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Ex-Miss Florida pageant director goes to prison for fraud

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:22 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — The former executive director of the Miss Florida pageant has been sentenced to more than a year in federal prison for stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from the organization.Mary Wickersham, 77, was sentenced last Friday in Miami federal court, according to court records. Earlier this year, she pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, while six other counts were dropped. In addition to prison time, Wickersham, who is also known as Mary Sullivan, must pay $243,000 in restitution.Wickersham began serving as the executive director of the Miss Florida Scholarship Program in 2002. The program offers educational and financial assistance to young women across the state, and each year the state winner goes on to compete in the Miss America pageant, which Florida has won twice.According to a criminal complaint, Wickersham formed a Florida corporation named Miss Florida LLC in 2011 and used it to open a bank account in the same name. Without the knowledge or consent of...

Since his ouster, embarrassing reports on Carlson pile up

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:22 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A week after Fox News fired star host Tucker Carlson — for reasons that remain unexplained — he has been the subject of a handful of embarrassing stories about some of his private messages and statements while at the network.The latest was in The New York Times on Wednesday, reporting on a text message that had been redacted as part of a recent defamation case targeting the network. In it, Carlson declared that a group of Trump supporters beating a protester was “not how white men fight.”The sentiment was not out of character for Carlson, who has promoted the view that whites are being “replaced” by people of color. But the Times suggested the timing was crucial, as members of Fox’s board found out about the message as part of documents uncovered in the defamation lawsuit filed by Dominion Voting Systems, shortly before a trial was to begin last month.The newspaper said the discovery “contributed to a chain of events” that led to Carlson being fired April 24, l...

Washington governor rolls back limitations on police chases

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:22 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — With the stroke of a pen Wednesday, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee rolled back some requirements for police to chase people in vehicles, a partial reversal of a controversial pursuit policy first enacted in the state at the height of racial injustice protests following George Floyd’s murder.Under the new law, police no longer need probable cause to initiate a pursuit. Instead, reasonable suspicion that a person inside a vehicle has committed or is committing a crime would be enough to give chase.The bill reflects a call for a return to more flexibility for law enforcement after Washington lawmakers passed an array of reforms to reduce violence and death in police response, covering everything from background checks officers undergo before they’re hired to the circumstances under which they can pursue vehicles.“Sometimes the pendulum swings too fast,” said John Bandler, a lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. “The criminal justice system is not a well-oiled whe...

Guatemala seeks arrest of ex-guerrilla leader in 1980 blast

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:22 GMT

GUATEMALA CITY (AP) — A judge in Guatemala issued an arrest warrant Wednesday for Gustavo Meoño, a former leftist guerrilla leader and transparency activist, in connection with a 1980 bomb attack. The bombing in Guatemala City’s main plaza killed several people and was blamed on the rebels of the Guerrilla Army of the Poor. The attack occurred during the country’s 1960-1996 civil war between the army and leftist rebels in which over 200,000 people died, most at the hands of the military. Meoño was leader of the Army of the Poor at the time of the attack. He later went on to head the National Police Historic Archive, a collection of millions of documents found in a warehouse in 2005 that documented rights abuses during the conflict. Meoño faces homicide and other charges in the case. He had not been charged until now because the case was based on a complaint filed by citizens in 2017.The Associated Press

Chicago Park District after-school program relocated to accommodate migrants

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:22 GMT

CHICAGO — A Chicago Park District after school program in Avondale is being relocated in order to help migrants arriving in the City.The City of Chicago is converting the building found at Brands Park on North Elston Avenue into a temporary shelter for migrants, meanwhile, the park district is moving children enrolled in programming at the park to Horner Park on Montrose Avenue and Linne Elementary on Sacramento Avenue.Parents who picked up their kids from after school programming at Brands Park Wednesday learned their children couldn't come back."Honestly the kids were confused. My child was very upset," said Courtney Roman. "I told my son to clean out his locker and bring everything home because we wouldn’t be returning. That was really inconsiderate."Mayor Lori Lightfoot's Office provided a statement Wednesday on the City's latest efforts to accommodate migrants arriving in Chicago:"As a welcoming city, Chicago continues to receive new arrivals and tend to their immediate needs. ...

1 in critical condition after 3-car crash in Hobart

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:22 GMT

HOBART, Ind. — One person is in critical condition after a crash on Wednesday afternoon in Hobart, according to the Hobart Fire Department.The crash happened around 3 p.m. near 37th Avenue and North Lake Park Avenue. Man runs red light, dies after being hit by semi-truck driver in Northwest Indiana According to a Facebook post from the Hobart Fire Department, one person was removed from the car and taken to a hospital in critical condition.The Hobart Police Department said three cars were involved in the crash.The South Lake County Accident Reconstruction Team is investigating.Additional details haven't been released at this time.

Aurora man accused of hurling death threats at Pritzker

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:22 GMT

WHEATON, Ill. — An Aurora man is accused of threatening harm to Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker by voicemail last month. Steven WoletzSteven Woletz, 46, is charged with one felony count of threatening a public official after prosecutors allege Woletz called the Governor’s Office of Constituent Affairs on April 15 and left a threatening voice message directed at Pritzker. SEE ALSO | AG: Chicago man charged with hate crimes after threatening Foxx, LightfootAccording to prosecutors, some of the comments left by Woletz included: “(Expletive) you and your (expletive) mother” and “I’m going to (expletive) kill you, you (expletive) silly (expletive) (expletive).” Illinois State Police troopers identified Woletz as the suspect. He was taken into custody on Tuesday and released on Wednesday after posting bond.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesHis next appearance in court is scheduled for Monday, May 22.

All Oregon residents could soon choose to pump their own gas as bill advances

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:22 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A bill that would allow all Oregonians the option to choose between pumping their own gas or having an attendant pump it for them may soon receive a vote from the Senate. Oregon is one of only two states - New Jersey being the other - that require attendants to pump gas for customers. There are currently laws in place allowing people in rural Oregon counties to pump their own gas, and drivers of diesel vehicles can also pump their own gas.If passed, House Bill 2426 would change Oregon law and require gas stations statewide to allow customers to pump their own gas if they choose. It would require that gas cost the same amount no matter what service a person chooses and would not allow stations to have more self-service pumps than they have attendant-service pumps.  HB 2426 passed the House on March 20. On Tuesday, May 2, a public hearing on the bill was held in the Senate Energy and Environment Committee. At the public hearing, verbal testi...

A little bad luck puts Cubs catcher Yan Gomes on IL

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:22 GMT

WASHINGTON D.C — An unfortunate break early in Monday's game against the Nationals means that one of the catcher's in the Cubs' rotation will be out for a bit. Cubs catcher Yan Gomes is headed to the 7-day concussion IL. .Javier Assad has been called up from Triple-A Iowa..@WGNNews pic.twitter.com/hfwF1flEKJ— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) May 3, 2023Yan Gomes was placed on the seven-day concussion injured list on Wednesday retroactive to May 2 ahead of the Cubs' third of a four-game series against Washington at Nationals Park.Pitcher Javier Assad was called up for a third time this season from Triple-A Iowa to take his spot on the roster.This comes after he was injured on a bit of a freak play early on Monday when Jeimer Candelario's backswing hit the catcher in the top of the helmet in the first inning. He was removed from the game before the next inning and wasn't in the lineup on Tuesday night. In his second year with the Cubs, Gomes was off to a solid start in 2023 as he ha...

Illinois attorney general fighting to keep abortion pill

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:22 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) — Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul is fighting to preserve access to the drug used in the most common method of abortion.Raoul joined a coalition of 24 attorneys general who filed a brief in defense of "mifepristone" with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday. Illinois city backs abortion pills ban, defying legal risks They urged the appellate court to reverse a lower court ruling to suspend the FDA's long-standing approval of the drug.The attorneys general said that it will harm millions of Americans, under-served groups in particular.The Supreme Court allowed access to mifepristone last month to continue while the appeals process plays out.