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EXPLAINER: What is Rep. George Santos charged with?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:58 GMT

NEW YORK (WPIX) - U.S. Rep. George Santos pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges accusing him of duping donors, stealing from his campaign, and lying to Congress about being a millionaire, all while cheating to collect unemployment benefits he didn't deserve.Santos, 34, was released on $500,000 bond following his arraignment, about five hours after turning himself in to authorities on Long Island to face the charges. He could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.Broadly speaking, there are three allegations resulting in 13 charges against Santos, a freshman Republican member of Congress who's been accused of lying about many aspects of his life.1. Defrauding supportersThe first allegation is essentially that Santos defrauded supporters while running for office in the fall of 2022. Federal prosecutors said he did this by inducing them to contribute funds to a company he controlled and claimed the funds would be used for his campaign. Instead, the feds allege the...

Missing pregnant teen found dead; Alabama man arrested

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:58 GMT

JACKSON COUNTY, Fla. (WDHN) — A 33-year-old Alabama man has been charged with murder in the death of a pregnant 19-year-old from Jackson County, Florida, who went missing one week ago. Marquis Devan McCloud is accused of killing Anastasia Gilley and faces one count of capital murder during a kidnapping in the first degree, according to Jackson County Sheriff Donald Edenfield. Another solar storm may bring northern lights to US Wednesday, Thursday At around 2 a.m. Wednesday, May 10, a body, believed to be Gilley's, was found near Dothan, sheriff's officials said. Investigators are still waiting on autopsy results to confirm the identity. Anastasia Gilley. (Courtesy: Jackson County Sheriff's Office)Gilley, who was four months pregnant, was last seen at her home by her father on Tuesday, May 2. Family members reported they last heard from her on Wednesday, May 3. McCloud was arrested during the missing person's investigation for allegedly violating his parole in Houston County, Alab...

Dangerous flooding possible Mother's Day weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Spotty showers or a rogue thunderstorm will be possible this afternoon, but rain chances are only 20%. In general you'll notice drying with mostly cloudy skies giving way to some sunshine. Highs today should reach the low 80s, especially with increasing sun.Thursday is trending mostly dry with only a low rain chance (10%) and some afternoon sun. Then comes our main event Friday night into Mother's Day weekend.A strong low pressure system stalls west of the state, drawing in near-record amounts of atmospheric moisture and sending disturbances over the state. These will generate large complexes of torrential rain even more capable of producing flash flooding as the rain falls on more saturated soil by that time. Heavy rain looks to arrive late Friday night in the Hill Country and then spread through the area this weekend. Saturday and Sunday looks to hold the heaviest rain, most widespread coverage and highest risk of flash flooding.A more widespread 3 out of 4 'moder...

What to do if your vehicle gets caught in flood waters

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Amid a recent stint of flashing flooding in Central Texas, Austinites are reminded to stay vigilant during severe weather episodes. But what should you do if your vehicle gets caught in flood waters?Do not attempt to drive through flooded roadways -- even as little as six inches of water can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles, according to reporting from Forbes advisor. Remember: Turn around and don't drown.But should you find yourself in a flash flood situation, the top of the priority list is to exit your car immediately and seek higher ground. However, if your car is submerged in water, you will need to wait for the water pressure to become equalized between the inside and outside of the vehicle, according to Reliance General Insurance. Stay calm and, once the water reaches neck level, open the door to exit.If you catch it early before your car is submerged in water, you can also try to gradually lower your window. Once it's opened, climb out. Have y...

Man slain at his northwestern Minnesota workplace; suspect arrested

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:58 GMT

THIEF RIVER FALLS, Minn. — A man was found dead Tuesday night at Digi-Key Corp., a major employer in Thief River Falls, and a suspect was in custody on suspicion of murder.The Thief River Falls Police Department and Pennington County Sheriff’s Office responded to the electronics factory at 10:12 p.m., according to a news release from the department in northwestern Minnesota.A man was found dead due to “homicidal violence.”Jorge Luis Benitez-Estremera is in custody on a second-degree intentional murder (not premeditated) charge.The name of the victim was not immediately released.According to a statement from Digi-Key, Benitez-Estremera has never worked at Digi-Key in any capacity.“He also never sought, nor gained access into our facility,” the statement said.The victim, though, was a Digi-Key employee.“We express our deepest condolences to the impacted family and colleagues. We are providing access to counseling for Digi-Key team members who are affected by the situation,” the statem...

Minneapolis man dead in North Shore kayaking accident

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:58 GMT

A man’s body was recovered last week along the shore of Lake Superior, approximately two hours after his kayak was found adrift in the Caribou River.Saunder Strong, 20, was from Minneapolis but had been living and working in Lutsen, according to the Lake County sheriff’s office.A caller reported seeing the unoccupied kayak floating down the Caribou River at approximately 11:45 a.m. Friday. The Lake County Sheriff’s Rescue Squad and Tettegouche State Park rangers immediately began a search of the river and shoreline areas.Strong’s body was ultimately located just after 1:45 p.m., on the lake shore near the mouth of the river, the sheriff’s office reported.Related ArticlesLocal News | Native American groups ask state lawmakers for help at outdated Twin Cities facilities Local News | Metro Transit breaks ground on the B Line from downtown St. Paul to Uptown Minneapolis Local News | World premiere of ‘An American Tail’ comes at righ...

Lisa Jarvis: The epidemic of isolation is as harmful as smoking

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:58 GMT

Your doctor’s orders for staying healthy might include a daily routine of eating your broccoli, going to the gym and getting a good night’s sleep. Now, the U.S. surgeon general would like to add another action item to the list: Reach out to a friend.In a new report, Vivek Murthy says that the U.S. is experiencing an epidemic of loneliness and isolation that can be as harmful to our health as smoking up to 15 cigarettes a day. Murthy also offers practical fixes: public policies and spaces that bring people together, as well as simple things like texting a friend or volunteering.If that feels squishy, or so obvious that you wonder why it needed to be spelled out for the public, consider how little the U.S. as a society acknowledges its disconnectedness — and how few people understand its detrimental effects on our physical and mental health. There are very real consequences to living with social isolation, and the U.S. needs to make sweeping changes at a societal and...

Thomas Friedman: Putin is the world’s most dangerous fool

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:58 GMT

I have not written much about the war in Ukraine lately because so little has changed strategically since the first few months of this conflict, when three overarching facts pretty much drove everything — and still do.Fact No. 1: As I wrote at the outset, when a war of this magnitude begins, the key question you ask yourself as a foreign affairs columnist is very simple: Where should I be? Should I be in Kyiv, the Donbas, Crimea, Moscow, Warsaw, Berlin, Brussels or Washington?And from the start of this war, there has been only one place to be to understand its timing and direction — and that’s in Vladimir Putin’s head. Unfortunately, Putin doesn’t grant visas to his brain.That’s a real problem because this war emerged entirely from there — with, we now know, almost no input from his cabinet or military commanders — and certainly with no mass urging from the Russian people. So Russia will be stopped in Ukraine, whether it’s winning or losing, only when Putin decides to stop.Which lea...

Other voices: Leaders of Proud Boys join ranks of seditious conspiracists

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:58 GMT

Former Proud Boys headman Enrique Tarrio and three of his lieutenants have now joined the small and ignoble club of Jan. 6 defendants convicted of seditious conspiracy for their role in attempting to overturn the 2020 election. Good.The group’s lawyers attempted to deflect blame to Donald Trump, with attorney Nayib Hassan telling jurors that it was “Donald Trump’s words. It was his motivation,” and that prosecutors “want to use Enrique Tarrio as a scapegoat for Donald J. Trump and those in power.” Picking who is responsible here is a false choice: they both are.Trump made his antidemocratic entreaties to all his followers, but few decided to actually sack the Capitol, and fewer still did so as part of organized paramilitary groups with specific plans to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power. That dubious distinction belongs predominantly to the Oath Keepers, whose chief Stewart Rhodes and another top official were found guilty of seditious conspi...

Letters: Protected bike lane on Summit Avenue? It’s not the end of the world

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:58 GMT

All of a sudden we’re LudditesI love St. Paul — it has been my home my entire life. I don’t just live here, I also had the honor to serve as a City Council member, Council President and Public Works director for a combination of 22 years.The reasons for my loyalty to our city have as much to do with the people as the amenities we have here. We are a progressive city — our policies and politics make that clear, and I love that about us as well. We are a city that routinely passes school district referenda and elects progressive leaders by large margins, but start talking about bike lanes and all of a sudden we are Luddites.You would think the proposed Summit Avenue reconstruction and safer bike lanes called for the elimination gas-powered vehicles! Summit Avenue desperately needs to be reconstructed — I don’t think there is any disagreement about that, and we don’t reconstruct roads simply to improve their surface, but to reconstruct and improve the infrastruc...