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St. Paul approves $380K settlement to fiancée of man fatally shot by police

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:33:54 GMT

The St. Paul City Council approved a $380,000 settlement Wednesday to the fiancée of a man fatally shot by police officers outside her Dayton’s Bluff apartment building in 2017.Markeeta Johnson-Blakney said in her lawsuit against officers and the city of St. Paul that she’d been held in a squad car for hours after Cordale Handy was killed, violating her constitutional right to be free from unlawful imprisonment.Attorney Paul Bosman, who is representing Johnson-Blakney and her neighbor, said they were “just witnesses to the police killing of Cordale Handy.”“They were put in the back of police cars” and Johnson-Blakney was “in agony” and asked repeatedly to be released, Bosman said.The city agreed to settle Johnson-Blakney’s claim “to avoid the costs and uncertainty of continued litigation,” City Attorney Lyndsey Olson said in a statement. “The city remains committed to protecting the rights of all persons through respectful service.”Kim...

St. Paul schools athletics director resigns

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:33:54 GMT

A St. Paul Public Schools athletics administrator has resigned from his post.Monroe Denarvise Thornton’s last day with the school district was Nov. 18, according to documents released ahead of the St. Paul school board’s Tuesday meeting. His departure is described in human resources disclosures as a resignation.He did not immediately return a Wednesday call seeking comment on his resignation. Members of the St. Paul school board didn’t immediately return requests Wednesday for comment on the resignation.Thornton, 54, had been accused of sex discrimination and harassment by subordinates.Details on any possible separation deal, including severance pay or the reason for the resignation, were not immediately available Wednesday.There is no public record of Thornton facing discipline for allegations of harassment or discrimination based on sex, and the district had already closed investigations of the complaints against him when they became public this summer.No immediate plans to ...

Video shows police SUV run red light before crashing into Bar:PM - Lawyer

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:33:54 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A lawyer representing the owners of an LGBT+ bar in south St. Louis alleges a police vehicle that smashed into his clients' business earlier this week had run a red light moments before the crash.Attorney Javad Khazaeli posted a security video to social media showing a police SUV running a stop light in the Carondelet neighborhood. The video is time-stamped just before 12:30 a.m. Monday. The camera filming the video is situated near the intersection of South Broadway and Nagel Avenue, which is near Bar:PM.FOX 2 could not determine if the vehicle seen in the video is the same one that crashed into the bar along the 7100 block of South Broadway.The crash itself happened around 12:30 a.m. as co-owner Chad Morris and another employee were closing up for the night.Khazaeli shared surveillance video of the crash from a distance with FOX 2 after first posting it to Twitter. The video shows the police car swerve left moments after passing a parked car and crash into th...

Recruiting: Still waiting on Jordan Seaton, CU Buffs announce class of 21 newcomers for 2024

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:33:54 GMT

Colorado hasn’t landed the biggest fish in the recruiting pond — yet — but the Buffaloes added a whole bunch of talent on Wednesday.On the first day of the early signing period, CU inked five high school recruits to national letters of intent and announced 16 transfers.What CU didn’t do was sign Jordan Seaton, the No. 1-rated offensive tackle in the 2024 class out of IMG Academy in Florida.With more than 30 scholarship offers in hand, including from many of the elite teams in the country, the 6-foot-5, 290-pound Seaton made national TV appearances to announce his verbal commitment to CU on Dec. 7.Related ArticlesCollege Sports | UNC Bears football early National Signing Day class of 2024 College Sports | CSU Rams football early National Signing Day class of 2024 College Sports | CU Buffs football early National Signing Day class of 2024 College Sports | How college football’s transfer portal is “killing hig...

Final nonconference test at hand for high-scoring CU Buffs men’s basketball

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:33:54 GMT

The real fun begins after the holiday weekend.Still, every goal potentially in sight for the Colorado men’s basketball team will unravel without focusing through the final pre-holiday test.A mostly-stirring run through nonconference play comes to an end on Thursday night, as the Buffaloes host Utah Tech in the final pre-Pac-12 tilt of the season. The November-December slate hasn’t been without its blemishes, as a Nov. 21 loss against Florida State is one the Buffs will continue to regret, but through 10 games CU generally has balanced an electric offense with solid defense.Keeping that momentum rolling through one more nonconference date will give the Buffs a well-earned respite ahead of a holiday break that precedes the start of CU’s final run through the Pac-12.“Utah Tech has some good players,” CU head coach Tad Boyle said. “They’re well-disciplined. If we’re not ready to play, this is a team that can certainly spoil our holidays, which we don’t want to have happen. I think if we...

L.A. public defender released after being wrongfully imprisoned in Venezuela

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:33:54 GMT

A Los Angeles public defender was one of ten American prisoners in Venezuela who were released Wednesday in a prisoner exchange.The Americans were swapped for an ally of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro. The ally, a fugitive defense contractor known as “Fat Leonard,” is at the center of a Pentagon bribery scandal, according to the Associated Press.One of the released prisoners is L.A. native, Eyvin Hernandez, a 44-year-old L.A. County Public Defender whose loved ones said has been wrongfully detained in a Venezuelan jail for nearly two years.In March 2022, Hernandez was vacationing in South America when he was kidnapped near the border of Colombia and Venezuela. He was accused of being an American spy after refusing to pay a $100 bribe to a gang, his family said.Eyvin Hernandez in a personal photo.Eyvin Hernandez in a personal photo.Friends and loved ones gathered at the UCLA School of Law on Jan. 18, 2023 to call for Hernandez's release from being wrongfully detained at a Venezu...

Long Beach City Council approves proclamation supporting ceasefire in Gaza

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:33:54 GMT

Long Beach City Council officials formally approved a proclamation calling on the federal government to support a permanent ceasefire in Gaza. The city joins a growing list of California cities that have approved similar measures.The council voted 5-2 in favor of the proclamation following hours of public comment from nearly 200 people, according to the Press-Telegram. The publication stated that mostly pro-Palestine speakers spoke at the meeting.However, some Long Beach residents who attended the meeting didn't support Long Beach "telling an independent free country how to defend itself." Israel uncovers major Hamas command center in Gaza City as cease-fire talks gain momentum The proclamation was introduced by council members Joni Ricks-Oddie, Roberto Uranga and Al Austin.Before the formal approval, the Long Beach Community United for Peace, a group representing the “Palestinian Community in unity with Muslim, Christian and Jewish allies and supporters from various backgrounds,”...

BoatBuddy Club: Miami’s #1 Shared Yacht Rental Service

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:33:54 GMT

BoatBuddy Club is a groundbreaking concept taking the boating community by storm. Hailed as Miami’s premier shared yacht rental service and founded by serial entrepreneur Ari Gold, BoatBuddy Club is much more than a service; it’s a community that connects like-minded individuals, couples, and small groups to enjoy unforgettable yacht experiences together.BoatBuddy Club’s inception was a response to Ari’s personal struggle with the soaring costs of boat rentals in Miami. While the joy of weekend boating with friends was unrivaled, the financial and logistical challenges presented significant obstacles. The idea of BoatBuddy Club took root as a service that would connect individuals with a shared passion for the water, fostering a community of like-minded individuals seeking affordable yachting experiences.This vision extends beyond a mere rental service as BoatBuddy Club aims to cultivate genuine connections and friendships. In Ari’s experience, several ...

National Signing Day: Cal adds 22 recruits for 2024

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:33:54 GMT

Cal’s early-signing class is loaded with prospects from Texas, but one of the Bears’ biggest gets might prove to be a player they managed to keep from moving relocating to the Lone Star state.Ja’ir Smith, rated as one of the top junior college safeties in the class, flipped from a commitment to TCU to play for the Bears. Smith, moved up the prospect ratings boards at the College of San Mateo but is originally from North Carolina.Coach Justin Wilcox and his staff signed 22 recruits in all, with nine coming from Texas.Related ArticlesCollege Sports | Hawaii Bowl-bound San Jose State Spartans dial in on defense with 2024 recruiting class College Sports | Stanford signs 2024 class, including top recruit in remission from lymphoma College Sports | Early football signing period: Where Bay Area high school stars will play College Sports | Best of the West: MW, not Pac-12, is the region’s top conference ...

Review: With ‘Lego Bricktales’ in VR, a classic toy explores a new frontier

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:33:54 GMT

In the age of video games, toys have faded in popularity as gadgets and screens become what children want. Teddy Ruxpin’s time has come and gone and the reign of Furby has passed, but Legos remain the eternal childhood toy.Aside from their timeless quality, a reason that the iconic Danish toy has continued to grow in popularity is that the Legos Group wasn’t afraid to dabble in video games. “Lego Star Wars,” “Lego Jurassic World” and other titles brought the concept of the toy to a new generation and turned them into fans.A WORLD YOU CAN PEEK INTONow, the toy is entering another new frontier — virtual reality — as Thunderful Group brings ClockStone Studio’s project to the Meta Quest series of devices. The work doesn’t ask players to become a minifigure and venture through block worlds, but rather, it lets them create a character and move them through intricate dioramas.It’s comparable to what Polyarc did with “M...