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Jury deliberates in 'ComEd Four' bribery trial

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:18:10 GMT

CHICAGO -- The corruption trial for the "ComEd Four" are now in the hands of the jurors.Federal prosecutors finished up their rebuttal argument Tuesday after six weeks of testimony and two days of closing arguments in the ComEd bribery trial.“We’re not talking about amateurs here,” Assistant US Attorney Amar Bhachu tells jurors during rebuttal arguments. “They were not playing checkers, they were playing chess, and they were grandmasters of corruption.”But defense attorneys have argued their clients did nothing wrong. Tinley Park’s music venue gets a new name "Jay is a Chicago guy," Attorney Mike Gillespie said, regarding his client, Jay Doherty. "And he has nothing to do with Springfield.  Zero. Not a thing."Defense attorneys argued their clients were engaged in legal and constitutionally-protected lobbying, but federal prosecutors are seeing it differently.The four people on trial are former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan's confidant Michael McClain, former ComEd CEO Ann...

24-carat gold-plated gun in luggage leads to US woman's arrest: Australia officials

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:18:10 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – A 28-year-old woman from the U.S. is facing charges and potential visa cancellation after Australian authorities say they found a 24-carat gold-plated handgun in her luggage over the weekend. The woman, who hasn't yet been identified, was arrested at Sydney Airport on Sunday after officers with the Australian Border Force, using "sophisticated detection technology" found the firearm in her luggage. According to ABF, the firearm was unregistered and the woman, who was traveling from Los Angeles, lacked a permit to import or possess a firearm in Australia. The woman was charged and, if convicted, could face up to 10 years in prison, ABF wrote in a press release. Will TSA stop you for marijuana in your luggage? While details are limited, the woman appeared before a court on Monday and received bail. Pending court proceedings, the woman could have her visa canceled and be removed from Australia. Another court hearing is scheduled for May, according to 7News Australia.Airl...

Three storm threats in Central Texas through Saturday

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:18:10 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Extensive cloud cover has kept temperatures too cool to develop severe thunderstorms in our area, especially from Austin westward through the Hill Country. Clouds are breaking east of I-35, warming temperatures and providing a chance of developing strong to severe storms this evening.From I-35 eastward is where we may see isolated severe thunderstorms develop now through 9 p.m., with the potential of hail, damaging winds or an isolated tornado.Strong storms possible after 5 p.m.Our area is in a 2 out of 5 threat of severe storms this evening.Slight risk (2 out of 5) for strong to severe storms Tuesday afternoon & eveningNext severe threat: late Wednesday into early ThursdayAn upper-level low over northeast Utah will continue to move southeast towards Texas. A cold front will be head to our area late Wednesday night, moving over the area during the overnight hours. The Storm Prediction Center feels that strong winds will be the number one threat followed by sizea...

Texas, Michigan switch sites in home-and-home series for 2024, 2027

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:18:10 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns are headed to The Big House earlier than planned.UT announced Tuesday that the game against the Michigan Wolverines scheduled for Sept. 4, 2024, will now be at Michigan Stadium. It was initially set to be in Austin. The return game, set for Sept. 11, 2027, will be at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersThe schools mutually agreed on the switch, UT said. The games were announced in 2014, giving a 10-year lead time for the first matchup.The schools have played each other only once before in the 2005 Rose Bowl. Vince Young helped lead the Longhorns to a 38-37 win with 372 total yards and five touchdowns, including 192 rushing yards and four scores on the ground. Dusty Mangum booted a 37-yard goal as time expired to give Texas the win.Michigan and Texas are the two winningest programs in NCAA history. T...

'Like I'm just your prey': Survivor pushes for victim rights after attacker gets probation sentence

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:18:10 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man who admitted to attacking a woman and exposing himself to a child is now on probation for the next 10 years.The survivor Lynn Isaak made it her mission to find who attacked her, and might be the very reason police were able to arrest Antonio Rios. Rios pleaded guilty to charges of aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and injury to a child for indecent exposure.35-year-old Antonio Cordero Rios pleaded guilty to aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury and injury to a child for indecent exposure charges. (Photo provided by: Austin Police Department). Nearly a dozen other women across the Austin area claim he preyed on them as well for nearly half a year before he got caught.Isaak's story is now bigger than just her. And it's leading to an important conversation.Out for her normal morning run in her Travis Heights neighborhood in 2020, Isaak never thought she would be in court in 2023 facing a man who attacked her."After I passed you, I could s...

Texas House takes up bill to ramp up social media protections for teens

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:18:10 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — As part of a larger effort to crack down on 'Big Tech,' the Texas House gave initial passage to a bill Tuesday that would require websites to protect teenagers from "harmful" content and get parental consent before using minors' data.The "Securing Children Online through Parental Empowerment Act" (SCOPE) aims to give parents and guardians more tools for shielding their kids from "addictive algorithms" and prevent social media companies from collective private information about minors.It comes amid growing concerns around high usage of social media by American teens and the consequences the volume of usage can have on their overall health. Earlier this year, the U.S. Surgeon General said he believes anyone younger than age 14 should not have social media accounts, citing growing research showing the harmful impacts it can have on children's mental health and development.A priority of Speaker Dade Phelan, the bill would prevent a "digital service provider" or D...

Vikings exercise fifth-year option for star receiver Justin Jefferson

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:18:10 GMT

It’s only a matter of time before Justin Jefferson secures the bag.Since the end of last season, the Vikings have been working closely with Jefferson to negotiation a contract extension that presumably would make him the soon-to-be 24-year-old the highest-paid receiver in the NFLIn the meantime, the Vikings formally exercised the fifth-year option for Jefferson on Tuesday afternoon, which keeps him under contract through 2024.After establishing himself as perhaps the best player in the NFL at his position, Jefferson is currently set to make a base salary of $2.4 million in 2023 and a base salary of $19.7 million in 2024. The contract extension Jefferson would begin in 2025.“I will be wherever I’m wanted,” Jefferson said in January when asked a possible contract extension. “If they want me here, I’m here.”Originally selected by the Vikings in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Jefferson already has put himself in the same conversation as the legendary Randy Moss for t...

Man sentenced for slashing girlfriend’s throat at Union Depot light-rail platform

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:18:10 GMT

A St. Paul man was sentenced Monday to nine years in prison for slashing his girlfriend’s throat at the Union Depot light-rail platform.The woman survived the May 9 attack by Ray Anthony Criss and credited good Samaritans with saving her life.Ray Anthony Criss (Courtesy of the Ramsey County sheriff’s office)Criss, 37, pleaded guilty to second-degree assault after reaching an agreement with the prosecution on March 6 that called for dismissing attempted murder and first-degree assault charges.Officers responded to the Union Depot platform in downtown St. Paul and found the 40-year-old woman with a severe cut to her throat and bystanders applying pressure.She was hospitalized and police learned her boyfriend, Criss, had threatened to kill her for weeks and said he would do it “right in front of police,” according to the criminal complaint.A security officer told officers that the couple had been arguing inside Union Depot. Surveillance video showed Criss exit a train, approach h...

MN House OKs legal cannabis; Senate vote scheduled Friday

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:18:10 GMT

Members of the Minnesota House on Tuesday approved a bill to legalize recreational marijuana use for adults.Legalization has passed in the Democratic-Farmer-Labor-controlled House before. But DFL lawmakers took control of the Senate last November and a vote is now scheduled for Friday in that chamber.Members started debating the bill late Monday evening and tabled the discussion around midnight. They resumed Tuesday afternoon before passing the bill on a 71-59 vote.Reps. Nolan West, R-Blaine, and Shane Hudella, R-Hastings, joined DFLers in support of the bill. Rep. Gene Pelowski, DFL-Winona, joined Republicans in opposition.What’s in the bill?The House bill would allow marijuana possession for people 21 and older, expunge marijuana conviction records and create a new regulatory plan for the substance.Eligible adults could possess 2 ounces or less of cannabis in a public place, and 1.5 pounds or less in a residence. Individuals would be able to possess edibles with a total of 800 mil...

MN House passes housing bill with $1 billion in spending, 0.25% metro sales tax hike

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 09:18:10 GMT

Minnesota would spend $1 billion over the next two years to provide affordable housing under a bill passed Tuesday by the state Senate. The vote was 39-28.The legislation, sponsored by DFL Sen. Lindsey Port of Burnsville, aims to reduce children’s homelessness, cut racial disparities in homeownership rates and subsidize construction of more affordable homes.It also would impose a 0.25 percent sales tax increase in the seven-county metro area to help pay for new housing programs. The tax would raise an estimated $353 million over the next two years and $391.2 million in 2026-2027.The bill would provide eight times more money for housing than the state currently spends, Port said. Most of the funding — about $750 million — would go to building new housing.It now goes back to the House, which passed a similar measure next week. If the two chambers resolve any differences, the bill would go to Gov. Tim Walz, who has pledged to sign it.Port said the measure would increase the...