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Mortgage scam victims still waiting for justice

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:16:07 GMT

CHICAGO — It's a story WGN Investigates has been following for years. Mark Diamond is facing federal charges accused of scamming elderly homeowners and leaving families on the verge of losing their most valuable assets.  "This was devastating to generations. This is generational wealth being robbed," said Rev. Robin Hood, who witnessed the impact of the scheme on his own family. In April, Diamond's co-defendant Cynthia Wallace struck a plea deal indicating she will cooperate with federal authorities. In this WGN-TV Cover Story, reporter Gaynor Hall and photojournalist Vince Tagle talk with families who are still waiting for justice.For more information on fraud prevention and education resources for homeowners visit: https://homeowner-education.law.northwestern.edu/

Austin Energy helps small businesses, nonprofits and houses of worship save energy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:16:07 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin Energy is helping small businesses, nonprofits and houses of worship save energy and money this summer with rebates and discounts on improvements, according to a news release from Austin Energy.These promotions highlight Austin Energy's assistance in upgrading appliances and equipment, installing energy-efficient lighting and smart thermostats, replacing insulation and windows, and more, according to Austin Energy.Qualifying small businesses get a 30% bonus over the agency's standard commercial rebates, the release said. Those incentives help lower the upfront cost of improvements that can help save on utility bills, as well as maintenance costs down the road, according to Austin Energy.HVAC tune-upsBusinesses, nonprofits and houses of worship can earn rebates when an Austin Energy participating contractor performs an HVAC system tune-up.Customers can get back from $228 to $715 per unit serviced, plus rebates on auxiliary equipment.Regular tune-ups help keep ...

Heavy thunderstorms prompt overnight flood watch in Twin Cities

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:16:07 GMT

Brace yourselves for potentially severe thunderstorms and flash flooding late Thursday and early Friday.A flood watch is in effect until 4 a.m. for portions of east-central Minnesota along with west-central Wisconsin, the National Weather Service says.The watch includes the Twin Cities metro area.Heavy thunderstorms that were exhibiting “training” characteristics were setting up north of the Twin Cities on Thursday evening.Such training thunderstorms across eastern Minnesota and western Wisconsin have the potential to produce 3 to 5 inches of rainovernight.According to the NWS, the east-to-west line will slowly sag south through the evening while continuing to back-build to the west, leading to the possibility of flash flooding.Excessive runoff may result in flooding of creeks, streams, urban areas and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.Related ArticlesLocal News | Dangerous heat for Twin Cities and beyond on Thursday, with severe storms also possible ...

Jurors begin deliberations in federal lawsuit over 29-year-old’s fatal shooting by St. Paul officers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:16:07 GMT

An attorney for Cordale Handy’s mother asked jurors in a civil case Thursday to find that two St. Paul police officers used excessive force and wrongfully caused his death when they shot the 29-year-old in 2017. The city’s attorney requested the opposite from jurors.Jurors began deliberations Thursday in the federal lawsuit filed by Kimberly Handy-Jones and are scheduled to resume on Monday.After a 2017 investigation, no criminal charges were filed against officers Mikko Norman and Nathaniel Younce, who reported Handy pointed a gun at Norman. The trial, which began Monday, is a rare occasion of a lawsuit against the city of St. Paul in a shooting by an officer being heard by a jury.Cordale Handy (Courtesy of Kimberly Handy-Jones)On March 15, 2017, about 2:20 a.m., Norman and Younce responded to a 911 call in St. Paul’s Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood. They encountered Handy outside. He was on the ground when the officers said Handy pointed a gun at Norman.“...

Raise the Age changes proposed by District Attorney

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:16:07 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -Under Raise the Age legislation, offenders between the ages of sixteen and seventeen are not charged as adults. A string of 33 cases from May to July of 2023 have caught the attention of the District Attorney’s Office for allowing troubled teens back on the streets.District Attorney David Soares and his staff are looking to make changes to Raise the Age starting with local legislature. In response to Tuesday’s Lexington Avenue investigation, Soares disagrees with the outcome. Albany police arrest 4 after drug investigation “Those individuals get to go back home and have breakfast with their families. The system is broken," stated Soares. Especially in a case where guns and drugs were involved for a seventeen and two sixteen-year-olds.When it comes to changing the system, the Albany County Legislature does not want the pendulum to swing too far in the opposite direction. Legislator Wanda Willingham sharing a story from Rikers Island, a jail in New York City, ...

Kiszla: Buffs bolt back to the future before the Pac-12 crumbles into ocean. “My job just got harder … and better,” CU basketball coach Tad Boyle says.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:16:07 GMT

CU quarterback Shedeur Sanders is behind the wheel of a $200,000 Maybach, with athletic director Rick George merely along for the ride, as the Buffs speed down the road back to the Big 12 Conference, where the cows and paychecks are bigger.“This move,” George insisted Thursday, when the Buffs bolted the Pac-12 before it crumbled and fell into the Pacific Ocean, “was not just based on money or finances.”Well, I’m not here to call George a liar. But nobody forsakes CU alums basking by their swimming pools in sunny California and loads up the family van with young Buffs for road trips to Waco, Texas and Ames, Iowa. That simply doesn’t happen if it’s not all about the Benjamins.And the family van? No longer hip.“In today’s world, with NIL (name, image and likeness) money,” chuckled Colorado basketball coach Tad Boyle, “nobody’s driving a van anymore.”I’m so old I remember when Colorado ditched the corn dogs at truck stops of the Big 12 for a chance to rub elbows with rocket scientists a...

Crews battle large structure fire in South El Monte

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:16:07 GMT

Crews with the Los Angeles County Fire Department were battling a large commercial fire Thursday evening in South El Monte.  Firefighters responded to the 9700 block of E. Alpaca Street at around 6:20 p.m., county fire officials told KTLA.  At the scene, crews found heavy fire in the sprawling commercial building.  Aerial footage from Sky5 showed heavy flames and smoke pouring out of the structure. Firefighters could be seen on the roof of adjacent buildings fighting the flames. Crews with L.A. County Fire battle a large structure fire on July 27, 2023. (KTLA)At around 7:04 pm., when Sky5 had to leave the scene, crews appeared to be gaining the upper hand on the blaze, KTLA 5's Gil Leyvas reported. So far no injuries have been reported. The cause of the blaze is under investigation.

Man allegedly recorded young girl in Orange County public restroom

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:16:07 GMT

A man was arrested for allegedly recording a young girl in an Orange County public restroom.The suspect was identified as Jacob Anthony Arriola, 33, by the Orange County District Attorney’s Office.On July 23, Arriola allegedly followed a 12-year-old girl into a women’s restroom at a park in Fullerton while recording her.When the girl noticed Arriola, she immediately left the restroom and told her parents what had happened.The parents confronted Arriola and held him down until police arrived and arrested him.While searching the women’s restroom, a wireless hidden camera was discovered. A further search led to the discovery of child pornography on the suspect’s devices as well, police said.Jacob Anthony Arriola, 33, in a photo from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office. Video captures thief stealing thousands worth of tools in Rancho Cucamonga “Pedophiles will stop at nothing to satiate their own indulgences – even brazenly recording a young girl at a public restroom during t...

La NASA anuncia que enviará humanos al “lado oscuro de la Luna”

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:16:07 GMT

BUENOS AIRES – El administrador de la NASA, Bill Nelson, dijo este jueves, en el marco de su visita a la Argentina, que la agencia espacial estadounidense está preparando una misión para enviar humanos al “lado oscuro de la Luna” con la intención de probar nuevas tecnologías que más adelante le permitirá llegar a Marte.“En esta ocasión vamos a otra Luna, a su polo sur, que está poblada de cráteres y bajo una oscuridad constante. Una primera misión enviará a cuatro astronautas a sobrevolar la órbita lunar y otra caminará sobre su superficie. Por ende, se debe ser muy preciso en el aterrizaje”, explicó Nelson al disertar ante estudiantes de Ingeniería aeroespacial de la Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA).El director de la NASA arribó a Argentina para profundizar lazos en materia de cooperación aeroespacial, una relación que inició en 1991 con la creación de la Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE) del país suramericano. NASA rompe el silencio tras pasa...

Argentina scores two goals in furious Women’s World Cup comeback to earn draw against South Africa

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:16:07 GMT

Argentina scored two game-saving goals in a flurry of five minutes during the second half Friday to salvage a 2-2 draw with South Africa at the Women’s World Cup.The draw gave both teams a single point in Group G. Sweden and Italy, the co-leaders of the group with three points each, play Saturday.Sophia Braun sent the ball soaring into the top right corner of the net in the 74th minute to get Argentina on the board. Romina Nunez tied it with a header in the 79th.The game was played before just 8,834 spectators in Dunedin Stadium, but those in attendance made their support known for both of the teams. Linda Motlhalo scored in the 30th minute for South Africa when she knocked in a pass from Thembi Kgatlana when play slowed because Argentine players thought South Africa was offside. Kgatlana later added a goal herself in the 66th minute. The draw gave South Africa its first ever point in the Women’s World Cup. South Africa lost every match in the group stage at the 2019 Women’s W...