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Dirty money: Ex-lawmaker gets 2 years for cesspool bribes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:58 GMT

HONOLULU (AP) — A former Hawaii lawmaker was sentenced Thursday to two years in prison in a federal corruption case that’s drawn attention to a perennial problem in the islands: the tens of thousands of cesspools that release 50 million gallons of raw sewage into the state’s pristine waters every day.Cesspools — in-ground pits that collect sewage from houses and buildings not connected to city services for gradual release into the environment — are at the center of the criminal case against former Democratic state Rep. Ty Cullen. He has admitted to taking bribes of cash and gambling chips in exchange for influencing legislation to reduce Hawaii’s widespread use of cesspools. U.S. District Court Judge Susan Oki Mollway said she gave Cullen a sentence at the shortest end of the term recommended by prosecutors because he had cooperated extensively with investigators. Yet she didn’t go as low as the 15 months requested by his defense attorney because of the serious nature of...

Chicago firefighter dead in high-rise blaze had heart attack

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:58 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — A firefighter who died while battling a blaze in a high-rise building on Chicago’s North Side died of a heart attack, autopsy results released Thursday showed.Lt. Jan Tchoryk, 55, died of hypertensive-arteriosclerotic cardiovascular disease, according to the autopsy results released by the Cook County medical examiner.Tchoryk “went down” on the stairs on the building’s 11th floor, Fire Commissioner Annette Nance-Holt told reporters.The blaze was reported before 8 a.m. Wednesday on the 27th floor of the condo and apartment building in the Gold Coast neighborhood. The extra-alarm fire was ruled accidental and started after combustible material was placed “too close to a heat-generating appliance,” Chicago Fire Department spokesman Larry Langford said Thursday.Tchoryk was the second Chicago firefighter to die this week. Jermaine Pelt, 49, died on Tuesday and two other firefighters were injured while battling a house fire on the city’s South Side. Pelt died of died ...

2 teens shot near Illinois Institute of Technology campus

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:58 GMT

CHICAGO -- Two teens have been hospitalized after being shot near the Illinois Institute of Technology campus Thursday evening.According to the Chicago Police Department, shots were fired just before 4:30 p.m. Thursday on the 3000 block of South Wabash near the Illinois Institute of Technology campus on the city's south side.An IIT alert to students said there was a report of shots fired near Keating Sports Center, with the suspect vehicle fleeing. Woman’s puppy stolen at gunpoint on Chicago’s South Side Two teens, 16 and 17-years-old, were reportedly walking down the street when a gray Chevy Impala drove by and an occupant exited the vehicle and fired a shot striking the victims.The 16-year-old victim sustained a gunshot wound to the arm and transported to Northwestern Hospital in good condition.The 17-year-old victim was shot on the left side of their body and transported to the University of Chicago Medical Center in critical condition.No arrests have been made at this time.No ...

Pastor honors fallen CPD officer Andres Vasquez Lasso with sculpture

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:58 GMT

CHICAGO -- A local pastor and prolific artist honored the memory of fallen a Chicago police officer Thursday.Chicago Police Officer Andres Vasquez Lasso was killed in the line of duty last month.Vásquez Lasso, 32, was investigating a domestic-related call around 4:45 p.m. on March 1 on the 5200 block of South Spaulding when police said 18-year-old Steven Montano shot him.Vásquez Lasso was shot multiple times, CPD Supt. David Brown said. He was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital where he later died. ORIGNIAL: Chicago police officer shot, killed on Southwest Side identified Pastor Roy Yarber Jr. for the King of Kings Missionary Baptist Church reached to officer Andres' widow.Pastor Yarber produced a busy of the fallen patrolman and the artwork will soon be delivered to officer Vasquez Lasso's loved ones.After receiving a grim cancer diagnosis, Pastor Yarber turned to sculpturing.“I told the wife, they’ve given me seven years to live and I’m going to try and do the whole Bible in clay," Pas...

3 men get life for fatal shooting of rapper XXXTentacion

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:58 GMT

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Three men were given life sentences on Thursday for the 2018 killing of star rapper XXXTentacion, who was shot outside a South Florida motorcycle shop while being robbed of $50,000.Michael Boatwright, 28, Dedrick Williams, 26, and Trayvon Newsome, 24, were each convicted last month of first-degree murder and armed robbery by a jury following eight days of deliberations. Prosecutors had not sought the death penalty, so life in prison was the only sentence that Broward County Circuit Judge Michael Usan could impose for the first-degree murder convictions.The defendants, two dressed in suits and one in a button-down shirt, showed little emotion as they stood one by one to be handcuffed by a bailiff. There was no audible reaction from family members or other observers in the courtroom. Before the verdicts were read, Usan warned that anyone who caused any kind of disruption would be held in contempt of court.During the month-long trial, prosecutors linked Boa...

Chicago O'Hare International Airport fourth busiest in world, new data shows

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:58 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago's O'Hare International Airport is the fourth busiest in the world, according to new figures from Airports Council International. The trade association looked at nearly 2,000 airports and recently released the rankings for 2022. Feds green light new O’Hare International terminal Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson is still the busiest in the world, followed by Dallas-Fort Worth and Denver. The fifth busiest and the busiest outside of the United States is in Dubai, according to the newest numbers. Beagles help sniff out prohibited foods at O’Hare Airport Many of the global rankings were reshuffled after the drop-off in travel during the pandemic.Chicago's O'Hare International Airport had the second most amount of aircraft movements in 2022. Dallas-Fort Worth jumped to the second busiest spot in 2021 after being ranked 10th in 2019.Denver jumped to the third busiest in 2021 from the 16th busiest in 2019.

Cash App founder Bob Lee begged for help after stabbing that led to his death: reports

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:58 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – Cash App founder Bob Lee begged for help after being stabbed outside of a luxury apartment building on Main Street near the Bay Bridge, according to reports. Lee screamed, "Help! Someone stabbed me," into his phone as he called 911 for himself, surveillance footage and police records obtained by the San Francisco Standard reportedly showed.San Francisco police said they found the beloved 43-year-old member of the local tech industry suffering from apparent stab wounds just after 2:30 a.m. Tuesday. He later died from his injuries. FBI broke into wrong hotel room during training exercise, detained uninvolved guest The video apparently shows Lee walking up Main Street away from the Bay Bridge after being stabbed and crossing the intersection of Harrison. He then apparently asks for help from someone in a Toyota Camry, shows his wound and collapses to the ground as the Camry drives away.President of the San Francisco Police Association Tracy McCray appeared on ...

'I got justice': More domestic violence victim support coming to Hays County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:58 GMT

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- Along with an increasing population in Hays County, there's an increase in the number of people filing for protective orders. Commissioners recently took steps to help protect domestic violence victims by approving the addition of a Victim Assistance Coordinator. The idea was brought to them by Hays County District Attorney Kelly Higgins. "Help them find resources, provide resources. Provide, in many cases, emotional support, and just do everything that a DA's office can do for a victim," DA Higgins said. 'They were my angels'Hays County resident Denise Fonseca has experience with a victim assistance coordinator. She was assigned one after being abused for 8 years by her significant other at the time. "For 2,551 days, he beat me, gagged me, bound me, dropped me on floors, ruptured a disc in my back," Fonseca said. Fonseca finally broke free on January 2018 after calling the Hays County Sheriff's Office. "They saved me," Fonseca said. "I think I was proba...

APH says STI rates in Travis County are rising, encourages testing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) –  The CDC reported last year that sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the U.S. surged in 2021 with no indication of slowing. Austin Public Health released Thursday data showing a similar pattern in Travis County.They found that during the 2022 fiscal year, visits to APH’s Sexual Health Clinic increased by 38% from the 2021 fiscal year. MORE: CDC is reporting rising STD rates, Austin Public Health weighs in "It is important to highlight this issue during National Public Health Week," Adrienne Sturrup, Director of Austin Public Health, was quoted saying in a press release. "Our sexual health programs are critical to the health and well-being of our community, and we are committed to providing equitable access to resources that promote sexual health and wellness for all residents of Travis County."Though there was an increase, APH reported that 98% of their patients who received sexual health care reported excellent customer service.The national increas...

Texas House blocks school voucher funding in blow to Gov. Abbott

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:53:58 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- The Texas House of Representatives on Thursday voted to prohibit state money from funding private school vouchers or education savings accounts.The move all but ends one of Gov. Greg Abbott's top priorities to provide "school choice" with state-funded private school tuition subsidies.The House approved State Rep. Abel Herrero's amendment to the state budget on a bipartisan 86-52 vote. The amendment prohibits the budget from funding "a school voucher, including an education savings account, tax credit scholarship program, or a grant or other similar program through which a child may use state money for non-public primary or secondary education.""These are public funds for public schools as is outlined and stated specifically in the Texas Constitution," Rep. Herrero said. "And for that, members, please stick with our public school teachers, our neighborhood schools, and our public charter schools and vote for this amendment."Cheers erupted in the Texas House as the...