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Six abandoned homes set for demolition in North Park as church plans for future

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:54 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- Makers Church, located in a century-old church location in North Park, has big plans for the future after selling a 35,000-square foot parcel of land across from the church at Bancroft Street and North Park Way. The six homes left abandoned on the land are scheduled for demolition this week. “They've just been deteriorating and dilapidated over the past several years,” said Brittany Delacruz, who has lived In North Park for more than 10 years.  Delacruz thinks anything is better than what she describes as the existing eyesore, but another group of residents hoped to stop the sale and planned development. They created a website, “STOP THE MAKERS CHURCH,” and say the church is using its religious nonprofit exempt status to be allowed to demo the homes that the groups says are historically designated, but that, says Delacruz, is not true.  “A lot of these houses have been renovated so much that they probably did not have historical designation in the first place," Delacruz...

Protesters take over stage, interrupt televised Scotiabank Giller Prize gala

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:54 GMT

Canada’s biggest night in literature was interrupted when several protesters jumped onstage early in a live telecast of the Scotiabank Giller Prize.Carrying signs that read “Scotiabank Funds Genocide” and shouting, the protesters briefly claimed all eyes from a roomful of CanLit dignitaries gathered to crown the winner of Canada’s most prestigious book award.CBC cameras carrying the broadcast to home viewers cut away from the stage as host Rick Mercer clapped slowly in an apparent bid to get the show back on track.There was already a heavy police presence at the ceremony, and officers escorted the protesters from the hotel within minutes.One of five writers was to receive the $100,000 prize.The finalists included Sarah Bernstein for “Study for Obedience,” Eleanor Catton for “Birnam Wood” and Kevin Chong for “The Double Life of Benson Yu.” Rounding out the short list were “The Islands: Stories” by Dionne Irving and “All the Colour...

Los Angeles man accused of killing wife and her parents, putting body parts in trash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:54 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Los Angeles man was charged Monday with murder for allegedly killing his wife and her parents, then stuffing dismembered body parts into a trash bag, prosecutors announced Monday.Samuel Haskell, 35, was charged with three counts of murder with special circumstances of committing multiple murders and could face life in prison without the chance of parole if convicted, the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.During a court appearance, Haskell’s arraignment was postponed and he was ordered held without bail. An email seeking comment from Joseph Gutierrez, an attorney who represented him in court Monday, wasn’t immediately returned.Haskell lived in the Tarzana neighborhood of the San Fernando Valley with his wife, their three young children and her parents.He was arrested last week after a human torso was found in a bag in a dumpster, police said.Mei Li Haskell, 37, and her parents, Gaoshan Li, 72, and Yanxiang Wang, 6...

New policy prohibits CPD officers to associate with biased groups

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:54 GMT

CHICAGO -- The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability (CCPSA) unanimously approved a change to a Chicago police policy that hadn’t been amended in more than 25 years.CCPSA voted to pass a new policy Monday that will prohibit Chicago police officers from being members of groups that are based in bias – like the Proud Boys or Oath Keepers. Long-stalled Navy Pier marina gets green light The old policy prohibited officers from being members of criminal organizations or associating with people who are.The new rule bans officers from being a part of hate and terrorist groups that are based in bias, promote illegal prejudice, that want to overthrow the government or interfere with police duties. The commission said it’s been working with CPD on this change for most of this year.This vote comes just weeks after a Chicago Sun Times and WBEZ investigation revealed at least nine current officers are members of the Oath Keepers, which the Anti-Defamation League identifies ...

Trump's Truth Social has lost $73 million in less than two years, new filing says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:54 GMT

(The Hill) -- Former President Trump’s social media platform, Truth Social, has lost $73 million in net sales since the platform's official launch in February 2022, according to a new financial disclosure filing from Digital World Acquisition Corp. (DWAC).Digital World is a merger partner with Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG). Trump owns a stake in Truth Social that was last valued at between $5 million $25 million.The form shows that Truth Social lost $50 million on just $1.4 million of net sales in 2022 and another $23 million within the first six months of this year, according to the filing, which was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter. Trump says he’d consider Tucker Carlson as running mate If TMTG is unable to complete its merger with DWAC and receive more funds, the company may not survive, according to the filing. The amended S-4 filing noted in a section titled "Risks Related to TMTG" that "TMTG’s independent registered public accounting firm ...

Serge Schmemann: Violence by West Bank settlers cannot be ignored

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:54 GMT

After the well over 1,000 Israelis killed on Oct. 7, and the thousands more Palestinians in the Gaza Strip killed in the war against Hamas, it may appear unseemly to focus on the relatively small and sadly familiar clashes between settlers and Palestinians in the West Bank. But it would be a mistake to overlook the danger of the escalation in settler violence over the past month.That appears to be the calculation of the militant settlers and nationalist extremists in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, ardent champions of expanding the Jewish presence in occupied territories. By all accounts, the number of Palestinians displaced or killed in clashes with the Israeli military have risen sharply since Oct. 7. Right-wing extremists have cited the Hamas attack as justification, but they also seem keenly aware that the diversion of global and Israeli attention away from the West Bank offers cover for more audacious land grabs.The immediate danger is that the West Bank will al...

Toddlers in 14 states sickened by lead linked to tainted applesauce pouches, CDC says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:54 GMT

(AP) – U.S. health officials are warning doctors to be on the lookout for possible cases of lead poisoning in children after at least 22 toddlers in 14 states were sickened by lead linked to tainted pouches of cinnamon apple puree and applesauce.Children ages 1 to 3 were affected, and at least one child showed a blood lead level eight times higher than the level that raises concern, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! There’s no safe level of lead exposure, but the CDC uses a marker of 3.5 micrograms per deciliter to identify children with higher levels than most. The affected children's blood lead levels ranged from 4 to 29 micrograms per deciliter.The reported symptoms included headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, a change in activity level and anemia.The illnesses are part of an outbreak tied to recalled pouches of fruit puree marketed to kids from the brands WanaBana apple c...

Toys for Tots Holiday Train returning to the Capital Region

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:54 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A little bit of holiday magic is returning to the Capital Region. For the first time in five years, the Toys for Tots Holiday Train is making a stop in the area.The train will be pulling into town on Dec. 2. Families can grab a toy from some of the Marine Corps volunteers or say hi to Santa. The convoy is continuing to collect toys throughout the month of November, and they are looking for more volunteers to bring holiday cheer to kids in need. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Organizers said there are multiple ways to get involved if you would like to help."We have a new warehouse this year in Mechanicville. There are links on our website to come and sign up whether its an hour, 10 hours. If you want to donate a toy, you can donate at any of the Dunkin' stores. They can donate money. There is a 100 different ways to be involved."The Capital Region Toys for Tots campaign is trying to help more than 2,000...

Democratic leaders suggest party could support GOP stopgap funding bill

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:54 GMT

Democrats in Washington have softened their early opposition to the Republicans’ tiered approach to government spending, signaling a new openness to supporting the House GOP bill and averting a government shutdown at week’s end. In a Monday letter to House Democrats, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) and his top deputies suggested that Democrats may support the Republicans’ short-term funding bill to keep the government open into early next year — a sharp change of tone that could pave the way for easy passage when the bill hits the chamber floor on Tuesday. Joined by Reps. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) and Pete Aguilar (D-Calif.), Jeffries stopped short of saying party leaders are ready to endorse the GOP proposal, known as a continuing resolution (CR), which was introduced by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) over the weekend.But he also didn’t rule it out. “At this time, we are carefully evaluating the proposal set forth by Republican leadership and discussing it wit...

DNA test needed to identify Creve Coeur Lake body

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:30:54 GMT

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, Mo. -- In Creve Coeur Lake Park on a Sunday morning, a hiker stumbled upon an abandoned bicycle, leading authorities to a grim find – skeletal remains located near the bike. The remains may be connected to a person who disappeared several months ago.Cindy Wunderlich expresses her sadness, calling it "Very sad" and "Tragic."Authorities say they don't suspect foul play. Maryland Heights Police are handling the investigation and will conduct a DNA test, which is expected to take some time. The wooded area beyond the lake is where the hiker discovered the bike on Sunday morning.Despite sunny skies and warm temperatures on Monday afternoon, those enjoying the outdoors around the 320-acre lake admit they will stay aware of their surroundings. Wunderlich emphasizes the need to be alert everywhere these days and not be too distracted by phones.