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A man charged with aiding Michigan Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot says the scheme didn’t seem serious

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:22 GMT

One of three men accused of assisting a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer testified in his own defense Thursday, portraying himself as a scared participant in a daytime ride to see her vacation home in northern Michigan.Eric Molitor and twin brothers William Null and Michael Null are charged with providing material support for terrorist acts.Molitor said Whitmer’s name didn’t come up when he was encouraged by the scheme’s leader, Adam Fox, to go to Antrim County to check out a “high-profile vacation house” in August 2020.But Molitor said he became anxious when he learned that it was the governor’s lakeside house in Elk Rapids. He was in a pickup truck with Fox and an FBI informant when they twice drove by the property.“What do I say? How do I act? What do I do? How do I get out of this situation?” Molitor told the jury. “I don’t have training. I don’t have backup. I got nothing.”Molitor’s decision to testify was a rar...

Louisiana grand jury charges 91-year-old disgraced priest with sexual assault of teenage boy in 1975

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:22 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A state grand jury has charged a now-91-year-old disgraced priest with sexually assaulting a teenage boy in 1975, an extraordinary prosecution that could shed new light on what Roman Catholic Church leaders knew about a child sex abuse crisis that persisted for decades and claimed hundreds of victims. The priest, Lawrence Hecker, has been at the center of state and federal investigations of clergy sex abuse and a deepening scandal over why church leaders failed to report his admissions to law enforcement even as they permitted him to work around children until he quietly left the ministry in 2002. It wasn’t until 2018 that the Archdiocese of New Orleans publicly identified Hecker as a suspected predator when it released its list of “credibly accused” priests.Hecker faces felony counts of rape, kidnapping, aggravated crime against nature and theft. He is accused of choking the teen unconscious under the guise of performing a wrestling move and sexually assaulting h...

Episcopal Church restricts Michigan bishop from ministry during misconduct investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:22 GMT

An Episcopal bishop in Michigan has been placed on an immediate restriction from ministry as part of a misconduct investigation stemming from allegations by his adult sons of past verbal and physical abuse.The restriction against the Rt. Rev. Prince Singh of the Episcopal Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan was announced Thursday by the Episcopal Church.The Episcopal News Service reported from a church statement in June that Singh requested a Title IV investigation into himself after two of his sons accused him of physically, verbally and psychologically abusing them and their mother. They also alleged that he drank alcohol excessively. Title IV refers to the section of the Episcopal Church’s canons that details the process for investigating and resolving matters when a clergy member is accused of misconduct.The Associated Press left a voicemail and email Thursday afternoon with the Episcopal Diocese of Eastern Michigan seeking comment from Singh.Singh has said in a statement r...

Virginia lawsuit stemming from police pepper-spraying an Army officer will be settled

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:22 GMT

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A town in Virginia has agreed to independent reviews of misconduct allegations against its police force to settle a lawsuit filed after a Black and Latino Army lieutenant was pepper sprayed during a traffic stop.The town of Windsor also agreed to more officer training as part of a settlement agreement signed Thursday. In exchange, the state Attorney General’s Office will drop its argument that Windsor police broke a new law by depriving Caron Nazario of his rights.Windsor agreed to keep working toward accreditation by the Virginia Law Enforcement Professional Standards Commission. Police also will hold officer training exercises twice a year and submit to the Isle of Wight Commonwealth’s Attorney reviewing any allegations of excessive force or misconduct against its officers. The Attorney General began investigating the town after a December 2020 traffic stop involving two Windsor Police Department officers and Nazario, an Army lieutenant who is Black and ...

Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard to join Professional Pickleball Association in 2024

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:22 GMT

Canada’s Eugenie Bouchard appears ready to try her hand at a different racquet.The Professional Pickleball Association (PPA) announced Thursday that Bouchard has agreed to join the tour in 2024.With one of the biggest signings of the year @geniebouchard, professional tennis star with a WTA #5 career high in singles, joins the PPA Tour in 2024! ???? pic.twitter.com/7lSNCDkQfT— Carvana PPA Tour (@PPAtour) September 7, 2023It is unclear what this means for Bouchard’s tennis career, but Sport TV’s José Morgado reported that from his understanding, “her tennis career is not over.”RELATED: Canadian rapper Drake, actor Michael B. Jordan invest in pickleball teamThe 29-year-old from Montreal reached a career-high WTA ranking of No. 5 in 2014. She also appeared in the 2014 Wimbledon final, losing in straight sets to Petra Kvitova.However, since her peak in 2014, which included her only win on the WTA Tour, Bouchard has failed to have much success. She is ...

Hurricane Lee becomes Category 4 storm, Tropical Storm Margot forms, NHC says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:22 GMT

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Hurricane Lee has rapidly strengthened into a Category 4 major storm on Thursday, and Tropical Depression 14 has become Tropical Storm Margot, the National Hurricane Center said in its 5 p.m. update.Lee is about 780 miles east of the Northern Leeward Islands and moving west-northwest at 15 mph, according to the NHC. Hurricane Lee strengthens into Category 2 storm, Tropical Depression 14 forms in Atlantic Hurricane Lee has sustained winds of 130 mph, according to the NHC. Most models still show Lee making a turn to the north.Margot is moving west-northwest at 17 mph and is expected to stay out to sea, according to the NHC. It’s expected to become a hurricane over the weekend.Swells from Hurricane Lee are expected to impact the Northern Caribbean on Friday and the mainland U.S. by Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center.The swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions.(WFLA)Lee is the 12th named storm of the Atlantic hur...

New baby giraffe at Brookfield Zoo gets ready for public debut

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:22 GMT

BROOKFIELD, Ill. — A new baby giraffe will be making her public debut at the Brookfield Zoo on Friday.Guests will be able to come to see three-week-old Kinda, a brand new baby reticulated giraffe. PHOTOS: Brookfield Zoo animals keeping cool in muggy heat Kinda, which means beautiful in Swahili, was born on Aug. 19. She was born 5 foot 10 inches tall and weighed 129 pounds."She's touching and tasting everything with her nose and her tongue, which is kind of normal baby behavior, you know, everything goes in their mouth," Joan Daniels, senior curator at the zoo, said.For the first three weeks, Kinda has only been seen by staff at the zoo and spent time indoors with her mother, Arnieta, a 16-year-old giraffe who struggled with past pregnancies"Unfortunately she lost her first two pregnancies to miscarriage," Daniels said.Once Arnieta became pregnant again, veterinarian endocrinologists at both the Brookfield and Omaha zoos, worked together to help the giraffe carry her baby the full ...

Tiny monitor help transplant organs — and more

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:22 GMT

Medical Watch Digest for Sept 7Transplant NewsThere is a new way to make sure transplants are successful. By adding a tiny monitor to transplant organs, doctors can spot the first sign of potential problems.Northwestern University scientists tested the implantable electronic system on transplanted kidneys.It's smaller than a quarter and has wireless sensing technology.Current monitoring methods are infrequent and invasive.The new implant sits directly on the organ constantly tracking temperature irregularities associated with inflammation, an indicator of transplant rejection.When doctors get a smartphone alert, they can be proactive, intervening to preserve the organ.Cancer deaths not from cancerThe surprising cause of death for many cancer patients is not cancer.The National Comprehensive Cancer Network is urging better recognition of the lesser known threat amid a cancer diagnosis.People with cancer are nine times more likely to develop blood clots than those who do not have canc...

'Boneyard Win': NIU has a great start to 2023 season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:22 GMT

DEKALB, Ill. — It was one of the surprises of Week 1 of the college football season and it even has a special name for the school that pulled it off. Northern Illinois of the Mid-American Conference went on the road and knocked off ACC opponent Boston College 27-24 in overtime in Chestnut Hill on Saturday. Quarterback Rocky Lombardi, who played in just four games last season due to injury, ran in the winning touchdown in the extra session to give the Huskies a victory.It was one of only four instances where a team Power 5 conference lost to an opponent outside of that group in Week 1, with Fresno State beating Purdue, Wyoming knocking off Texas Tech, and Texas State beating Baylor.For the Huskies football program, the triumph has a special name: Boneyard Win. The program has given that title to victories which they've gotten against a Power 5 conference dating back to 1983. Saturday's victory over the Eagles was the 18th time the team has gotten that in program history and the secon...

'A cheesy thing:' Family sees suburban pizzeria as a way to give back

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:44:22 GMT

FRANKFORT, Ill. — Pizza Pete is a Frankfort staple known for serving up a good pie. But this story isn't about the pizza as much as the young woman behind the counter.Danielle Skopick's parents own the restaurant but she has been the face out front for years, doing everything her parents were told would never happen.She was diagnosed with cerebral palsy at age 2 - and then her parents were handed a prognosis they'd never forget"We were told the chances of her having a meaningful life were very slim. Like less than 5% and that as a nurse that struck me," John Skopick said.The years passed with Danielle beating every odd and while their family continued to grow, they never forgot the blessing.  More from Erin: Woman running Chicago Marathon to inspire and say thanks to organization "Definitely my parents are an inspiration,” she said. “I wouldn't be where I am today. From Day One they have pushed me to be a good person and independent and I can't thank them enoug...