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Jussie Smollett conviction upheld by appeals court

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:23 GMT

(The Hill) — An Illinois appeals court has upheld actor Jussie Smollett’s disorderly conduct conviction in an opinion filed Friday.A three-panel judge affirmed Smollett’s conviction in a 2-1 ruling. His lawyers could appeal the decision and bring it to the state Supreme Court.If the Illinois Supreme Court does take up or reverse the appellate court's decision, the actor must serve the sentence that was handed down in March 2022.The appeals court panel heard arguments from Smollett’s attorneys in September, who said his conviction should be thrown out.In 2019, Smollett claimed he was the victim of a hate crime in Chicago. The actor, known for his role on the TV series “Empire,” is Black and gay.He claimed he was attacked on the street by two men in Chicago who yelled racist, homophobic and pro-Trump remarks and put a noose around his neck. It turned out that Smollett had paid two brothers, Abimbola and Olabinjo Osundairo, to stage the attack, prosecutors said.He was later charged wit...

What is the 'card draining' scam? Beware ahead of holidays

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:23 GMT

(WTAJ/NEXSTAR) — It's the latest trick scammers are using to steal your money via gift cards and you might not know until it's too late: it's called "card draining." Police in eastern Pennsylvania have put out a warning to all Americans heading into the holiday season after 100 different gift cards, including Visa and Apple cards, were reportedly drained at a local grocery store. But the problem has been seen all across the U.S., including multiple incidents in Colorado this summer. Disney+ unveils new subscriber-only perks for the holiday season What is card draining? Card draining is just that. They drain the gift card. But how do they drain a gift card that isn't activated and has no money on it?Short answer: They don't. This scam involves the culprits taking cards off displays and carefully getting the information from the back of the gift card before putting them back. From there, they wait. These scammers use a little patience and wait for these cards to be activated and mon...

Oak Hill Parkway Touch-a-Truck and car seat check this weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:23 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Nearly half of all children are not properly buckled in their car seat. On Saturday, Dec. 2, you'll have an opportunity to make sure your kid doesn't fall into that category.At a Texas Department of Transportation community event, there will be an update on the Oak Hill Parkway Construction progress, a car seat check and construction and emergency vehicles on display.Since the last time KXAN checked in on the Oak Hill Parkway construction in southwest Austin, there have been some big changes. TxDOT wants families to check out equipment at major project "One of the big things that we've done here recently, earlier this month, we opened the eastbound U.S. 290 main lanes. So you're gonna get a taste of what the Oak Hill Parkway project is going to be like when it's completed," TxDOT spokesperson Bradley Wheelis said.It should be completed in early 2026, but, in the meantime, it does mean heavy traffic through the U.S. Highway 290 and Highway 71 corridor, which someti...

Feds remind employers, workers of holiday safety after Texas man's death

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:23 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As December kicks off the holiday season, the federal government would like to remind employers and workers to practice safety in the workplace, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Labor.This comes as a "sad reminder" after 40-year-old Carlos Anaya-Ortiz "suffered electrocution as he stood on wet, muddy ground and connected holiday lights to a homemade extension cord on Nov. 10, 2022" in McKinney, the release said.According to an investigation into Anaya-Ortiz's death, the employer was "cited for exposing workers to electrical and fall hazards."“While employees celebrate during the holidays, employers must pay close attention to the safety hazards workers face atop ladders or roofs mounting decorations, handling customer orders in busy warehouses and crowded retail stores, and working outdoors as winter approaches,” OSHA Regional Administrator Eric S. Harbin in Dallas said in the release. “We encourage all employers to stress the importance of wo...

Is Wild star Kirill Kaprizov having fun yet?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:23 GMT

Just as the Wild aren’t ready to declare their troubles over after ending a seven-game losing streak with a pair of impressive victories, Kirill Kaprizov isn’t prepared to say he’s back his old self.It’s not that Kaprizov hasn’t been engaged all season; he had 16 points in the first 17 games. It was more that he looked a little lost on the ice, never quite sure what his next move should be — a far cry from the young man who set franchise records with 47 goals and 108 points in 2021-22, his first full NHL season.“There needs to be a little bit more fun — in my eyes,” he said after returning from the Wild’s NHL Global Series games in Sweden last month. “Just have fun, play loose.”If he does that, he said, “the goals will come.”Well, are we having fun yet?“Yeah, I think so, the last couple of games,” Kaprizov said after recording a goal and assist in the Wild’s convincing 6-1 victory over the Predators Thursday night in Nashville. “A little bit better, yeah. Making more plays, better s...

Woodbury day care owner’s husband gets 18 years for child sex abuse

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:23 GMT

The husband of a childcare provider in Woodbury convicted of having sexual contact with two young girls in his spouse’s care was sentenced Friday to 18 years in prison.Norberto Perez, 44, of Woodbury, was sentenced in Washington County District Court by Judge Siv Mjanger.Norberto Perez (Courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office)Perez was charged in May 2022 with two counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct and two counts of second-degree sexual conduct. The victims, who were 7 and 10 at the time, were cared for by Perez’s wife at their home on Sandlewood Road in Woodbury, police said.According to the criminal complaint, Perez would lead the girls to the basement of the house and molest them. One of the girls told police that Perez told her “not to tell anyone” and that it was “their little secret.” The other said Perez told her it was “our secret.”When one of the girls told her parents about the abuse, her parents reached out to other parents whose children were...

Cannabis dispensary licensing process resumes in New York State

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:23 GMT

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — The roadblock preventing cannabis dispensaries across New York State from getting their licenses to operate was lifted Friday. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The New York State Supreme Court lifted the injunction preventing the state's Office of Cannabis Management from processing Conditional Adult Use Retail Dispensary —or CAURD— licenses. That injunction had been in place since August, when a group of veterans sued over the licensing process.“Today is a good day for New York, for the dream of equity in cannabis, and for every New Yorker hoping to have a legal, licensed cannabis dispensary in their community," OCM Executive Director Chris Alexander said, in a statement sent at 4:20 p.m. Friday. "I’m also deeply relieved for the many entrepreneurs, who have spent the last three months trapped in limbo, who are now able to open their cannabis businesses, and for our communities, which will soon begin to...

Small NY colleges fighting negative trends

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:23 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)-- The College of Saint Rose will be closing next year, just days after announcing it needed financial aid from the city and county of Albany and New York State. The school says a decline in enrollment because of the pandemic and fewer high school graduates."We’re fighting a few negative trends, a population loss, a demographic downturn in this cohort of students," explained Assemblymember Pat Fahy, Higher Education Committee Chair. "COVID, where students did too much online learning and now they want to do that for college as well."Saint Rose isn’t the only private school that recently has had to make this decision. According to the New York State Education Department, since 2016, 10 schools have closed. That includes Buffalo’s Medaille University in August and back in June, Cazenovia College— which now serves as a site for the New York State Police Auxiliary Academy."It’s not just a Cazenovia and Medialle, and a couple of others," said Fahy. "We also saw a rec...

Home health aide pleads guilty to $28,500 theft

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:23 GMT

GUILDERLAND, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A 43-year-old Rensselaer woman accused of stealing $28,500 from a victim with dementia pleaded guilty to attempted grand larceny in the third degree. Lakeisha Stewart faces a sentencing of at least five years of probation and up to six months in the Albany County Correctional Facility. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The indictment alleges that Stewart was working as a home health aide when she cashed checks from the victim's account. Due to the victim's diagnosis, she was unable to consent to the payments.Sentencing is scheduled for February 2, 2024. Stewart is also expected to be sentenced to five years of post-release supervision.

NYS Holiday Tree Lighting ceremony postponed due to weather

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:23 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Due to anticipated weather conditions, the schedule for New York State's Holiday Tree Lighting at the Empire State Plaza has been altered. While indoor activities will be offered on Sunday, December 3, the tree lighting and fireworks ceremony has been moved to Monday, December 4. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! From 1 to 5 p.m., families can stop by the Empire State Plaza for free family activities, including holiday-themed arts and crafts, meet and greets with Santa, and performances by Erin Harkes Band, The Rusty Pipes, and Tuba Christmas. The activities will be held in Meeting Room 6 and the Concourse. Free parking is available after 11 a.m. Tree lighting and fireworks are scheduled for 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday. There will also be a special performance by the Hudson Mohawk Figure Skating Club. Free parking will be available after 4 p.m.