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Kentucky attorney general asks FBI to investigate donations to his rival in governor’s race

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:36 GMT

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Republican Attorney General Daniel Cameron’s office on Thursday asked the FBI to investigate a large infusion of campaign donations linked to a single credit card that flowed to the Kentucky Democratic Party and Gov. Andy Beshear ‘s reelection campaign.The controversy has major political undertones because Cameron is challenging Beshear in this year’s election showdown for governor in the Bluegrass State.While the donations were in multiple people’s names, they were all charged to the same credit card — connected to a Kentucky mayor. The contributions came from the mayor’s family and business connections, according to media reports. The Democratic governor’s campaign and the state party said they moved to refund more than $200,000 that they determined to exceed limits set by law.But the fallout escalated when Cameron’s office asked the FBI to investigate “circumstances surrounding” the contributions. The letter, sent to...

‘Hugo is fine’: RCMP say Richmond, B.C., resident harassed over false cruelty claim

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:36 GMT

RICHMOND, B.C. — Police in Metro Vancouver are telling the public to leave a pet owner and their dog Hugo alone after the resident was “mercilessly harassed” over unfounded claims of animal abuse.A statement from Richmond RCMP says they have received multiple calls since June 16 to investigate the pet owner after posters were put up around the city listing the address and accusing the resident of cruelty.But the RCMP say the claims have been “thoroughly investigated and determined to be unfounded” by police, the city and the BC SPCA.The statement says the Mounties have had to post officers outside the home “to preserve public safety” and tell the public the claims are baseless.Cpl. Adriana O’Malley says in Thursday’s statement that officers have observed a “steady stream of people” turning up at the home, some of them “aggressive and confrontational.”RCMP say the situation is now being investigated as a case of ...

Suspect in deadly Minneapolis crash charged with homicide, federal weapons and drug counts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:36 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A suspect in a crash that killed five young women in Minneapolis was charged Thursday with 10 state counts of criminal vehicular homicide as well as federal firearms and drug charges that carry a potential sentence of life in prison.Derrick John Thompson, 27, of Brooklyn Park, Minnesota, rented a Cadillac Escalade SUV at a Hertz counter at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport only about 24 minutes before the fatal crash Friday night, according to the complaint filed in Hennepin County District Court. He had been freed from a California prison just a few months earlier after serving time for a hit-and-run crash.Investigators recovered a Glock .40-caliber semiautomatic handgun with an extended magazine from the wreckage of the SUV, along with 2,169 fentanyl pills, a plastic bag containing 14 grams of powder fentanyl, 13 MDMA pills, 35 grams of cocaine and a digital scale, state and federal prosecutors said. As a convicted felon, Thompson is prohibited from...

Adnan Syed asks appeals court to deny request from victim’s family

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:36 GMT

BALTIMORE (AP) — Adnan Syed, whose protracted legal odyssey was chronicled in the hit podcast “Serial,” is asking Maryland’s highest court to deny a petition to expand the rights of crime victims in post-conviction proceedings.Syed, who was convicted in 2000 of killing his high school ex-girlfriend, regained his freedom last year after Baltimore prosecutors found flaws in the evidence presented at trial and a judge agreed to vacate his conviction. But surviving relatives of the victim, Hae Min Lee, appealed the ruling, arguing they didn’t receive sufficient notice to attend the conviction vacatur hearing that set Syed free.In a March decision, the Maryland Appellate Court agreed, reinstating Syed’s conviction and ordering a redo of the hearing. That decision prompted celebration within the crime victims rights movement and criticism from criminal justice reform advocates who warned of a potential chilling effect on existing efforts to fight wrongful convictions and excessive sentenc...

Debris confirmed to be missing submersible Titan, suffered "catastrophic implosion": USCG

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:36 GMT

UPDATE: The U.S. Coast Guard states multiple pieces of debris have been found and identified as from the Titan. They further state experts have determined the debris is consistent with the "catastrophic loss of the pressure chamber."The search for a missing submersible with five people aboard took a bleak turn Thursday when the U.S. Coast Guard said a debris field was found at the bottom of the ocean near the Titanic, and the critical 96-hour mark passed when breathable air could have run out.The Coast Guard’s post on Twitter gave no details, such as whether officials believe the debris is connected to the Titan, which was on an expedition to view the wreckage of the Titanic. It said the debris was discovered within the search area by a remotely operated underwater robot, and was being evaluated. The Titan was estimated to have about a four-day supply of breathable air when it launched Sunday morning in the North Atlantic — but experts have emphasized ...

Sleep baseball: Chicago man helping insomniacs with fake broadcasts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:36 GMT

CHICAGO — One Chicago man has made it his mission to help those sleep better — by producing stodgy and nostalgic fake baseball broadcasts. The man, who goes by the moniker Mr. King, grew up in Minnesota but has called Chicago home since 1996.Like millions across the world, King was having trouble falling asleep in 2021. He entered the world of sleep podcasts, but wasn't having a lot of success.Then, King remembered the power some sports broadcasts can have with humans trying to nap."One night I was listening to a west coast (baseball) game and the ads were twice as loud," Mr. King told WGN News.He knew creating a monotone fake baseball broadcast could be a hit in the world ASMR sleep podcasts."It's great to listen to a boring baseball game to help sleep," Mr. King said. "I searched around for one thinking 'someone had to be already doing that' but I couldn't find any."So King, along with his wife and friend Phil Hunter, got to work in late 2021.Mr. King's audio setupHe had the visio...

Missing Montclare woman located

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:36 GMT

CHICAGO — The Chicago Police Department has located a missing 33-year-old woman last seen on Saturday, June 10. Search underway for missing Irving Park teen On Thursday, the Chicago Police Department said the woman has been located.

Traffic Alert: Portion of US-183 closed for roadway repairs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:36 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Crews began working to repair a damaged roadway off US 183 Tuesday, according to officials with the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority.CTRMA said there were pavement issues but could not provide any information on the cause of the damage.“Once the repairs are complete, we’ll do some assessments and make some determinations on potential causes,” CTRMA said.Road conditions at US 183 frontage road just south of 51st Street (KXAN photo/Todd Bynum)Road conditions at US 183 frontage road just south of 51st Street (KXAN photo/Todd Bynum)Road conditions at US 183 frontage road just south of 51st Street (KXAN photo/Todd Bynum)Road conditions at US 183 frontage road just south of 51st Street (KXAN photo/Todd Bynum)Officials said the plan was to repair the concrete on one side first, which would close two lanes of the four, and then switch to repairing the other side.“Our primary focus is getting the repair completed and the road back open fully as quickly and safely as ...

LIVE: After delays, Texas Senate agrees on Paxton impeachment trial rules

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:36 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — After two days of delays and private deliberation, the Texas Senate voted Wednesday night to approve rules for the upcoming impeachment trial of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton.The trial is scheduled to begin on September 5. Senators approved a separate resolution ordering Paxton to appear before the Senate by 9:00 a.m. on that date.One highly-anticipated decision was whether Paxton's wife, State Sen. Angela Paxton, would be required to recuse herself. That issue was addressed in the final rule senators approved, Rule 31, stating that as Ken Paxton's spouse, Sen. Paxton "shall not be eligible to vote on any matter, motion, or question, or participate in closed sessions or deliberations."However, the rule also states that Sen. Paxton "shall be seated in the court of impeachment." It also said she "shall be considered present and eligible only for the purpose of calculating the number of votes required for any and all matters, motions, and questions under th...

North Austin's Braker Lane to shut down for rail station construction

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:36 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Drivers who have noticed lane closures on Braker Lane in north Austin should brace for even more slowdowns this summer. The road will shut down just east of Q2 Stadium for six days while CapMetro works on its new MaKalla Place Station. Braker Lane will shut down at the railroad crossing from July 7-12. A detour map shows going eastbound, drivers have a relatively short detour, taking West Kramer Lane to Burnet Road to get around the construction. Westbound drivers are routed on West Kramer Lane to Metric Boulevard to Rutland Drive to Burnet Road. That detour is about two miles. Texas Department of Transportation data shows in 2020 an estimated 23,000 drivers traveled that section of Braker Lane daily.CapMetro Rail service will also be suspended from July 5-14. The agency offers alternate bus options for commuters. The closure is to move forward on the new McKalla Station. When complete, it will be right next to Q2 Stadium. It's due to open before the start of the 20...