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Official who posted ‘ballot selfie’ in Wisconsin has felony charge dismissed

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

PORT WASHINGTON, Wis. (AP) — A local official who posted a photo of his marked ballot on Facebook during the April 2022 election had felony charges against him dropped Monday. Paul Buzzell, 52, of Mequon had faced maximum penalties of 3 1/2 years behind bars and $10,000 in fines. Buzzell, a member of the Mequon-Thiensville School Board, would have also been barred from holding elected office if convicted.Ozaukee County Judge Paul Malloy dismissed the charges against Buzzell in a hearing Monday, saying a state law prohibiting voters from showing their marked ballots to anyone else is in violation of the constitutional right to freedom of speech, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.“This case was about more than just a Facebook post; it was about protecting the fundamental right to freedom of expression,” Michael Chernin, Buzzell’s attorney, said in a statement to the newspaper.Ozaukee County District Attorney Adam Gerol, who brought the charges against Buzzell, promised to ...

If Liberals need more time on pharmacare, NDP says it will demand ‘more results’

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

OTTAWA — The NDP says there’s still enough time for the Liberals to meet their deadline for introducing pharmacare legislation, but if the government needs more time, their legislative dance partners are expecting more results. NDP spokesperson Alana Cahill says her party was “very clear” that the Liberals’ first draft of a pharmacare bill “missed the mark” and didn’t guarantee coverage for everyone.The parties’ supply-and-confidence agreement requires a Canada Pharmacare Act to be passed before the end of this year, though it doesn’t stipulate that an actual program be up and running any time soon.There are less than three weeks’ worth of sittings before the House of Commons rises for a winter break, making it next to impossible to introduce and pass a bill before that deadline. But Cahill says there could still be enough time to do it, and talks are ongoing. New Democrats passed an emergency resolution at a policy convent...

Migrant camp in Brighton Park still weeks away, officials say

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

CHICAGO — Migrants are coping with the frigid temperatures and snow that swept across Chicagoland on Sunday as the city prepares to begin work on a winterized tent camp in Brighton Park on Monday — and neighbors in the area continue to push back on the plans.A spokesperson for Mayor Brandon Johnson said there is no date yet to begin construction, even though 12th Ward Alderwoman Julia Ramirez told constituents it would start Monday.Mayor Brandon Johnson signed the contract to build large, winterized tents to house migrants in mid-September but has never publicly shared a specific target date for the facilities to be opened. Now, the governor’s office says the winterized tent camp won’t be open until mid-December.For several weeks, dozens of residents have shown up every day to voice their concerns and opposition to the city's proposal to house migrants at the vacant property located near West 38th Street and South California Avenue. Police warn residents ...

Jimmy Carter to attend late wife Rosalynn Carter's memorial service, family says

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The family of Rosalynn Carter began the final farewells Monday to the former first lady and global humanitarian ahead of a memorial service Tuesday that her husband, former President Jimmy Carter, who is currently in hospice, is expected to attend.The tributes started in her hometown of Sumter County, Georgia, with an escort from past and present members of her Secret Service detail."It hurts our hearts," Kim Fuller, Carter’s niece, said during a church service Sunday.Carter died Nov. 19 at the age of 96. PHOTOS: Rosalynn Carter through the years "I just thank you, especially for the life of Rosalynn Carter and what she means to every single one of us," Fuller prayed.A wreath-laying ceremony at Carter's alma mater, Georgia Southwestern State University, honored one of her many contributions, advocating for the millions of unpaid caregivers in U.S. households."For 40 years, she did that work,” said Paige Alexander, the CEO of the Carter Center. “Her top prior...

Video captures streaker in Disneyland's 'It's a Small World'; man arrested

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

ANAHEIM, Cali. (KTLA) — Disneyland guests on “It’s a Small World” got an unexpected and unwelcome show Sunday when a man stripped nearly naked and got up close and personal with some of the set pieces on the iconic ride.Officers with the Anaheim Police Department responded to the theme park at around 1:30 p.m. to assist Disney security with the incident. Video of the streaker obtained by Nexstar's KTLA shows the man, eerily lit in blue, orange and pink lights, walking around nearly in the buff to the sound of Christmas music. Disneyland guest hospitalized, others injured after lamp post falls due to high winds “I am on Small World and there was a streaker, I cannot believe this happening,” Ashley Esqueda posted to X, formerly Twitter.  Disneyland officials told KTLA that the man stepped out of the ride's vehicle as the attraction was in operation and that park employees stopped the ride as soon as they were made aware of the situation. “At some point, somebody snapped him o...

Indiana AG echoes Delphi judge in asking Supreme Court to throw out petition calling for her removal

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

CARROLL COUNTY, Ind. — Judge Fran Gull said a petition to the Indiana Supreme Court calling on her to be removed from the Delphi murders trial should be thrown out due to the defense not using proper legal avenues in order to seek their end goal. Gull wasn't alone in calling for the high court to throw out the petition as Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita echoed many of Gull's same sentiments in a separate filing that also asked the court to reject the petition. Westfield man charged in Delphi murders evidence leak Both Gull and Rokita called the writ of mandamus filed with the Indiana Supreme Court — the legal petition that not only called for Gull's removal but for the reinstatement of accused murderer Richard Allen's original defense team — "improper" with both stating that Allen should have pursued an appeal if he thought Gull was abusing her power by removing his original defense team. In his filing, Rokita argued that a writ of mandamus was "inappropriate" for pursuing t...

Aurora woman accused of leading police on 122 mph pursuit

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

NAPERVILLE, Ill. — An Aurora woman was taken into custody early Saturday morning after allegedly leading police on a pursuit that reached over 120 mph along I-88.According to the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office, officers with the Naperville Police Department were conducting surveillance in the parking lot of Bowlero on the 1500 block of Aurora Avenue just before 1:30 a.m. on Saturday.Officers reportedly noticed a gun between the center console and passenger seat of a car in the parking lot. A short time later, two individuals entered the car and allegedly began smoking marijuana. ‘I’m going to shoot you’: Pair charged after defiant 7-Eleven clerk ignores threats in Elmhurst Naperville officers approached the vehicle to conduct a search and asked the pair to exit the vehicle. A woman inside the vehicle exited, but a male suspect did not. He reportedly began moving items around the car before exiting and fleeing on foot.As officers pursued the man, the woman reente...

Chicago family of 5 rescued from mountain in Colorado

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

(PUEBLO, Colo.) — A Chicago family of five that became stranded on a mountain in Colorado was rescued on Wednesday.According to the Pueblo County Sheriff's Office (PCSO), on Wednesday morning a family of three adults and two children had gone for a hike on the Greenhorn Trailhead and were nearing the summit when they became hampered by the effects of the altitude, unexpected snow, and their experience level.PCSO said as it was nearing dusk, the family realized they had a ways to go with no food and inadequate clothing for the dropping temperatures, the family called 911 for help.PCSO's volunteer Search and Rescue (SAR) team, along with the Sheriff's Office Fire Team and Deputies, and Rye Fire and Flight for Life worked together to find the family. The SAR team was airlifted by Flight for Life to the top of North Peak, where they found the family with the help of GPS, giving them food, water, and warmth. As darkness fell, the SAR team hiked with the family about a mile over the peak ...

5-year-old dies, grandfather missing after being swept out to sea in California

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT

HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (KRON) – A 5-year-old girl is dead and her grandfather is missing Monday after a wave reportedly swept them off a Northern California beach and into the ocean over the weekend, according to Coast Guard officials.San Mateo County Fire found the 5-year-old, who was pulled out to sea Saturday afternoon at Martins Beach in Half Moon Bay, officials said. She was transported to the hospital and pronounced dead, Coast Guard officials said in a news release.For 22 hours, rescue teams searched 100 square miles for her 54-year-old grandfather before they suspended their search Sunday afternoon.“The decision to suspend search efforts is one of the hardest decisions to make, but our crews searched for nearly 24 hours without any sightings of the missing person,” said Capt. Jordan Baldueza, deputy commander, Coast Guard Sector San Francisco.  Naked guy spotted on iconic Disneyland Ride A call about two people being swept out to sea came in around 1:20 p.m. Saturday, ...

PAST WINNERS - Aug / Sept / Oct 2023

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:25:32 GMT