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Illinois prison officer admits failure to stop brutal inmate beating

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:48 GMT

PERRY COUNTY, Ill. -- Mark C. Maxwell, an acting lieutenant at Pinckneyville Correctional Center, confessed in federal court to not intervening while his subordinates brutally attacked a restrained inmate on April 24, 2022. Under federal law, officers have a duty to intervene if a fellow officer uses excessive force."I failed to uphold my duty, and I take responsibility for that," Maxwell admitted. City sells stolen car in error; won’t share profits with victim Charged with deprivation of civil rights, Maxwell faces up to 10 years in prison for standing by as the inmate suffered a fractured orbital socket, a partially collapsed lung, and needed 25 stitches.Officers Cord A. Williams, 35, and Christian L. Pyles, 25, charged in the same incident, have pleaded guilty to various offenses, including violating civil rights and obstructing justice.Following an investigation by the Illinois State Police, Maxwell will receive his sentence on February 21, 2023.

St. Louis scrapyard hit with $68K Clean Water Act fine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:48 GMT

LENEXA, KAN. -- A St. Louis scrap metal facility is facing a stiff fine from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. SA Recycling LLC, based in St. Louis, Missouri, is set to pay $68,000 in civil penalties for alleged violations of the federal Clean Water Act. The EPA claims the company didn't adequately control stormwater runoff from its scrap metal recycling facility, risking pollution in the Mississippi River.“Uncontrolled runoff from industrial facilities not only harms streams and rivers, but it also limits the public’s use and enjoyment of those waters,” states David Cozad, director of EPA Region 7’s Enforcement and Compliance Assurance Division. City sells stolen car in error; won’t share profits with victim EPA alleges SA Recycling failed to comply with its Clean Water Act permit, including neglecting pollution prevention practices, inspections, and employee training. In addition to the penalty, SA Recycling is addressing the violations with an EPA compliance order, cost...

Man who shot Waffle House cook over COVID-19 mask mandate sentenced to 13 years in prison

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:48 GMT

The man who shot a Waffle House cook who had asked him to wear a mask or leave the restaurant during the 2020 COVID-19 restaurant mask mandate has been sentenced to over a decade in prison.Arapahoe County District Court Judge Jacob Edson in November sentenced Kelvin Watson, 30, to 13 years in Department of Corrections custody after he pleaded guilty to attempted second-degree murder and a sentence enhancer for committing a violent crime with a weapon in the 2020 shooting in Aurora, the 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office announced Wednesday.Watson pleaded guilty earlier this month.“While restaurants and stores are public places, businesses have the right to refuse service or ask customers to leave their establishment,” 18th Judicial District Attorney John Kellner said. “The defendant drove back to the restaurant and shot an innocent employee for no reason other than doing his job.”Watson first went to the Waffle House in the 12800 block of East Mississippi Avenue about mi...

Opinion: Laura Loomer and Kari Lake in the same week? Colorado’s GOP has lost its mind

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:48 GMT

On a slow news day, I can count on the Colorado Republican Party to provide material for this column.Last week, the party’s Twitter account hyped a video conversation between Dave Williams, chair of the state’s GOP, and Laura Loomer, a self-described white nationalist and islamophobe, her words, not mine. Loomer routinely spreads loony conspiracy theories about mass shootings and elections including her own loss in a Florida congressional primary race. Naturally, she blamed election fraud and has refused to concede.Loomer was banned from ride-share services Lyft and Uber after a daylong Twitter harangue against Muslims. She tweeted that she will not “support another Islamic immigrant driver” and tagged both companies in the post. Smart. Loomer has also accused Congresswoman Ilhan Omar and other Democrats of scheming to institute Sharia law in Minnesota.Banned from Twitter for extremist posts, she sued the social media giant and the Council on American-Islamic Relationships whi...

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis calls special session in wake of Proposition HH defeat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:48 GMT

Thirty-six hours after Colorado voters rejected his marquee property tax relief ballot proposal, Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday called the state legislature back into session late next week to come up with a replacement plan.The special session will begin at 9 a.m. on Nov. 17, going into next weekend, Polis announced during a morning news conference at the Governor’s Residence in Denver.“If we do nothing, Colorado homeowners are facing a record property tax increase,” he said. “The crisis is not urban or rural, Denver or the state. It is universal across our state — truly a Colorado crisis.”In Tuesday’s election, about 60% of voters rejected Proposition HH, Polis and Democratic leaders’ proposal to reduce the extent of property tax increase while also providing financial assistance to local governments, along with significantly more money for education. It would have paid for much of that by dipping into future state tax refunds required...

Brawl erupts between Israel, and Palestinian supporters outside L.A.'s Museum of Tolerance

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:48 GMT

Altercations between pro-Israeli and pro-Palestinian supporters were captured on video outside a screening at the Museum of Tolerance in West Los Angeles Wednesday night. The screening showed images of the gruesome Oct. 7 terror attacks on Israel by Hamas militants, which Israel says left more than 1,400 dead and more than 240 taken hostage.The 47-minute video was provided by Israeli Defence Forces and shown to select audiences in Los Angeles and New York. Several altercations were captured on video outside the Los Angeles Museum of Tolerance on Nov. 8, 2023. (spobh90210)Actress Gal Gadot, who is Israeli, had reportedly been involved in organizing the screenings."Over 240 hostages, including 30 children, are still being held captive by Hamas. This is a prayer from Broadway to bring them home," Gadot posted on her Instagram page Wednesday night. About 150 people attended the Los Angeles screening, although Gadot was not in attendance, according to the Los Angeles Times. Vid...

Review: Alexander Payne’s ‘The Holdovers’ is a Seasonal Treat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:48 GMT

The Holdovers might be the most unsentimental holiday movie in recent memory. That’s not surprising, since director Alexander Payne goes to great lengths to avoid cheap emotion. From Election to About Schmidt, the Nebraska-born filmmaker specializes in depicting sad sacks with an absurdist’s sensibility. It’s a deceptively simple balancing act that’s been attempted by many and accomplished by few; Noah Baumbach comes close. In his latest film, Payne foregoes some of his trademark cynicism and goes straight for the heart, resulting in a touching seasonal film for people who aren’t that jazzed about the holidays.Welcome to Barton Academy, a boys’ boarding school located in the snowy outback of New Hampshire. We’ve seen similar schools in movies such as School Ties and The Emperor’s Club, institutions that instill outdated codes while priding themselves on their academic prowess. But even with this stifling atmosphere, there’s always something charmingly antiquated about these schools....

Driver Arrested after DUI Crash on 1st Street [Cheney, WA]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:48 GMT

20-Year-Old Impaired Driver Arrested after Causing a Two-Vehicle Collision on F StreetCHENEY, WA (November 9, 2023) – Early Sunday morning, police responded to a DUI crash on F Street where they arrested one driver.The incident happened just after midnight, October 29, at the intersection of 1st and F Streets.According to the Cheney Police Department, the collision involved a white Cheney Camaro driven by a 20-year-old man and a Honda CRV.Upon investigation, the officers determined that the Honda was pulling out from a parking lot on 1st Street when the Camaro, traveling at high speed, crashed into the Honda.Furthermore, the impact of the crash sent the Honda crashing into a tree on a sidewalk. The driver of the Honda suffered injuries and paramedics immediately treated him.Meanwhile, the 20-year-old driver was evaluated and he was determined to be intoxicated. Police later arrested the driver with DUI-related charges.Further investigation is still ongoing, and an update will ...

Mathew Preston Maniord Dies in Solo-Vehicle Crash on Rock Creek Road [Manton, CA]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:48 GMT

36-Year-Old Man Pronounced Dead after Single-Car Accident near Ole AvenueMANTON, CA (November 9, 2023) – Mathew Preston Maniord lost his life Saturday night in a solo-car crash on Rock Creek Road. The tragic incident unfolded around 10:00 p.m., just south of Ole Avenue, on November 4th.According to reports, the driver of a 2012 silver Ford Focus lost control at a high speed while traveling north. Consequently, the vehicle flipped and descended down an embankment before coming to a halt.The driver, identified as 36-year-old Mathew Preston Maniord of Manton, wasn’t wearing a seatbelt and suffered fatal injuries. The Shasta County Coroner’s Office confirmed the identity of the deceased.Authorities urge anyone with additional information about this fatal solo-vehicle crash to reach out to the investigating officer at 530-225-0500.The team at Sweet James offers their warm and sincerest sympathies to the friends and family of Mathew Preston Maniord. May the memories of your lo...

Slayyyter to Shine at Novo

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:48 GMT

Slayyyter to Shine at Novo: We’ve had electro-pop princesses before, but nobody quite like Slayyyter. For the past few years, she’s made a habit of infiltrating the pop scene with gloriously infectious, no-nonsense tunes that have torn into the music-loving public’s psyche like Pinhead’s hook-chains in the Hellraiser movies. Her new album, the wonderfully named Starfucker, was released in September and it’s typically brilliant. Slayyyter’s playing the pop game her way, and more power to her.“Bringing the album to life to her engaged fanbase, Slayyyter’s 13-date headline tour in support of the album will see her stopping at venues such as New York City’s Brooklyn Steel and The Novo in Los Angeles,” reads the press release. “Fans will get to experience Club Valentine up close and personal and fully dive into the world of STARFUCKER along with Slayyyter. Earlier this year, she performed at Pride festivals throughout the United States, including Kentuckiana Pride, Chic...