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Connecticut judge orders new mayoral primary after surveillance videos show possible ballot stuffing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:21 GMT

A state judge has taken the unusual step of ordering a new Democratic mayoral primary in Connecticut’s largest city to be held after the Nov. 7 general election is completed. The decision comes after surveillance videos showed a woman stuffing what appeared to be absentee ballots into an outdoor ballot box days before the original primary.Superior Court Judge William Clark determined the allegations of possible malfeasance warrant throwing out the results of the Sept. 12 primary, which incumbent Bridgeport Mayor Joe Ganim won by 251 votes out of 8,173 cast. Absentee ballots secured his margin of victory.Ganim’s opponent, John Gomes, whose campaign obtained the surveillance video and released it publicly after the primary, sued city officials and demanded a new primary, or for him to be declared the winner. The Associated Press

Rep. George Santos is facing an effort by fellow New York Republicans to expel him from the House

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:21 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. George Santos faces a vote Wednesday evening to expel him from the House as part of an effort led by fellow New York Republicans who are anxious to distance themselves from a colleague infamous for fabricating his life story and accused of stealing from donors, lying to Congress and receiving unemployment benefits he did not deserve.To succeed, their resolution needs the support of at least two-thirds of lawmakers, meaning numerous Republican lawmakers would have to break ranks with newly elected Speaker Mike Johnson, who has said Santos should get his day in court. Johnson, R-La., also recently told Fox News that if Congress is going to expel members because they are charged with a crime or accused of wrongdoing, “that’s a problem.”Congress has rarely resorted to the most extreme punishment at its disposal. The House has expelled only five members in its history — three during the Civil War and two after their convictions on public corruption charges. I...

Police officer in Saskatchewan seriously injured: Premier Scott Moe

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:21 GMT

ESTEVAN, Sask. — Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says a police officer in Estevan, Sask., has been seriously injured. Moe wished the injured officer a full recovery in a post on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter.He says the officer was hurt during an incident with a suspect in the city about 200 kilometres southeast of Regina. Estevan police did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but say in a news release that officers were on the scene of a serious incident just before 7 a.m.. They say one person is in custody and there is no risk to the public. The provincial Ministry of Justice says a team that examines serious incidents involving police is investigating. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 1, 2023. The Canadian Press

Trial to determine if Trump can be barred from offices reaches far back in history for answers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:21 GMT

DENVER (AP) — The effort to ban former President Donald Trump from the ballot under the Constitution’s “insurrection clause” turned to distant history on Wednesday, when a law professor testified about how the post-Civil War provision was indeed intended to apply to presidential candidates.Gerard Magliocca, of Indiana University, said there was scant scholarship on Section Three of the 14th Amendment when he began researching it in late 2020, but said he uncovered evidence in 150-year-old court rulings, congressional testimony and presidential executive orders that it applied to presidents and to those who simply encouraged an insurrection rather than physically participated in one.Magliocca didn’t mention Trump by name, but the plaintiffs in the case have argued that Colorado must ban him from the ballot because his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol, which was intended to halt Congress’ certification of Joe Biden’s win and keep Trump in p...

Venezuelan migrants accused of stealing nearly $3K in merchandise from Oak Brook Macy's

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:21 GMT

OAK BROOK, Ill. —Two Venezuelan migrants now residing in Chicago are charged with stealing more than $2,800 worth of merchandise from a Macy’s store in Oak Brook, according to prosecutors. Luis Mendez-Gomez, 28 and Frank Montez-Davila, 23 face felony charges of burglary and retail theft. Mendez-Gomez was also cited for misdemeanor driving without a valid driver’s license. ‘They’ve done a complete 180’: City to use shuttered Kmart as migrant shelter after reversing course Prosecutors allege that just after 1:40 p.m. Tuesday, patroling Oak Brook officers observed Mendez-Gomez and Montez-Davila exiting Macy’s with a “happy birthday” bag and a backpack containing merchandise. Luis Mendez-GomezFrank Montez-DavilaA short time later, officers conducted a traffic stop. Officers allegedly found 16 high-end fragrances and one pair of pants with a total value of $2,832.50.The preliminary investigation found that once Mendez-Gomez and Montes-Davila entered Macy’s, Mendez-Gomez removed the “ha...

Senators discuss how climate change is impacting extreme weather

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:21 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Senators are looking at the role climate change plays in extreme weather, and what lawmakers should do to address it. As wildfires, hurricanes, floods, and heatwaves devastate communities across the globe, scientists say climate change is to blame. Climate scientist Michael Wehner told senators at a hearing on Wednesday that the link between global warming and worsening extreme weather is obvious. "Dangerous climate change is already happening. how much more dangerous we let it become is up to us," Wehner said.  Supreme Court weighs whether government officials can block people on social media Tom Carper, the Democratic Chairman of the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee, says America needs to do more. "Given that that we helped create this problem we have maybe an oversized obligation into addressing it," Carper said. Republican ranking member Shelley Moore Capito says there's room for bipartisan work on re...

Cooking spray burn victim awarded $7.1 million after can 'exploded into a fireball'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:21 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — A jury in Illinois has ordered Chicago-based Conagra Brands to pay $7.1 million to a Pennsylvania woman who was badly injured in 2017 when a can of commercial brand cooking spray ignited in a kitchen at her workplace and set her aflame.The verdict, issued Monday in favor of Tammy Reese of Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, is the first of numerous other cases from burn victims across the country with similar stories citing accidents that occurred with Conagra-made cooking spray brands, including its popular grocery store brand Pam.Reese was working at a social club kitchen in May 2017 when “suddenly and without warning” a can of Swell cooking spray “exploded into a fireball, causing burns and injuries,” according to a lawsuit filed on her behalf. She suffered deep second-degree burns on her head, face, arms and hands, and scar tissue continues to constrict her movement six years later, according to one of her lawyers, Craig Smith.Chicago-based Conagra Brands must p...

Kyle Police help caller, arrest 2 following possible jugging situation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:21 GMT

KYLE, Texas (KXAN) — The Kyle Police Department said officers were able to stop a possible jugging and arrest two people Thursday after a person called 911 and reported being followed while leaving a bank.According to Kyle PD, dispatchers told the caller to go to an area where officers were waiting. Officers then attempted to perform a traffic stop on the suspect vehicle.One person got out of the vehicle, and the other two drove away, according to KPD.“A pursuit ensued, resulting in the suspects wrecking the vehicle in the 1100 Block of Roland Lane and fleeing on foot to a wooded area,” KPD said. What is ‘jugging’? The suspects were identified as 25-year-old Cedrick Davis, 20-year-old Kennedy Watkins and 19-year-old Daviyon Washington. Davis and Watkins were arrested, but as of Wednesday, KPD said Washington remained out of custody.Inside the crashed suspect vehicle, police found “criminal instruments commonly used for Bank Jugging and illegal narcotics,” according to KPD.Kyle pol...

Zilker Park reopens following ACL closure

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:21 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The City of Austin's Parks and Recreation Department announced Wednesday Zilker Park's Great Lawn was open to the public again following the 2023 Austin City Limits Music Festival.Austin PARD officials shared on social media that fencing removal at the Great Lawn will continue throughout the day Wednesday. They also cautioned visitors there could be standing water in some areas due to recent rainstorms. RELATED: When will Zilker Park reopen after ACL? Those interested in visiting Zilker Park's Great Lawn can park at the Stratford parking lot off Stratford Drive, located on the south side of Barton Springs Roads. Officials also noted there won't be a total re-closure of the lawn during the holiday season.

Kathleen M. Murray named new president of Hamline University

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:24:21 GMT

Kathleen M. Murray has been named the new president of Hamline University following a four-month search.Murray, who will be the 21st president of the school, begins the post on Jan. 1. She succeeds Fayneese Miller who is retiring after eight years at Hamline. Miller announced her retirement following controversy over her administration’s handling of a Muslim student’s complaint about an adjunct professor who showed ancient art in class that depicted the Prophet Muhammad.President Fayneese Miller will begin a sabbatical on Jan. 1, before retiring on June, according to Hamline University officials.Previously, Murray served as the first female president of Whitman College as well as provost and dean of the faculty at Macalester College. She also was provost at Birmingham-Southern College and professor of piano, dean of conservator, and dean of the facuty at Lawrence University. Murray will be the third consecutive female president at Hamline.“The Board of Trustees was impressed by Dr. ...