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Francis Wilkinson: Democrats have to solve their Menendez problem

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:21 GMT

Al Franken was an above-average senator from Minnesota who was driven from office in 2018 by his Democratic colleagues after several women accused him of touching them inappropriately or making them feel physically uncomfortable. Democrats opposing Donald Trump — then a confessed groper, later found liable for rape — did not want to have to defend the unseemly behavior of one of their own. Collectively, they applied sufficient pressure on Franken that he felt compelled to quit the Senate.Bob Menendez is a below-average senator from New Jersey who is now facing his second round of charges of public corruption. Democrats opposing Trump — whose corrupt practices in business and politics are fodder for Democratic campaigns — should not have to defend Menendez’s conduct. So his Democratic colleagues need to make him understand that the Senate would be better off without him.Menendez was indicted Friday in a 39-page howitzer from Damian Williams, the U.S. att...

Country star Morgan Wallen books June stop at U.S. Bank Stadium

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:21 GMT

Country star Morgan Wallen will return to U.S. Bank Stadium on June 20 and this time he’s the headliner.Those seeking tickets need to register in advance at registration.ticketmaster.com/morganwallen by the end of the day Sunday. Once registration is closed, fans will be randomly selected to receive a day and time of the presale along with a code to purchase tickets. VIP packages will be available at 11 a.m. Oct. 4 via vipnation.com. Neither the venue nor the promoter announced ticket prices.Wallen, 30, emerged in 2014 as a contestant on the sixth season of “The Voice,” but was eliminated during the playoffs. He released his debut EP the following year and scored his first major hit with 2017’s “Up Down.” Nearly every single he’s released since has landed at either No. 1 or 2 on the country charts.After releasing his debut album “If I Know Me” in 2018, Wallen hit the road and opened for Luke Bryan at Target Field that July. His sophomore effort, “Dangerous: The Dou...

2 students brought guns to Roseville Area High School in separate Monday incidents, charges say

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:21 GMT

Two Roseville Area High School students were found with guns in unrelated incidents Monday, according to charges filed Tuesday.One case involved a gun with an extended magazine and no serial number, while the other involved a stolen gun and recent fights, court documents said.“While this is scary for all of us – adults and students – I have comfort in the work we are doing every day to reduce risk,” Principal Jen Wilson wrote in a message to the school’s families.On Monday morning, school staff found a .22-caliber handgun in a 17-year-old student’s backpack. Staff said the teen “had an ongoing disagreement with another student at the school and that fights had been reported off and on school property,” according to a juvenile petition. “The fight on school property had been broken up by staff and the participants separated.”Staff was “working to de-escalate a conflict among a very small group of students,” Wilson wrot...

Woodbury man sentenced to 120 days for using rifle to rob Mall of America stores

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:21 GMT

A Woodbury man who admitted to robbing two Mall of America stores with a rifle last year has been sentenced to 120 days in the workhouse and three years of probation.Cartier Troy Alexander II, 29, had entered a straight plea in July to two counts of first-degree aggravated robbery. A third robbery count was dismissed as part of a plea agreement.Cartier Troy Alexander (Courtesy of the Bloomington Police Department)In exchange for the plea, Hennepin County prosecutors agreed to dismiss a third aggravated robbery count. Alexander’s attorney was also allowed to argue for a downward departure from state sentencing guidelines.Judge John Lucas granted the departure at Monday’s sentencing, staying a four-year prison term. In doing so, according to court records, he considered several mitigating factors, including that Alexander was found to be particularly amenable to probation and mental health treatment. The judge also noted that Alexander “lacked substantial capacity for judgment&#...

Schenectady County holds foreclosed property auctions

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:21 GMT

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Schenectady County is hosting online auctions for over 25 foreclosed properties, including single-family, commercial, and vacant land. Auctions will close on October 20. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! “Foreclosed property auctions offer a win-win for taxpayers by not only recovering lost revenue but also revitalizing neglected properties, ultimately boosting property values and local tax bases,” said Anthony Jasenski, Chair of the Schenectady County Legislature.The auctions can be found on the Collar City Auctions website. Schenectady County has put more than 425 properties back on tax rolls since 2008. The properties were either sold or redeemed by the tax-delinquent owner.

Lansingburgh CSD to offer veterans school tax exemption 

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:21 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Lansingburgh Central School District's Board of Education has passed a resolution approving a school property tax exemption to eligible veterans with a primary residence within the district. The Alternative Veterans Property Tax Exemption will take effect in the 2024-2025 school year. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! “Lansingburgh’s Board of Education is deeply honored and proud to acknowledge the dedication and sacrifice of the service members who fought for our country and now live within our community," said Board President Andrea Fairhurst. “We recognize the sacrifices they have made, and we are committed to demonstrating our gratitude by offering this tax exemption. Our community is truly enhanced by the presence and efforts of these selfless veterans, and we value the support from the residents of Lansingburgh School District in this endeavor.”The exemption will be available for individuals who ...

Kelce jersey sales jump nearly 400% after Swift attends Chiefs game

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:21 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift caused an immense whirlwind after the music superstar was spotted at Arrowhead to watch the tight end play on Sunday. In fact, Kelce saw a nearly 400% increase in jersey sales after Swift's appearance, Fanatics told TMZ Sports. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! While Kelce is one of the most popular players in the league, he was outside the top 10 in jersey sales before Sunday's game against the Bears. "Yesterday, Travis Kelce was one of the top five selling NFL players and saw a nearly 400% spike in sales throughout the Fanatics network of sites, including NFLShop.com," Fanatics said. Swift's impact cannot be overstated. The pairing has caused quite a spectacle—especially after being seen leaving the game together—not just across Kansas City, but all over.In video captured by WGN's Jarrett Payton, Kelce and Swift could be seen walking side by side after the Chief's 41-10 bl...

Biden urges striking auto workers to 'stick with it' in picket line visit unparalleled in history

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:21 GMT

VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) — President Joe Biden grabbed a bullhorn on the picket line Tuesday and urged striking auto workers to “stick with it” in an unparalleled show of support for organized labor by a modern president.Donning a union ballcap and exchanging fist bumps, Biden told United Auto Workers strikers that “you deserve the significant raise you need” as he stopped in the Detroit area just a day ahead of a planned visit by former President Donald Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in next year's election. “No deal, no wheels!” workers chanted as Biden arrived at a General Motors parts distribution warehouse, one of several facilities that has been targeted in a widening strike now in its 12th day. “No pay, no parts!”Despite concerns that a prolonged strike could undermine the economy, particularly in the crucial battleground state of Michigan, the Democratic president encouraged workers to keep fighting for better wages at a time when car companies ha...

Ex-deputy faces felony charges after being caught with more than 100 pounds of fentanyl, gun, RCDA says

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:21 GMT

A former Riverside County Sheriff’s Department correctional deputy faces a series of local felony charges after he was allegedly caught with more than 100 pounds of fentanyl and a gun.Banning resident Jorge Oceguera-Rocha, 25, was pulled over in Calimesa on Sept. 17, and authorities allegedly found a gun and narcotics, the Riverside County District Attorney's Office said in a news release.The Sheriff's Department confirmed that Oceguera-Rocha had been under investigation for playing "a pivotal role of trafficking large quantities of narcotics within Riverside County while off duty." Deputy caught with more than 44 pounds of drugs, gun, RCSD says On Tuesday, the Sheriff's Department detailed that the drugs in question were fentanyl pills, of which Oceguera-Rocha had 104 pounds.Federal prosecutors declined to file charges against him, but Riverside County officials charged Oceguera-Rocha with possession of narcotics, transportation with the intent to distribute narcotics, weight enh...

Los Angeles housing market rose $202 billion in past year, Zillow says

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:19:21 GMT

Everyone knows buying a house in Los Angeles is expensive, but the numbers just released by Zillow are likely still jaw-dropping to many.In a report released Tuesday, Zillow estimated the total value of the housing market in the L.A. metro area — the sum of Zillow's estimates for every home — is up $202 billion in the last year alone.The area's total value, $3.7 trillion, has seen a rapid increase since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, rising 38% over the past three years, Zillow said. In August 2023 alone, the median price in Los Angeles County was up 4.2%, according to the California Association of Realtors. "While a small chunk of this growth can be attributed to a 1.3% rise in the average value of a US home over the past year, the powerhouse behind this surge has been new construction," Zillow senior economist Orphe Divounguy explained. "Builders have chipped away at the housing deficit as a steady flow of new homes have hit the market this spring ...