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Embattled Sacramento City Council member resigns following federal indictment

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:20 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A city council member in Sacramento, California, resigned Thursday, just weeks after he pleaded not guilty to federal charges that he hired undocumented workers at his local grocery stores, underpaid them and cheated the government on COVID-19 relief funds.The December indictment by the U.S. Department of Justice accused Sean Loloee, 53, of conspiracy to defraud the federal Department of Labor, possession and use of false immigration documents, obstruction of agency proceedings and wire fraud.The Justice Department also determined that Loloee does not live in the district he represents, but in Granite Bay, northeast of the city, which the The Sacramento Bee first reported in June 2022.Mayor Darrell Steinberg and some council members publicly called for Loloee’s resignation in late December. “I’m stepping down because of the recent politically-motivated circus that Mayor Steinberg has created and his attempt to cover up his many shortcomings as the mayor of ...

Navajo Nation charges 2 tribal members with illegally growing marijuana as part of complex case

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:20 GMT

WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) — Authorities on the largest Native American reservation in the U.S. have charged two tribal members with illegally growing marijuana on the Navajo Nation, marking just the latest development in a years-long case that also has involved allegations of forced labor. Tribal prosecutors announced the charges Thursday, claiming that Navajo businessman Dineh Benally and farmer Farley BlueEyes had operated a massive marijuana growing operation in and around Shiprock, New Mexico. The two men were expected to be arraigned on the charges in late January, prosecutors said.Benally had previously been charged for interference with judicial proceedings after a Navajo judge granted a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction in 2020 that was aimed at halting operations at the farms in northwestern New Mexico. David Jordan, an attorney who has represented Benally, said the interference charges were dismissed in December as those cases were set to go to trial....

Backers of an effort to repeal Alaska’s ranked voting system fined by campaign finance watchdog

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:20 GMT

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Supporters of an effort to repeal Alaska’s ranked choice voting system have been fined more than $94,000 after the commission that enforces state campaign finance rules found disclosure and other violations. Kevin Clarkson, an attorney representing the opponents of ranked voting who were fined by the Alaska Public Offices Commission, said they intend to challenge some of the commission’s findings in court, the Anchorage Daily News reported.The commission’s decision, released late Wednesday, is in response to complaints filed by Alaskans for Better Elections, the group that backed the successful 2020 ballot initiative that instituted open primaries and ranked voting in general elections.The commission found registering and reporting violations by organizers of the effort to repeal the new voting system. The decision comes six months after the original complaint was filed. Since then, Alaskans for Better Elections have filed additional complaints a...

New Mexico governor proposes 10% spending increase amid windfall from oil production

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:20 GMT

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico’s governor is proposing a nearly 10% general fund spending increase for the coming fiscal year to shore up housing opportunities, childhood literacy and health care access, with additional payouts for electric vehicles purchases.Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Thursday published the $10.5 billion budget plan for the fiscal year running from July 2024 through June 2025. It would increase general fund spending by roughly $950 million over current annual obligations.The Democratic-led Legislature develops its own competing spending plan in advance of a 30-day legislative session that begins Jan. 16. Lujan Grisham can veto any and all budget provisions approved by legislators.The nation’s No. 2 oil-producing state anticipates a multibillion-dollar surplus for the coming fiscal year, driven largely by oil and natural gas production in the Permian Basin that underlies southeastern New Mexico and western Texas.The governor has signaled...

Ailing, 53-year-old female elephant euthanized at Los Angeles Zoo

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:20 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A 53-year-old Asian elephant has been euthanized at the Los Angeles Zoo after she was unable to stand up, the zoo announced Thursday.Shaunzi, one of two female elephants at the zoo, was discovered unable to stand Tuesday night after she went down in the yard of her exhibit space.“Animal care staff and zoo veterinarians responded quickly and worked through the night to help Shaunzi up. Despite the use of all resources and personnel available, the extraordinary efforts were ultimately unsuccessful,” a zoo statement said. A “heartbreaking” decision was made to sedate and euthanize the animal on Wednesday, the statement said.It wasn’t clear why the elephant couldn’t stand up, and a necropsy was planned, zoo spokesman Carl Myers said.Born in Thailand, Shaunzi spent her youth in a circus, came to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo in 1983 and was sent to the Los Angeles Zoo in 2017.The median life expectancy of female Asian elephants in human care has been estimat...

Connor Bedard named to NHL All-Star Team

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:20 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago Blackhawks rookie phenom Connor Bedard added a first Thursday in what will likely be a long list of them once his career is said and done — Bedard got his first all-star nod.Bedard helped headline a group of 32 selected to the NHL's All-Star Team Thursday evening. The former No. 1 overall pick leads all NHL rookies in points (33), goals (15) and assists (18). According to the NHL, fans will select the final 12 players — eight skaters and four goalies — through an all-star fan vote.Being 18 years and 201 days old when the puck drops at the game on Feb. 3, Bedard will make history as the all-star game's all-time youngest participant.Bedard is one of seven players selected to make their first appearance in the NHL All-Star Game. That list includes Anaheim Ducks forward Frank Vatrano, Columbus Blue Jackets forward Boone Jenner, Dallas Stars goalie Jake Oettinger, Florida Panthers forward Sam Reinhart, Seattle Kraken forward Oliver Bjorkstrand&n...

Man meets fire crew who saved his life from heart attack

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:20 GMT

NILES, Ill. — From gratitude, handshakes and hugs, a man and his family had an emotional exchange Thursday afternoon with the first responders from the Nile Fire Department who saved his life some two weeks ago.Back on Dec. 22, Christopher Szafraniec was going about a normal day at work, when he suffered a heart attack on the job. "I had just punched in," said Szafraniec. "I walked into the warehouse and started sweating profusely, [my] chest started to pound."911 was called and emergency responders arrived within minutes. According to Mike Pope, a firefighter-paramedic who responded to the scene, Szafraniec's heart stopped twice on the way to the hospital. "After the first minute or two, we got a pulse back after we shocked the patient once. [The] patient woke up and we advised him what happened," Pope said. "The second time, [the] patient did code in route to Lutheran general. We shocked him a second time, got a pulse back, and [he] was awake." ‘Having fun with it’: Meet the Chi...

Second batch of Jeffrey Epstein documents unsealed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:20 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The release of dozens of previously sealed court documents from a lawsuit involving Jeffrey Epstein might disappoint online sleuths who anticipated explosive new information.The roughly 60 documents released as of Thursday largely mention figures whose names were already known, including high-profile friends of Epstein’s and victims who have spoken publicly. In fact, the judge who made the call last month to release the information said she was doing so largely because much of it is already public.The plan to release the documents had prompted rumors that they contained a list of “clients” or “co-conspirators,” and misinformation about their contents is continuing to run rampant on social media.Still, the records do include some fresh details about the financier’s sexual abuse of teenage girls, and offer a reminder of how he leveraged his powerful connections to recruit his victims and help cover up his crimes. Jeffrey Epstei...

Man who attacked Las Vegas judge skips court, could get bail

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:20 GMT

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – The man who attacked a judge in a Las Vegas courtroom on Wednesday refused to show up to court Thursday and remains in jail.As Nexstar's KLAS first reported, Deobra Redden, 30, a three-time felon, was in Clark County District Court Judge Mary Kay Holthus' courtroom for sentencing on a charge of attempted battery with substantial bodily harm. As Holthus was getting ready to sentence Redden to prison time, he lunged over the bench and attacked her.On Thursday, Redden refused to show up for his initial appearance in the same building where the attack happened the day before.The Clark County District Attorney's office requested Redden be held without bail. However, Pro-Tem Judge Lauren Diefenbach said that she was not comfortable arguing about bail without Redden present. Bail remained at $54,000.Judge Mary Kay Holthus presides over the arraignment of Republican electors, accused in a fake elector scheme, as they appear remotely at the Regional Justice Center, on Mond...

APD arrests man accused of fatally shooting girlfriend in 1st homicide investigation of 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:55:20 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man accused by police of fatally shooting his girlfriend before turning the gun on himself in southeast Austin was arrested Monday.The Austin Police Department said 20-year-old Martin Rodriguez was being charged with first-degree murder in connection with the death of 19-year-old Naomi Davis.According to APD, on Monday evening, officers responded to multiple calls of a shooting in the 4900 block of East Oltorf Street.APD said when officers arrived, Davis was found unresponsive with a gunshot wound, and Rodriguez appeared to be assaulting her. Davis was later pronounced dead.Police said despite Rodriguez having a self-inflicted gunshot wound, he “resisted arrest and engaged in a physical altercation with the officers.”Rodriguez was eventually arrested, and he was taken to the hospital and treated for his self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to APD. As of Thursday, he remained in stable condition.APD said homicide detectives and crime scene specialists were called...