlikely, Pierce says.
“If I were a borrower, I would feel pretty good about this happening, but you know, we never say never,” Pierce says. “This is something that has never been put in front of a federal judge, and we have not seen any signs that it’s going to.”
All this is occurring as borrowers gear up for student loan payments to resume in October. Here’s what you need to know about the next waves of loan forgiveness under the IDR account adjustment and what qualified borrowers can do to prepare for it.
When will IDR adjustments be made?
The Education Department said it will notify waves of loan forgiveness recipients about every two months. Since the first major batch was announced on July 14, borrowers can expect the next announcement by mid-September.
The department plans to apply the account adjustment by the end of 2023 to all borrowers who’ve reached enough payments for forgiveness; all other borrowers will receive at least three additional years of credit toward IDR loan forgiveness in 2024.
Will I get IDR account adjustment forgiveness?
To find out whether you’ll receive loan forgiveness under the one-time IDR account adjustment, you must count your past payments yourself.
Generally, borrowers with undergraduate loans will receive loan forgiveness if they’ve made at least 240 monthly student loan payments, and those with some graduate loans will reach forgiveness if they’ve made at least 300 payments, Pierce says.
From July 1994 onward, the adjustment counts the following periods toward the 240 or 300 payments needed to reach forgiveness:
- Any month a borrower was in repayment, even if the payments were late or partial. The type of repayment plan also doesn’t matter.
- Time spent in forbearance, either periods lasting 12 or more consecutive months or a cumulative 36 or more months.
- Any month spent in deferment other than in-school deferment before 2013.
- Any month spent in economic hardship or military deferments on or after Jan. 1, 2013.
- Any months in repayment, forbearance or a qualifying deferment before a loan consolidation.
Months spent in default will generally not be included in the recount, though borrowers who enroll in the temporary Fresh Start program to get out of default will get IDR credit from March 2020 through the date they leave default.
Log in to your Federal Student Aid (FSA) account at StudentAid.gov to see how long you’ve been in repayment. To see detailed information, including descriptions of the specific forbearance or deferment periods, request your account history from your servicer.
How to prepare for the IDR account adjustment
The loan forgiveness will be largely automatic for most eligible federal borrowers with older direct loans, federally held Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP) loans and parent PLUS loans. These borrowers don’t need to take any action to qualify or receive loan forgiveness.
“The good news is, for most people, you don’t actually need to be an expert on this program to benefit from it,” Pierce says. “If you have a loan that’s owned by the Department of Education, it’s just gonna work for you.”
But there are some small steps you can take to be proactive.
Update your contact information
Regardless of the type of federal student loans you have, check that your current contact information is listed in both your FSA and servicer accounts. While you’re at it, make sure you still have the password to these accounts, and reset your login credentials if needed.
Forty-four percent of federal borrowers were transferred to a new servicer during the pandemic payment pause, according to a June estimate from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, so now is also a good time to see if your servicer changed.
You’ll likely be notified by email if and when your loans are forgiven under the IDR account adjustment, but student loan communications may also arrive by mail.
Consolidate commercially managed federal loans
Some federal loans are not held by the government, but by a private entity. Borrowers with these commercially managed federal loans won’t benefit from the recount automatically — they’ll need to consolidate these loans to qualify. The account adjustment will count periods of repayment prior to consolidation toward IDR forgiveness.
Commercially held loans include certain FFELP loans, Perkins loans and Health Education Assistance Loan (HEAL) Program loans. You can see what type of loans you have on the dashboard of your FSA account or servicer portal.
You have until the end of 2023 to consolidate commercially held loans, but don’t delay. The full consolidation process can take from 30 to 60 days, Pierce says. Get started by submitting a direct loan consolidation application on the Federal Student Aid office website.
Consolidate newer parent PLUS loans
Parent PLUS loans are included in the IDR account adjustment. If you reach 300 payments — or 120 payments if you’re eligible for PSLF — your parent PLUS debt will be discharged automatically this year, regardless of whether or not your PLUS loans are consolidated.
But if you have fewer payments than that, you’ll need to act. Consolidate your parent PLUS loans before the end of 2023 to benefit from the adjustment, and enroll in an IDR plan called Income-Contingent Repayment to continue making progress toward forgiveness.
Apply for Public Service Loan Forgiveness
Borrowers eligible for PSLF are also eligible for the account adjustment; they can receive IDR loan forgiveness after just 10 years, or 120 eligible payments. PSLF-eligible borrowers with direct loans, including parent PLUS loans, will benefit automatically. Those with either federally or commercially managed FFELP loans must consolidate them into a direct consolidation loan by the end of 2023 to get PSLF credit under the account adjustment.
After the adjustment is applied to your account, you’ll see credit toward PSLF for any month after October 2007 during which you were in repayment and had qualifying employment.
“If you’ve applied or will apply for PSLF and certify your employment, you may see the benefits of this adjustment to your qualifying payment count,” writes the office of Federal Student Aid. Do so as soon as possible to ensure you benefit from the recount.
Check your state’s tax policy
The federal government won’t tax any debt forgiven as a result of the IDR account adjustment.
However, certain states, including Indiana and Mississippi, treat forgiven student loans as taxable earned income, and thus may tax the amount of forgiven debt you receive. The vast majority of states don’t do this, so check the rules in your state.
If you’re concerned about a state tax bill, you can opt out of loan forgiveness. You have 30 days to do so after you receive notice that your remaining debt will be forgiven under the IDR account adjustment. | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/more-student-loan-forgiveness-coming-for-longtime-borrowers/ | 2023-07-29T18:17:50 | 0 | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/more-student-loan-forgiveness-coming-for-longtime-borrowers/ |
UVALDE, Texas (KXAN) – Kimberly Mata-Rubio, whose daughter Lexi was killed last year in the Robb Elementary School shooting, is planning to turn her grief into action, after announcing Thursday she will run for mayor of Uvalde, Texas, in an upcoming special election.
“This past year, it’s been so frustrating navigating our country’s political system, and sometimes you have to be the change you seek. So, here I am running for mayor,” Rubio told Nexstar.
The 34-year-old mother is looking to fill the soon-vacant seat held by Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin in an upcoming special election on Nov. 7.
McLaughlin has served as the South Texas town’s mayor since 2014, and has reached his term limit. He is now running to succeed Rep. Tracy King, D-Uvalde, in the Texas House.
Mata-Rubio shared news of her run for mayor Thursday. On social media, she addressed her daughter directly, explaining why she chose to take action.
“I grieve for the woman you would have become and all the difference you would have made in this world,” Mata-Rubio wrote. “I grieve for the woman I was when you were still here. But, one part of me still exist, I am still your mom. I will honor your life with action. This is only the beginning.”
Lexi, 10, was one of the 21 people killed at Robb Elementary on May 24, 2022, in the nation’s second-deadliest school shooting. In the year since, Mata-Rubio has been a regular at the Texas Capitol and U.S. Capitol, advocating for tighter gun restrictions she believes will help prevent other parents from feeling her pain.
“Bridging the gap in our fractured community is my number one focus. And the reason being is because we cannot move on or forward without the entire community coming together,” she said. “And when I say moving on, I want to bring those two teachers and 19 students with me along on this journey. That’s the only way to do this. And the only way to move forward and they deserve that they’re part of this community as well.”
Mata-Rubio will face off against Cody Smith, a banker and former mayor of Uvalde, in the Nov. 7 special election. No other candidates have announced a bid for the seat. | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/mother-of-uvalde-shooting-victim-to-run-for-mayor-of-town/ | 2023-07-29T18:17:56 | 0 | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/mother-of-uvalde-shooting-victim-to-run-for-mayor-of-town/ |
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The city of San Francisco has opened a complaint and launched an investigation into a giant “X” sign that was installed Friday on top of the downtown building formerly known as Twitter headquarters.
The complaint comes as Twitter owner Elon Musk continues his rebrand of the social media platform.
City officials say replacing letters or symbols on buildings, or erecting a sign on top of one, requires a permit for design and safety reasons.
The X appeared after San Francisco police stopped workers on Monday from removing the brand’s iconic bird and logo from the side of the building, saying they hadn’t taped off the sidewalk to keep pedestrians safe if anything fell.
Any replacement letters or symbols would require a permit to ensure “consistency with the historic nature of the building” and to make sure additions are safely attached to the sign, Patrick Hannan, spokesperson for the Department of Building Inspection, said earlier this week.
Erecting a sign on top of a building also requires a permit, Hannan said Friday.
“Planning review and approval is also necessary for the installation of this sign. The city is opening a complaint and initiating an investigation,” he said in an email.
Musk unveiled a new “X” logo to replace Twitter’s famous blue bird as he remakes the social media platform he bought for $44 billion last year. The X started appearing at the top of the desktop version of Twitter on Monday.
Musk, who is also CEO of Tesla, has long been fascinated with the letter X and had already renamed Twitter’s corporate name to X Corp. after he bought it in October. One of his children is called “X,” though the child’s actual name is a collection of letters and symbols.
On Friday afternoon, a worker on a lift machine made adjustments to the sign and then left. | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/new-x-logo-atop-twitter-building-in-san-francisco-prompts-complaint-investigation-from-city/ | 2023-07-29T18:18:02 | 0 | https://fox59.com/news/national-world/new-x-logo-atop-twitter-building-in-san-francisco-prompts-complaint-investigation-from-city/ |
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Of the 20 states restricting gender-affirming hormone therapy, nearly half are being challenged in federal court.
At the heart of these lawsuits is this question: Do bans on gender-affirming care violate the U.S. Constitution's Fourteenth Amendment?
(A reminder: The Fourteenth Amendment says states can't deprive people of liberty without due process and can't deny people equal protection under the laws.)
Abigail Moncrieff is the co-director of Cleveland State University's Center for Health Law and Policy and says, "The problem with gender-affirming care is that it's never been challenged before."
"The question of, 'Do parents have a right to provide their children with gender-affirming care?' is a new question," she says.
Plaintiffs, including trans kids and their parents, claim the laws violate parents' due process right to direct their children's care. They also argue the laws illegally discriminate against trans kids.
Almost all the lawsuits are still in the early stages, with judges mainly deciding whether to block the bans while the cases play out in courtrooms.
But, so far, the rulings can be separated into two camps.
Camp 1
The first camp, including rulings from several district courts, says parents probably do have a right to get their kids gender-affirming hormone therapy.
Moncrieff says these initial rulings argue: "The medical care that's at issue is not unsafe or ineffective or quack medicine. Therefore, a statute interfering with a parents' right to make that choice on behalf of their child is unconstitutional."
Miles Joyner, a Kentucky social worker and trans man, says he's glad district court judges are taking a close look at the actual evidence on gender-affirming care.
"Because the truth is, all of the nationally recognized organizations, like the American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association ... agree that gender-affirming care is both medically necessary as well as ethical," he says.
While the judges in Camp One contend that gender-affirming care bans appear unconstitutional, Moncrieff says Camp Two argues the bans likely do not violate the Fourteenth Amendment.
Camp 2
That camp only has one member so far: The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Earlier this month, the 6th Circuit let Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming medical treatments temporarily take effect. That prompted a district court judge to reinstate similar restrictions in Kentucky.
Here's how Moncrieff describes a main theme of that ruling: "Courts should be extremely hesitant to create new constitutional rights that block the states from experimenting with legislative approaches." In other words, the appeals court warns against judges hamstringing legislatures.
The 6th Circuit also argues the bans likely do not illegally discriminate against trans children.
Several district court rulings say the opposite, finding such laws probably do run afoul of the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause.
The U.S. Supreme Court's interpretation of that clause has been changing, including in its recent ruling against colleges' affirmative action admissions policies, Moncrieff says. That evolving precedent could affect how courts rule on gender-affirming care cases.
A path to the U.S. Supreme Court
Over time, Moncrieff says she thinks other courts will join the 6th Circuit in Camp Two and there's a good chance you'll see a circuit split, where appeals courts reach different conclusions about the laws' constitutionality.
That's one reason why she thinks the U.S. Supreme Court will weigh in on this issue eventually.
"I'm honestly not sure whether they'll jump in quickly or whether they'll wait for a little while to let the question percolate," she says.
But kids' health care is on the line, says Bobbie Glass, a Kentucky educator and trans woman.
Her home state's Republican-run legislature prohibited gender-affirming hormone therapy for minors in March. Contentious debates led up to that decision.
At one meeting, Republican state Rep. Jennifer Decker defended the government's intervention.
"I have great compassion for the children, parents and their families who are in this situation. However, ultimately, it is our obligation to protect children from irreparable harm," she said. "The state has a compelling interest in that proposition."
Months later, legal arguments about what qualifies as irreparable harm and compelling interests, in this context, are playing out in courtrooms.
"And now we have a predominantly conservative Supreme Court," Glass tells NPR. "And their judgment is going to be really tested in all of this."
She says it's a relief to see district court judges criticize what many experts say are states' baseless medical arguments for prohibiting care for trans kids.
"Maybe there is some hope that there's some sanity. Because what you have is flawed theology, toxic religion, running rampant over the Constitution," Glass says.
But the legal system is changing, Moncrieff says, so it isn't obvious how the courts might rule.
"The Constitution is resting on shifting sands and it's a little unclear how it's going to settle."
In the meantime, that uncertainty weighs on many transgender kids and their families.
Morgan Watkins is Louisville Public Media's health reporter.
Copyright 2023 Louisville Public Media | https://www.knkx.org/2023-07-28/can-states-bans-on-transgender-care-hold-up-in-court-we-break-down-the-arguments | 2023-07-29T18:19:38 | 1 | https://www.knkx.org/2023-07-28/can-states-bans-on-transgender-care-hold-up-in-court-we-break-down-the-arguments |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – In states across the country this year, Republicans have talked a lot about restricting drag performances in front of children.
But that talk, and even their efforts, haven't amounted to much.
Bills restricting drag have failed to pass, passed as watered-down laws, have been vetoed or, in the case of three states that did manage to pass meaningful restrictions, laws have been temporarily halted by federal judges.
Friday, in fact, a judge temporarily blocked drag restrictions in the last remaining state with enforceable restrictions – Montana – just days before the start of Pride festivities.
A few states' lawmakers are still in session, though, so more efforts could be afoot.
In Arkansas, where Republican state Sen. Gary Stubblefield championed and sponsored a bill earlier this year, he said drag shows harm kids and "take away their innocence."
"I can't think of any redeeming quality, anything good that can come from taking children and putting them in front of a bunch of grown men that are dressed like women," Stubblefield said back in January as he introduced his bill on the floor of the Arkansas Senate.
'Prurient interest' and the First Amendment
Stubblefield's bill contained key language that showed up in a lot of states' attempted drag restrictions – an appeal to the "prurient interest." (Texas, Tennessee, Montana, Arizona, South Dakota, for example.)
"That word – prurient interest – means excessive interest in sexual matters," Stubblefield explained to lawmakers in committee.
"Most drag shows do not appeal to the prurient interest," says JT Morris, an attorney for the free-speech group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
"Even if they did, saying something appeals to the 'prurient interest' under the First Amendment is not enough to regulate it," he says, noting that this kind of language makes it harder for a bill to hold up to basic legal scrutiny.
"You can't pass a state law based on disagreement with somebody's viewpoint. It's a textbook First Amendment violation."
And that disagreement has been palpable across the country. In Arkansas, Stubblefield's bill was met with large public backlash from those who say drag is about showmanship, not sex.
"I do drag as an art form," says Jeremy Stuthard, an Arkansas drag performer.
"I take a decent-looking guy and turn him into a statue-esk Barbie doll, and have a great time and put smiles on people's faces and that's all I really try to do."
Stuthard says most of the children he meets at drag brunches and story hours aren't there to indulge a 'prurient interest', but to have fun listening to a story read by a costumed actor.
Drag restrictions put on hold and watered down
In Tennessee, the day before that state's drag restrictions were due to go into effect, a Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge temporarily struck down the law due to its constitutional vagueness.
In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker wrote, "Whether some of us may like it or not," the U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted the First Amendment "as protecting speech that is indecent but not obscene."
A similar law in Florida has been temporarily blocked. For a while, that left Montana as the only state in the country with an enforceable drag law, until the courts temporarily blocked that one, too.
In Arkansas, Sen. Stubblefield's drag ban bill was amended until it hardly resembled a drag ban. The final version of the law, which passed by large margins, now regulates stripping, not drag shows.
"[The]Amended House Bill is the only way to really protect minors. For another reason, it's the only draft that will stand up in court," Stubblefield said of the amendment, which he didn't write but ultimately agreed to.
"None of us like to pass a bill that's going to get struck down by a judge and not help any children at all."
Josie Lenora is the politics/government reporter at KUAR in Little Rock, Ark.
Copyright 2023 KUAR | https://www.knkx.org/2023-07-29/almost-nothing-has-come-from-all-the-talk-about-states-banning-drag-in-front-of-kids | 2023-07-29T18:19:44 | 1 | https://www.knkx.org/2023-07-29/almost-nothing-has-come-from-all-the-talk-about-states-banning-drag-in-front-of-kids |
Expected heat wave leads to burn ban locally and in region
Published 11:18 am Saturday, July 29, 2023
Another heat wave is expected, according to the National Weather Service, late in the weekend into next week with heat advisories potentially needed by Sunday afternoon for a portion of Southeast Texas.
Higher than normal temperatures and dewpoints may persist through late next week before the heat wave begins to potentially subside.
In response, due to the current conditions, Orange County Judge John Gothia has also issued an Outdoor Burn Ban effective immediately for Orange County until further notice.
As of now, all outdoor burning is prohibited.
“This ban is due to drought conditions in the area in an effort to protect lives and
properties of the residents in Orange County,” release from Gothia stated. “Officials will continue to monitor these conditions.”
Across the region, Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick declared a Burn Ban, effective immediately, due to the increased risk of wildfires and hazardous conditions in the region.
The decision comes in response to the current weather patterns, extremely dry conditions and elevated fire danger levels.
This order was placed after consultation with the Jefferson County Office of Emergency Management, Texas A&M Forest Service and National Weather Service – Lake Charles, plus formal requests from fire chiefs.
The Burn Ban applies to all unincorporated areas within Jefferson County.
This measure is essential to protect lives, property and the environment during this critical period, according to Branick’s office.
The declaration was made after careful consideration of recommendations from fire officials, meteorological experts and in line with the Texas State Law.
“We understand that this restriction may cause inconvenience to some residents, but the safety of our community is our utmost priority,” a release from Branick stated. “It is crucial for all residents and visitors to comply with the Burn Ban to prevent the risk of uncontrollable wildfires, which can lead to loss of life, property damage, and disruption of essential services.” | https://www.orangeleader.com/2023/07/29/expected-heat-wave-leads-to-burn-ban-locally-and-in-region/ | 2023-07-29T18:19:51 | 0 | https://www.orangeleader.com/2023/07/29/expected-heat-wave-leads-to-burn-ban-locally-and-in-region/ |
Orange County marriage licenses issued: July 24 – July 28, 2023
Published 11:04 am Saturday, July 29, 2023
Marriage License issued from the office of Brandy Robertson Orange County Clerk for the week of July 24, 2023, through July 28, 2023:
Jimmy Paul Converse Jr. and Shonnalee Danielle Jacobs
John Christopher Guillory and Amber Nicole Martin
Corbin Seth McWilliams and Patience Cheyenne Huffman
Michael Blake Evans and Albree Michelle Hargrave
Caleb Gregory Noble and Breezy Danae Culbreth
Erich James Hesse and Robin Michelle Trumble
Shawn Michael Allen and Sarah Kay Boyd
Brannon Lee Wooden and Alexandra Eva Bourgeois
Neder Kalil Arevalo and Lizeth Aidee Gallegos
Christopher Carlos Sowell and Mindy Lee Nance
Brian Jess Baylog and Janine Faith Pungyan Rodil | https://www.orangeleader.com/2023/07/29/orange-county-marriage-licenses-issued-july-24-july-28-2023/ | 2023-07-29T18:19:57 | 1 | https://www.orangeleader.com/2023/07/29/orange-county-marriage-licenses-issued-july-24-july-28-2023/ |
A judge in Georgia has now set a hearing date for a motion by former President Donald Trump's lawyers to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the potential case over criminal interference in the 2020 election.
According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Senior Superior Court Judge Stephen Schuster will hear the motion on August 10. He also directed both sides to submit their legal briefs by no later than August 8.
This comes as a possible indictment from the grand jury that could be handed down any day. Earlier this year, Willis said there would likely be a decision on an indictment in August.
SEE MORE: Georgia DA to announce possible charges in Trump probe this summer
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com | https://www.abcactionnews.com/judge-sets-date-for-trump-s-motion-to-dismiss-da-from-election-probe | 2023-07-29T18:20:21 | 0 | https://www.abcactionnews.com/judge-sets-date-for-trump-s-motion-to-dismiss-da-from-election-probe |
Hidden camera found inside porta-potty at Wisconsin beach
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (WISN) - A woman at a Wisconsin beach made a terrible discovery after she found a hidden camera underneath the toilet seat of a port-a-potty.
Police are trying to determine if it was the only camera and who put it there.
“That’s insane. Oh my gosh,” Chrissy Hartwig said.
On a beautiful day at Oconomowoc’s Bender Beach, the talk turns instead to something ugly after Hartwig and other beachgoers learn of a small digital camera hidden inside a porta-potty.
“That’s crazy and now that makes me think of all the other porta-potties that might have had something in it,” Hartwig said. “You don’t think about those things.”
Hartwig said she’s heard of people hiding cameras in dressing rooms and even vacation rentals, but never before in a porta-potty.
“I just, I mean, I’m mind blown. I’ve never considered it. I’ve never thought about it. I wouldn’t have thought about it, probably. People are creeps,” she said.
The camera was reportedly inside the toilet, positioned in a way that showed people entering and using the toilet.
Oconomowoc police, along with the public, have a lot of questions.
“It’s, you know, it’s very concerning because you know the little ones use the bathroom,” Lissa Hagen said. “Yeah, it’s concerning, you know, wondering who did it and why they would do something like that. It’s very gross too.”
Hagen’s daughter is a lifeguard at the beach and learned of the camera the day after it was found.
“I mean, it’s uncomfortable. It’s, you know, concerning. Yeah, so, I’m glad they found it at least before, you know, anything happened,” Hagen said.
Police have not shared how long they believe the camera was there and what if anything was on it.
Copyright 2023 WISN via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/2023/07/29/hidden-camera-found-inside-porta-potty-wisconsin-beach/ | 2023-07-29T18:20:21 | 1 | https://www.wbtv.com/2023/07/29/hidden-camera-found-inside-porta-potty-wisconsin-beach/ |
BROOKLYN (WABC) -- It's safe to say Jay-Z's new exhibit runs the town.
Jay-Z recently made headlines after the Brooklyn Public Library made him the centerpiece of a new exhibit, called "The Book of HOV."
Celebrating the life and times of the 24-time Grammy Award-winning artist and media mogul, the new exhibit has drawn huge success for the library's network.
According to the Brooklyn Public Library, attendance at its Central Library was almost five times the average in the first week of the opening.
If that wasn't enough, nearly 4,000 people signed up library cards at both the Central and Marcy locations, where limited-edition Jay-Z cards are currently being offered.
They also say the number of items checked out for the week rose up 10%.
In what may come as no surprise, the exhibit's opening week witnessed a surge in visitors at the Central Library, with more than 39,000 people attending between the opening day of Friday, July 14 and Thursday, July 20.
"The Book of HOV" features a career-spanning retrospective that is presented in chapters, similar to a book, covering each era of the Brooklyn native's life with visuals, audio stories, and physical artifacts.
"This is a really comprehensive exhibit that covers all aspects of JAY Z's life, from growing up here in Brooklyn in the Marcy Houses to his unparalleled success as a musician and businessperson," said Fritzi Bodenheimer, spokesperson for the Brooklyn Public Library.
"We wanted to highlight Jay-Z in part because our book collection has the largest amount of Brooklyn history in the world, and you can't tell the story of Brooklyn without telling the story of Jay-Z," said Bodenheimer.
The honor comes just as hip-hop celebrates its 50-year anniversary.
In light of the milestone, several events are on tap ahead of the genre's August 11th celebration, including a star-studded concert at Yankee Stadium.
The "Book of HOV" is free and open to the public now through October at Brooklyn Public Library's Central Library.
ALSO READ | Summer Streets returns to NYC with 20 miles of car-free open space
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Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. | https://abc7ny.com/jay-z-brooklyn-public-library-the-book-of-hov-card-sign-ups/13507261/ | 2023-07-29T18:20:27 | 1 | https://abc7ny.com/jay-z-brooklyn-public-library-the-book-of-hov-card-sign-ups/13507261/ |
DENVER (AP) — A Colorado police officer who put a handcuffed woman in a parked police vehicle that was hit by a freight train was found guilty of reckless endangerment and assault but was acquitted of a third charge of criminal attempt to commit manslaughter during a trial Friday.
Jordan Steinke was the first of two officers to go to trial over the Sept. 16, 2022, crash that left Yareni Rios-Gonzalez seriously injured.
"There's no reasonable doubt that placing a handcuffed person in the back of a patrol car, parked on railroad tracks, creates a substantial and unjustifiable risk of harm by the train," said Judge Timothy Kerns.
But the evidence didn't convince Kerns that Steinke "knowingly intended to harm Ms. Rios-Gonzalez," and he added that Stienke had shown "shock and remorse."
Steinke testified that she did not know that the patrol car of another officer she was helping was parked on the tracks even though they can be seen on her body camera footage along with two railroad crossing signs. Steinke said she was focused on the threat that could come from Rios-Gonzalez and her pickup truck, not the ground.
Steinke said she put Rios-Gonzalez in the other officer's vehicle because it was the nearest spot to temporarily hold her. She said she didn't know the train was coming until just before it hit.
The judge found that Steinke observed the tracks, but failed to "appreciate the risk."
There was no jury in Steinke's trial, which started Monday. Instead, Kerns listened to the evidence and issued the verdict. Mallory Revel, Steinke's attorney, didn't immediately respond to requests by phone and email for comment.
Steinke, who was working for the Fort Lupton Police Department at the time of the crash, was charged with criminal attempt to commit manslaughter, a felony; and reckless endangerment and third-degree assault, both misdemeanors.
The other officer, Pablo Vazquez, who worked for the police department in nearby Platteville, is being prosecuted for misdemeanor counts of reckless endangerment and traffic offenses. He hasn't entered a plea yet. His lawyer, Reid Elkus, didn't immediately respond to a request by phone for comment.
Vazquez pulled over Rios-Gonzalez on a rural road that intersects U.S. Highway 85 after she was accused of pointing a gun at another driver. Trains pass on tracks that parallel the highway about a dozen times a day, prosecutors said, and the sound of their horns is common in the area north of Denver.
Rios-Gonzalez, who suffered a traumatic brain injury, is suing over her treatment. She later pleaded no contest to misdemeanor menacing, said one of her lawyers, Chris Ponce, who was in court to watch the trial. Rios-Gonzalez did not testify or attend herself.
Steinke said she placed Rios-Gonzalez in the other police car temporarily because it was the nearest place to keep her secure, a move that is standard practice for high-risk traffic stops, said defense expert witness Steve Ijames. He also testified that in dangerous situations officers can become hyperfocused on particular threats and overlook things that turn out to be important in hindsight.
Steinke, who drove at around 100 mph (161 kph) at times on her way to backup Vazquez, testified that she was surprised to see him sitting in his vehicle when she arrived, rather than pointing a gun at Rios-Gonzalez's truck. She said she quickly parked her patrol vehicle behind his and got out because it was the quickest way "to get a gun in the fight."
Steinke also said she did not notice the tracks or the ground when she squatted down to arrest a kneeling Rios-Gonzalez along the tracks after the suspect was ordered out of her pickup truck.
When pressed by Deputy District Attorney Christopher Jewkes, Steinke replied, "I am sure I saw the tracks sir, but I did not perceive them." She said she was focused on the suspect and the potential threat she posed and was "fairly certain" that the traffic stop would end in gunfire.
"I never in a million years thought a train was going to come plowing through my scene," Steinke said.
The Weld County District Attorney's office didn't immediately respond to a request by phone for comment. | https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/national/colorado-officer-who-put-suspect-in-car-hit-by-train-found-guilty-of-reckless-endangerment | 2023-07-29T18:20:40 | 0 | https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/national/colorado-officer-who-put-suspect-in-car-hit-by-train-found-guilty-of-reckless-endangerment |
Members of Congress break for August with no clear path to avoiding a shutdown this fall
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers broke for their August recess this week with work on funding the government largely incomplete, fueling worries about whether Congress will be able to avoid a partial government shutdown this fall.
Congress has until Oct. 1, the start of the new fiscal year, to act on government funding. They could pass spending bills to fund government agencies into next year, or simply pass a stopgap measure that keeps agencies running until they strike a longer-term agreement. No matter which route they take, it won’t be easy.
“We’re going to scare the hell out of the American people before we get this done,” said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.
Coons’ assessment is widely shared in Congress, reflecting the gulf between the Republican-led House and the Democratic-led Senate, which are charting vastly different — and mostly incompatible — paths on spending.
The Senate is adhering mostly to the top-line spending levels that President Joe Biden negotiated with House Republicans in late May as part of the debt-ceiling deal that extended the government’s borrowing authority and avoided an economically devastating default.
That agreement holds discretionary spending generally flat for the coming year while allowing increases for military and veterans accounts. On top of that, the Senate is looking to add $13.7 billion in additional emergency appropriations, including $8 billion for defense and $5.7 billion for nondefense.
House Republicans, many of whom opposed the debt-ceiling deal and refused to vote for it, are going a different way.
GOP leaders have teed up bills with far less spending than the agreement allows in an effort to win over members who insist on rolling back spending to fiscal year 2022 levels. They are also adding scores of policy add-ons broadly opposed by Democrats. There are proposals to reduce access to abortion pills, bans on the funding of hormone therapy and certain surgeries for transgender veterans, and a prohibition on training programs promoting diversity in the federal workplace, among many others.
At a press conference at the Capitol this past week, some members of the House Freedom Caucus, a conservative faction within the House GOP, said that voters elected a Republican majority in that chamber to rein in government spending and it was time for House Republicans to use every tool available to get the spending cuts they want.
“We should not fear a government shutdown,” said Rep. Bob Good, R-Va. “Most of the American people won’t even miss if the government is shut down temporarily.”
Many House Republicans disagree with that assessment. Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, called it an oversimplification to say most Americans wouldn’t feel an impact. And he warned Republicans would take the blame for a shutdown.
“We always get blamed for it, no matter what,” Simpson said. “So it’s bad policy, it’s bad politics.”
But the slim five-seat majority Republicans hold amplifies the power that a small group can wield. Even though the debt ceiling agreement passed with a significant majority of both Republicans and Democrats, conservatives opponents were so unhappy in the aftermath that they shut down House votes for a few days, stalling the entire GOP agenda.
Shortly thereafter, McCarthy argued the numbers he negotiated with the White House amounted to a cap and “you can always do less.” GOP Rep. Kay Granger of Texas, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, followed that she would seek to limit nondefense spending at 2022 budget levels, saying the debt agreement “set a top-line spending cap — a ceiling, not a floor.”
The decision to cut spending below levels in the debt ceiling deal helped get the House moving again, but put them on a collision course with the Senate, where the spending bills hew much closer to the agreement.
“What the House has done is they essentially tore up that agreement as soon as it was signed,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. “And so we are in for a bumpy ride.”
Even as House Republicans have been moving their spending bills out of committee on party-line votes, the key committee in the Senate has been operating in a bipartisan fashion, drafting spending bills with sometimes unanimous support.
“The way to make this work is do it in a bipartisan way like we are doing in the Senate. If you do it in a partisan way, you’re heading to a shutdown. And I am really worried that that’s where the House Republicans are headed,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters this week.
McCarthy countered that people had the same doubts about whether House Republicans and the White House could reach an agreement to pass a debt ceiling extension and avoid a default.
“We’ve got ‘til Sept. 30. I think we can get this all done,” McCarthy said.
In a subsequent press conference, McCarthy said he had just met with Schumer to talk about the road ahead on an array of bills, including the spending bills.
“I don’t want the government to shut down,” McCarthy said. “I want to find that we can find common ground.”
In all, there are 12 spending bills. The House has passed one so far, and moved others out of committee. The Senate has passed none, though it has advanced all 12 out of committee, something that hasn’t happened since 2018.
Still, the difficulty ahead was evident on the House side, where Republicans gave up until after the recess on trying to pass a spending measure to fund federal agriculture and rural programs and the Food and Drug Administration, amid disagreements over its contents. They began their August recess a day early instead of holding votes Friday.
Simpson said some of his Republican colleagues don’t want to take money approved already outside the appropriations process to cover some of this year’s spending and avoid deeper cuts. For example, the House bills would take almost all of the money approved last year for the Internal Revenue Service in Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and use the savings to avoid deeper spending cuts elsewhere.
Simpson said that without such rescissions, as they are called in Washington, he couldn’t vote for the agriculture spending bill because the cuts “would have just been devastating.”
“That’s the challenge we’re going to have when we get back in September,” he said.
Further complicating things in the House, a few Republicans are opposed to some of the policy riders being included in the spending bills. For example, the agriculture spending bill would reverse the FDA’s decision to allow abortion pills to be dispensed in certified pharmacies, instead of only by prescribers in hospitals, clinics, and medical offices.
“I had a problem with abortion being put inside an ag bill,” said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa. “I think that’s ridiculous.”
It’s a strong possibility that Congress will have to pass a stopgap spending bill before the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. The Senate can vote first on the measure, which would put the onus on House Republicans to bring it up for a vote or allow for a shutdown.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/2023/07/29/members-congress-break-august-with-no-clear-path-avoiding-shutdown-this-fall/ | 2023-07-29T18:20:40 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/2023/07/29/members-congress-break-august-with-no-clear-path-avoiding-shutdown-this-fall/ |
Here's why Katie Ledecky is one of the greatest freestyle swimmers in the history of the sport: She is never quite satisfied.
The 26-year-old American won the 800-meter freestyle on Saturday at the world championships to become the first swimmer to win six golds in the same event at worlds. It was also her 16th individual world title, breaking a tie with Michael Phelps for the most golds at worlds.
She also is a seven-time Olympic gold medalist and the world record holder in both the 800 and 1,500.
But that winning time — 8 minutes, 8.87 seconds, which is the seventh-quickest she'd ever swum — wasn't quite good enough in her favorite event.
"I'm just always trying to think of new ways to improve. I mean I've already got everything turning in my head right now. I kind of wanted to be better than I was tonight," she said, twirling her right hand beside her right ear, trying to stir up ideas.
"I'm pretty tough on myself," she said. "But I think I have found the balance of being tough on myself but also having that grace."
The 800 was Ledecky's second individual gold following her win in the 1,500 free on Tuesday. She also took silver in the 400 free. Li Bingjie of China took silver in 8:13.31, and Ariarne Titmus of Australia got the bronze in 8:13.59.
"It's fun to leave a meet with your favorite event, and I just wanted to leave it all in the pool," Ledecky said.
It was only the fourth gold for the United States in the seventh of eight days in the pool. Meanwhile, Australia has been piling it on with 13 golds, matching its best at the worlds. Australia won three more golds on Saturday.
The Americans lead the overall table with 31 medals (16 silver), Australia has 20 and China 13.
Kaylee McKeown of Australia made history of her own with gold in the women's 200 backstroke. McKeown's victory gave her a sweep of all three backstroke events after earlier wins in the 50 and 100. She became the first swimmer to sweep all three backstrokes at the worlds.
It all made up for her disqualification earlier in the 200 IM.
"You can't change the rules," she said. "I got ruled out. It's just the cards I was dealt with and I couldn't do much more than that. So I just had to carry myself the best I could and channel all my anger and turn a huge negative into a positive."
Regan Smith of the United States picked up the silver in 2:04.94, while Peng Xuwei of China got the bronze in 2:06.74.
Sarah Sjöström of Sweden continued her dominance with gold in the 50 butterfly. The 29-year-old won in 24.77 seconds and has now won the event five consecutive times at the worlds. The win brought Sjöström's individual medals at the worlds to 20, equaling Phelps' mark.
Sjöström also broke her own record in the 50 free, going 23.61 in a semifinal heat. Her old mark was 23.67 set in 2017.
"There are not too many secrets," Sjöström said about her longevity. "Just do the work every day, go to practice, and stay humble."
Zhang Yufei of China, who took gold in the 100 fly, claimed the silver in 25.05, while American Gretchen Walsh got the bronze in 25.46.
Japanese fan favorite Rikako Ikee finished seventh (25.78) in the 50 fly but was greeted warmly by the home crowd.
The 23-year-old Ikee won six gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games and was expected to be a favorite in the Tokyo Olympics. But she was diagnosed with leukemia in February 2019. Her comeback continues to resonate with both the Japanese public and her fellow competitors.
Cameron McEvoy of Australia led all the way to capture the gold in the 50 free in 21.06. It was his first individual gold in the worlds or Olympics.
American Jack Alexy collected his second silver of the worlds in 21.57 to go with his silver in the 100 free. Benjamin Proud of Britian, last year's world champion, took the bronze in 21.58.
Caeleb Dressel won the event at the Olympics but did not qualify for the U.S. team. McEvoy's time was quicker than Dressel's winning time in Tokyo — 21.07.
Maxime Grousset of France won gold in the 100 fly in 50.14. The 24-year-old took the early lead and held on. Josh Liendo of Canada earned the silver in 50.34, while American Dare Rose made the podium with the bronze (50.46).
Ruta Meilutyte of Lithuania equaled the world record of 29.30 in her semifinal in the 50 breaststroke.
Australia won the 4x100 mixed freestyle relay in a world record of 3:18.83. The Americans took silver in 3:20.82, with Britain getting the bronze in 3:21.68. The relay is not an Olympic event. | https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/national/katie-ledecky-passes-michael-phelps-for-most-individual-golds-at-world-championships | 2023-07-29T18:20:41 | 1 | https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/national/katie-ledecky-passes-michael-phelps-for-most-individual-golds-at-world-championships |
Braves vs. Brewers: Odds, spread, over/under - July 29
On Saturday, July 29, Ronald Acuna Jr.'s Atlanta Braves (65-36) host Christian Yelich's Milwaukee Brewers (57-47) at Truist Park. The first pitch will be thrown at 7:20 PM ET.
The Brewers are +170 moneyline underdogs in this matchup with the favored Braves (-210). The contest's total has been listed at 10 runs.
Braves vs. Brewers Time and TV Channel
- Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Time: 7:20 PM ET
- TV: BSSE
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia
- Venue: Truist Park
- Probable Pitchers: Bryce Elder - ATL (7-2, 3.30 ERA) vs Julio Teheran - MIL (2-4, 3.75 ERA)
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Braves vs. Brewers Betting Odds, Run Line and Total
Take a look at the odds, run line and over/under for this matchup available on individual sportsbooks.
Wanting to bet on the Braves and Brewers game but aren't sure how to get started? Here's a quick breakdown. Some of the most common betting types include the moneyline, run line, and total. A moneyline bet means that you think one of the teams -- the Braves (-210), for instance -- will win. It's that easy! If the Braves bring home the win, and you bet $10, you'd get $14.76 back.
There are many other ways to bet, too. You can wager on player props (will Matt Olson get a hit?), parlays (combining picks from different games to multiply your potential winnings), and more. For more details on the many ways you can wager, check out the BetMGM app and website.
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Braves vs. Brewers Betting Trends and Insights
- The Braves have entered the game as favorites 88 times this season and won 57, or 64.8%, of those games.
- The Braves have gone 20-8 when playing as moneyline favorites with odds of -210 or shorter (71.4% winning percentage).
- Atlanta has a 67.7% chance to win this game based on the implied probability of the moneyline.
- The Braves went 4-6 over the 10 games they were favored on the moneyline in their last 10 matchups.
- In its last 10 matchups, Atlanta and its opponents combined to hit the over four times (all 10 of the games had set totals).
- The Brewers have been underdogs in 50 games this season and have come away with the win 25 times (50%) in those contests.
- The Brewers have played as an underdog of +170 or more just one time this year and came away with a loss in that game.
- In six games as underdogs over the last 10 matchups, the Brewers have a record of 2-4.
- When it comes to hitting the over, Milwaukee and its opponents are 2-8-0 in the last 10 games with a total.
Braves vs. Brewers Player Props
Check out all the player prop markets available for this game, including betting on players to get a hit, go deep, or pick up a bunch of strikeouts. Head to BetMGM for the latest odds available for the , and place your bets. New depositors can use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
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Braves Futures Odds
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Not all offers available in all states, please visit sportsbook websites for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/braves-vs-brewers-mlb-odds-over-under/ | 2023-07-29T18:20:41 | 0 | https://www.wbtv.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/braves-vs-brewers-mlb-odds-over-under/ |
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A judge in Florida on Friday refused to dismiss a lawsuit brought by Gov. Ron DeSantis appointees against Disney's efforts to neutralize the governor's takeover of Disney World's governing district.
The judge in state court in Orlando denied Disney's motion in the lawsuit that says the company wrongly stripped appointees of powers over design and construction at Disney World when it made agreements with predecessors, who were supporters.
The case is one of two lawsuits stemming from the takeover, which was retaliation for the company's public opposition to the so-called Don't Say Gay legislation championed by DeSantis and Republican lawmakers. In the other lawsuit, in federal court in Tallahassee, Disney says DeSantis violated the company's free speech rights.
The governor has touted his yearlong feud with Disney in his run for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, often accusing the entertainment giant of being too "woke." Disney has accused the governor of violating its First Amendment rights.
Attorneys for Disney had argued that any decision in state court would be moot since the Republican-controlled Legislature already has passed a law voiding agreements that the company made with a prior governing board made up of Disney supporters that gave design and construction powers to the company.
The entertainment giant had asked that the state court case be put on hold if it's not dismissed until the federal lawsuit in Tallahassee was resolved since they covered the same ground and that lawsuit was filed first.
In that case, Disney sued DeSantis and his appointees to the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District in an effort to stop the takeover, saying the governor was violating the company's free speech and "weaponizing the power of government to punish private business."
DeSantis wasn't a party in the state court lawsuit.
The fight between DeSantis and Disney began last year after the company, facing significant pressure internally and externally, publicly opposed a state law banning classroom lessons on sexual orientation and gender identity in early grades, a policy critics call "Don't Say Gay."
As punishment, DeSantis took over the district through legislation passed by Florida lawmakers and appointed a new board of supervisors to oversee municipal services for the sprawling theme parks and hotels. But before the new board came in, the company made agreements with previous oversight board members who were Disney supporters that stripped the new supervisors of their authority over design and construction.
In response, DeSantis and Florida lawmakers passed the legislation that repealed those agreements.
Disney announced in May that it was scrapping plans to build a new campus in central Florida and relocate 2,000 employees from Southern California to work in digital technology, finance and product development. Disney had planned to build the campus about 20 miles (30 kilometers) from the giant Walt Disney World theme park resort. | https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/state/judge-refuses-to-dismiss-lawsuit-against-disneys-efforts-to-neutralize-governing-district-takeover | 2023-07-29T18:20:42 | 1 | https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/state/judge-refuses-to-dismiss-lawsuit-against-disneys-efforts-to-neutralize-governing-district-takeover |
HOUSTON (AP) — Brandon Lowe hit a three-run homer early and José Siri doubled and scored the tiebreaking run in the ninth inning in the Tampa Bay Rays' 4-3 victory over the Houston Astros on Friday night.
The game was tied entering the ninth when Siri, who played for Houston last season, doubled to left field off Ryan Pressly (3-3) and moved to third on a sacrifice fly by Christian Bethancourt. The Rays took a 4-3 lead when Siri scored on a sacrifice fly by Yandy Díaz.
Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash raved about Siri's work in the ninth.
"It was a big at-bat against a really tough pitcher … that's what he can do," Cash said. "He can change the game with his speed and certainly impacted it right there."
Siri said that it meant "very much" to lead the Rays to a win against his former team.
"They know the capabilities and the abilities that I have from when I played here," he said in Spanish through a translator. "And that's life that I was able to do it against them."
Houston manager Dusty Baker noted that not many people would have gotten to second on a ball hit to shallow left field.
"That was a hustle double and Siri, out of the box he was thinking two," Baker said. "That was good baserunning on his part."
Wander Franco singled after that before Pressly hit Luke Raley with a pitch. But Randy Arozarena popped out to leave them stranded.
Pete Fairbanks walked Chas McCormick with one out in the ninth, but he was erased when pinch-hitter Yainer Díaz grounded into a force out. Fairbanks then struck out pinch-hitter Mauricio Dubon to get his 13th save.
The victory was just Tampa Bay's third in the last 11 games and the team's sixth this month.
Lowe's three-run homer came in the first inning and Houston tied it on a two-run shot by José Abreu in the fourth.
Tampa Bay starter Shane McClanahan allowed eight hits and three runs in five innings. Colin Poche (8-3) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win.
Houston's Cristian Javier yielded three hits and three runs with eight strikeouts in six innings to remain winless since June 3.
"His velocity was good ... he was, he was a lot better tonight than he had been in probably four or five starts," Baker said.
Franco tripled with one out in the first before Javier plunked Arozarena with two outs in the inning. Lowe then smacked his homer to the seats in right field to make it 3-0.
Jose Altuve led off the bottom of the inning with a triple and scored on a groundout by Jeremy Peña to cut it to 3-1.
Javier retired seven straight after Lowe's homer before walking Arozarena to start the fourth. Arozarena stole second before moving to third on a single by Lowe. Javier hit Isaac Paredes with a pitch to load the bases.
But he escaped the jam by striking out Josh Lowe and Siri before René Pinto lined out to end the inning.
Yordan Alvarez singled with no outs in the fourth before Abreu's soaring shot to left field tied it at 3-3.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cash said RHP Zach Eflin (left knee discomfort) is still day to day after injuring his knee Wednesday. Cash said they're hoping he can make his next start but that they'll know more in the next day or two.
GRAVEMAN RETURNS
The Astros acquired reliever Kendall Graveman from the White Sox in exchange for minor league catcher Korey Lee Friday. Graveman spent the last two months of the 2021 season with Houston after being traded from Seattle.
UP NEXT
Tampa Bay RHP Taj Bradley (5-6, 5.30 ERA) opposes RHP Hunter Brown (6-7, 4.19) when the series continues Saturday night. | https://www.abcactionnews.com/sports/jose-siri-doubles-scores-tiebreaking-run-to-lift-rays-past-astros-4-3 | 2023-07-29T18:20:42 | 0 | https://www.abcactionnews.com/sports/jose-siri-doubles-scores-tiebreaking-run-to-lift-rays-past-astros-4-3 |
WASHINGTON — Pamela Smith's voice soared and quivered like a preacher in midsermon as she recalled her troubled childhood and how it helped prepare her for the challenges she faces as the new police chief in the nation's capital.
"I stand before you as a child who had no hopes, who had no dreams — they were far beyond my reach. But I believe that all things are possible," she said at her introductory news conference in Washington, in cadences honed by years as an ordained Baptist minister. "I believe I bring a fresh perspective, a different kind of energy, a different level of passion to what I'm going to do."
Smith takes on the job at a precarious time.
Violent crime is rising sharply, fueled by more homicides and carjackings. The District of Columbia's mayor, Muriel Bowser, and the D.C. Council have, at times, been at odds about crime legislation. On Capitol Hill, the Republican-led House has begun citing the city's crime statistics while aggressively reviewing local public safety laws.
On July 24, the Mexican Consulate posted a tweet urging its nationals to "take precautions" in the city due to "a significant increase in crime in areas previously considered safe."
Smith, 55, now becomes one of the public faces of this long-term fight even before the Council votes on her nomination as chief. She brings an inspirational story to her new role leading the Metropolitan Police Department. Raised in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, by a single mother who battled substance abuse, Smith and her siblings were at one point removed from their home and spent time in foster care. Smith emerged as a track star and went on to a 24-year career in the U.S. Park Police, where she served as the agency's first Black female chief before retiring in 2022 to take up a senior leadership position at the MPD.
Law enforcement and government officials repeatedly point out that overall crime numbers in Washington have stayed relatively stable. But the crimes that have increased the most — murders and carjackings — are the ones most likely to damage public confidence.
"The scariest crimes are going up and regardless of what's happening with other crimes, that's what's going to fuel the overall perception," U.S. Attorney Matthew Graves told The Associated Press.
Graves' office prosecutes most felonies in Washington, in a unique arrangement due to the district's status as a nonstate. The city's attorney general's office prosecutes misdemeanors and juvenile crime, which is also on the rise.
This intricate dynamic among two separate sets of prosecutors, the city's police force, Bowser's administration and the Council has been publicly tested as the crime numbers have stayed high — all with Congress taking an increasing interest in the district's affairs. Public safety was a primary topic of debate last year when Bowser, 50, successfully ran for a third term in office. She has spent this term sparring with both the Council and the House Oversight and Accountability Committee over how best to address crime.
July has been a particular bloody month, with 22 homicides as of Friday, including murders on the campuses of both Howard and Catholic universities. The victims include an Afghan man who survived years of working as a translator for the U.S. Army in Afghanistan only to be murdered in America while driving for Lyft. Nine people, including two children, were shot at a July Fourth party, when an assailant in an SUV opened fire on the crowd. A 12-year old girl remains hospitalized after being shot in the back Tuesday night by a bullet that penetrated the walls of her home.
Although the local murder rate is well below the levels in the 1980s and early 1990s, when Washington regularly led the nation in murders per capita, it has climbed steadily in recent years. In 2022, there was a roughly 10% drop in homicides, but now, homicides are up 15 percent compared with this time a year ago and the city is on pace to surpass 200 for the third year in a row. Police also reported 140 carjacking incidents in the month of June — the highest monthly total in more than five years.
Crime in Washington is now a national headline issue in Congress. In the spring, Bowser and Council members were summoned before the House Oversight and Accountability Committee for a heated session on local crime rates.
Congress voted to completely overturn the Council's comprehensive rewrite of the district's criminal code. Bowser was caught in the middle of the dispute. She had vetoed the overhaul, saying the reduction of maximum penalties for certain violent crimes "sent the wrong message," but was overridden by the Council.
The mayor opposes congressional intervention in local affairs as part of Washington's long push for statehood, but her initial veto was frequently cited by Republican lawmakers as proof that the rewrite was soft on crime. In an embarrassment for the heavily Democratic city, the move to cancel the criminal code revision drew support from dozens of congressional Democratic and was signed into law by President Joe Biden.
Earlier this month, the Council, with Bowser's support, passed emergency public safety legislation meant to serve as a temporary fix. The bill makes it a felony to fire a gun in public and makes it easier for judges, in cases where people are charged with a violent crime, to detain them before trial. As an emergency bill, the changes will only last 90 days and will not be subject to congressional review; plans to make the changes permanent in the fall will face scrutiny by lawmakers.
"It is no secret … to the public that we are in a state of emergency right now," said Brooke Pinto, the D.C. Council member who was the bill's architect. "Like in any emergency, we have to act like it and we have to act urgently to address the problem we're seeing."
But some pushing for a criminal justice overhaul said city lawmakers were reverting to mass incarceration policies that had long ago been discredited.
"We're way beyond thinking that we can just incarcerate more people," said Patrice Sulton, executive director of the D.C. Justice Lab, who helped draft the now-canceled criminal code revision. "I think everybody who voted for it knows that it will not have an impact."
The local branch of the American Civil Liberties Union said in a statement on Twitter that the new bill "essentially flips due process on its head — treating people as guilty and detaining them."
All sides point to one primary factor fueling the violence: a flood to firearms entering Washington.
Graves, the district's federal prosecutor, said the number of guns being used in crimes has skyrocketed, turning petty disputes into deadly battles. This includes a new wave of "ghost guns" — firearms that can be ordered in kits and assembled at home. Other kits can easily turn a semiautomatic weapon into an automatic, enabling a rapid-fire and generally less accurate spray of dozens of bullets. In 2018, authorities recovered three such guns; in 2022, the number was 461.
Graves compared the illegal guns to "a virus" in the neighborhood.
"The more virus there is in the community, the more people are going to get sick," he said. "The more illegal firearms are in the community, the more likelihood those illegal firearms are going to be used." | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/29/violent-crime-is-rising-in-the-nations-capital-dc-seeks-solutions-as-congress-keeps-close-watch/ | 2023-07-29T18:21:49 | 0 | https://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2023/jul/29/violent-crime-is-rising-in-the-nations-capital-dc-seeks-solutions-as-congress-keeps-close-watch/ |
Hidden camera found inside porta-potty at Wisconsin beach
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (WISN) - A woman at a Wisconsin beach made a terrible discovery after she found a hidden camera underneath the toilet seat of a port-a-potty.
Police are trying to determine if it was the only camera and who put it there.
“That’s insane. Oh my gosh,” Chrissy Hartwig said.
On a beautiful day at Oconomowoc’s Bender Beach, the talk turns instead to something ugly after Hartwig and other beachgoers learn of a small digital camera hidden inside a porta-potty.
“That’s crazy and now that makes me think of all the other porta-potties that might have had something in it,” Hartwig said. “You don’t think about those things.”
Hartwig said she’s heard of people hiding cameras in dressing rooms and even vacation rentals, but never before in a porta-potty.
“I just, I mean, I’m mind blown. I’ve never considered it. I’ve never thought about it. I wouldn’t have thought about it, probably. People are creeps,” she said.
The camera was reportedly inside the toilet, positioned in a way that showed people entering and using the toilet.
Oconomowoc police, along with the public, have a lot of questions.
“It’s, you know, it’s very concerning because you know the little ones use the bathroom,” Lissa Hagen said. “Yeah, it’s concerning, you know, wondering who did it and why they would do something like that. It’s very gross too.”
Hagen’s daughter is a lifeguard at the beach and learned of the camera the day after it was found.
“I mean, it’s uncomfortable. It’s, you know, concerning. Yeah, so, I’m glad they found it at least before, you know, anything happened,” Hagen said.
Police have not shared how long they believe the camera was there and what if anything was on it.
Copyright 2023 WISN via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/2023/07/29/hidden-camera-found-inside-porta-potty-wisconsin-beach/ | 2023-07-29T18:23:15 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/2023/07/29/hidden-camera-found-inside-porta-potty-wisconsin-beach/ |
Members of Congress break for August with no clear path to avoiding a shutdown this fall
WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers broke for their August recess this week with work on funding the government largely incomplete, fueling worries about whether Congress will be able to avoid a partial government shutdown this fall.
Congress has until Oct. 1, the start of the new fiscal year, to act on government funding. They could pass spending bills to fund government agencies into next year, or simply pass a stopgap measure that keeps agencies running until they strike a longer-term agreement. No matter which route they take, it won’t be easy.
“We’re going to scare the hell out of the American people before we get this done,” said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del.
Coons’ assessment is widely shared in Congress, reflecting the gulf between the Republican-led House and the Democratic-led Senate, which are charting vastly different — and mostly incompatible — paths on spending.
The Senate is adhering mostly to the top-line spending levels that President Joe Biden negotiated with House Republicans in late May as part of the debt-ceiling deal that extended the government’s borrowing authority and avoided an economically devastating default.
That agreement holds discretionary spending generally flat for the coming year while allowing increases for military and veterans accounts. On top of that, the Senate is looking to add $13.7 billion in additional emergency appropriations, including $8 billion for defense and $5.7 billion for nondefense.
House Republicans, many of whom opposed the debt-ceiling deal and refused to vote for it, are going a different way.
GOP leaders have teed up bills with far less spending than the agreement allows in an effort to win over members who insist on rolling back spending to fiscal year 2022 levels. They are also adding scores of policy add-ons broadly opposed by Democrats. There are proposals to reduce access to abortion pills, bans on the funding of hormone therapy and certain surgeries for transgender veterans, and a prohibition on training programs promoting diversity in the federal workplace, among many others.
At a press conference at the Capitol this past week, some members of the House Freedom Caucus, a conservative faction within the House GOP, said that voters elected a Republican majority in that chamber to rein in government spending and it was time for House Republicans to use every tool available to get the spending cuts they want.
“We should not fear a government shutdown,” said Rep. Bob Good, R-Va. “Most of the American people won’t even miss if the government is shut down temporarily.”
Many House Republicans disagree with that assessment. Rep. Mike Simpson, R-Idaho, called it an oversimplification to say most Americans wouldn’t feel an impact. And he warned Republicans would take the blame for a shutdown.
“We always get blamed for it, no matter what,” Simpson said. “So it’s bad policy, it’s bad politics.”
But the slim five-seat majority Republicans hold amplifies the power that a small group can wield. Even though the debt ceiling agreement passed with a significant majority of both Republicans and Democrats, conservatives opponents were so unhappy in the aftermath that they shut down House votes for a few days, stalling the entire GOP agenda.
Shortly thereafter, McCarthy argued the numbers he negotiated with the White House amounted to a cap and “you can always do less.” GOP Rep. Kay Granger of Texas, who chairs the House Appropriations Committee, followed that she would seek to limit nondefense spending at 2022 budget levels, saying the debt agreement “set a top-line spending cap — a ceiling, not a floor.”
The decision to cut spending below levels in the debt ceiling deal helped get the House moving again, but put them on a collision course with the Senate, where the spending bills hew much closer to the agreement.
“What the House has done is they essentially tore up that agreement as soon as it was signed,” said Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md. “And so we are in for a bumpy ride.”
Even as House Republicans have been moving their spending bills out of committee on party-line votes, the key committee in the Senate has been operating in a bipartisan fashion, drafting spending bills with sometimes unanimous support.
“The way to make this work is do it in a bipartisan way like we are doing in the Senate. If you do it in a partisan way, you’re heading to a shutdown. And I am really worried that that’s where the House Republicans are headed,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told reporters this week.
McCarthy countered that people had the same doubts about whether House Republicans and the White House could reach an agreement to pass a debt ceiling extension and avoid a default.
“We’ve got ‘til Sept. 30. I think we can get this all done,” McCarthy said.
In a subsequent press conference, McCarthy said he had just met with Schumer to talk about the road ahead on an array of bills, including the spending bills.
“I don’t want the government to shut down,” McCarthy said. “I want to find that we can find common ground.”
In all, there are 12 spending bills. The House has passed one so far, and moved others out of committee. The Senate has passed none, though it has advanced all 12 out of committee, something that hasn’t happened since 2018.
Still, the difficulty ahead was evident on the House side, where Republicans gave up until after the recess on trying to pass a spending measure to fund federal agriculture and rural programs and the Food and Drug Administration, amid disagreements over its contents. They began their August recess a day early instead of holding votes Friday.
Simpson said some of his Republican colleagues don’t want to take money approved already outside the appropriations process to cover some of this year’s spending and avoid deeper cuts. For example, the House bills would take almost all of the money approved last year for the Internal Revenue Service in Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act and use the savings to avoid deeper spending cuts elsewhere.
Simpson said that without such rescissions, as they are called in Washington, he couldn’t vote for the agriculture spending bill because the cuts “would have just been devastating.”
“That’s the challenge we’re going to have when we get back in September,” he said.
Further complicating things in the House, a few Republicans are opposed to some of the policy riders being included in the spending bills. For example, the agriculture spending bill would reverse the FDA’s decision to allow abortion pills to be dispensed in certified pharmacies, instead of only by prescribers in hospitals, clinics, and medical offices.
“I had a problem with abortion being put inside an ag bill,” said Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa. “I think that’s ridiculous.”
It’s a strong possibility that Congress will have to pass a stopgap spending bill before the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. The Senate can vote first on the measure, which would put the onus on House Republicans to bring it up for a vote or allow for a shutdown.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/2023/07/29/members-congress-break-august-with-no-clear-path-avoiding-shutdown-this-fall/ | 2023-07-29T18:23:22 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/2023/07/29/members-congress-break-august-with-no-clear-path-avoiding-shutdown-this-fall/ |
Pet owner says 4-foot-long python has gone missing from his yard
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WIFR/Gray News) - Residents in an Illinois neighborhood are currently on the lookout for a pet snake.
Jonathan Delaney told WIFR that his 15-year-old ball python named Bubba slithered away from his yard last weekend.
Delaney said his exotic 4-foot-long snake is missing, but neighbors shouldn’t be worried.
“He’s completely harmless,” Delaney said. “We’ve had him for 15 years. He’s never been mean and the biggest thing he’d eat is a rat.”
Fellow Edgewater resident Rhonda Hanley said she’d likely be startled if she came across Bubba. But because he’s someone’s pet, she’ll try to help find him.
“I’ll try and put something over the top of it like a blanket or a garbage can if I find him,” Hanley said.
Delaney is thankful that his neighbors are concerned enough to lend a helping hand.
“We are hoping he’s still around here and nobody harms him,” he said. “We are hoping to find him as soon as possible.”
Experts say because ball pythons prefer to be hidden most of the time the snake doesn’t appear to pose a threat to the public.
The snake can strike if it gets agitated, but those bites don’t normally require medical attention.
“The most that could happen is that the snake could take a defensive swipe,” Stephanie Stone, owner of Jurassic Reptile Supply, said. “It’s less impact than a cat scratch or a cat bite.”
Stone added that ball pythons typically don’t travel very far.
“Unless it feels the need to try to find a meal, it’s probably very close to where it was originally,” she said.
Anyone who spots Bubba has been urged to contact Delaney on social media.
Copyright 2023 WIFR via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/2023/07/29/pet-owner-says-4-foot-long-python-has-gone-missing-his-yard/ | 2023-07-29T18:23:28 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/2023/07/29/pet-owner-says-4-foot-long-python-has-gone-missing-his-yard/ |
Braves vs. Brewers: Odds, spread, over/under - July 29
On Saturday, July 29, Ronald Acuna Jr.'s Atlanta Braves (65-36) host Christian Yelich's Milwaukee Brewers (57-47) at Truist Park. The first pitch will be thrown at 7:20 PM ET.
The Brewers are +170 moneyline underdogs in this matchup with the favored Braves (-210). The contest's total has been listed at 10 runs.
Braves vs. Brewers Time and TV Channel
- Date: Saturday, July 29, 2023
- Time: 7:20 PM ET
- TV: BSSE
- Location: Atlanta, Georgia
- Venue: Truist Park
- Probable Pitchers: Bryce Elder - ATL (7-2, 3.30 ERA) vs Julio Teheran - MIL (2-4, 3.75 ERA)
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Braves vs. Brewers Betting Odds, Run Line and Total
Take a look at the odds, run line and over/under for this matchup available on individual sportsbooks.
Wanting to bet on the Braves and Brewers game but aren't sure how to get started? Here's a quick breakdown. Some of the most common betting types include the moneyline, run line, and total. A moneyline bet means that you think one of the teams -- the Braves (-210), for instance -- will win. It's that easy! If the Braves bring home the win, and you bet $10, you'd get $14.76 back.
There are many other ways to bet, too. You can wager on player props (will Matt Olson get a hit?), parlays (combining picks from different games to multiply your potential winnings), and more. For more details on the many ways you can wager, check out the BetMGM app and website.
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Explore More About This Game
Braves vs. Brewers Betting Trends and Insights
- The Braves have entered the game as favorites 88 times this season and won 57, or 64.8%, of those games.
- The Braves have gone 20-8 when playing as moneyline favorites with odds of -210 or shorter (71.4% winning percentage).
- Atlanta has a 67.7% chance to win this game based on the implied probability of the moneyline.
- The Braves went 4-6 over the 10 games they were favored on the moneyline in their last 10 matchups.
- In its last 10 matchups, Atlanta and its opponents combined to hit the over four times (all 10 of the games had set totals).
- The Brewers have been underdogs in 50 games this season and have come away with the win 25 times (50%) in those contests.
- The Brewers have played as an underdog of +170 or more just one time this year and came away with a loss in that game.
- In six games as underdogs over the last 10 matchups, the Brewers have a record of 2-4.
- When it comes to hitting the over, Milwaukee and its opponents are 2-8-0 in the last 10 games with a total.
Braves vs. Brewers Player Props
Check out all the player prop markets available for this game, including betting on players to get a hit, go deep, or pick up a bunch of strikeouts. Head to BetMGM for the latest odds available for the , and place your bets. New depositors can use bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers!
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Braves Futures Odds
Think the Braves can win it all? Check out the latest futures odds for Atlanta and place your bets with BetMGM Sportsbook! Be sure to use our link and enter the bonus code "GNPLAY" for special offers.
Not all offers available in all states, please visit sportsbook websites for the latest promotions for your area. Must be 21+ to gamble, please wager responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, contact 1-800-GAMBLER.
© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/braves-vs-brewers-mlb-odds-over-under/ | 2023-07-29T18:23:35 | 0 | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/braves-vs-brewers-mlb-odds-over-under/ |
Hidden camera found inside porta-potty at Wisconsin beach
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (WISN) - A woman at a Wisconsin beach made a terrible discovery after she found a hidden camera underneath the toilet seat of a port-a-potty.
Police are trying to determine if it was the only camera and who put it there.
“That’s insane. Oh my gosh,” Chrissy Hartwig said.
On a beautiful day at Oconomowoc’s Bender Beach, the talk turns instead to something ugly after Hartwig and other beachgoers learn of a small digital camera hidden inside a porta-potty.
“That’s crazy and now that makes me think of all the other porta-potties that might have had something in it,” Hartwig said. “You don’t think about those things.”
Hartwig said she’s heard of people hiding cameras in dressing rooms and even vacation rentals, but never before in a porta-potty.
“I just, I mean, I’m mind blown. I’ve never considered it. I’ve never thought about it. I wouldn’t have thought about it, probably. People are creeps,” she said.
The camera was reportedly inside the toilet, positioned in a way that showed people entering and using the toilet.
Oconomowoc police, along with the public, have a lot of questions.
“It’s, you know, it’s very concerning because you know the little ones use the bathroom,” Lissa Hagen said. “Yeah, it’s concerning, you know, wondering who did it and why they would do something like that. It’s very gross too.”
Hagen’s daughter is a lifeguard at the beach and learned of the camera the day after it was found.
“I mean, it’s uncomfortable. It’s, you know, concerning. Yeah, so, I’m glad they found it at least before, you know, anything happened,” Hagen said.
Police have not shared how long they believe the camera was there and what if anything was on it.
Copyright 2023 WISN via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/hidden-camera-found-inside-porta-potty-wisconsin-beach/ | 2023-07-29T18:23:35 | 1 | https://www.kswo.com/2023/07/29/hidden-camera-found-inside-porta-potty-wisconsin-beach/ |
The 2023 Amundi Evian Championship Odds & Preview: Nasa Hataoka
The Amundi Evian Championship is entering the final round, and Nasa Hataoka is currently in second with a score of -8.
Looking to place a bet on Nasa Hataoka at the Amundi Evian Championship this week? Read on for the betting trends you need to know before you make your picks.
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Nasa Hataoka Insights
- Over her last 20 rounds, Hataoka has finished below par on 11 occasions, while also shooting two bogey-free rounds and 16 rounds with a better-than-average score.
- She has recorded the best score of the day in one of her last 20 rounds, while scoring among the top five in three rounds and the top 10 on six occasions.
- Over her last 20 rounds, Hataoka has finished within three strokes of the best score of the round four times, and within five strokes of the top score of the day on nine occasions.
- Hataoka has one top-five finish and two top-10 finishes in her past five events.
- In her past five appearances, Hataoka has posted a score better than average in three of them.
- Hataoka hopes to qualify for the weekend for the 23rd straight time.
Over the last year
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Amundi Evian Championship Insights and Stats
- This course is set up to play at 6,527 yards, 490 yards shorter than the average course on the Tour in the past year.
- Evian Resort Golf Club has seen an average tournament score of -6 recently, which is lower than the Tour scoring average of -5 on all courses in the past year.
- Evian Resort Golf Club is 6,527 yards, 40 yards shorter than the average course Hataoka has played in the past year (6,567).
- Events she has played in the past year have seen players average a score of -3. That is higher than this course, which has a scoring average of -6.
Hataoka's Last Time Out
- Hataoka was in the 74th percentile on par 3s at the U.S. Women’s Open, with an average of par on the 16 par-3 holes.
- She shot well to finish in the 93rd percentile on par 4s at the U.S. Women’s Open, averaging 4.05 strokes on those 40 holes.
- Hataoka shot better than 93% of the competitors at the U.S. Women’s Open on the tournament's 16 par-5 holes, averaging 4.69 strokes per hole compared to the field average, which was 5.02.
- Hataoka recorded a birdie or better on three of 16 par-3s at the U.S. Women’s Open (the other participants averaged 1.5).
- On the 16 par-3s at the U.S. Women’s Open, Hataoka carded three bogeys or worse, the same as the field average.
- Hataoka had more birdies or better (six) than the tournament average of 3.0 on the 40 par-4s at the U.S. Women’s Open.
- In that last tournament, Hataoka's par-4 performance (on 40 holes) included a bogey or worse eight times (better than the field's average, 8.4).
- Hataoka ended the U.S. Women’s Open with a birdie or better on six par-5 holes, while the field averaged 2.8 on the 16 par-5s.
- On the 16 par-5s at the U.S. Women’s Open, Hataoka outperformed the field's average of 2.6 bogeys or worse on those holes by carding one.
Amundi Evian Championship Time and Date Info
- Date: July 27-30, 2023
- Course: Evian Resort Golf Club
- Location: Évian-les-Bains, France
- Par: 71 / 6,527 yards
- Hataoka Odds to Win: +400 (Bet now with BetMGM!)
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© 2023 Data Skrive. All rights reserved. | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/nasa-hataoka-amundi-evian-championship-lpga-tour-odds/ | 2023-07-29T18:23:41 | 1 | https://www.wbrc.com/sports/betting/2023/07/29/nasa-hataoka-amundi-evian-championship-lpga-tour-odds/ |
When Bryan Harsin was at the helm of the Auburn football program, local high school football coaches never felt like a priority in terms of recruiting. Auburn-area prospects were often overlooked by their hometown team.
Now, with Hugh Freeze piloting the Tigers, that’s changed.
Given his previous experience in the SEC, Freeze understands the importance of winning the recruiting battles in his backyard before venturing out around the country. As such, earning the commitment of Alexander City athlete Malcolm Simmons was a priority for Auburn during its Big Cat Weekend.
Fortunately for Freeze and the Tigers, the time and effort into Simmons’ recruitment paid off as the Benjamin Russell School standout took to Instagram to announce his commitment to Auburn on Saturday afternoon.
Auburn fended off the likes of Arkansas, Troy, West Virginia and Georgia Tech to secure the commitment of Simmons, who had really started trending towards the Tigers earlier this week.
Simmons, who also competes in track and field ad Benjamin Russell, was the Wildcats leading rusher last fall with 753 yards and 11 touchdowns. Simmons also tallied more than 500 receiving yards and seven touchdowns during his junior campaign.
With 18 total touchdowns in 2022, Simmons was his team’s top scoring threat while also notching an interception on defense.
Simmons, who comes in at 6-foot and 165-pounds, ranks as the No. 365 overall player in the 247Sports composite rankings. | https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2023/07/auburn-football-earns-commitment-from-4-star-athlete-malcolm-simmons.html | 2023-07-29T18:23:59 | 1 | https://www.al.com/auburnfootball/2023/07/auburn-football-earns-commitment-from-4-star-athlete-malcolm-simmons.html |
They are much rarer today than they once were in the NFL: Former stars from Historically Black Colleges and Universities who are among the top-paid players at their positions in the pros.
On Wednesday, Alabama State’s Tytus Howard joined Arkansas-Pine Bluff’s Terron Armstead and South Carolina State’s Javon Hargrave and Shaquille Leonard in that group as he signed a three-year, $56 million contract extension with the Houston Texans.
· FORMER ALABAMA DEFENSIVE LINEMAN RETURNS TO THE NFL
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· BRIAN ROBINSON JR. FEELS LIKE HIS OLD SELF IN COMMANDERS’ TRAINING CAMP
“It has been a long journey,” Howard said on Friday. “All I wanted was a chance when I got here. They gave it to me. The Texans gave me a chance, and I just ran with it, so as personal feeling, I’m just grateful, man, because everybody in my position didn’t get a chance to show themselves like I did. And so for me to be able to go out and take advantage of it, just inspiration to all the younger guys who are coming behind me from HBCUs to go out there and know that they can achieve everything they need to do. All they got to do is put their head down and work, for real.”
When the Texans chose Howard at No. 23 in the 2019 NFL Draft, he became the first first-round pick produced by Alabama State, and he remains the Yellow Jackets’ most recent drafted player. But that was only one of the unique aspects of Howard’s journey from quarterback at Monroe County High School to Houston’s 322-pound right offensive tackle who’s picking up an $18 million signing bonus on a contract that features $36.5 million in guaranteed money.
“It means a lot,” Howard said. “When I got to college, I was 220 pounds. Was a quarterback, moved to tight end. Moved from tight end to offensive line. Played on the offensive line two-and-a-half years. …
“To have my family back me up, to stay with me through everything I went through in college to the NFL, to be here today to sign a contract to be able to take care of my family, to create generational wealth, it means everything to me, man, because where I come from everybody don’t have a lot, so to be able to be that one to start it off, it feels good.”
Howard made his NFL debut at left guard, then switched to right tackle for the remainder of his rookie season until a knee injury in the 12th game prematurely ended his first campaign.
Howard stayed at right tackle in 2020, but he spent most of the 2021 campaign working a left guard and left tackle. In 2022, Howard started every game at right tackle for the Texans.
“The team gave me a chance last year to solidify myself as a right tackle,” Howard said. “I went out and did that, and they rewarded me. Like there’s a saying going around, man: Everything’s earned, not given. And I think that’s the motto here. We come in, we put the hard work in. Once you do what you got to do, these coaches, (general manager) Nick (Caserio), they will reward you, so we go out here and play the type of football they want us to play, we do what we need to do, they’re going to take care of us.”
Caserio said Howard had earned his big deal. The tackle had been preparing to play the 2023 season on a fifth-year option, which Houston had picked up last offseason.
“Tytus has been a good player for the last number of years,” Caserio said. “He’s a good kid. He works his ass off, he’s tough, he’s competitive. …
“Tytus loves being here. He wants to be in Houston for a long period of time. And I would just say overall we certainly put some resources into the offensive line here over the last, I would say, year or two. But the expectation is that comes with performance, so now the hard work starts. But Tytus has earned it.”
In addition to Howard’s contract extension, Houston made left tackle Laremy Tunsil the NFL’s highest-paid offensive lineman with a three-year, $75 million contract in March and signed right guard Shaq Mason to a three-year, $36 million contract in May.
Between signing Tunsil and Mason, the Texans added Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud in the NFL Draft on April 27.
“You got to have a foundation,” Howard said. “I feel like the O-line and the D-line starts the team. We’re the foundation. When we drafted C.J., he’s a great quarterback, and for (Caserio) to take care of the offensive line like he did this offseason, it’s a big standard for us. We got to go out there and do what we’ve been paid to do, which is protect him, make him the most comfortable quarterback in the NFL this year, so he can go out there and just win us some games.”
Houston has had four head coaches in Howard’s four seasons with the Texans. Former Jess Lanier and Alabama standout DeMeco Ryans will be Coach No. 5 after coming aboard this offseason from the San Francisco 49ers, where he worked as defensive coordinator.
Ryans’ return to Houston, where he was the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year as a linebacker in 2006, coupled with the Texans’ selections of Stroud at No. 2 and Alabama pass-rusher Will Anderson Jr. at No. 3 in the draft has injected some excitement into a franchise that has won 11 games in the past three seasons.
“I feel like we got something to prove,” Howard said. “There’s a lot of buzz going on around us right now. We have two first-round picks. I think that people think they can count us out, but I think they shouldn’t. I think there’s a lot of talent on this team. There was a lot of talent on this team last year. We fought close in a lot of games we should have won last year. And I think we’re going to get over that hump this year. We got the right coaching. We got the right people, the players around us. I think that people should just stay tuned. …
“I pride myself in being a Texan. I feel like I want to be here my whole career. I love it here. The team, the camaraderie this year’s just been outstanding. I just know I wanted to be a part of that. I see something good here building, and I’m here for the future.”
The Texans are in training camp working toward their season-opener against the Baltimore Ravens on Sept. 10. Before that, Houston has preseason games against the New England Patriots on Aug. 10, Miami Dolphins on Aug. 19 and New Orleans Saints on Aug. 27.
FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1. | https://www.al.com/sports/2023/07/alabama-states-tytus-howard-hopes-to-inspire-other-hbcu-players.html | 2023-07-29T18:24:05 | 1 | https://www.al.com/sports/2023/07/alabama-states-tytus-howard-hopes-to-inspire-other-hbcu-players.html |
Listen to our daily D.C. forecasts: Apple Podcasts | Amazon Echo | More options
Through Tonight: The strongest storms should diminish fairly quickly after dark, but keep in mind that we cannot rule out some briefly very heavy downpours, a “downburst” wind potential from a couple of stronger storms, some intense lightning, and even some hail.
A few showers or weaker storms may persist toward but not past midnight. Low temperatures don’t drop much yet, as they bottom out in the humid low to mid-70s.
View the weather at The Washington Post.
Tomorrow (Sunday): The air is a bit more comfortable, but we can’t rule out a slight chance of rain. Clouds, showers, and even a quick storm may be around at times in the morning. We should see some breaks of sunshine. High temperatures in the 83-88 degree range don’t feel too bad as dew points come down below sultry levels. We can thank light northwest winds for bringing in drier air. Mid- to late afternoon may see a couple of thunderstorms pop as well.
Overnight, we have a slight chance of a few showers and storms that could roam into the early morning hours. Skies are generally partly cloudy. Low temperatures aim for the upper 60s to low 70s as humidity decreases a bit.
See Ian Livingston’s forecast through the weekend. And if you haven’t already, join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram. For related traffic news, check out Gridlock.
Thunderstorm setup today as cold front approaches
While we don’t have a high chance of seeing a severe thunderstorm watch issued for the area, it is possible. There are ingredients for a few strong thunderstorms as a slowly approaching cold front and trough of low pressure enter our area.
As these approach and move eastward, we’ll get some atmospheric “lift” that helps our humid air condense into clouds as air is forced to rise — and these clouds probably will become concentrated into some thunderstorms. We also have a bit of instability and spin (vorticity) over us, shaded here in light orange:
Despite these ingredients of lift and instability, we do think storm coverage could be sparse and targeting the Beltway within the 3 to 6 p.m. time frame. Here’s how they may look at first on radar:
These simulated radar images from the North American (NAM) weather model initiate thunderstorm cells over the DMV (somewhat spotty at first) with some intensification and greater coverage area as they sag to our southeast into the early evening:
Want our 5 a.m. forecast delivered to your email inbox? Subscribe here. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/07/29/pm-update-few-storms-erupting-this-afternoon-could-be-strong-severe/ | 2023-07-29T18:24:07 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/weather/2023/07/29/pm-update-few-storms-erupting-this-afternoon-could-be-strong-severe/ |
The Miami Marlins host the Detroit Tigers in MLB 2023 action Saturday, July 29, at LoanDepot Park in Miami. The game will be live streamed on fuboTV.
Johnny Cueto will start on the mound for the Marlins vs. fellow right-hander Beau Brieske for the Tigers. Miami is 56-48 this season, while Detroit is 46-58.
The Tigers-Marlins game starts at 3:10 p.m. Central (4:10 p.m. Eastern) and will be live streamed on fuboTV, which now includes Bally Sports channels and offers a 7-day free trial. Fox Sports 1 will broadcast the game nationally, with regional coverage on Bally Sports Detroit and Bally Sports Florida.
Preview
FANDUEL SPORTSBOOK MLB LINE: Marlins -159, Tigers +136; over/under is 8 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Detroit Tigers, on a four-game losing streak, take on the Miami Marlins.
Miami has a 56-48 record overall and a 32-20 record in home games. Marlins pitchers have a collective 4.11 ERA, which ranks sixth in the NL.
Detroit has a 24-28 record on the road and a 46-58 record overall. The Tigers have gone 31-11 in games when they scored at least five runs.
Saturday’s game is the second meeting between these teams this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Luis Arraez has a .380 batting average to lead the Marlins, and has 24 doubles, two triples and three home runs. Jon Berti is 15-for-28 with three RBI over the last 10 games.
Spencer Torkelson leads the Tigers with 39 extra base hits (23 doubles, a triple and 15 home runs). Riley Greene is 15-for-38 with three doubles, a home run and three RBI over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Marlins: 3-7, .263 batting average, 4.03 ERA, outscored by nine runs
Tigers: 4-6, .243 batting average, 5.20 ERA, outscored by 17 runs
INJURIES: Marlins: Tanner Scott: day-to-day (calf strain), Matt Barnes: 60-Day IL (hip), Edward Cabrera: day-to-day (blister), Jonathan Davis: 60-Day IL (knee), Andrew Nardi: 15-Day IL (tricep), Jazz Chisholm: 10-Day IL (oblique), Trevor Rogers: 60-Day IL (forearm ), Avisail Garcia: 10-Day IL (back), Tommy Nance: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Max Meyer: 60-Day IL (elbow), Anthony Bender: 60-Day IL (elbow)
Tigers: Mason Englert: 15-Day IL (hip), Tyler Alexander: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Matthew Boyd: 60-Day IL (elbow), Will Vest: 15-Day IL (leg), Spencer Turnbull: 60-Day IL (neck), Freddy Pacheco: 60-Day IL (elbow), Austin Meadows: 60-Day IL (anxiety), Casey Mize: 60-Day IL (elbow)
The Associated Press contributed to this report. | https://www.al.com/sports/2023/07/marlins-tigers-mlb-2023-live-stream-729-how-to-watch-online-tv-info-time.html | 2023-07-29T18:24:11 | 0 | https://www.al.com/sports/2023/07/marlins-tigers-mlb-2023-live-stream-729-how-to-watch-online-tv-info-time.html |
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Of the 20 states restricting gender-affirming hormone therapy, nearly half are being challenged in federal court.
At the heart of these lawsuits is this question: Do bans on gender-affirming care violate the U.S. Constitution's Fourteenth Amendment?
(A reminder: The Fourteenth Amendment says states can't deprive people of liberty without due process and can't deny people equal protection under the laws.)
Abigail Moncrieff is the co-director of Cleveland State University's Center for Health Law and Policy and says, "The problem with gender-affirming care is that it's never been challenged before."
"The question of, 'Do parents have a right to provide their children with gender-affirming care?' is a new question," she says.
Plaintiffs, including trans kids and their parents, claim the laws violate parents' due process right to direct their children's care. They also argue the laws illegally discriminate against trans kids.
Almost all the lawsuits are still in the early stages, with judges mainly deciding whether to block the bans while the cases play out in courtrooms.
But, so far, the rulings can be separated into two camps.
Camp 1
The first camp, including rulings from several district courts, says parents probably do have a right to get their kids gender-affirming hormone therapy.
Moncrieff says these initial rulings argue: "The medical care that's at issue is not unsafe or ineffective or quack medicine. Therefore, a statute interfering with a parents' right to make that choice on behalf of their child is unconstitutional."
Miles Joyner, a Kentucky social worker and trans man, says he's glad district court judges are taking a close look at the actual evidence on gender-affirming care.
"Because the truth is, all of the nationally recognized organizations, like the American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association ... agree that gender-affirming care is both medically necessary as well as ethical," he says.
While the judges in Camp One contend that gender-affirming care bans appear unconstitutional, Moncrieff says Camp Two argues the bans likely do not violate the Fourteenth Amendment.
Camp 2
That camp only has one member so far: The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Earlier this month, the 6th Circuit let Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming medical treatments temporarily take effect. That prompted a district court judge to reinstate similar restrictions in Kentucky.
Here's how Moncrieff describes a main theme of that ruling: "Courts should be extremely hesitant to create new constitutional rights that block the states from experimenting with legislative approaches." In other words, the appeals court warns against judges hamstringing legislatures.
The 6th Circuit also argues the bans likely do not illegally discriminate against trans children.
Several district court rulings say the opposite, finding such laws probably do run afoul of the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause.
The U.S. Supreme Court's interpretation of that clause has been changing, including in its recent ruling against colleges' affirmative action admissions policies, Moncrieff says. That evolving precedent could affect how courts rule on gender-affirming care cases.
A path to the U.S. Supreme Court
Over time, Moncrieff says she thinks other courts will join the 6th Circuit in Camp Two and there's a good chance you'll see a circuit split, where appeals courts reach different conclusions about the laws' constitutionality.
That's one reason why she thinks the U.S. Supreme Court will weigh in on this issue eventually.
"I'm honestly not sure whether they'll jump in quickly or whether they'll wait for a little while to let the question percolate," she says.
But kids' health care is on the line, says Bobbie Glass, a Kentucky educator and trans woman.
Her home state's Republican-run legislature prohibited gender-affirming hormone therapy for minors in March. Contentious debates led up to that decision.
At one meeting, Republican state Rep. Jennifer Decker defended the government's intervention.
"I have great compassion for the children, parents and their families who are in this situation. However, ultimately, it is our obligation to protect children from irreparable harm," she said. "The state has a compelling interest in that proposition."
Months later, legal arguments about what qualifies as irreparable harm and compelling interests, in this context, are playing out in courtrooms.
"And now we have a predominantly conservative Supreme Court," Glass tells NPR. "And their judgment is going to be really tested in all of this."
She says it's a relief to see district court judges criticize what many experts say are states' baseless medical arguments for prohibiting care for trans kids.
"Maybe there is some hope that there's some sanity. Because what you have is flawed theology, toxic religion, running rampant over the Constitution," Glass says.
But the legal system is changing, Moncrieff says, so it isn't obvious how the courts might rule.
"The Constitution is resting on shifting sands and it's a little unclear how it's going to settle."
In the meantime, that uncertainty weighs on many transgender kids and their families.
Morgan Watkins is Louisville Public Media's health reporter.
Copyright 2023 Louisville Public Media | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/2023-07-28/can-states-bans-on-transgender-care-hold-up-in-court-we-break-down-the-arguments | 2023-07-29T18:24:17 | 1 | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/2023-07-28/can-states-bans-on-transgender-care-hold-up-in-court-we-break-down-the-arguments |
Since opening five years ago, Hey Love has been many things: a botanical garden that also happens to serve food and drinks, the Jupiter campus’s coolest hang, a Halloween-themed saloon called Black Lagoon and a Christmas pop-up named Sleigh Love.
Now, it can add an even more impressive identity to that list: the Best U.S. Hotel Bar.
Hey Love, located on the ground floor of Jupiter Next at 920 E Burnside St., received that honor Thursday at the 17th annual Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards in New Orleans. The award goes to a hotel bar with “exceptional service, consistently excellent drinks and great ambiance,” according to the spirits industry nonprofit organization.
The awards committee also embraced the multifaceted nature of Hey Love, noting that it’s “a top-notch cocktail lounge, a community meeting hall, a hidden garden and a house party, all wrapped into one.”
The Spirited Awards is one of the most prestigious competitions for beverage professionals, products and businesses—consider it something akin to the Great American Beer Festival for mixed drinks.
The Hey Love team, which includes industry veterans and co-owners Emily Mistell (Rum Club, Ava Gene’s), Sophie Thomson (Andina, Mississippi Studios), and Dig a Pony founders Aaron Hall and Nicholas Musso, thanked Jupiter Hall for its support after receiving the honor.
“As a peer-voted award, this recognition means the world to us,” the group said in a joint statement. “It acknowledges all of the hard work and passion our team pours into making Hey Love an oasis of inclusivity and escape.”
So what’s next for the best hotel bar in the nation? Another round of creepy cocktails when it transforms into Black Lagoon—a dungeon-like space decorated with skulls, life-sized coffins and nods to the occult—which will take place this October. | https://www.wweek.com/drink/2023/07/29/hey-love-is-officially-the-best-us-hotel-bar/ | 2023-07-29T18:24:17 | 0 | https://www.wweek.com/drink/2023/07/29/hey-love-is-officially-the-best-us-hotel-bar/ |
From the Department of Shameless Self-Promotion: Willamette Week took home four first prizes at the 2023 AAN Awards, presented by the Association of Alternative Newsmedia on July 21 in Dallas.
The four wins tied for the most by any paper, along with the Chicago Reader and Seven Days in Burlington, Vt.
Nigel Jaquiss scored two first prizes: investigative reporting for his examination of real estate dealings by the R.B. Pamplin Corp. (“Trader Bob,” Feb. 23, 2022) and solutions journalism for a look at city efforts to return Black residents to Northeast Portland (“Comeback,” May 25, 2022).
Lucas Manfield was recognized for health care reporting for several stories about a capacity shortage at Oregon State Hospital, while Sophie Peel won first prize in explanatory journalism for unpacking how dozens of seniors with disabilities were removed from their apartments (“The Mystery of the Taft Home,” July 27, 2022).
“Peel had me from the headline,” a judge wrote. “The kicker quote gutted me.” | https://www.wweek.com/news/2023/07/29/ww-wins-four-first-prizes-in-national-journalism-contest/ | 2023-07-29T18:24:23 | 0 | https://www.wweek.com/news/2023/07/29/ww-wins-four-first-prizes-in-national-journalism-contest/ |
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – In states across the country this year, Republicans have talked a lot about restricting drag performances in front of children.
But that talk, and even their efforts, haven't amounted to much.
Bills restricting drag have failed to pass, passed as watered-down laws, have been vetoed or, in the case of three states that did manage to pass meaningful restrictions, laws have been temporarily halted by federal judges.
Friday, in fact, a judge temporarily blocked drag restrictions in the last remaining state with enforceable restrictions – Montana – just days before the start of Pride festivities.
A few states' lawmakers are still in session, though, so more efforts could be afoot.
In Arkansas, where Republican state Sen. Gary Stubblefield championed and sponsored a bill earlier this year, he said drag shows harm kids and "take away their innocence."
"I can't think of any redeeming quality, anything good that can come from taking children and putting them in front of a bunch of grown men that are dressed like women," Stubblefield said back in January as he introduced his bill on the floor of the Arkansas Senate.
'Prurient interest' and the First Amendment
Stubblefield's bill contained key language that showed up in a lot of states' attempted drag restrictions – an appeal to the "prurient interest." (Texas, Tennessee, Montana, Arizona, South Dakota, for example.)
"That word – prurient interest – means excessive interest in sexual matters," Stubblefield explained to lawmakers in committee.
"Most drag shows do not appeal to the prurient interest," says JT Morris, an attorney for the free-speech group Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression.
"Even if they did, saying something appeals to the 'prurient interest' under the First Amendment is not enough to regulate it," he says, noting that this kind of language makes it harder for a bill to hold up to basic legal scrutiny.
"You can't pass a state law based on disagreement with somebody's viewpoint. It's a textbook First Amendment violation."
And that disagreement has been palpable across the country. In Arkansas, Stubblefield's bill was met with large public backlash from those who say drag is about showmanship, not sex.
"I do drag as an art form," says Jeremy Stuthard, an Arkansas drag performer.
"I take a decent-looking guy and turn him into a statue-esk Barbie doll, and have a great time and put smiles on people's faces and that's all I really try to do."
Stuthard says most of the children he meets at drag brunches and story hours aren't there to indulge a 'prurient interest', but to have fun listening to a story read by a costumed actor.
Drag restrictions put on hold and watered down
In Tennessee, the day before that state's drag restrictions were due to go into effect, a Trump-appointed U.S. District Judge temporarily struck down the law due to its constitutional vagueness.
In his ruling, U.S. District Judge Thomas Parker wrote, "Whether some of us may like it or not," the U.S. Supreme Court has interpreted the First Amendment "as protecting speech that is indecent but not obscene."
A similar law in Florida has been temporarily blocked. For a while, that left Montana as the only state in the country with an enforceable drag law, until the courts temporarily blocked that one, too.
In Arkansas, Sen. Stubblefield's drag ban bill was amended until it hardly resembled a drag ban. The final version of the law, which passed by large margins, now regulates stripping, not drag shows.
"[The]Amended House Bill is the only way to really protect minors. For another reason, it's the only draft that will stand up in court," Stubblefield said of the amendment, which he didn't write but ultimately agreed to.
"None of us like to pass a bill that's going to get struck down by a judge and not help any children at all."
Josie Lenora is the politics/government reporter at KUAR in Little Rock, Ark.
Copyright 2023 KUAR | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/2023-07-29/almost-nothing-has-come-from-all-the-talk-about-states-banning-drag-in-front-of-kids | 2023-07-29T18:24:23 | 1 | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/2023-07-29/almost-nothing-has-come-from-all-the-talk-about-states-banning-drag-in-front-of-kids |
Updated July 29, 2023 at 2:07 PM ET
Trader Joe's has recalled its frozen falafel for potentially having rocks in it, after it recalled two of its cookie products for the same reason recently.
The company's supplier informed them of the concern, and Trader Joe's said in a statement Friday that "all potentially affected product has been removed from sale and destroyed."
Customers who purchased the product should discard it or return it to a Trader Joe's location for a full refund, the company said.
The falafel, which is fully cooked and frozen, has the SKU number 93935 and is sold in Washington, D.C., and 34 states.
Last Friday, Trader Joe's said rocks could also possibly be found in its Almond Windmill Cookies and Dark Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cookies.
In a separate recall, the grocery chain said its Trader Joe's Unexpected Broccoli Cheddar Soup (SKU# 68470) with use-by dates of July 18-Sept. 15, 2023 may contain insects. "No known adverse health effects have been reported to date, and all potentially affected product has been removed from sale and destroyed," the company said.
Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-28/trader-joes-recalls-its-frozen-falafel-for-possibly-having-rocks-in-it | 2023-07-29T18:24:30 | 1 | https://www.mainepublic.org/npr-news/npr-news/2023-07-28/trader-joes-recalls-its-frozen-falafel-for-possibly-having-rocks-in-it |
Afghanistan: No more taxis for women without burqas?
Fereydun, a motorized rickshaw driver from Herat in western Afghanistan, doesn't transport women anymore. If he were to carry women who weren't wearing a full-body covering, he would be beaten up by the Taliban and have his rickshaw confiscated, Fereydun told DW.
He has already had to witness women being humiliated. The Taliban have stopped him several times and pulled women not wearing burqas out of the vehicle to curse and scream at them. Fereydun said he has also been punished.
Crackdown on women's rights
Almost two years since the militant Islamist Taliban seized power as NATO calamitously withdrew, women in Afghanistan are still resisting orders.
Many refuse to wear burqas and still walk the streets with their faces uncovered. Last year, Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada ordered women to hide their faces completely in public "as this is traditional and respectful," according to the decree issued in May 2022.
When the Taliban came to power in August 2021, they pledged to respect women's rights. Since then, women have been ousted from most professions and barred from attending universities or higher education institutions. Most recently, beauty salons were banned. For women who still dare to show their faces, the pressure is mounting.
Eyewitnesses in Afghanistan report that the Taliban Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice have stationed morality police all over big cities. Among other things, the ministry has decreed that drivers of taxis, rickshaws, and other passenger vehicles can no longer transport women not wearing a hijab inside cities.
"When women travel, they must be accompanied by a man," Akif Mohajer, a representative of the Ministry of Vice and Virtue, told the media. "When they travel inside the city, no man is allowed to sit next to them and they must wear a full hijab. It doesn't matter if they wear a chador or not — their hijab must be fully Islamic."
What exactly a "full Islamic hijab" constitutes does not seem to be clearly defined. Dina, a woman from Herat, said that she had been removed from rickshaws several times and insulted for wearing a long coat and headscarf rather than a full body covering.
Mirza, a cab driver from Kabul, also confirmed this in an interview with DW. The Taliban had told him several times that women without veils or burqas were not allowed to ride in taxis, otherwise he would be punished and his cab confiscated.
Squeezing women from public space
The primary goal of these measures is to push women out of the public eye, according to Maryam Marof Arwin, founder of a welfare organization for women and children in Afghanistan.
"With the recent restrictions, the Taliban have shown that they are sticking to the policies they implemented in their first period in power, except that now they are systematically and specifically eliminating women from society," she said.
During the Taliban's first stint in power between 1996 to 2001, they were known for their degrading treatment of women. Back then, women were forced to wear the burqa in public, were not allowed to leave the house without a male escort, and were barred from seeing male doctors, resulting in many diseases going untreated. Experts warn that the Taliban are now trying to turn back time without thinking about the consequences.
Back in February, the Taliban had announced that female medical students would not be allowed to sit their final exams. They had already banned women from attending universities in December 2022.
In every conversation, women in Afghanistan stress that the world should not stand idly by. They need the support and solidarity of the world community. Dina from Herat does, too.
This article was originally published in German. | https://www.dw.com/en/afghanistan-no-more-taxis-for-women-without-burqas/a-66380634 | 2023-07-29T18:24:40 | 0 | https://www.dw.com/en/afghanistan-no-more-taxis-for-women-without-burqas/a-66380634 |
DEAR AMY: Should I decline opportunities to see friends or family if it is to attend an unpleasant activity?
My friends love watching painfully terrible movies and discussing the plot and production in excruciating detail.
And my family is upset that I don’t want to attend sporting events that I no longer enjoy due to my poor vision, auditory sensitivities, and overall lack of interest.
I just want to enjoy their company without these dreadful background distractions that are not in my wheelhouse, and they show disappointment when I decline or offer a quieter alternative.
I’ve tried to make the best of it, but I can’t even attend ironically.
– Unironic in IL
DEAR UNIRONIC: It’s a shame you can’t attend these movie events, even ironically, because a sense of irony (or of seeing the humor) can be extremely helpful – especially when listening to others gasbag on about a terrible movie.
I wonder, also, if these friends might be interested in viewing a movie of your choosing?
Overall, if you don’t want to attend a gathering – for any reason – then don’t attend. Your best strategy is to learn to tolerate others’ disappointment if you choose not to attend a gathering where you will be uncomfortable.
Your friends and family are trying to include you, and even when declining – you should thank them for the invitation.
***
MORE FROM ASK AMY:
Ask Amy: Father/daughter trip leaves mother feeling left out
Ask Amy: Neighbor opens misdirected mail ... not once, but twice
Ask Amy: My son’s wife made it clear he was too close to his mother and that it must stop
Ask Amy: Vietnam vet hopes to reconcile with his sister and her husband, who dodged the draft
Ask Amy: Life with a low-level pot dealer
***
(You can email Amy Dickinson at askamy@amydickinson.com or send a letter to Ask Amy, P.O. Box 194, Freeville, NY 13068. You can also follow her on Twitter @askingamy or Facebook.)
©2023 Amy Dickinson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. | https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/advice/2023/07/ask-amy-must-i-go-to-events-i-have-no-interest-in-attending-merely-to-please-family-and-friends.html | 2023-07-29T18:24:43 | 1 | https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/advice/2023/07/ask-amy-must-i-go-to-events-i-have-no-interest-in-attending-merely-to-please-family-and-friends.html |
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Of the 20 states restricting gender-affirming hormone therapy, nearly half are being challenged in federal court.
At the heart of these lawsuits is this question: Do bans on gender-affirming care violate the U.S. Constitution's Fourteenth Amendment?
(A reminder: The Fourteenth Amendment says states can't deprive people of liberty without due process and can't deny people equal protection under the laws.)
Abigail Moncrieff is the co-director of Cleveland State University's Center for Health Law and Policy and says, "The problem with gender-affirming care is that it's never been challenged before."
"The question of, 'Do parents have a right to provide their children with gender-affirming care?' is a new question," she says.
Plaintiffs, including trans kids and their parents, claim the laws violate parents' due process right to direct their children's care. They also argue the laws illegally discriminate against trans kids.
Almost all the lawsuits are still in the early stages, with judges mainly deciding whether to block the bans while the cases play out in courtrooms.
But, so far, the rulings can be separated into two camps.
Camp 1
The first camp, including rulings from several district courts, says parents probably do have a right to get their kids gender-affirming hormone therapy.
Moncrieff says these initial rulings argue: "The medical care that's at issue is not unsafe or ineffective or quack medicine. Therefore, a statute interfering with a parents' right to make that choice on behalf of their child is unconstitutional."
Miles Joyner, a Kentucky social worker and trans man, says he's glad district court judges are taking a close look at the actual evidence on gender-affirming care.
"Because the truth is, all of the nationally recognized organizations, like the American Psychological Association, the American Medical Association ... agree that gender-affirming care is both medically necessary as well as ethical," he says.
While the judges in Camp One contend that gender-affirming care bans appear unconstitutional, Moncrieff says Camp Two argues the bans likely do not violate the Fourteenth Amendment.
Camp 2
That camp only has one member so far: The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Earlier this month, the 6th Circuit let Tennessee's ban on gender-affirming medical treatments temporarily take effect. That prompted a district court judge to reinstate similar restrictions in Kentucky.
Here's how Moncrieff describes a main theme of that ruling: "Courts should be extremely hesitant to create new constitutional rights that block the states from experimenting with legislative approaches." In other words, the appeals court warns against judges hamstringing legislatures.
The 6th Circuit also argues the bans likely do not illegally discriminate against trans children.
Several district court rulings say the opposite, finding such laws probably do run afoul of the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause.
The U.S. Supreme Court's interpretation of that clause has been changing, including in its recent ruling against colleges' affirmative action admissions policies, Moncrieff says. That evolving precedent could affect how courts rule on gender-affirming care cases.
A path to the U.S. Supreme Court
Over time, Moncrieff says she thinks other courts will join the 6th Circuit in Camp Two and there's a good chance you'll see a circuit split, where appeals courts reach different conclusions about the laws' constitutionality.
That's one reason why she thinks the U.S. Supreme Court will weigh in on this issue eventually.
"I'm honestly not sure whether they'll jump in quickly or whether they'll wait for a little while to let the question percolate," she says.
But kids' health care is on the line, says Bobbie Glass, a Kentucky educator and trans woman.
Her home state's Republican-run legislature prohibited gender-affirming hormone therapy for minors in March. Contentious debates led up to that decision.
At one meeting, Republican state Rep. Jennifer Decker defended the government's intervention.
"I have great compassion for the children, parents and their families who are in this situation. However, ultimately, it is our obligation to protect children from irreparable harm," she said. "The state has a compelling interest in that proposition."
Months later, legal arguments about what qualifies as irreparable harm and compelling interests, in this context, are playing out in courtrooms.
"And now we have a predominantly conservative Supreme Court," Glass tells NPR. "And their judgment is going to be really tested in all of this."
She says it's a relief to see district court judges criticize what many experts say are states' baseless medical arguments for prohibiting care for trans kids.
"Maybe there is some hope that there's some sanity. Because what you have is flawed theology, toxic religion, running rampant over the Constitution," Glass says.
But the legal system is changing, Moncrieff says, so it isn't obvious how the courts might rule.
"The Constitution is resting on shifting sands and it's a little unclear how it's going to settle."
In the meantime, that uncertainty weighs on many transgender kids and their families.
Morgan Watkins is Louisville Public Media's health reporter.
Copyright 2023 Louisville Public Media | https://www.ctpublic.org/2023-07-28/can-states-bans-on-transgender-care-hold-up-in-court-we-break-down-the-arguments | 2023-07-29T18:24:43 | 1 | https://www.ctpublic.org/2023-07-28/can-states-bans-on-transgender-care-hold-up-in-court-we-break-down-the-arguments |
Hidden camera found inside porta-potty at Wisconsin beach
OCONOMOWOC, Wis. (WISN) - A woman at a Wisconsin beach made a terrible discovery after she found a hidden camera underneath the toilet seat of a port-a-potty.
Police are trying to determine if it was the only camera and who put it there.
“That’s insane. Oh my gosh,” Chrissy Hartwig said.
On a beautiful day at Oconomowoc’s Bender Beach, the talk turns instead to something ugly after Hartwig and other beachgoers learn of a small digital camera hidden inside a porta-potty.
“That’s crazy and now that makes me think of all the other porta-potties that might have had something in it,” Hartwig said. “You don’t think about those things.”
Hartwig said she’s heard of people hiding cameras in dressing rooms and even vacation rentals, but never before in a porta-potty.
“I just, I mean, I’m mind blown. I’ve never considered it. I’ve never thought about it. I wouldn’t have thought about it, probably. People are creeps,” she said.
The camera was reportedly inside the toilet, positioned in a way that showed people entering and using the toilet.
Oconomowoc police, along with the public, have a lot of questions.
“It’s, you know, it’s very concerning because you know the little ones use the bathroom,” Lissa Hagen said. “Yeah, it’s concerning, you know, wondering who did it and why they would do something like that. It’s very gross too.”
Hagen’s daughter is a lifeguard at the beach and learned of the camera the day after it was found.
“I mean, it’s uncomfortable. It’s, you know, concerning. Yeah, so, I’m glad they found it at least before, you know, anything happened,” Hagen said.
Police have not shared how long they believe the camera was there and what if anything was on it.
Copyright 2023 WISN via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/29/hidden-camera-found-inside-porta-potty-wisconsin-beach/ | 2023-07-29T18:24:43 | 0 | https://www.kttc.com/2023/07/29/hidden-camera-found-inside-porta-potty-wisconsin-beach/ |
If you are looking to snag the latest smartwatch from Samsung, this deal from Amazon will net you a $50 gift card.
Amazon is offering anyone a free $50 gift card, if they preorder the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 by August 11.
The deal is available on Samsung’s new Galaxy Watch 6 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, which are selling for $330-$430, depending on model and band size.
The gift card bundle also comes with a free fabric watch band.
The Galaxy Watch 6 includes fitness monitoring for over 90 different exercises along with heart rate, sleep and health tracking. The watch syncs to your other Galaxy devices and has a durable crystal glass display.
The watches are available in four colors, including silver, black, gold and graphite. The Classic model offers what Samsung calls a more “timeless” look.
Preorder the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 to receive the $50 Amazon gift card here.
You can also score up to a $200 gift card from Amazon, if you preorder the Galaxy Z Flip 5 or Galaxy Z Fold 5 phone before August 11.
Galaxy Z Flip 5 preorders include a $150 Amazon gift card. Meanwhile, Galaxy Z Fold 5 preorders include a $200 gift card from the retailer.
They also come with a free storage upgrade.
The Flip 5 is on sale for $1,000, instead of $1,270, on Amazon, while the Fold 5 phone costs $1,800.
The Galaxy Z Flip 5 and Galaxy Z Fold 5 are Samsung’s latest smartphone launches, featuring more robust technology.
The Flip 5 is a pocket-size phone with a larger cover screen that comes in cream, lavender, mint, and graphite. The Fold 5 has a 7.6″ screen and is available in cream, phantom black and icy blue.
Preorder the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 phone to receive the $150 Amazon gift card here.
Preorder the Samsung Galaxy Fold 5 phone to receive the $200 Amazon gift card here.
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Dawn Magyar can be reached at dmagyar@njadvancemedia.com. Have a tip? Tell us at nj.com/tips. | https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/business/2023/07/how-to-get-a-50-amazon-gift-card-when-you-preorder-the-new-samsung-galaxy-watch-6.html | 2023-07-29T18:24:44 | 1 | https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/business/2023/07/how-to-get-a-50-amazon-gift-card-when-you-preorder-the-new-samsung-galaxy-watch-6.html |