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Defense digs into Manuel Ellis’ drug use at trial of Washington officers accused in man’s death

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:10 GMT

TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — A lawyer for one of three Washington police officers charged in the death of Manuel Ellis — a 33-year-old Black man who was punched, shocked with a Taser, then put in a chokehold and held face-down as he pleaded for breath — urged jurors Monday to focus on Ellis’ drug use and prior arrests.The opening statement from Casey Arbenz, an attorney representing Tacoma officer Matthew Collins, came seven weeks into the trial, after prosecutors rested their case last Thursday. Collins and Officer Christopher Burbank face second-degree murder and manslaughter charges, while Officer Timothy Rankine is charged with manslaughter in Ellis’ death in Tacoma on March 3, 2020.Three witnesses have testified that they saw Collins and Burbank attack Ellis as he walked past their vehicle, and two of them recorded cell phone video of the struggle. But Arbenz highlighted two previous arrests — in 2015 and 2019 — when Ellis was under the influence of methamphetamine, suggest...

2 men released from custody after initial arrest in the death of a Mississippi college student

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:10 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Two men who were arrested and charged in the death of a college student in Mississippi have been released from custody. Joshua Brown, 19, was released Friday from the Hinds County Detention Center after initially being held on a murder charge in the killing of 21-year-old Jaylen Burns, a student at Jackson State University. Surveillance footage obtained by WLBT-TV appeared to show Brown out of town when Burns was shot and killed. Then on Monday, Jamison Kelly Jr., who was arrested on suspicion of accessory to murder after the fact, was released from jail after Hinds County Judge James Bell said there wasn’t enough probable cause to charge him. “He was on the ground when the shots took place. We don’t have evidence that Kelly knew (someone) with him picked up a gun or fired a gun, or evidence that (the shot) that hit Mr. Burns,” the news station reported Bell saying. “It fails to meet the minimum standard.”Jerry Campbell, Kelly’s attorney said the charges ...

'He was a light of sunshine': Chicago firefighter dies after battling fire in Lincoln Park

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:10 GMT

CHICAGO — A procession was held on Monday afternoon for a Chicago firefighter who died after battling a blaze that broke out at a tavern in the city's Lincoln Park neighborhood on Monday morning. Fire officials confirmed his death in a post on X on Monday morning and said in part: "On behalf of the Fire Commissioner, it is my sad duty to report the passing of our member injured this morning at 2430 Lincoln.The firefighter, who has been identified as 39-year-old Andrew Price, joined the department in March 2009 and was assigned to Truck 44 in 2015.  FDA approves first vaccine for mosquito-borne disease — and more Price, who would have turned 40 in January, was known as "Drew" by co-workers who described him as a health nut who loved his job. Fire officials say the blaze broke out around 5:30 a.m. in the kitchen of the Lincoln Station Bar and Grill in the 2400 block of Lincoln Avenue."Our apartment was filled with smoke and we heard the alarms going off," Ka...

Evanston city council tables vote on Northwestern University stadium project

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:10 GMT

EVANSTON, Ill. — Leaders in Evanston are expected have tabled a final vo te on a proposal to build a new Northwestern football stadium.The council tabled the vote, which was expected to happen Monday evening, until a special city council meeting on Nov. 20. This comes after getting more information about a new deal from the university.Northwestern University is proposing to tear down Ryan Field, the 97-year-old stadium that looms over an upscale residential neighborhood, and replace it with a privately funded $800 million facility that the university envisions as a venue for concerts and other events.The university originally requested a zoning amendment allowing for 15 concerts, but in the face of opposition, it dropped that number to six, which authorities told the commission is the minimum number it needs to bring in the revenue to sustain the stadium’s operations. More: Evanston residents protest Ryan Field renovations for 2nd straight day Some residents are concerne...

'Love Has Won': New HBO series to highlight cult headquartered in Colorado

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:10 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — HBO is releasing a docuseries on Monday that dives into the world of the Love Has Won cult in Saguache County, Colorado."Love Has Won: The Cult of Mother God," will be released on the streaming platform on Nov. 13 at 9 p.m.According to HBO, the docuseries will chronicle the life and death of Amy Carlson, also known as Mother God. Carlson is described as a self-proclaimed spiritual savior who built a cult through her online manifestos and live-streaming sessions. Colorado professor breaks down cult behavior following ‘Love Has Won’ arrests The three-part docuseries is told through the eyes of Carlson's Love Has Won devotees and archival footage. Love Has Won Colorado connectionLove Has Won has been described as a cult by former members. Crestone in Saguache County would become the headquarters for Carlson's new group. According to her estranged son Cole Carlson, she left him when he was 10 years old to become the leader of Love Has Won.Carlson would produce daily vi...

Faith leaders join Johnson in call for patience amid Chicago's migrant relief efforts

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:10 GMT

CHICAGO — As a sense of urgency grows, with winter fast approaching, Chicago’s mayor says he is looking to shore up support with influential pastors as the city efforts migrant relief.On Monday, Mayor Brandon Johnson acknowledged the concern.SEE ALSO: CPD officers helps migrant kids write new stories with donated books “We hear the frustrations. We hear the concerns. And getting to the other side of this is going to take all of us,” Johnson said.  Amid scores of protests across the city, some locals oppose the construction of migrant shelters in their neighborhoods. Moreover, many have expressed to WGN News that they feel the city has left them behind. "The pain and frustration that the people of Chicago, particularly Black Chicago, are experiencing, I recognize that," Johnson said. Addressing the latest concerns at the Indiana Avenue Pentecostal Church of God in Bronzeville, Johnson was joined by Bishop Simon Gordon with the Triedstone Church of Chicago. Gordon asked Chic...

Anticipation builds as residents debate the pros and cons of F1 in Las Vegas

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:10 GMT

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — As Formula One fans begin filtering into the Las Vegas valley ahead of Saturday's Las Vegas Grand Prix, many are asking where the crowds will park as the race takes over The Strip.One of those with parking at the forefront of his mind is Yves Barroukh, who is visiting Vegas from Miami."I know exactly what's about to happen," Barroukh said. "It's going to be a mess." Electric air taxi flight takes off from NYC heliport Barroukh, familiar with the pros and cons of an F1 race, suggests Las Vegas locals give the race a chance, adding that the first year of any Formula One event can be "a toss-up.""This is what happened in Miami and then they get much better the next year," Barroukh said.He isn't the only one with that perception as standard parking options along the Las Vegas Strip tighten their rules. For instance, Fashion Show Las Vegas, usually a source of free parking, will be charging anywhere from $40 to $75 during the F1 event unless validated with purch...

How might education savings accounts impact special needs students?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:10 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- Supporters of Texas' education savings accounts proposal argue state money could allow special needs students to access schools catered to their unique learning abilities, while critics worry a state-subsidized tuition program would further neglect services in underfunded public schools. Lawmakers and stakeholders on each side of the debate agree: special needs students are not well-served by the current state of public schools' special needs programs.Texas Academic Performance Reports show just 11% of students with disabilities were college ready in 2020, compared to 53% of all students. That's a slight increase over 2018, when just 7.2% of students with disabilities were college ready.At the end of 2022, The Texas Commission on Special Education Funding recommended an overhaul of the Texas Education Agency's special education funding model -- transitioning from a per-student funding model to one based on the intensity of needs.This legislative session, lawmaker...

Wildlife refuge pond in Hawaii mysteriously turns bright pink. Drought may be to blame.

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:10 GMT

HONOLULU — A pond in Hawaii has turned so bubble-gum pink it could be from the set of “Barbie,” but the bizarre phenomenon is no cause for a dance party. Drought may be to blame for the strange hue, scientists say, and they’re warning against entering the water or drinking it.Staff at the Kealia Pond National Wildlife Refuge on Maui have been monitoring the pink water since Oct. 30.“I just got a report from somebody that was walking on the beach, and they called me up like, ‘There’s something weird going on over here,’” said Bret Wolfe, the refuge manager.Wolfe was concerned the bright pink could be a sign of an algae bloom, but lab tests found toxic algae was not causing the color. Instead an organism called halobacteria might be the culprit.Halobacteria are a type of archaea or single-celled organism that thrive in bodies of water with high levels of salt. The salinity inside the Kealia Pond outlet area is currently greater than 70 parts per thousand, which is twice the salinity o...

Supreme Court to adopt ethics code after scrutiny of undisclosed gifts

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:40:10 GMT

The Supreme Court indicated Monday it will adopt a code of conduct amid heightened scrutiny over the high court’s standards when it comes to undisclosed gifts and trips.In a statement released alongside the 15-page code, the justices said the court's rules and principles are, for the most part, “not new.” However, “codification” of existing principles is meant to clear up concerns about the justices operating without oversight. "The absence of a Code ... has led in recent years to the misunderstanding that the Justices of this Court, unlike all other jurists in this country, regard themselves as unrestricted by any ethics rules," the statement reads. "To dispel this misunderstanding, we are issuing this Code, which largely represents a codification of principles that we have long regarded as governing our conduct.”The new code details five “canons,” or rules, each of the nine justices agreed to abide by, many drawing lines in the sand on political activity and fundraising.One o...