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Activists say Benito the giraffe is struggling in Mexico zoo

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:00 GMT

By Mark Stevenson | Associated PressMEXICO CITY — Benito the giraffe arrived in Mexico’s arid northern border city of Ciudad Juarez just last month, and already the climate appears to be a problem — and he’s only had to deal with the scorching heat of summer.The snow and freezing temperatures of winter are still to come, and animal activists are up in arms and pushing a campaign under the hashtag “Save Benito” seeking to have the animal moved somewhere more hospitable.On a recent day, the 3-year-old male giraffe could be seen crouching with only its head under a small, circular canopy for shade. The structure did little to protect him from a pelting rain and a hail storm later.There is also a small shed for winter, but activists say it is cruel for the city-run Central Park to keep the giraffe in a small fenced enclosure, by himself, with only about a half acre to wander and few trees to nibble, in a climate he’s not used to.“We have been fighting...

240 stolen catalytic converters found in Bay Area theft ring bust

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:00 GMT

(KRON) -- Six men who were allegedly part of a catalytic converter theft ring that targeted cars across the San Francisco Bay Area have been arrested. While making the arrests, law enforcement officers found 240 stolen catalytic converters and $260,000 in cash, according to investigators. The Alameda County Regional Auto Theft Taskforce said the bust was a result of a long-term investigation launched in mid-2022 to identify people responsible for a "prolific catalytic converter fencing operation and crew responsible for thefts throughout the Bay Area." ACRATT investigators identified two locations in Oakland that were reselling, also known as "fencing," stolen catalytic converters.Hundreds of stolen catalytic converters were found in Oakland. (Image courtesy CHP Golden Gate) The six arrested Oakland men were identified as: Jorge Perez Garcia, 39, Nelson Alvarado Herrera, 41, Oscar Alvarado Herrera, 38, Luis Monterroso-Veliz, 31, Pedro Maravilla, 44, and Santos Contreras, 42.Last we...

Michigan priest accused of assault gets a year in prison

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:00 GMT

FLINT, Mich. (AP) — An 84-year-old Catholic priest who was accused of sexually assaulting a 5-year-old boy in 1987 has been sentenced to a year in a Michigan jail under a plea deal with state prosecutors.The Rev. Vincent DeLorenzo returned to court in Flint on Tuesday, about two months after pleading guilty to attempted criminal sexual conduct.Other charges were dismissed as part of an agreement that spared victims from testifying at trial, though five people gave victim-impact statements in court, the attorney general’s office said.“Justice did come for the victims in this case,” defense attorney Michael Manley said.DeLorenzo did not speak in court. He was accused of assaulting the 5-year-old boy after a funeral for a member of the boy’s family.DeLorenzo served at several churches, including three in Genesee County. In 2002, he was suddenly removed from Holy Redeemer Church in Burton, a suburb of Flint. He publicly acknowledged that he had “inappropriate sexual contact”...

Major investments are coming to Prince George’s. Is there reason to worry?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:00 GMT

Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks took the stage in a ballroom at a College Park, Maryland, hotel on Wednesday, speaking for nearly 30 minutes about how much money had poured into the county over the last year — about what one would expect in the annual speech, dubbed the “State of the Economy.”It was a chance to brag to the local business community about the “over $1 billion of investments along our Blue Line corridor,” as well as how the “redevelopment at Cheverly unlocks a billion dollars in private investment,” after the old Prince George’s Hospital Center is demolished over the coming months.The county hopes to see significant amounts of work on that project conducted by small, minority-owned businesses based in the county, which would have the opportunity to buy into the project and share some of the profits in the future.“Everything we’ve done on economic development also has an eye toward equity,” Alsobrooks said after the speech. With that...

Wisconsin Republicans mum on potential UW budget cuts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:00 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin’s Republican leaders weren’t saying Wednesday whether they would cut tens of millions of dollars from the University of Wisconsin budget after delaying a vote on the subject, a move that came after the Assembly’s top GOP leader said the plan was to cut funding for diversity and inclusion initiatives.Assembly Speaker Robin Vos told The Associated Press on Tuesday that UW’s budget would be cut by $32 million, the amount he said was to be spent on diversity initiatives. But after nearly seven hours of closed-door discussions, Republicans who control the Legislature’s budget committee could not come to an agreement late Tuesday night and postponed consideration of UW’s budget.Republican Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu declined to comment when asked about the status of UW’s budget on Wednesday.“I’m not going to negotiate the budget through the press,” he told reporters. He walked away without responding when a...

Moore nominates three — including outgoing Prince George’s schools chief — to State Board of Education

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:00 GMT

Dr. Monica Goldson, the interim CEO of the Prince George's County Public Schools, will take the job permanently, County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced Tuesday. (Prince George's County Public Schools via YouTube)(Courtesy Prince George's County Public Schools) Dr. Monica Goldson, the interim CEO of the Prince George's County Public Schools, will take the job permanently, County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced Tuesday. (Prince George's County Public Schools via YouTube)(Courtesy Prince George's County Public Schools) This content was republished with permission from WTOP’s news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for Maryland Matters’ free email subscription today.Maryland Gov. Wes Moore (D) announced...

In affirmative action and student loan cases, some see backlash to racial progress in education

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — As a Black student who was raised by a single mother, Makia Green believes she benefited from a program that gave preference to students of color from economically disadvantaged backgrounds when she was admitted over a decade ago to the University of Rochester.As a borrower who still owes just over $20,000 on her undergraduate student loans, she has been counting on President Joe Biden’s promised debt relief to wipe nearly all of that away. Now, both affirmative action and the student loan cancellation plan — policies that disproportionately help Black students — could soon be dismantled by the U.S. Supreme Court. To Green and many other people of color, the efforts to roll them back reflect a larger backlash to racial progress in higher education.“I feel like working people have been through enough — I have been through enough,” said Green, a community organizer. “From a pandemic, an uprising, a recession, the cost of living price going up. I deserved some r...

Los Angeles beats Dallas 79-61 behind Hamby, Ogwumike

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:00 GMT

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Dearica Hamby had 23 points and eight rebounds, Nneka Ogwumike added 20 points and 10 rebounds, and the Los Angeles Sparks beat the Dallas Wings 79-61 on Wednesday.Hamby scored 14 of her points in the third quarter to extend the Los Angeles lead to 61-51 entering the fourth. The Sparks held Dallas to 10 fourth-quarter points.Ogwumike reached 20-plus points for the fifth time in her last six games. Ogwumike also had two steals to pass Lindsay Whalen for 16th on the WNBA’s career list with 501.Jordin Canada added 15 points and six assists for Los Angeles (5-4). The Sparks shot 52% from the field, while Dallas went 25 for 69 (36%) with 17 turnovers.Kalani Brown set career-highs with 21 points and 11 rebounds for Dallas (5-5), which lost its first home game of the season. Satou Sabally secured her seventh straight double-double — to set a franchise record — with 14 points and 13 rebounds. Arike Ogunbowale added 13 points on 5-of-16 shooting.___AP sports: https://...

Texas court allows AG Ken Paxton’s securities fraud trial to move to Houston

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:00 GMT

Texas state Attorney General Ken Paxton reads a statement at his office in Austin, Texas, Friday, May 26, 2023. An investigating committee says the Texas House of Representatives will vote Saturday on whether to impeach state Attorney General Ken Paxton. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)(AP/Eric Gay) Texas state Attorney General Ken Paxton reads a statement at his office in Austin, Texas, Friday, May 26, 2023. An investigating committee says the Texas House of Representatives will vote Saturday on whether to impeach state Attorney General Ken Paxton. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)(AP/Eric Gay) AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Embattled Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s long-delayed trial on securities fraud charges from 2015 will take place i...

Many of Italy’s elite turn out for ex-Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s state funeral in Milan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:50:00 GMT

MILAN (AP) — Italy’s political, business and soccer elite bade farewell to former Premier Silvio Berlusconi with a state funeral inside Milan’s imposing Duomo cathedral on Wednesday, while thousands of ordinary admirers and soccer fans waved banners and chanted in the piazza outside.It was a fitting send-off for a man who made billions as a media mogul, upended the Italian political system as three-time premier and championed two winning soccer clubs.But even as Italians overwhelmingly agree that Berlusconi has left the greatest mark on Italy over four decades of business and politics, not all think it was for the best. It was a judgement that shadowed him even in death, as both his legacy and the pomp surrounding his funeral were hotly debated. Milan Archbishop Mario Delpini didn’t gloss over Berlusconi’s complicated legacy in his punchy eulogy, saying he was a businessman who found success and failure, a politician who won and lost, and a notoriety-seeking personality who had admi...