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Colorado businessman gets over 5 years in prison for 'We Build The Wall' fundraiser fraud

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:28 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A Colorado businessman convicted of fraudulently siphoning hundreds of thousands of dollars from an online fundraiser that raised $25 million to build a wall along the U.S. southern border was sentenced Tuesday to five years and three months in prison.Timothy Shea was sentenced in Manhattan federal court by Judge Analisa Torres, who presided over an October trial that ended with his conviction on charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud, conspiracy to commit money laundering and obstruction of justice. A trial earlier in 2022 had ended when a jury deadlocked on charges.Shea, 52, of Castle Rock, Colorado, also was ordered to forfeit $1.8 million and to pay restitution of an equal amount.Shea was charged three years ago along with three others, including Steve Bannon, the former top adviser to then-President Donald Trump. Trump pardoned Bannon in early 2021 while two others pleaded guilty and were sentenced to prison. Bannon, who is now being prosecuted in New...

Renters will have a few extra rights starting in August

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:28 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- If you rent in the state of Colorado, you're going to have a few extra layers of protection starting Aug. 7.This is because two laws that passed in the 2023 legislative session are going into effect.These laws are SB23-184, Protections for Rental Tenants, and HB23-1095, Prohibited Provisions In Rental Agreements. Both laws were passed in April and signed into law in June.Income requirements capped at 200% of rentOne big component of SB23-184 is that, with exceptions, prospective tenants won't be required to make any more than 200% of annual rent.Also, landlords will not be allowed to use information about income, except to verify that the tenant makes over 200% of annual rent. You will soon be able to buy marijuana online in Colorado, but there’s a catch A landlord also won't be able to use a credit score, lack of credit score or any adverse credit events like late payments unless they're federally required to.However, if they do, they won't be able to take any in...

Caught on camera: Jetski rider driving over pod of manatees in Palm Beach County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:28 GMT

RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. (WSVN) – A reckless rider on a jetski was captured on video getting much too close to some sea cows.Someone drove right over a pod of manatees Sunday near Peanut Island off Riviera Beach in Palm Beach County.The animals are seen panicking, quickly splashing and swimming away.Manatees are protected under federal law, meaning it is illegal to harass or even touch them.If you see someone harassing manatees, you are urged to call Florida’s Wildlife Alert hotline number at 888-404-FWCC. Violators face a possible fine of $500 and could spend months behind bars.

UK underestimated Prigozhin’s Wagner Group for years, inquiry finds

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:28 GMT

LONDON — The British government failed for years to adequately respond to the threats posed by Russia’s Wagner Group, according to a damning assessment by a parliamentary committee.In a report on ministers’ efforts to counter the private military contractor — whose future has been left in doubt after its leader rebelled against the Russian military in June — the House of Commons foreign affairs committee on Wednesday said the government should now proscribe Wagner as a terrorist organization.And it warned Wagner still poses “serious national security threats” to the U.K. and its allies.“In the ten years since the Wagner Network’s formation, the U.K. government has lacked a coherent strategy and efforts to meaningfully tackle Wagner have been non-existent,” the committee’s chair Alicia Kearns said. “This has allowed the network to grow, spread its tentacles deep into Africa, and exploit countries on their knees due ...

Crews provide update on Sumner Tunnel work as two-month tunnel closure continues

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:28 GMT

MassDOT crews led a tour inside the Sumner Tunnel Tuesday, discussing progress being made as the tunnel’s two-month closure for a series of repairs continues. The tunnel shut down on July 5. Asked this week if there’s any chance they won’t make their deadline to reopen the tunnel on Aug 31, project managers said “no.”The tunnel is closed as part of a larger project involving repairs to the tunnel ceiling, roadway, walls and lightning. MassDOT District 6 Highway Director John McInerney said Tuesday that crews have been working on both sides of the tunnel, which connects East Boston to downtown Boston.“We have set work that needs to be completed by Aug. 31 to open up the tunnel for safety,” he said.Project managers said they have been installing 16 new arches per day throughout the tunnel as crews continue to work to meet the Aug. 31 deadline.Ultimately, 780 new arches will be put in place. “You’ll have better lines of sight within the tunnel,” one crew member said. “We...

Sumner Tunnel closure: About a third of this summer’s work completed, with 5 weeks to go

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:28 GMT

Three weeks into the eight-week long closure of the Sumner Tunnel, workers remain busy installing massive arches that will strengthen the structure’s worn out ceiling and enhance its ventilation.State transportation officials estimate a third of this summer’s work is done, with just over five weeks until the expected completion date of Aug. 31.Project officials from the Massachusetts Department of Transportation led a group of reporters through the tunnel on Tuesday, showing what has been done since the around-the-clock closure went into effect July 5, and what more needs to be done.“There is some extra work that the contractor’s dealing with, but I wouldn’t call it unforeseen,” MassDOT District 6 Highway Director John McInerney told reporters as the skies opened up near the tunnel’s entrance. “The work is pretty straightforward … it’s just the amount.”Workers started installing the precast concrete arches in the middle of the roughly mile-long tunnel, one of the four ro...

Yankees Notebook: Aaron Judge playing more sim games in Tampa

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:28 GMT

After taking cuts in a simulated game at Yankee Stadium on Sunday, Aaron Judge is doing more of the same in Florida.The reigning MVP, recovering from a torn ligament in his right big toe, played five simulated innings in Tampa on Tuesday, according to Aaron Boone. Judge hit, ran the bases and played the field, though the manager said the slugger didn’t see any action on defense. Boone had yet to receive a final report on Judge’s day when he spoke to reporters Tuesday, but he assumed it went well and expected Judge to play in another sim game with “maybe a little more volume” on Wednesday.Boone added that he doesn’t know if Judge will require a rehab assignment once he’s ready for actual games. “Everything’s in play,” the skipper said before the start of the Subway Series, but the current focus is on getting Judge as many at-bats as possible while he remains on a “day-to-day” schedule.“I wouldn’t rule anyth...

‘Good morning’ attack lands alleged assailant locked up

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:28 GMT

The man accused of punching a woman no less than seven times in the face because she did not tell him “Good morning” has been found dangerous and will be detained for 120 days.“When people say good morning to you, you should say ‘Hi,’ you crazy (expletive),” Ian Atkinson allegedly said to his alleged victim, a 59-year-old woman who at the time prosecutors say was watering her shrubs on Balsam Street in Dorchester after getting home from an overnight shift on July 13.Atkinson, 33, of Dorchester, appeared Tuesday morning in municipal court in Dorchester for a dangerousness hearing. Judge Maureen Flaherty ordered Atkinson detained for 120 days.Assistant District Attorney Michael Tomasini said Atkinson got out of his Mercedes sedan parked in the area of the alleged victim’s home, walked over and then, “unprovoked,” assaulted her as she was singing. The punches, according to a hospital report summarized by the prosecutor at the hearing, left her with a fractured nose, subconjunctival hem...

‘I really feel good’: Yoán Moncada returns from the injured list and the Chicago White Sox move Jake Burger to 2B

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:28 GMT

There were times that manager Pedro Grifol wasn’t sure if Chicago White Sox third baseman Yoán Moncada would return this season from lower back inflammation.“It was day to day,” Grifol said Tuesday afternoon. “He’d come in and say, ‘I feel good,’ and I would be optimistic that he would be back. And at times he would say, ‘I’m not feeling good.’”The last couple of weeks had Grifol believing Moncada was heading in the right direction. Tuesday, the Sox reinstated Moncada from the 10-day injured list and he was in the lineup for the City Series against the Cubs at Guaranteed Rate Field.“I feel good,” Moncada said through an interpreter. “After all I’ve been dealing with, this is the first time I really feel good.”Back issues have limited Moncada this season.He went on the IL on June 14 with the lower back inflammation, his second back-related stint. He was on the IL from April 11 to May1...

Crews battle fire near MCAS Miramar

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:28 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- A fire caused by a military explosion broke out on Tuesday near Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, according to officials.The fire occurred in East Miramar around 2:34 p.m. and has now spread at least 50 acres, MCAS Miramar tweeted at 4:38 p.m.MCAS Miramar says the fire was caused by an Explosive Ordnance Disposal detonation during training.Multiple agencies are at the scene working to put out the fire. Two helicopters and two Type 3 Strike Teams from San Diego Fire-Rescue are also on site to assist in containing it.No injuries or structural damage has been reported at this time, officials said.Check back for updates on this developing story.