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Trump’s day in court as criminal defendant: What to know

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:03 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — For the first time in history, a former U.S. president has appeared in court as a criminal defendant.Donald Trump surrendered to authorities Tuesday after being indicted by a New York grand jury on charges related to a hush-money scheme at the height of the 2016 presidential election.The former president and 2024 presidential candidate pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges in a Manhattan courtroom.Here’s what to know about Trump’s day in court:HUSH-MONEY SCHEME RELATED TO 2016 ELECTIONProsecutors unsealed the indictment against the former president Tuesday, giving Trump, his lawyers and the world their first opportunity to see them. Trump was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Prosecutors said Trump conspired to undermine the 2016 presidential election by trying to suppress information that could harm his candidacy with a series of hush money payments. The payments were made to two women — including a porn actor — who claimed...

Former Kansas researcher appeals remaining conviction

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:03 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A former researcher, who was accused of hiding work he did in China while employed at the University of Kansas, has asked a federal judge to reverse a conviction for making a false statement on an employee form.Feng “Franklin” Tao was convicted in April 2022 of three counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement. U.S. District Court Judge Julie Robinson threw out the wire fraud convictions in September, but let the false statement conviction stand. Tao was sentenced to time served.In a motion filed Monday, Tao’s attorneys argued his remaining conviction also should be reversed, or go to trial again. Tao was accused of not properly filling out an institutional responsibilities form for the University of Kansas, by not disclosing that he was traveling to China to work on setting up a laboratory and recruit staff for Fuzhou University.Federal prosecutors argued that Tao’s activities defrauded the university, as well as the U.S. Depa...

Colorado court considers challenge to sex abuse lawsuit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:03 GMT

DENVER (AP) — When Angelica Saupe was 20, she went to police to report that she was sexually abused by her high school basketball coach as a teen but said she was wrongly told that it was too late to pursue criminal charges against him. She got another chance to pursue her claim last year after state lawmakers allowed childhood victims of sexual assault to sue their alleged abusers and employers. But now, the Colorado Supreme Court is considering whether the law violates the state constitution. The court’s justices heard arguments Tuesday from a lawyer representing Saupe as well as Aurora Public Schools, which Saupe sued under a law that took effect last year that opened up a three-year window for people to pursue litigation for sexual abuse they suffered as children dating as far back as 1960. The law is part of a national effort to make it easier for victims to seek justice later in life after they have had time to come to terms with what happened.At issue is whether that la...

Hail and wind damage reported in Tuesday's storms

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:03 GMT

Thunderstorms passed through the Chicago area Tuesday prompting watches and warnings through much of the daytime hours.Wind damage was reported in the city of Chicago. Roofs in the 3600 and 4500 block of Grand Avenue and 1600 block of Wells had significant damage according to the Chicago Fire Department. Downed trees and power lines were also reports.Emergency crews in LaGrange Park and Maywood also responded to reports of tree and light pole damage. No injuries have been reported at this time. Damage reports also included large hail stones that bombarded the area. Tennis ball size (2.75" in diameter) was reported in at Sandwich, Illinois.We got everything from pea to quarter size hail in Highland Park. @WGNTV pic.twitter.com/i394szYIR0— Kelly Davis (@kellykdavis) April 4, 2023Large hail has even hit parts of the city. The Jefferson Park neighborhood was hit with 1.50" diameter hail (ping pong size) just past 2 p.m.  Other large hail reports have included 2.50 inches in ...

Why Bill Murray was celebrating a UConn national title

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:03 GMT

HOUSTON - There was a familiar face among the supporters of one of the teams in the men's basketball championship game Monday night in Houston.In fact, people have seen this well-known actor and comedian at the NCAA Tournament before.(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)Wilmette native Bill Murray was cheering on UConn as they faced San Diego State in the championship game on Monday night at NRG Stadium in Houston. He watched as the Huskies completed their strong run in the tournament with a 76-59 win over the Aztecs to win their fifth national title.(Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)Murray was also on the floor greeting some of the players after the game as UConn as they finished with a 31-8 record and won all six of their tournament games by double digits. Naturally, one might ask why the actor was invested in the success of the Huskies during this season.For Murray, it's all about family.(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)Bill's son, Luke Murray, is in his second year as ...

Killings in Mexican resort of Cancun tied to drug rivalries

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:03 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican authorities say the killings of four men in the resort of Cancun are probably related to drug gang rivalries. The Caribbean coast state of Quintana Roo on Tuesday blamed the killings on drug gang leader Hector Flores Aceves, known by his nickname “Pantera,” or the Panther. The four dead bodies were found Monday in the city’s hotel zone near the beach as Cancun kicked off the Easter Week vacations, one of its busiest times of the year. The state is offering a $50,000 reward for Flores Aceves, saying he was involved in the killings. He has been sought since a series of killings at bars in Cancun in May 2022.

Preschool favorite Blippi added to Minnesota State Fair Grandstand lineup

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:03 GMT

Blippi will close out the 2023 Minnesota State Fair Grandstand series on Sept. 4.Tickets are $16 and go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Etix or by phone at 800-514-3849.So, who is Blippi?It’s the creation of educator Stevin John, who was dismayed by the low-quality YouTube content he saw his young nephew viewing. Taking inspiration from Mr. Rogers, John created the character of Blippi and created a series of videos he began posting to YouTube in 2014. With his orange bow tie and glasses, Blippi caught the attention of young viewers and eventually earned billions of views online.In 2020, John sold the character to Moonbug Entertainment, which has since licensed Blippi books, dolls, bikes, clothing and games. Blippi is now available in more than 20 languages, including ASL, and can be viewed on multiple streaming services, including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime and Roku.According to the news release: “Audiences should come to dance, sing and learn with Blippi and special guest ...

Queen Camilla: Charles’ wife gets title on coronation invite

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:03 GMT

By DANICA KIRKA (Associated Press)LONDON (AP) — King Charles III’s wife has been officially identified as Queen Camilla for the first time, with Buckingham Palace using the title on invitations for the monarch’s May 6 coronation.Camilla, who until now has been described as queen consort, is given equal billing on the ornate medieval style invitations that will be sent to more than 2,000 guests and were unveiled on Tuesday.The new title is another step in the remarkable transformation of a woman once derided as a homewrecker because of her role in the breakdown of Charles’ marriage to the late Princess Diana.Charles and Camilla met long before the future king married Diana in 1981 and their relationship continued throughout the tumultuous marriage. That made Camilla an object of scorn among Diana’s many fans, who rallied around the princess as her marriage collapsed.But Camilla has won over much of the British public with her warmth and down-to-earth humor since she married Charles i...

St. Paul sales tax proposal stalls as MN House looks to regional tax for affordable housing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:03 GMT

St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter’s pitch to voters to support increasing the city’s local sales tax for parks and road repair might not make it to ballot this November, given competing bills at the state Legislature.When the Minnesota Senate Committee on Taxes convened last week, the St. Paul mayor testified alongside counterparts from 18 other cities and counties pitching individual proposals to increase their local sales taxes to raise funds for roads, parks, public safety facilities or other favored projects.Don’t expect a similar showcase in the Minnesota House, at least not anytime soon. The House Committee on Taxes, chaired by state Rep. Aisha Gomez, DFL-Minneapolis, has declined to hear the same flurry of legislative bills, given somewhat clashing proposals for metro-wide sales taxes for housing and transportation.“The local option sales taxes … in a sense they are competing,” acknowledged state Rep. Mike Howard, DFL-Richfield, a lead author of...

Bail reform, housing holding up NYS Budget

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:03 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)--On Tuesday, the legislative leaders met with the governor for roughly two hours to talk about the state budget. The deadline has been now pushed back to April 10, with lawmakers expected to return to Albany after the holiday weekend, something they weren’t originally scheduled to do."I look at it as a negotiating tact," said Senate Minority Leader, Rob Ortt on Monday. Do I want to come back next week? No. Will I? Obviously. We will come back as we need to. If we have to sit here throughout all next week, then that’s what we got to do, because the public deserves a budget."Until a budget is passed, the lawmakers won’t get paid. According to Speaker Carl Heastie on Monday, working on a Bail Reform agreement continues to be a top priority."Right now, bail is now taking up pretty much all of the oxygen in the room and everything else is second, " explained Heastie. "Conversations are still being had, but I’d say it was bail and housing was 90%, bail itself now may...