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Charley Walters: Vikings’ options depend on Danielle Hunter’s holdout plans

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:18:52 GMT

Whether the Minnesota Vikings trade Danielle Hunter could depend on how much of the season the pass rusher might decide to hold out if he doesn’t receive a satisfactory new contract.Even the Vikings realize his current $5 million contract for 2023 is undervalued, and it appears the team is willing to give him a new deal, but for just one year rather than two or three years.Minnesota Vikings defensive end Danielle Hunter takes part in drills at the NFL football team’s practice facility in Eagan, Minn., Tuesday, May 17, 2022. (AP Photo/Bruce Kluckhohn)Hunter, who turns 29 in October, is worth at least $15 million on a one-year deal. But it’s a good bet he’s looking for a three-year contract in the $65 million range. The problem for the Vikings, who don’t want to trade Hunter, is that if they do trade him, they would lose their best pass rusher.Because of the injuries (neck, torn chest pectoral) Hunter has had, the Vikings probably could get just a second-round draft pick in a tr...

SLPS to replace lead-contaminated chain link fencing around schools

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:18:52 GMT

ST. LOUIS - The Saint Louis Public Schools school district plans to replace several miles of lead-contaminated chain link fencing around schools ahead of the new academic year. Over the next several weeks, SLPS plans to chain link fencing and install "environmentally safe, vinyl coated galvanized steel fencing" around several schools in need. The upgrades come through a $2 million project supported by state and federal funds. More than six miles of chain link fencing around schools will be replaced. Records: Man accused of scamming St. Louis slots is cross-country cheater “Many historic buildings do contain lead in areas that would be impossible to completelyeliminate, including miles of iron and chain link fencing you find at SLPS. Even so, we conducted lead testing along with removal and replacement of the dirt around fencing as a containment strategy," said Jeffry Faust, principal of Environmental Consultant, LLC. In the future, SLPS also plans to plant green space, extend pla...

Ironton, Mo. man arrested on child porn charges

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:18:52 GMT

IRONTON, Mo. - Authorities arrested an Ironton man earlier this week accused of possessing child pornography on his cell phone. Iron County prosecutors have charged Daniel Reyes, 40, with three counts of possession of child pornography. Records: Man accused of scamming St. Louis slots is cross-country cheater Investigators executed a search warrant on Wednesday after a tip from the Missouri State Highway Patrol’s Division of Drug and Crime Control. While responding to Reyes' home, deputies reportedly recovered his phone and found multiple images of child pornography. The Division of Drug and Crime Control encourages internet users to promptly report anyone who attempts to engage in unwanted, inappropriate, or sexualized communications with children to MSHP or local law enforcement.

Rockies Journal: Starting rotation is a disaster with no relief in sight

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:18:52 GMT

Near the end of last season, I wrote a story looking ahead at the Rockies’ 2023 starting rotation. The headline read: “Rockies’ wobbly rotation has huge question marks for 2023.”I’m no soothsayer. The problems were there in plain sight. But I didn’t think it would be so bad that the club would be forced to wedge right-hander Dinelson Lamet into the rotation as an emergency starter.In case you missed it, Lamet served up three two-run homers — two to Travis d’Arnaud and another to Eddie Rosario — in four ugly innings in Colorado’s 8-1 loss to the Braves on Friday night at Truist Park.  Lamet and his 11.57 ERA were designated for assignment on Saturday.Yes, I know that there have been a lot of injuries. German Marquez underwent Tommy John surgery, Antonio Senzatela will be out until August with a right elbow sprain, and Ryan Feltner is slowly working his way back from a fractured skull. But the Rockies’ lack of starting pitchi...

Court: Dougco School Board members violated open meetings law

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:18:52 GMT

The Douglas County School Board — four majority members in particular — violated Colorado Open Meetings Law in connection to the firing of former Superintendent Corey Wise, according to a district court ruling.Robert “Bob” Marshall, now a state representative of House District 43, filed a lawsuit in February  2022 alleging the board’s conservative majority violated state statute by holding a series of private one-on-one meetings to discuss replacing Wise. Colorado Open Meetings Law, part of the Colorado Sunshine Law, generally requires state or local governmental bodies to discuss public business or to take formal action in meetings open to the public.Board members Michael Peterson, Rebecca Myers, Kaylee Winegar and Christy Williams are recognized in the Friday Douglas County District Court ruling as “majority board members” of the seven member board.A trial was held on Monday and District Court Judge Jeffrey K. Holmes found in a ruling filed Fri...

Tiny dog recovering after being kicked by homeless man 

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:18:52 GMT

A tiny dog is recovering after a homeless man kicked it in Venice on Wednesday. Laura Michele Rosenfeld was walking her dog Bart around 3 p.m. when a homeless man “danced” up to them, according to a GoFundMe set up to help pay for Bart’s medical bills. “[He] kicked Bart so hard, he flew into the metal claw of the...tractor city workers were using to repair the street,” the GoFundMe said.  Laura Michele Rosenfeld was walking her dog Bart around 3 p.m. when a homeless man “danced” up to them, according to a GoFundMe set up to help pay for Bart’s medical bills. (Laura Valdivia/GoFundMe)A good Samaritan began CPR on the dog and instructed bystanders to call 911. The GoFundMe page credits her as a former firewoman who was on vacation with her son when she jumped into action. The page’s organizer, Laura Valdivia, ran to help Rosenfeld and Bart and drove them to the animal hospital. Veterinarians were able to get him into a more stable condition, but due to the swelling in his he...

70-year-old man arrested for fraudulently obtaining $3 million in COVID business loans

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:18:52 GMT

A man from Marina del Ray was arrested after allegedly obtaining $3 million in COVID-19 era business loans fraudulently, the U.S. Attorney’s Office announced. Investigators working on the case discovered that he secured loans for shell companies, not active business establishments.Mark Farag Shehata, 70, was arrested on Monday by federal agents in relation to the federal grand jury indictment. Shehata was arraigned in a U.S. District Court in downtown Los Angeles late Monday afternoon and plead not guilty to seven counts of wire fraud, officials said. California lawyer to plead guilty in multi-million fraud scheme Shehata, who is also known as “Samy Farag,” “Mark Farag,” and “Mark Fshehata,” is set to appear in court again on July 24. His bail is set at $500,000.According to the federal grand jury indictment, Shehata had four registered limited liability companies, or LLCs, and allegedly submitted at least seven fraudulent loan applications under the Paycheck Protection Program.T...

8 people shot at party in Carson, 2 remain hospitalized in critical condition 

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:18:52 GMT

Authorities are investigating after eight people were shot at a house party in Carson overnight. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, a shooting took place at a gathering at a home in the 1500 block of Abila Street around midnight on Saturday. A female teenager was shot in a car, while the other victims were struck on the sidewalk or in the roadway, investigators said.Police say that civilian drivers transported victims to local hospitals and that all the victims were between 16 and 24 years old.Six victims were said to be in stable condition, with one being released from the hospital, LASD officials said at a press conference on Saturday afternoon. Two of the victims remain in critical condition, but are expected to recover.Neighbors say at least 50 teens were attending a pool party at the house on Abila Street at the end of the cul-de-sac off Martin Street. Witnesses told KTLA that they heard gunshots and saw two men flee the area in a car. Authorit...

US Open in LA turns into a quiet major with limited crowds and tough walk

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:18:52 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — This U.S. Open is not to be mistaken as “Golf, But Louder” on so many levels.Mostly the loud part.Bringing the second-oldest championship in golf to Los Angeles Country Club — so exclusive that some Angelenos don't know it's there — was always going to come with a cost. It's a small footprint in the rotation of U.S. Open courses, meaning a small crowd compared with the likes of Oakmont or Pinehurst No. 2.The North course is magnificent, even if it doesn't look to be a traditional U.S. Open. With a blazing sun in the forecast for the weekend, the players likely will get what they've been expecting since they arrived — firm, fast and demanding.Missing is the noise.Defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick discovered as much when he made his first hole-in-one as a professional on Friday at the par-3 15th hole.“I wish it would have been louder,” Fitzpatrick said. “I wish it was a few more people. But, yeah, I’m surprised there’s not been as many people out as I thought this...

After 29 Years on Death Row, Barry Jones Was Dumped at a Bus Station. But He Was Finally Free.

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:18:52 GMT

Barry Jones rarely dared to imagine his release from death row. Sometimes, when he was feeling low, his paralegal, whom he called Ms. Jennifer, tried to buoy his spirits by promising that one day his legal team would drive up in the “habeas van” to the desert prison in Florence, Arizona, honking and celebrating, ready to take him home. It was never going to be like that, of course. But neither could they have predicted where Jones would find himself on June 15, in his first moments of freedom after 29 years: alone at a Del Taco near the bus station, being told he could not use the phone.The previous 24 hours had gone mostly according to plan. He’d spent Wednesday giving away most of his things to friends and neighbors on death row. The next morning, around 4:30 a.m., Jones ate some instant oatmeal for breakfast and prepared to leave his cell for the last time. He boarded a van for the ride down to Tucson, the sprawling prison complex fading from view behind him. By 9:30 he’d arrived...