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US prosecutors charge Minneapolis mosque arson suspect

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:45:10 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A man suspected of setting fires to Minneapolis mosques was indicted Thursday on federal charges of arson and damage to religious property while investigators look into a series of crimes targeting Muslims and Somali Americans.Jackie Rahm Little, 36, was indicted by a federal grand jury for an April 24 fire at the Masjid Al-Rahma mosque. Authorities are also investigating him as a suspect in a fire that damaged the Masjid Omar Islamic Center inside a Somali shopping mall on April 23, as well as in the January vandalism of U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omar’s Minneapolis office and of a Somali American police officer’s vehicle, among other crimes, U.S. Attorney Andy Luger said at a news conference.“The freedom to worship is sacrosanct. We will respond to any attack on any house of worship with urgency and determination,” said Luger, who noted that the charge accusing Little of damaging religious property is a civil rights violation.Little pleaded not guilty at a brief hear...

With warm weather on tap, police warn of more roofing scams in Toronto and GTA

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:45:10 GMT

The concerning prevalence of roofing scams isn’t going away as Toronto police are again out with another warning as the weather improves.This comes after investigators announced the arrest of an 18-year-old man, alleging on April 25, three men were in the Danforth neighbourhood when they approached a homeowner, saying they were working as roofers on a nearby home and noticed damage on their roof.After conducting the phony inspection, police say the homeowner was provided with a quote for $18,500. The homeowner gave the men a deposit of $9,000 to begin work the next day. Eventually, the homeowner contacted the police, leading to charges being laid a few days later.RELATED: Industry experts call for more government oversight to prevent roofing scamsToronto police said these scams have become more frequent in the city and GTA. Authorities listed some suspicious activity to be on the lookout for.“A person may attend your house unsolicited and advise you that your roof needs ...

Tyre Nichols died of blows to the head, autopsy shows

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:45:10 GMT

MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Tyre Nichols died of blows to the head suffered when he was beaten by Memphis police during a January arrest, an autopsy report released Thursday showed.The autopsy said the manner of death was homicide. The report released by the medical examiner in Memphis described brain injuries, cuts and bruises to the head and other parts of the body.Nichols was Black, as were the five police officers fired and charged with second-degree murder and other counts after his death. They pleaded not guilty Feb. 17.Ben Crump, an attorney for the Nichols family, said they were briefed Wednesday on the autopsy report by the district attorney in Shelby County, which includes Memphis.“The official autopsy report further propels our commitment to seeking justice for this senseless tragedy,” a statement released by Crump’s law firm said.Nichols was stopped by police Jan. 7 for an alleged traffic violation and was aggressively pulled out of his car by officers. An officer shot at Nich...

Fire cancels evening activities at Glenbrook South High School

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:45:10 GMT

GLENVIEW, Ill. — There was a fire Thursday afternoon in the wood shop at Glenbrook South High School.The school said the fire was reported shortly before dismissal around 3 p.m. and the fire alarm was activated. IDOT announces new construction project on Kennedy Expressway No injuries were reported, according to public safety officials and the school.The school said no one is allowed back in the building until an all-clear has been given by the fire department.All home athletic events, except for the men's lacrosse game and Thursday night's band concert have been canceled.The school said students' items will stay where they left them.

Lakeview man plants tulip garden to brighten neighborhood

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:45:10 GMT

CHICAGO -- For nearly 30 years, a colorful sidewalk-lined garden has drawn a crown in Lakeview.When you think of seasoned gardeners, Frank Capolla wouldn't be the kind of guy who would come to mind, but for three decades he has been the man behind some of the most gorgeous flowers in the neighborhood.For Capolla, each day starts with a set of gloves and a song as he settles into his happy place here on the corner of West Nelson Street and North Paulina Street in Chicago's Lakeview neighborhood. Neighbors rally to help rescue cat stuck 50 feet up in tree A bed of more than 500 blossoms stretching from one end of the street to the other. Something Copolla takes the time to maybe brighten someone's day.The problem is the source of all the color and joy is the same thing driving him mad.Ignoring a torn meniscus and the occasional back flare up, Copolla gardens simply for the love of the flowers. He said sometimes you got to get a little dirty to spread sunshine and Frank can't think o...

Casey White pleads guilty to first-degree escape, avoids murder charge in Vicky White's death

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:45:10 GMT

LAUDERDALE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) — Casey White, the prisoner who became the target of a nationwide manhunt after escaping from an Alabama facility with help from jailer Vicky White, agreed to a plea deal Thursday before he could be tried for murder in White's death.After a routine hearing in a Lauderdale County courtroom, White entered his plea to first-degree escape, in exchange for the felony murder charge involving Vicky White being dismissed. One year since the escape of Casey White, aided by jailer Vicky White Lauderdale County District Attorney Chris Connolly told Nexstar's WHNT that White approached him after the hearing to present the plea deal. Connolly said White agreed to the maximum sentence for first-degree escape, which is life in prison, however, a judge will have the final say in his sentencing. WHNT crews inside the courtroom said White acknowledged and apologized to Ms. Jones, Vicky's mother when entering his plea. He also said, "It wasn't supposed to go that way,"...

Congress mulls AI regulation as White House pushes companies on best practices

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:45:10 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — The Biden administration rolled out new initiatives Thursday to bring the federal government up to speed with artificial intelligence technology.Before a closed-door meeting between President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and AI tech leaders at Google, Microsoft and Open AI, the White House announced $140 million in AI research funding. It also said the Office of Management and Budget is drafting a new guidance that will instruct federal agencies how to integrate AI tools.The announcements are the latest in a string of actions from the White House designed to encourage companies to adopt ethical and nondiscriminatory AI policies."This is a very powerful technology," Arati Prabhakar, Biden's science adviser, said of AI.She called the announcements a step in the right direction but said the administration will continue to pressure companies to do more.“The president and the vice president have been clear that part of managing the risk of AI really has ...

Illinois' marijuana tax revenue is the highest in the country, next to California

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:45:10 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — Illinois made $562 million in taxes from marijuana sales in 2022, according to the Marijuana Policy Project.Illinois taxes legal cannabis with some of the highest rates in the country, with up to 40% over the sale price, placing the state 2nd in the U.S, behind California.Michigan, for comparison, taxes cannabis at 10%. Is it illegal to get my dog high in Illinois? According to Crain's Chicago Business, 48% of Illinois marijuana users have converted to the legal market for the drug, compared to Michigan's 75%. Michigan took in $326 million in cannabis sales tax revenue in 2022.While marijuana is now recreationally legal in the state, it can only be purchased from a licensed dispensary. If a person decides to sell weed by themselves, they can face major penalities.For example, selling or trafficking more than 5,000 grams of marijuana in the state can lead to 30 years of incarceration and a $200,000 fine.There is also a limit on the number of plants that I...

City holds meeting about plans to house migrants at old high school

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:45:10 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago's shelter system is bursting at the seams and now they mayor wants to open the old South Shore High School to newly arriving migrants.Hundreds of residents are expected at a meeting Thursday evening, as well as members of Mayor Lori Lightfoot's administration. A protest is also expected as community members sound off with their frustrations. Chicago Park District after-school program relocated to accommodate migrants Newly elected 5th Ward Ald. Desmon Yancy, like many of his constituents, are upset about the mayor's plan to house migrants at the school.Like when asylum seekers were moved to Wadsworth Elementary School in Woodlawn in February, residents said they were given little notice or input."We felt like because of what happened at Wadsworth, there would be more conversations from the mayor's office about how the community could be involved in this conversation and here we are again repeating the same mistakes from last time," Yancy said. LaVonte Stewart Sr....

Sen. Bernie Sanders announces plan to raise the minimum wage to $17 an hour

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 17:45:10 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) - Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is renewing his efforts to raise the federal minimum wage. He says the U.S. needs to stand up for working families who are struggling to make ends meet. "Nobody in this country can survive on $7.25 an hour," Sanders said.Thursday, alongside workers and labor groups, Sanders announced his latest push to raise the federal minimum wage."You can't make it on nine bucks an hour, you can't do it on 12 bucks an hour. We need an economy in which all of our workers earn a living wage," Sanders said.Sanders is now calling to raise the federal minimum wage, over a five-year period, to $17 an hour."15 (dollars) isn't even enough for what we're going through today," Union of Southern Service Workers Bertha “Mama Cookie” Bradley said."The last minimum wage bill passed by Congress was in 2008," Sanders said. "Do you think it's time to raise it? I do."But opponents say raising the minimum wage will kill small businesses and spike inflation."Most of...