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Hate crimes rose 20.2% in California in 2022

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:52 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Reported hate crimes increased in California in 2022, including instances of violence motivated by bias, according to state data released Tuesday.Hate crimes involving racism against Black people, as well as homophobia and anti-Semitism, all rose last year, compared with 2021 data.Overall hate crime events — which officials say are likely underreported — increased 20.2% in 2022, from 1,763 in 2021 to 2,120. Crimes targeting Black people in California remain the most widespread and rose 27.1% — from 513 in 2021 to 652 in 2022 — in the aftermath of the country’s racial reckoning following George Floyd’s murder by Minneapolis police officers in 2020.But anti-Asian bias events decreased by 43.3% in 2022, from 247 in 2021 to 140, after major increases in past years following the emergence of the coronavirus in China. California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the figures Tuesday during a news conference in Los Angeles. The California Department of Just...

Vermont town to let 16- and 17-year-olds vote in local elections, after legislature overrode veto

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:52 GMT

Sixteen- and 17-year-olds in one prominent Vermont town will be able to vote in local elections and serve on the community’s selectboard if elected, after the Democrat-controlled state Legislature overrode the Republican governor’s veto of the Brattleboro charter change. A half dozen cities and towns in California and Maryland have lowered the voting age to 16 for either all local elections or school board elections, according to the National Youth Rights Association.Organizers of the push to lower the age in the southern Vermont town of Brattleboro say the community of 7,300 is the first one in the country where 16-year-olds can vote in municipal elections and hold the highest elected offices. Besides the selectboard, young voters may also serve as representatives to the town’s annual town meeting, where local issues are decided. “This may stem the tide of youth moving out of town,” said Kurt Daims, director of Brattleboro Common Sense, in a statement. Gov. Phil S...

After more than 3 years, family of woman killed in Logan Square wants answers; $15K reward

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:52 GMT

CHICAGO — The family of a woman shot and killed in Logan Square over three years ago just wants answers.If you've walked around Fullerton and Milwaukee over the last three years, chances are you've seen a large memorial on a pole outside of the 7-Eleven.Alexa Baute, 27, was outside of that 7-Eleven, just after 8 p.m. on the night of April 7, 2020, due to COVID-19 social distancing. At the time, the store was letting in just a few people.Her friend Ricky was locking up his bike when he heard what sounded like fireworks."Out of the corner of his eye he saw her fall down," father Jeff Baute said. "It was a random bullet."Baute was struck in the chest and rushed to Illinois Masonic where she was pronounced dead.No surveillance cameras captured the shooting.WGN News initially reported that police collected eight shell casings in the general vicinity. Her father said he was told shots were fired at a nearby gas station, but the casings were different than the bullet that struck Baute."It'...

Alleged drunken driver charged in Waukegan police squad car crash that injured officer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:52 GMT

WAUKEGAN, Ill — A 34-year-old man is accused of crashing into the back of a Waukegan police squad car while allegedly under the influence of alcohol.Victor Najarro-Castro, of Waukegan, is charged with DUI, improper use of registration, operation of an uninsured motor vehicle, failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident, failure to yield to an emergency vehicle, no valid driver’s license, aggravated DUI with no insurance and aggravated DUI. After more than 3 years, family of woman killed in Logan Square wants answers; $15K reward According to police, Najarro-Castro crashed into a fully-marked squad car with its emergency lights activated on Sunday, June 25. The police vehicle was blocking a tree that had fallen onto Yorkhouse Road, blocking eastbound traffic just west of Frolic Avenue.The injured officer was taken to Condell Medical Center for neck and body pain, where they were treated and later released.Damaged squad car photo provided by Waukegan Police Department. (Photo: WPD)...

Nicolas Coster, known for roles in 'All My Children,' 'Santa Barbara' dies: reports

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:52 GMT

(NEXSTAR) - Nicolas Coster, well known for his roles on soap operas "All My Children" and "Santa Barbara," has died, according to a post on his Facebook page. He was 89.Coster died at a Florida hospital, the Monday night post read. Coster's daughter Dinneen Coster, confirmed her father's death, according to People and The Hollywood Reporter."Please remember him as a great artist. He was an actor’s actor! I will always be inspired by him and know how lucky I am to have such a great father!!" she wrote.Coster died of complications from cancer, his agent told CNN in a statement. The London native grew up in California before attending The Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London. One of Coster's earliest roles listed on his IMDb page is the 1953 film "Titanic."He would later go on to appear as John Eldridge in more than 20 episodes of the television series, "Our Private World" and as one of the original cast members of "Somerset." Jimmie Johnson’s in-laws, nephew reportedly killed in...

Lawmakers unite over restricting AI legal protections

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:52 GMT

WASHINGTON, Mich. (WOOD) — Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are joining forces to try to reign in the potential dangers of artificial intelligence technology.Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawley said that should start by holding companies legally responsible for real-world harms."This is all about taking power away from the big corporations,” said Hawley.He also said he wants to make sure artificial intelligence companies can be held accountable in court."It's about if someone uses a deep fake of your kid you can go sue him,” explained Hawley.Along with Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-NY, Hawley is pushing legislation to explicitly deny AI companies the legal protections given to big tech companies such as Google, Twitter, and Meta."You can't take them into court, you can't sue. That is wrong,” said Hawley.At a hearing last month, Illinois Democratic senator Dick Durbin agreed the legal shield, known as Section 230, goes too far."I'm not sure I'm happy with the outcomes as I look a...

Austin Fire: Vehicle flips into ditch on South MoPac, person taken to hospital

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:52 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One person was taken to the hospital after a vehicle flipped over into a ditch on MoPac Expressway in south Austin Tuesday, the Austin Fire Department said on Twitter.At approximately 2:40 p.m., AFD responded to the vehicle rescue at 4500-4800 MoPac Expressway and said one patient was being extricated. Crews worked the north and southbound lanes, which caused heavy traffic delays, AFD said. Northbound lanes were closed. It was not immediately clear if lanes were open at the time this article was published.The patient was removed and was en route to the hospital via ambulance in stable condition, AFD said.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Lake Travis boat ramp to close due to low water levels; only one to remain open for now

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:52 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The boat ramp at Mansfield Dam Park will close to the public at the end of the month, meaning only one public boat ramp will be open moving forward.The ramp at Mansfield Dam Park will close on Friday, June 30 due to low water levels on Lake Travis.Boat launching and retrieving will not be allowed after Thursday, according to a release from the Travis County Parks Department. If you already have a boat in the lake and want to pick up passengers at the park, that will still be allowed.The closure means only one public boat ramp will be open on Lake Travis: the Pace Bend Park boat ramp at Tournament Point.As of Tuesday, the water level on Lake Travis is 637.73,' meaning the lake is only 43.7% full. It's the lowest water level since May 2015.According to the Lower Colorado River Authority, the Tournament Point boat ramp can only operate at a minimum lake level of 631'. That means if the lake continues to drop, the last remaining boat ramp may need to be closed too.

4 new arrests made one year after 53 migrants died inside abandoned trailer in San Antonio

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:52 GMT

SAN ANTONIO, Texas (KXAN) — Federal prosecutors announced Tuesday afternoon they arrested and charged four more people exactly one year after the deadliest human smuggling incident in the country's history. During a news conference, U.S. Attorney Jaime Esparza said four suspects are now in custody facing federal charges related to the deaths of 53 migrants, including eight children, left in a tractor-trailer near San Antonio last year. He said the arrests happened Monday throughout Texas, adding all four suspects came from Mexico originally. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Toll now at 53 in San Antonio as families wait for answers The suspects are identified as Riley Covarrubias-Ponce, Felipe Orduna-Torres, Luis Alberto Rivera-Leal and Armando Gonzalez-Ortega. They're each facing the same four charges. Those include two counts of conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in death and another two counts for conspiracy to transport illegal aliens resulting in seriously bodily injury and ...

LGBTQ+ advocates call for hate crime designation in Cedar Park murder investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:52 GMT

CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) -- Akira Ross was a person who loved video games, dogs, playing pranks on family and friends and cooking up a mean steak on her patio grill, said Chloe Goodman, constituent services manager at Equality Texas.On June 2, Ross was fatally shot at a Cedar Park gas station while pumping gas with her friend and girlfriend."Akira Ross was a real, whole person with a beautiful personality," Goodman said during a Cedar Park City Council meeting June 22.Goodman was joined by several other residents from both Cedar Park and surrounding communities advocating for Ross' murder investigation to be elevated with a hate crime designation. Cedar Park Police continue to investigate the case, which included the arrest of 23-year-old Bradley Stanford, who was charged with first-degree murder. An affidavit obtained by KXAN earlier this month stated Stanford pulled a gun from his waistband, yelled a gay slur and then fired three rounds at Ross following a "verbal exchange" betwee...