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12 face federal charges after allegedly trafficking fentanyl-laced drugs on Chicago's South Side

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:10:31 GMT

CHICAGO — Federal prosecutors have charged 12 people who allegedly trafficked fentanyl-laced drugs on the South Side of Chicago.The charges were announced Wednesday and came after what the U.S. Attorney's Office called a multi-year investigation led by the FBI, which included controlled narcotics purchases, surveillance and wiretapping. FBI offers $20k reward after several BMO Harris bank robberies in western, southern suburbs Law enforcement agents seized nearly $400,000 in alleged cash proceeds, cocaine, heroin, marijuana, Bentley and Mercedes-Benz cars and a custom-built motorcycle during the investigation.According to a news release, some of the people charged allegedly sold or tried to sell drugs in other states, including Wisconsin, Minnesota and Ohio.Personnel with the FBI Chicago Field Office, Chicago Police Department, Cook County State's Attorney's Office, Rock County, Wisconsin Sheriff's Office and Indiana State Police assisted with the investigation.

Battle over abortion access moves from Indiana to Illinois

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:10:31 GMT

CHICAGO — Lawyers representing anti-abortion pregnancy centers are expected to appear before a federal judge in Rockford, just days after new abortion restrictions went into effect across the border in Indiana.The Thomas More Society representing the National Institute of Family & Life Advocates is expected to file for an injunction Thursday, asking a federal judge to block the Illinois Attorney General from enforcing Senate Bill 1909, which anti-abortion proponents say is unconstitutional.“It has a very chilling effect on our pregnancy centers because they don’t define what is ‘deceptive,'" said NIFLA attorney Anne O’Connor, adding that it’s a matter of free speech. With help from the conservative Thomas More Society, the lawsuit filed last week focuses on Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul and the new Illinois Senate Bill.“Pregnancy centers should be free to serve women and offer the support they need without fear of unjust government punishment," O'Connor added. Misleadi...

After comeback from cancer, Sox closer Liam Hendriks has Tommy John surgery on right elbow

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:10:31 GMT

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Chicago White Sox closer Liam Hendriks, who made a comeback this season from cancer, had surgery Wednesday to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.The typical recovery time after Tommy John surgery is 12-14 months, which means the right-hander could miss all of next season. The White Sox said before their game against Texas that the procedure was successfully performed by Rangers team physician Dr. Keith Meister. Liam Hendriks gets to receive award for perseverance after beating cancer The 34-year-old Hendriks began the season on the injured list to continue his treatment for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He publicly revealed his cancer diagnosis on January 8, completed treatment on April 3 and announced he was cancer free on April 20, then made his season just more than a month after that.Hendriks last pitched June 9, two days before he was placed on the 15-day injured list with right elbow inflammation. He went 2-0 with one save and a 5...

Colorado prison escapee caught living 'flashy' life in Florida after 5 years

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:10:31 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — A man who escaped from a federal prison in Littleton, Colorado in 2018 has been apprehended in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Authorities say they found him living a "flashy" assumed identity.Allen Todd May, 58, had been on the run since Dec. 21, 2018, when he escaped from the Englewood Federal Correctional Institution. May originally stole a Bureau of Prisons work truck and drove off the prison grounds without anyone noticing.Hours later, he used a credit card to rent a U-Haul truck from a Denver facility and then abandoned it behind a Waffle House in Fort Worth, Texas. May was seen at his mother’s house in Houston the day after his escape, but a U.S. Marshals Service spokesman told Nexstar's KDVR the trail for May turned cold for years until an anonymous tipster surfaced a few months ago.A source provided KDVR with this photo showing prison escapee Allen May after his arrest. Investigators say he assumed the name "Jacob Turner" while on the run in Florida."Thi...

APD asks for help finding north Austin homicide suspect

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:10:31 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department said it needs help finding a suspect in connection with a homicide that occurred in north Austin in August 2022.Image of Hector Gabriel Valente-Martinez (APD photo)APD is trying to find 18-year-old Hector Gabriel Valente-Martinez. He is wanted for an outstanding felony warrant for murder.Police described Valente-Martinez as being 5-foot-6 and weighing 130 pounds. PAST COVERAGE: APD launches homicide investigation after man dies from being shot earlier this month In a surveillance video, Valente-Martinez was seen approaching an individual behind a convenience store located at 1600 Ohlen Road, according to APD.Anyone with information or video of the incident was asked to call APD Homicide at 512-974-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted anonymously through the Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 512-472-8477 (TIPS), the new Crime Stoppers App or by emailing APD Homicide at [email protected].

Technical issue causes nearly 10K ACC students to be dropped from classes

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:10:31 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Community College said a technical issue caused nearly 10,000 students to be dropped from enrollment.The college said it would work to contact all the students impacted by the issue. ACC said the students should still get all the classes they signed up for.“We apologize to anyone that was impacted. We want them to understand that we are ready to go for the fall semester, and we look forward to seeing all the students when they get to campus,” Dr. Dorado Kinney, ACC Associate Vice Chancellor, said.ACC said it temporarily closed the self-service platform and paused fall registration until it could get the situation figured out and help those students get back into their fall classes.“We hope to have everything back online soon,” ACC said.Classes are expected to start Aug. 21.

Arrest made connected to Austin weekend 'street takeover' event

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:10:31 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A man who was at a north Austin parking lot where people were "engaged in reckless driving and doing 'donuts'" -- one of a number of weekend "street takeover" events -- was arrested as he tried to drive away from the area, according to an affidavit. DPS said his car was one of those left in the business parking lot off Howard Lane after the crowd dispersed. According to an affidavit, the trooper tried to make an "investigative detention" on those still standing around, and the man ran to his car and drove off even after being told to stop. The trooper chased him and pulled him over.Yurison Corrales Hidalgo, 19, was arrested on a charge of evading arrest or detention with a vehicle. KXAN has reached out to his attorney and will update this story when we receive a response.Separately, DPS said charges are pending against another 19-year-old accused of evading law enforcement in a meetup in a parking lot about 10 minutes away. New ‘street takeover’ laws: Will they a...

Advocates, relatives call for firing, arrest of 3 troopers involved in fatal shooting of Black motorist

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:10:31 GMT

Racial justice groups and relatives of a Black man shot and killed this week by a Minnesota State Patrol trooper demanded Wednesday that the governor fire three officers who were involved in stopping the man on a Minneapolis freeway.The groups and relatives of 33-year-old Ricky Cobb II of Plymouth made the demands at a news conference outside the Hennepin County Government Center in Minneapolis, two days after Cobb was killed during a traffic stop.Troopers had pulled over Cobb, who was Black, for driving with no taillights early Monday on Interstate 94 in Minneapolis. According to the head of the Minnesota State Patrol, after stopping the car the troopers tried to take Cobbs into custody for allegedly violating a Ramsey County restraining order before fatally shooting him as he began driving away.Black Lives Matter Twin Cities, the Racial Justice Network, Black Lives Matter Minnesota and Cobb’s relatives gathered at the government center to demand that Gov. Tim Walz fire the s...

Yankees Notebook: Luis Severino, Nestor Cortes to start vs. Astros

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:10:31 GMT

With Domingo Germán going on the restricted list to treat alcohol abuse on Wednesday, the Yankees’ pitching plans for the rest of the week were up in the air prior to the announcement, which came in the six o’clock hour.“If you guys know something, let me know, Luis Severino, who believed he was starting Friday against the Astros, told reporters.Indeed, Severino — fresh off another disastrous outing — is going to start on Friday, Aaron Boone said. The right-hander, searching for answers, threw a bullpen on Wednesday under the supervision of Matt Blake and Andy Pettitte.Clarke Schmidt will start Thursday’s series-opener against Houston, but the Yankees’ Saturday and Sunday pitching plans are still up in the air.Rather than making one last rehab start in Scranton on Wednesday as scheduled, Nestor Cortes is going to start for the Yankees this weekend against the Astros. The lefty, returning from a rotator cuff strain, and Aaron Boone weren...

Charge: Woman used ‘sleight of hand’ distraction scheme to steal from metro-area retail stores

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:10:31 GMT

Prosecutors allege a woman belonging to a traveling organized crime group pulled off “sleight of hand” distraction thefts at several retail stores throughout the metro area over the past five months.Baronita Rostas, 23, was arrested last week in St. Louis Park and charged Tuesday in Hennepin County District Court with one felony count of theft by swindle for allegedly bilking stores out of $6,280 between March 14 and July 27.Baronita Rostas (Courtesy of Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office)Rostas made an initial appearance on the charge Wednesday, when a judge set bail at $100,000. Rostas requested an interpreter, according to court records, which lists her address as “unknown.” An attorney is not included in court records.The criminal complaint alleges that Rostas hit up stores in Hennepin, Dakota, Ramsey and Washington counties, in addition to ones in North Carolina and Iowa, and that each transaction was documented on either store surveillance video or through trans...