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Rachael Rollins’ use of encrypted messaging could suggest ‘consciousness of guilt’ in ethics violation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins exchanged more than 380 messages with City Councilor Ricardo Arroyo in the run-up to last year’s Suffolk District Attorney primary, according to a federal report on her ethical violations — and at some point, those communications switched from plain text to encrypted platforms.“Whether you’re an FBI agent or a U.S. Attorney, you can’t have a secret network,” said Jim Wedick, a retired FBI agent and public corruption expert. “It denies us the right to honest, good government. It smacks of a separate network. Everybody knows it’s not allowed. It’s preventing citizens from knowing her thoughts.”A review of Rollins’ phone by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General during their ethics inquiry into her actions uncovered significant engagement with Arroyo, her preferred candidate, in his race against eventual winner Kevin Hayden. Rollins, through her attorney, announced on Tuesday, a day before two ...

Explore agave spirits through interactive, educational experiences across Mexico

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

Lisa Futterman | For the Chicago TribuneIn resort towns across Mexico, the hospitality industry is celebrating all things agave, the sacred native succulent that provides the nectar for tequila, mezcal and other spirits.Agave spirits were the second-fastest-growing category by revenue and volume in the U.S. in 2022, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.Now that visitors to Mexico are more interested in agave spirits, hospitality pros are expanding programs that educate guests about the tradition and craft of distilling them. Many hotels and restaurants offer experiences designed to teach while tasting.At Vista Encantada Resort (part of the Hacienda Encantada Resort) in Cabo San Lucas, nightly guided tequila tastings and cocktail classes are available at the outdoor Museo del Tequila. Steered by tequila sommelier Consuela Cervantes, we tasted four types of tequila and enjoyed locally sourced accents such as roasted pineapple and hibiscus salt to enhance the...

National City's last 'cruising prohibited' sign removed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

NATIONAL CITY, Calif. -- Friday marked a celebratory day for those who have spent decades fighting a cruising ban in National City.The last "Cruising Prohibited" sign was removed along Highland Avenue with a crowd of supporters gathering to witness firsthand the reversal of a 90s-era ban on a pastime they hold dear. South Bay restaurant’s liquor license suspended after 20-year-old killed in crash FOX 5 was present for the final dethroning of the policy and felt a wave of energy and excitement from the eager group. "You know, I wanna cry because I'm so happy," said a member of the United Lowrider Coalition. "Because we started this in January 2021 and our sole goal was to get this ordinance repealed. We kept on hitting obstacles and hitting obstacles, kept on thinking 'it's coming, it's coming,' but today it's finally here."Officials say the ban was originally enacted in an attempt to address crime and traffic issues many years ago. The National City City Council made a long-awaite...

Woman charged in death of boy found in Indiana suitcase seeks change of Indiana venue

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

SALEM, Ind. (AP) — A Louisiana woman charged in the death of a boy whose body was found last year inside a suitcase in rural southern Indiana is seeking a change of venue, arguing that public outrage over the child’s death would prevent her from getting a fair trial.Dawn Coleman’s attorney, Ryan Bower, filed the venue change request on her behalf Monday. He contends the Shreveport, Louisiana, woman would not receive a fair trial in southern Indiana’s Washington County due to public hostility against her, outrage over the boy’s death and media coverage, WTHR-TV reported.A hearing is set for June 1 on the change of venue request for Coleman, who was arrested in San Francisco in October in connection with the death of 5-year-old Cairo Ammar Jordan of Atlanta, Georgia. She’s charged with aiding, inducing or causing murder, neglect of a dependent resulting in death and obstruction of justice.A felony murder arrest warrant was issued in November for CairoR...

Nebraska expected to pass 12-week abortion ban, restrictions on gender-affirming care

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Conservative Nebraska lawmakers are expected to have just enough votes to pass a bill Friday that combines restrictions on gender-affirming care for minors with a 12-week abortion ban.The mood in the Nebraska Capitol since the hybrid measure was advanced Tuesday by a single vote has been volatile. Lawmakers have traded insults and promises of retribution, while protesters have loudly voiced their displeasure. The bill ties together restrictions that Republicans across the U.S. have been pushing.On Friday, debate was briefly stopped when protesters in a chamber balcony stood and yelled obscenities at conservative lawmakers while throwing what appeared to be bloody tampons onto the floor. Security arrested at least one person and cleared the balconies.Lawmakers hurled pointed barbs, accusing each other of being fueled by hate. At one point while defending the abortion ban, Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard quipped that “calling abortion health care is like calling...

S&P/TSX composite posts small gain Friday, U.S. markets down

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

TORONTO — Strength in the energy sector helped Canada’s main stock index post a small gain Friday, while U.S. stock markets were down as debt ceiling talks fizzled ahead of the weekend.Canada outperformed the U.S. markets Friday after lagging for most of the week, said Brian Madden, chief investment officer with First Avenue Investment Counsel. Stocks south of the border made gains in the morning only to flip to losses after Republicans said they’re pausing debt ceiling negotiations on preventing a default.The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 53.97 points at 20,351.06.In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 109.28 points at 33,426.63.The S&P 500 index was down 6.07 points at 4,191.98, while the Nasdaq composite was down 30.94 points at 12,657.90.In the U.S., ongoing talks over the debt ceiling weighed on markets, Madden said.“I think what’s really happening this week, and probably going into next week, is U.S. markets are trading political h...

Texas militia member sentenced to nearly 5 years in prison for attacking police during Capitol riot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

A Texas militia member was sentenced Friday to nearly five years in prison for attacking police officers at the U.S. Capitol, seriously injuring one of them during a mob’s attack on Jan. 6, 2021.U.S. District Judge Randolph Moss sentenced Donald Hazard to four years and nine months in prison followed by three months of supervised release for his role in the riot at the Capitol, according to a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s office for the District of Columbia.The sentence matched what federal prosecutors had recommended for Hazard, who pleaded guilty to an assault charge in February.Hazard, 44, of Hurst, Texas, was a member of a militia called the Patriot Boys of North Texas. Lucas Denney, the group’s self-proclaimed president, appointed Hazard as its sergeant-at-arms. Denney also encouraged Hazard to stock up on weapons and protective gear and recruit others to join them in Washington, D.C., prosecutors said.Hazard was “eager for violence” on Jan. 6, wearing ...

ExxonMobil appeals ruling by Guyanese court in oil spill insurance coverage

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

GEORGETOWN, Guyana (AP) — American oil giant ExxonMobil said Friday it had appealed a recent Guyanese court ruling forcing it to set aside hundreds of millions of dollars in the event of a major oil spill off the coast of Guyana.The company said in a statement that the court had failed to consider that Exxon and consortium partners Hess Corporation and China National Overseas Offshore Corporation have the “undoubted ability” to meet their financial obligations in the event of a spill at their operationThe consortium is operating the prolific Stabroek Block near the southeastern border with Suriname.In the ruling two weeks ago, Guyana’s high court ordered the local environmental agency to obtain independent liability insurance from Exxon’s subsidiary Esso Exploration and Production Limited. It also sought an unlimited guarantee from its parent company in the case of damage caused by operations in the South American country.Rights activists and environmentalists fear that a spil...

Stock market today: Wall Street’s best week since March stalls amid debt worries

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street’s best week since March ran out of steam Friday as worries rose about the U.S. government’s efforts to avoid a potentially disastrous default on its debt.The S&P 500 slipped 6.07 points, or 0.1%, to 4,191.98. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 109.28, or 0.3%, to 33,426.63, while the Nasdaq composite gave up 30.94, or 0.2%, to 12,657.90.Despite its weak Friday, the S&P 500 still managed to break out of a long, listless stretch where it failed to move by 1%, up or down, for six straight weeks. It gained 1.6%, with much of the strength earlier in the week coming on rising hopes that Washington can avoid a debt default.Democrats and Republicans are facing down a June 1 deadline, which is when the U.S. government could run out of cash to pay its bills, unless Congress allows it to borrow more. A default on its debt would likely mean a recession for the economy, which has economists and investors both widely expecting a deal to be made.But some of t...

$200,000 bail set for Detroit clerk who locked door before customers were shot

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:00:44 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — A Detroit gas station clerk may have panicked when he locked a door to stop a possible theft before a man shot three bystanders, but he didn’t commit a crime, his lawyer said Friday.A magistrate set bond at $200,000 for Al-Hassan Aiyash, 22, who is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of a customer. He is accused of being grossly negligent by locking the door when a man tried to leave the gas station with items worth less than $4.A man was killed and two more were wounded on May 6. Samuel McCray, 27, has been charged with murder and other crimes.Aiyash’s attorney said it’s “really not fair” to set a high bond while prosecutors present an uncommon legal theory.“He was doing his job,” Jamil Khuja told the judge. “Did he panic and act inappropriately in a way? Maybe, but that’s the best they can argue here.”McCray tried to leave the gas station without paying for items when an electronic purchase didn’t work, according to polic...