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Former Austin car dealer, 2 others convicted in murder-for-hire trial

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:12:54 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Three people were convicted in the murder trial for their roles in the 2020 kidnapping and murder of a Tennessee couple, according to Executive Assistant U.S. Attorney Mark Wildasin.Erik Charles Maund, 48, a former partner with the Austin-area Maund Automotive Group, was convicted on a charge of murder-for-hire with death resulting. Co-defendants Bryon Brockway, 48, of Austin, and Adam Carey, 32, of Richlands, North Carolina, were convicted on a murder-for-hire charge as well as conspiracy to commit kidnapping and kidnapping resulting in death. ‘Murder-for-hire’ trial against former Austin car dealer begins next week Maund was acquitted on the kidnapping charge, as well as the conspiracy to kidnap charge. All defendants face a mandatory life sentence, according to officials.A fourth defendant, Gilad Peled, entered a plea deal in December 2022, which, according to online records, the court accepted. He is scheduled for a sentencing hearing in December 2023. Accordi...

Bethel’s decorated football coach Steve Johnson calls it a career

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:12:54 GMT

After 35 years, Bethel football coach Steve Johnson has decided to retireJohnson retires as one of the most accomplished NCAA Division III coaches of all time, and he has pulled in no shortage of team or individual accolades. His Royals take on No.5 ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater today in the opening round of the Division III playoffs.He ranks 15th all time in wins by a coach in Division III and 35th among the entire NCAA. The Bethel program has been consistently competitive for more than two decades, with the last sub-.500 season being back in 1993. The 1993 season was one of only two seasons that Bethel finished below .500 during Johnson’s tenure as head coach, with the other being Johnson’s first season in 1989.Overall, Bethel went 244-108-1 under Johnson.Over three decades’ worth of winning seasons is no small feat for a program, never mind for a single coach. When asked about what made him and the program so successful over the course of his career, Johnson attributed it to the te...

Reported attempted kidnapping in Hudson did not happen: police

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:12:54 GMT

HUDSON, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Hudson Police Department said a language barrier lead to the report of an attempted kidnapping that did not actually happen.Police were called to Harry Howard Avenue near M.C. Montgomery Elementary School around noon Thursday for a report of an attempted abduction of a 9-year-old boy. However, police located the driver of the involved vehicle on Friday and determined the incident was a misunderstanding. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Police said the driver saw the boy drop a jacket on the walking/bike path. The driver tried to tell the child about the jacket and made a hand gesture pointing to the rear of the vehicle. The driver had a strong accent, and the child believed the driver was instructing him to "get into the back" of the van.Police commended all parties involved in the investigation, including law enforcement, the Hudson City School District, and the children involved.“I want to commend ...

Glenn Zimmerman's long-range 2023 St. Louis winter forecast

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:12:54 GMT

As we have mentioned, this is a different year with a new pattern that has not been seen in several years. This El Niño pattern overall will bring fewer precipitation opportunities and potentially more mild air. But the devil is in the details, so let's dive in.DecemberDecembers are not what they used to be. I could solidify myself as an old guy by saying, “when I was a kid…" But I think you have noticed it too—not much snow happens in December. We’ve had a few November snows in recent years, but December has generally come up short. This year is a little different. Based on current models and global trends, we should have a dramatic cold front on the move in the middle half of the month. It's a front with some cold air, but also a precipitation chance. If this happens like the model are point to, then there is a possibility that there could be snow for Christmas. The climate trends only give us about a 20-30% chance of a white Christmas every year. But some years, a rouge storm can...

Safety concerns linger after St. Louis officer responding to gunfire hurt in crash

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:12:54 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A St. Louis City police officer was injured in a crash Friday morning while rushing to help a hotel security guard who came under fire. St Louis City police say it all unfolded around 3 a.m. Friday at Fourth Street and Washington Avenue. Detectives say a security guard for the Hampton Inn interrupted multiple suspects who were breaking into vehicles on the hotel parking lot.FOX 2 had learned the suspects entered a white Nissan Pathfinder with out-of-state plates and sped off.  Authorities say the security guard attempted to follow the suspects to get the license plate. Arrest made in deadly Clayton shooting One suspect reportedly jumped out of the Nissan Pathfinder and began shooting at the security guard's car. Richard Chandler is visiting St. Louis from the East Coast and heard the gunfire. “We heard lights and sirens, and then, 'Bam. Bam.' They broke into some vehicles over there,“ said Chandler. "It’s a little scary. I thought we were visiting a safe place, and tha...

North county officers surprise hundreds of families with Thanksgiving turkeys

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:12:54 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - Officers with the North County Police Cooperative are on a special mission to help communities in need ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday. Police visited Vinita Park and other municipalities Friday, delivering 400 turkeys to families in need. Officers say it's important to help others who might not be able to afford a Thanksgiving meal. "It's just a grace to have neighborhood cops to come by and give out turkeys," said Skylar Stokes."This is a blessing, and we're going to have a great Thanksgiving," said Andre Hughes.

Lawyer for man charged in Jewish demonstrator's death fires back

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:12:54 GMT

The man accused of causing the death of pro-Israel demonstrator Paul Kessler did not intend to kill him, according to the Ventura County District Attorney, who addressed the filing of charges on Friday.Kessler, 69, who is Jewish, died after suffering a head injury in an altercation at dueling demonstrations surrounding the Israel-Hamas war in Thousand Oaks on Nov. 5. Loay Abdelfattah Alnaji, 50, a professor at Moorpark College, was arrested Thursday and charged with involuntary manslaughter and battery causing serious bodily injury. He pleaded not guilty at his first court appearance on Friday.Loay Alnaji is shown in a Nov. 5, 2023, photo taken by RMG News."We took this case seriously and we investigated and charged it thoroughly," said Ventura County D.A. Erik Nasarenko at a news conference. "We approached it with an open mind. We were not pre-committed to a specific outcome or even criminal culpability, and we never treated the fact that criminal charges would be a foregone c...

Viral Chargers superfan receives line of novelty bobbleheads

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:12:54 GMT

The New York Jets have Fireman Ed; the Raiders have enshrined Wayne "The Violator" Mabry; and the Kansas City Chiefs have Taylor Swift.But no one in the world of NFL superfans has captivated America this season more than Los Angeles Chargers diehard Merrianne Do, who went viral earlier this year for her animated and enthusiastic expressions captured by camera on Monday Night Football.In a 20-17 loss to the Dallas Cowboys, cameras captured Do experiencing the wide range of emotions that come hand-in-hand with fandom. Her genuine and relatable reactions to the highs and lows of a high-stakes game made the longtime season ticket holder an overnight viral sensation.Earlier this year, Do told KTLA that she has been a Chargers fan for 20 years and regularly makes it on the jumbotron. But her debut in front of a worldwide audience raised questions about her authenticity and sent the CVS pharmacist on a nationwide media blitz to tell her story and defend her credentials.Now, a month after b...

1 Hospitalized after Pedestrian Crash on East Bidwell Street [Folsom, CA]

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:12:54 GMT

One Injured in Pedestrian Collision near Oak Avenue ParkwayFOLSOM, CA (November 17, 2023) – Monday night, a pedestrian sustained injuries in a pedestrian collision on East Bidwell Street and Oak Avenue Parkway.Police officers responded to the scene around 9:30 p.m., after receiving multiple dispatch calls. Per reports, the unidentified driver of a vehicle struck a pedestrian in the area.At this time, further circumstances leading up to the collision remain unclear. Medical personnel later transported the victim to a nearby hospital for further treatment.In addition, the involved driver remained at the scene and cooperated with the investigation. Following preliminary duties, police do not suspect drugs or alcohol to be a factor in the collision. Once available, further details will be provided.Operating a vehicle is a responsibility that should not be taken lightly. Always do your part to avoid distractions and look out for pedestrians at all times. If you’re crossing the stre...

How Screenwriter and Top Indie Author Reenita Is Reinventing Indian Humor and Culture In America  

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:12:54 GMT

These days there’s no lack of good books to read. The trick is finding a way to sort through them for the best ones!Here at IndieReader, our job is to recommend the best self-published, hybrid, and small press books. Those that receive a rating of 4-5 stars (the top being 5 stars) are deemed IndieReader Approved.Find out more about an author who meets that criteria.Reenita’s story begins with a childhood dream in India, where she harbored ambitions of becoming a writer. “If you asked my ten-year-old self what I wanted to be when I grow up, my answer was always, I will be a writer of books,” she recalls. Growing up in a business-centric, conservative family and a society that didn’t highly regard professions in storytelling, her aspirations seemed like a distant reality. Despite these cultural and familial constraints, Reenita’s passion for writing and storytelling never waned.Her professional journey saw her delving into various roles–from marketing to ...