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Group recommends reforms for scandal-plagued Los Angeles city council

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:37:28 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles should add 10 more city council members, create two independent redistricting commissions and establish a more powerful ethics commission, a panel of academics exploring reforms for the scandal-plagued city government said Thursday.The Los Angeles Governance Reform Project shared its recommendations just days after yet another councilman — the fourth in recent years — was charged with a felony, this time for embezzlement and perjury. The group, made up of academics backed by philanthropists, formed last year after leaked recordings revealed several council members making racist remarks as they discussed redistricting.“I don’t think anyone has forgotten that the moment is now for change,” said Ange-Marie Hancock, a co-chair of the reform group and a professor of gender studies and political science at the University of Southern California.The group eventually wants to put proposals before voters on the November 2024 ballot.City Council members in ...

Environmental activist shot to death in Honduras 6 months after activist brother slain

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:37:28 GMT

TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) — An environmental activist was killed by unidentified gunmen Thursday in northern Honduras, six months after his younger brother and another activist were killed in a similar attack, a relative and an environmental group said.Oquelí Domínguez was shot by two men on a motorcycle at his family’s home in Tocoa, his eldest brother, Reynaldo Domínguez, said.The Municipal Committee for the Defense of Common and Public Goods, a local environmental defense organization, also reported the attack in a statement. Police did not immediately respond to requests for comment.In January, Aly Domínguez and Jairo Bonilla were riding a motorcycle between La Concepción and Guapinol when they were shot to death. Bonilla and all three Domínguez brothers were well-known defenders of the nearby Carlos Escaleras National Park.Reynaldo Domínguez said Thursday that police seemed to be steering the investigation toward a possible robbery, which he discounted.“In my house there’s not...

Archeologists find mummy surrounded by coca leaves on hilltop in Peru’s capital

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:37:28 GMT

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Archeologists have found a pre-Hispanic mummy surrounded by coca leaves on top of a hill in Peru’s capital next to the practice field of a professional soccer club.A team from The Associated Press on Thursday viewed the skeleton with long black hair lying face up with its lower extremities tied with a rope braided from vines of vegetable origin. Stones surrounded the mummy buried one meter (three feet) down.Miguel Aguilar, a professor of archeology at Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, said the mummy was buried in a ritual that included coca leaves and seashells. The burial was on top of a destroyed U-shaped clay temple, a characteristic of some pre-Hispanic buildings. The mummy has not yet been subjected to radiocarbon dating to determine its age, Aguilar said.He said old fly eggs were found next to the male skeleton, leading them to believe the body was exposed for at least several days before being covered with dirt. It was found in Rímac, a district sepa...

Volunteer says migrants served moldy food at city shelter

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:37:28 GMT

CHICAGO -- The Leone Beach Field House in Rogers Park is being used as a temporary shelter for migrants, but volunteers not being able to help out.Migrants who are staying at the Inn of Chicago have expressed to volunteer Chaplain Claudia Figueroa that they're not getting enough to eat or they're being served moldy food. One claims she got sick from it."It's either the moldy ham with the bread and some pasta. They're like 'Ms. Claudia you can tell it's old,'" Figueroa said. "When I went to the Brands Park and the YMCA by Western and Touhy they're like that's what we get. That's exactly what we get." Migrants moved from YMCA to Daley College after delays Figueroa said the moldy food is only the beginning of issues concerning migrants. Even some claiming they aren't being given medical care and are having to shower with cold water."All these chicken pox, some of them have had even COVID, there's no space. They are literally sleeping next to one another. If not, one on top of each ot...

Willis Tower turns 50: 'It's the most Chicago thing you can think of'

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:37:28 GMT

CHICAGO — One of Chicago’s most beloved buildings – the Willis Tower – its golden anniversary on Thursday. “We are 50 years old,” said Lydia Jordan-Parnell, a Willis Tower spokesperson. “Fifty years ago, the last beam was set on May 3, 1973.”Previously known and still referred to often by local residents as the Sears Tower, a celebratory open house was held on Thursday that featured live music, photo-ops, and giveaways. It is the rare tall building that actually seems to scrape the sky, according to Barbara Hickey, the director of operations and construction of Willis Tower. “Nothing brings you not just the view, but the interaction with the clouds and the city the way the 90th-floor roof will,” she said.  To Chicagoans, and to much of the architecture world, the Willis Tower is more than a building, it is a symbol of Chicago, a marvel of modern architecture – and perhaps the most stunning expression of Daniel Burnham’s lasting edict“Make No Little Plans.”“It’s the most ‘Chicago’ th...

Mayor's office says Johnson wasn't aware e-signature would be used for $10 million ShotSpotter contract extension

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:37:28 GMT

CHICAGO — On the campaign trail, then-candidate Brandon Johnson vowed to terminate the city's contract with Shot Spotter, the electronic alert system that detects gunshots.But the mayor's electronic signature still ended up on a $10 million contract extension, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Confidential document reveals key human role in ShotSpotter tech All indications are the city is legally bound to honor the $10 million contract. Back in March, then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot approved the ShotSpotter extension into early 2024.It was a contract Johnson pledged to terminate."ShotSpotter has been a failure," Johnson said in March. "And these tools have been proven not to work. We can find a whole lot of things to spend $10 million on."The ShotSpotter gunshot detection system was launched in Chicago in 2019.As a candidate, Johnson pointed to studies questioning the technology's effectiveness. But, as the Chicago Sun-Times reported, it was an apparent signature snafu that caught the...

Chicago businessman convicted of bribing two state lawmakers

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:37:28 GMT

CHICAGO — A federal jury has convicted a Chicago businessman of bribing two state lawmakers.The verdict was read Thursday in a courtroom downtown. Illinois Gaming Board gives pre-approval for temporary Chicago casino at Medinah Temple James Weiss, 44, was found guilty on all counts, which include charges of bribery, wire fraud, mail fraud and lying to the FBI.The jury, which was made up of seven women and five men, started deliberating around 10:20 a.m. Wednesday.The case went on for almost two weeks.Weiss, who pleaded not guilty, has been convicted of wanting the Illinois Gambling Expansion Bill to include the legalization of sweepstakes machines to benefit his gaming company.He and his team of attorneys opted not to make any comments as they left the courtroom on Thursday.He is also the son-in-law of Joseph Berrios, the former assessor and chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party.The sweepstakes machines are gaming machines that accept cash and provide a voucher, which can b...

Destination Illinois: Illinois Shakespeare Festival

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:37:28 GMT

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) -- Some of America’s best up-and-coming actors comes to Central Illinois every summer for the Illinois Shakespeare Festival at Bloomington’s historic Ewing Mansion.The festival began in 1978, with an Illinois State University production of “Twelfth Night.” Now, the Illinois Shakespeare Festival is a professional repertory theater known for attracting actors from across the country.“This time last year, we had over 800 submissions for our acting company. And that’s pretty typical’, we look primarily for people and actors that can handle the language. Shakespeare's language is all important.” John Stark of the Illinois Shakespeare Festival said. Destination Illinois: Floatzilla Supported by the ISU foundation and the Wonsook Kim College of Fine Arts, the Illinois Shakespeare Festival has three productions this year-the farcical “Comedy of Errors," the magical “The tempest,” and the contemporary “The Book of Will. "Before productions, there’s entertainment, a...

Taxi driver sentenced to 25 years for sexual assault of passenger

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:37:28 GMT

NAPERVILLE, Ill. -- A taxicab driver who sexually assaulted a female passenger in Naperville was sentenced to 25 years in prison Thursday.According to the DuPage County State's Attorney's Office, on July 9, 2017, the victim left a Naperville establishment with a friend in a taxicab. After the taxicab driver dropped off the other individual, he drove away and then sexually assaulted the victim partially ripping off some of her clothing and leaving bruising and marks on her body.A short time later, the taxicab driver pulled his taxicab over and assaulted the victim a second time. After the victim was able to free herself from the taxicab, she ran away, called a friend and hid in some bushes while she waited for her friend to arrive. Volunteer says migrants served moldy food at city shelter The victim then went to the Naperville Police Department and reported the assault. An investigation into the matter led authorities to Sandeep Arora, 49, formerly of Naperville as the man who sexu...

15 people, mostly seniors, killed in highway crash in Canada, official says

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 20:37:28 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — A bus carrying seniors to a casino collided with a semi-trailer truck at a highway intersection in a rural part of the Canadian province of Manitoba Thursday, killing 15 people and injuring 10 more, police said.Rob Hill, Commanding Officer of the Manitoba Royal Canadian Mounted Police, said the bus was carrying 25 people and authorities in Manitoba were deploying all their resources to the scene. Ten people were taken to hospitals.TV broadcasters aired images of what looked like a large van or bus smoldering in a ditch near a transport truck with a smashed engine on a road. The pavement was littered with debris — broken glass, a large bumper and what looked like a walking aid. Seven blue and yellow tarps were stretched out.RCMP Supt. Rob Lasson said “as of right now the drivers of both the bus and truck are alive and in hospital." He did not say if they were among the 10 listed as injured. The dead were mainly seniors.Lasson said the bus was heading south and there wo...