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Belleville council, neighbors accused of discrimination after youth housing plan rejected

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:48 GMT

BELLEVILLE, Ill. – A spirited debate took place Tuesday night over a plan to open what the city of Belleville deemed a ‘group home’ for young people in a residential neighborhood.The Belleville City Council rejected the plan in a 3-2 vote. Now, the organization behind the plan is accusing city leaders and neighbors of discrimination.The East St. Louis-based organization Teens Against Killing Everywhere (TAKE) recently partnered with Beyond Living, a non-profit organization specializing in shared housing, to buy the home around Belleville’s Highwood subdivision. TAKE CEO Vickie Kimmel said despite Tuesday night’s vote, they are moving forward with their plan.“The kids that are going to move here are not going to be pedophiles. They’re not criminals. They’re young people looking for a fresh start,” Kimmel said. “So, I don’t know why a politician would say no to that.” Missouri expecting two rounds of winter weather Kimmel said she was stunned the city council rejected their plan to ...

Arapahoe County Democrats select new legislator, days before lawmakers reconvene

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:48 GMT

Chad Clifford, a lobbyist and police officer, was selected by a Democratic vacancy committee Wednesday night to represent Greenwood Village and nearby Arapahoe County in the Colorado House this year, replacing a first-term legislator who resigned late last year.Clifford will replace Ruby Dickson, House District 37’s first-term legislator who resigned in early December, just over a year after her election to the state House. Clifford’s tenure begins immediately: The legislature reconvenes for its annual four-month session in seven days, and he will join a supermajority of House Democrats recently rocked by infighting and facing a hefty agenda. Clifford, who was selected by a 41-person vacancy committee, will serve out the rest of Dickson’s term before facing a full election in November, if not a primary in June.Two other candidates also vied to replace Dickson: Ashish Vaidya, an educator, and Kevin Biehl, a consultant who works for the Second Chance Center. The resu...

Massive sewage spill closes several L.A. County beaches

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:48 GMT

A large sewage spill into the Los Angeles River has forced the closure of several L.A. County beaches on Wednesday.The spill occurred in San Gabriel where around 15,000 gallons of sewage spilled into Rubio Wash which leads to the L.A. River. A grease blockage in the city sewer main line caused the spill, according to Long Beach city officials.While the origin of the spill is 25 miles away, officials said the sewage will eventually arrive in Long Beach, contaminating over six miles of public beach areas.All swimming areas west of Belmont Shore are closed to the public at this time.“Water from the Los Angeles River connects to the Pacific Ocean in Long Beach, which means pollution anywhere upriver can affect the coastal waters and other waterways in the city,” officials explained. Long Beach residents can receive $25,000 toward their first home purchase The city’s health inspection team will monitor water quality along the affected beach sites. The swimming areas will remain cl...

Deputy fires on stolen vehicle suspects as they ram his patrol car

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:48 GMT

Two men accused of ramming a sheriff’s deputy vehicle with a stolen car and later leading deputies in a pursuit have been arrested, authorities announced.  The incident unfolded on Dec. 31 just after 1 p.m. when a deputy assigned to Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s Lake Elsinore Station located the stolen vehicle in the area of Cervera and Prairie Road in Wildomar.  When the deputy attempted a traffic stop on the stolen vehicle, the suspects turned the car around and intentionally drove into the deputy’s driver’s side door, prompting the deputy to fire his weapon at the suspects, according to a RCSD news release.  The deputy’s vehicle was disabled and the two men, described male Hispanics, fled on foot northbound on Prairie Road and entered a silver Chevy Impala and drove away.  Silver Chevy Impala used by two stolen vehicle suspects to flee the scene after ramming a deputy vehicle and being fired at in Riverside County on Dec. 31, 2023. (RCSD)Later the same af...

Caltrans to close portion of Highway 17 for tree removal

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:48 GMT

LOS GATOS – Starting Thursday, the California Department of Transportation plans to close one northbound lane of State Route 17 at Summit Road to remove fallen trees.The closure is scheduled to take place from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and could be canceled due to poor weather conditions, according to the agency.“The closure is needed to remove fallen vegetation impacting the highway,” Caltrans said in an advisory.Motorists should expect delays and allow extra time for their commute, according to Caltrans.The tree removal work follows a period of wet weather throughout the region. As of 4 p.m. Wednesday, 24-hour rainfall totals included .55 inches in Oakland, .46 inches in San Jose and .27 inches in San Francisco, the National Weather Service reported.Forecasters said scattered showers could return to some areas late Thursday and into Friday.Check back for updates.

Stockton man charged with murder of Oakland officer had killed before as a teen

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:48 GMT

OAKLAND — A Stockton man charged Wednesday with murder in the killing of Officer Tuan Le has a prior manslaughter conviction in connection with a 2014 shootout that killed an 18-year-old man, according to court documents and multiple law enforcement sources.Mark Demetrious Sanders, 27, is facing several other counts on top of the murder charge, including special allegations of second-degree murder of a peace officer in a drive-by shooting, officials said Wednesday evening. Police earlier identified Sanders as the man who allegedly opened fire into an unmarked police truck containing Le, who was on an undercover detail monitoring a Dec. 29 early morning burglary at a cannabis business.Also charged with murder was 28-year-old Chico resident Allen Starr Brown, though the details of his exact involvement in Le’s killing remained unclear Wednesday evening.“I want to express how proud I am to the members of the Oakland Police Department,” interim police Chief Darri...

Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price barred from prosecuting her loudest critic, a former prosecutor

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:48 GMT

OAKLAND — A judge barred Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price’s office from prosecuting one of her loudest political critics in a misdemeanor case that has become a focal point in the recall effort against her.Alameda County Superior Court Judge James Cramer ruled that Price’s office has a “significant conflict of interest” in prosecuting Amilcar “Butch” Ford, a former employee of hers who was charged over the summer with violating a little-used section of the state’s business and professions code. As a result, the case will now be handled by the California Attorney General’s Office.In making his ruling, Cramer said Price had “every right” to speak out against Ford and his alleged actions. But he raised concerns about how often — and with how much vigor — Price spoke publicly about Ford, citing several press releases issued about Ford’s case since charging him in July. It was particularly unusual,...

San Francisco crime decreased during holiday season, Mayor Breed says

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:48 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- San Francisco Mayor London Breed promised that the 2023 holiday season would be the safest ever, and the numbers are in from her office.“This holiday season, seeing the numbers begin to decline," she said.San Francisco recorded a decrease in retail thefts, car break-ins and burglaries.The numbers are down but not at zero. However, one jewelry store owner fell victim to a crime over the weekend.Crime was down in San Francisco during Thanksgiving and, according to the mayor’s office, the trend continued through the new year. Even with that, there are still store owners who say crime has forced them to close up shop.Mayor London Breed was all smiles Wednesday as she announced decreases in crime through the holiday season. Retail thefts and auto break-ins decreased 48% from Nov. 20 to Jan. 1.That includes an 11 percent increase in daily visitors to Union Square.“I think that it had a lot to do with the additional resources that we have to do undercover operations...

Alperen Sengun scores 30 points as Rockets hand Nets fifth straight loss, 112-101

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:48 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — Alperen Sengun scored 30 points and Fred VanVleet added 21 points and 10 assists as the Houston Rockets beat the Brooklyn Nets 112-101 on Wednesday night.Sengun has hit the 20-point mark in seven consecutive games. He shot 11 of 17 from inside and drained 8-of-10 free throws while grabbing eight rebounds.“On offense they trust me,” Sengun said. “They’re playing through me, a lot isolation, so I’m trying my best to score.”VanVleet knocked down 6-of-8 3-pointers, with Houston finishing the game 19 of 39 from long distance.The Nets have lost five in a row and 10 of their last 12, dropping them 15-20 on the season.“I’m going to continue to hold them to a standard,” Nets coach Jacque Vaughn said. “They deserve that. This will make us better as a team. We’ll grow from this together, but the belief part of it has to be the first part of getting out of this hole.”Mikal Bridges and Cameron Johnson led the Nets with 15 points. Nic Claxton added 12 points and 13 rebounds, while ...

Holloway puts up 18 in Tulane’s 84-59 victory against Rice

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:30:48 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Collin Holloway scored 18 points as Tulane beat Rice 84-59 on Wednesday night in an American Athletic Conference opener.Holloway shot 7 of 11 from the field and 3 for 5 from the line for the Green Wave (10-3, 1-0). Kevin Cross scored 16 points while finishing 7 of 12 from the floor, and added 10 rebounds, five assists, and three steals. Kolby King also had 16 points and shot 6 for 10, including 3 for 4 from beyond the arc.Travis Evee led the Owls (6-8, 0-1) in scoring, finishing with 14 points and four assists. Keanu Dawes added 12 points for Rice. Alem Huseinovic also had 10 points.___The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.Source