Posts Categorized: news

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Illinois becomes 1st state to eliminate cash bail

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Illinois becomes the 1st state to completely eliminate cash bail as part of a plan to "modernize" the criminal justice system.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed off on the new law, saying, "This legislation marks a substantial step toward dismantling the systemic racism that plagues our communities, our state and our nation."

House Bill 3653, which was signed into law on Monday, addresses the systemic racial bias that imprisons more Black males than any other race.

The law requires that all police officers wear body cameras by 2025, bans all police chokeholds, and sets new guidelines for "decertification" of "bad" police officers.

But critics of the bill say it is anti-police, and they predict that police officers will leave the profession in droves.

"Because we are sworn to protect and serve the public, we sincerely hope that we will not be proven right about this new law, that it won't cause police officers to leave the profession in droves and handcuff those who remain so they can't stop crimes against people and property," wrote the Illinois Law Enforcement Coalition in a statement to Fox News on Wednesday.

Illinois State Sen. John Curran, a Republican, said the legislation was "rammed through in the middle of the night".

And Illinois Republican Party Chairman Don Tracy said in a statement Monday, "Every police association in the state has condemned this bill."

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CNN anchor apologizes for insensitive Tiger Woods comments

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CNN anchor Andy Scholes has apologized for insensitive remarks he made during a live broadcast following Tiger Woods' rollover car accident on Tuesday.

Woods, 45, underwent a "long surgical procedure" on his right leg and ankle following a single-car crash near Los Angeles just after 7 a.m. local time.

The iconic golfer had just left his hotel, and was speeding in his Genesis GV80 sports utility vehicle when he lost control of the SUV at a curve in the road.

The vehicle crossed a divider and smashed into trees before rolling over multiple times and coming to rest on its side in a ditch near Rancho Palos Verdes, California.

Scholes, who was anchoring a CNN segment hours after the crash, said, "Stunned I guess, but not entirely surprised by, you know, what we're seeing here."

He added:

"Tiger, back in 2017, was found by police, pulled over to the side of the road. You know, asleep in his car. He had said he had taken a lot of painkillers at that time. Because, as well all know, Tiger has undergone a lot of surgeries over the years and painkillers have become a part of his life."

Scholes' remarks prompted a furious backlash on social media, including from his peers in mainstream media.

"This is just irresponsible journalism," tweeted Hemal Jhaveri, an editor for USA Today Sports. "We don't know anything yet. CNN needs to get some real sports reporters."

Scholes repeatedly apologized to Twitter users, saying, "Sorry didn't mean for it to come out that way."

Woods remains hospitalized as he recovers from surgery to stabilize bones in his lower right leg.
 

Automotive experts say the Genesis GV80 Woods was driving may have saved the golfing icon's life.

Woods is pictured standing next to the car he was driving at the time of the accident.

Among the SUV's safety features is a blind-spot monitor with "collision-avoidance assist" technology, a "driver attention warning" system, and "semi-autonomous driving mode" that adapts over time to the owner's typical driving style.

The SUV also features a fortified frame that absorbs impact during rollovers.

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Tiger Woods Awake and Responsive After Undergoing Surgery Following Rollover Car Crash

Harry How / David McNew/Getty Images

Tiger Woods is "awake and responsive" after successfully undergoing a "long surgical procedure" on his right leg and ankle following a single-car crash near Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Woods, who lives in Jupiter, Florida, was in town to host the Genesis Invitational golf event held at The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, Calif. from Feb. 15-Feb. 21. He also met with celebrities for a promotional event with Golf Digest.

The iconic golfer had just left his hotel after 7 a.m. local time, and was speeding in his Genesis 80 sports utility vehicle when he lost control of the SUV at a curve in the road.

The vehicle crossed a divider and smashed into trees before rolling over multiple times and coming to rest on its side in a ditch near Rancho Palos Verdes, California.

Woods, who was conscious and calm, was cut out of the vehicle through the windshield and transported by ambulance to the nearby Harbor - UCLA Medical Center, where he underwent surgery to repair multiple open fractures in his lower right leg.

Surgeons stabilized the bones in his right lower leg and ankle with pins and rods.

His team released a statement on Wednesday on Twitter, which read:

"We thank everyone for the overwhelming support and messages during this tough time... He has undergone a long surgical procedure on his lower right leg and ankle after being brought to the hospital."

There was also a detailed statement from his physician, Dr. Anish Mahajan, who wrote:

"Mr Woods suffered significant orthopedic injuries to his right lower extremity that were treated during emergency surgery by Orthopedic trauma specialists at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, a level 1 trauma center. "Comminuted open fractures affecting both the upper and lower portions of the tibia and fibula bones were stabilized by inserting a rod into the tibia. Additional injuries to the bones of the foot and ankle were stabilized with a combination of screws and pins. Trauma to the muscle and soft-tissue of the leg required surgical release of the covering of the muscles to relieve pressure due to swelling."

According to the statement, Woods, 45, is "currently awake, responsive and recovering in his hospital room".

The accident comes just two months after he underwent a fifth back surgery in December, and he was hoping to be fit enough to play at the Masters Tournament in April.

It's not the first time Tiger has been involved in a serious car accident - he crashed an SUV into a tree in Florida in 2009 as he drove away from a marital dispute with his then-wife, Swedish model Elin Nordegren.

Following news of the crash on Tuesday, Woods' ex-girlfriend Lindsey Vonn was among those sending her prayers. "Praying for TW right now," she tweeted.

Rachel Uchitel - with whom the golfer had a brief fling which triggered the end of his marriage to Nordegren - revealed she was "shaken" by the incident, and wondered how it would affect his career in the long run.

"He's an athlete and his legs are essential to his sport and to him being who he is and he's already had trouble with his body up until this point," she told the New York Post. "He didn't need any more injuries."

Hours before the crash, actress Jada Pinkett Smith took to Instagram to share a photo of herself and Woods after playing a round of golf the day prior.

She captioned the image:

"Guess who I had the most awesome golf day with yesterdayyyyyy??? Yes! The magnificent @tigerwoods!!!! Yes ... dreams come true... I can't wait for you to see my golf journey with Tiger. Stay tuned! @golftv @golfdigest."

 

Golf great Jack Nicklaus also shared his thoughts, writing he is "deeply concerned" for Tiger following the accident and he offered up "heartfelt support and prayers".

Retired sports stars Alex Rodriguez and Michael Phelps also took to social media to wish Woods well.

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Texas man who had $17,000 charged to credit card by power company may get his money back

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A Texas man who had $17,000 charged to his credit card by a wholesale electricity company during last week's storms may get his money back -- thanks to GoFundMe.

Over 4 million people were without power and clean water in Texas for 5 days last week.

To compound their troubles, wholesale electricity provider Griddy began emptying customers' bank accounts before they had even received invoices.

63-year-old Army veteran Scott Willoughby, who lives on social security payments, lost his life savings when Griddy charged $16,752 to his credit card for 7 days' worth of service.

"My savings is gone," the Dallas resident told the New York Times. "There's nothing I can do about it, but it's broken me."

A GoFundMe account created by Willoughby raised over $12,000 as of Tuesday.

Willoughby wrote in the summary:

"[My payment] went on my credit card and once paid, will almost wipe out my savings and my brother's came straight out of his bank account causing an overdraft. Any and all help is appreciated. Blessings on all!"

Willoughby never lost power during the winter storm. He and other customers were warned by Griddy to change providers before the storm hit. But most electricity providers in the state weren't taking on new customers.

Other customers discovered that Griddy had raided their bank accounts and left them nearly penniless.

Ty Williams had nearly $17,000 deducted from his bank account by Griddy. His family home never lost power during the storm.

Williams told Fox 4 News he did everything he could to conserve energy for those 7 days. "I unplugged refrigerators, I turned off everything. I turned off all the lights. We literally tried to stay in one room and use our gas heaters."

Still, their bill skyrocketed to nearly $17,000 for 7 days' usage. Griddy told Williams the billing was automated and based on estimated usage. The company said it would check the system for errors and make adjustments.

Chambers County resident Lisa Khoury filed a $1 billion lawsuit against Griddy for "unlawful price gouging" during the winter storm.

Khoury, whose average bill is between $200 and $250, said her bill for Feb. 13 through Feb. 19 came to $9,340.

She said Griddy began making withdrawals from her bank account daily.

Khoury said she was only without power for one day and was careful to limit usage out of fear of a high bill.

Some Griddy customers were charged as high as $400 per kilowatt-hour. For those customers, Griddy offered to set up payment arrangements.
 

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Tiger Woods Injured in Rollover Car Crash *UPDATE*


Chung Sung-Jun/Getty Images

Tiger Woods is undergoing surgery after suffering multiple broken bones and internal injuries in a rollover car crash Tuesday morning.

More details are emerge about the accident around 7:13 a.m. near the Rolling Hills Estates and Rancho Palos Verdes neighborhoods of Los Angeles, Fox News reported.

Emergency responders used the jaws of life to extricate Woods from the SUV wreckage. Woods was a sole occupant in the SUV.

"The vehicle was traveling northbound on Hawthorne Boulevard, at Blackhorse Road, when it crashed. The vehicle sustained major damage," officials said. "The driver and sole occupant was identified as PGA golfer, Eldrick 'Tiger' Woods. Mr. Woods was extricated from the wreck with the 'jaws of life' by Los Angeles County firefighters and paramedics, then transported to a local hospital by ambulance for his injuries."

Helicopter news footage from ABC7 shows the wrecked SUV left the road, rolled over, and came to rest on its side.

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YouTube/ABC7

Woods, who is recovering from recent back surgery, previously admitted to an addiction to opioid narcotics as a result of back surgeries over the years.

He was arrested in 2017 after falling asleep behind the wheel of his car near his Jupiter Island, Florida, mansion at about 3:00 am. He was charged with driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The 45-year-old father-of-two agreed to take part in a first-time DUI offender program, which he completed.

Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images

He received a year of probation, was fined $250, and ordered to undergo 50 hours of community service along with regular drug tests. He was not allowed to drink alcohol during the probation period.

Woods' agent Mark Steinberg released a statement following Tuesday's crash.

"Tiger Woods was in a single-car accident this morning in California where he suffered multiple leg injuries. He is currently in surgery and we thank you for your privacy and support," Steinberg said.
 

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Kentucky Cop Fired for Sharing Information with Black Lives Matter

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A Kentucky police officer was let go from the police force on Friday for giving information to a Black Lives Matter organizer during protests last summer.

Officer Jervis Middleton was fired from the Lexington Police Department following a unanimous vote by the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Council after a nine-hour hearing and two hours of closed deliberations, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.

Middleton, who is Black, initially denied sharing information via text messages about police movements to his friend, BLM leader Sarah Williams.

The city obtained a search warrant that allowed access to Middleton's cell phone. He admitted his involvement with BLM when he was shown text messages exchanged between himself and Williams.

Middleton's lawyers argued that he shouldn't be fired because the information he shared with Williams didn't put officers in harm's way.

But, according to Lawofficer.com, once an officer is proven to be a liar they are useless as a witness in court.

Middleton claimed he was racially discriminated against by other officers who called him "boy" and "token boy." But the allegations were not investigated by the department because a formal complaint had not been filed.

Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers said that while he understood Middleton's concerns, it didn't justify breaking the department's information-sharing policies.

Weathers, who is also Black, said race was not a factor in the recommendation to fire Middleton.

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Half of Brits Say They Won’t Watch Oprah’s Interview with Harry and Meghan Markle

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Half of Britain don't want to watch Oprah Winfrey's interview with Henry Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Harry, and his American wife Meghan Markle.

More than half of all Brits polled by The Sun newspaper say they'd rather change the channel than watch Oprah's upcoming interview with the ungrateful pair.

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The Duke and Duchess of Windsor agreed to a sit-down interview with the American talk show boss before they quit the Royal Family for good earlier this month.

Just 27 percent of Brits surveyed by The Sun said they would watch Oprah's sit-down with Harry and Meghan.

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Queen Elizabeth II (left) responded by stripping them of their remaining royal duties and redistributing the duties among family members who know their roles as humble servants to their British subjects.

Buckingham Palace released a statement Friday on behalf of The Queen, who said, "in stepping away from the work of The Royal Family it is not possible to continue with the responsibilities and duties that come with a life of public service."

The Queen previously ordered Meghan's name removed from her grandchild, Archie's birth certificate, as all grandchild heirs to the throne are in the sole custody of the Queen -- including Harry and Meghan's unborn child.

Harry's brother Prince William -- second to the throne -- is said to be "sad and shocked" by his brother's rude behavior to their grandmother, Her Royal Highness the Queen.

WPA Pool/Getty Images

According to The Times, sources close to Prince William (far left) claim he is "very upset" by Harry and Meghan's "insulting and disrespectful" reply to Queen Elizabeth II.

In a subtle jab, Harry and Meghan responded to the Queen: "We can all live a life of service. Service is universal."

While service may be universal, no one talks back to the Queen.

"You don't answer the Queen back," said a royal source, "it's just not done."

Another source close to the family called the reply "petulant and insulting to the Queen," adding, "Don't disrespect your granny, Harry."

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Ted Cruz abandoned his poodle in Texas before jetting off to Cancun

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Ted Cruz is the most hated man in America. The senator was heavily criticized for jetting off to sunny Cancun, Mexico, while his constituents froze to death.

Cruz, wearing a Texas flag print mask, hurried back to Texas on Thursday morning, as angry Texans called on him to resign his Senate seat.

But the story gets worse. Photos circulating on social media shows Cruz abandoned his poodle, Snowflake, at home alone without heat or lights.

Michael Hardy, a reporter for New York magazine's Intelligencer, stopped by Cruz's home in the exclusive River Oaks neighborhood. There, he photographed the lonely pooch peeking out a glass pane in the front door.

"Is this Senator Cruz's house?" the reporter asked a man who stepped out of a vehicle parked in the driveway.

The man, who identified himself as a security guard, told Hardy he was there to check on Snowflake.

"Just drove by Ted Cruz’s house in Houston. His lights are off but a neighbor told me the block got its power back last night. Also, Ted appears to have left behind the family poodle," he wrote.

HEM / BACKGRID

Cruz claimed his daughters asked him to take them on vacation - and the tickets were already booked before the power outages.

Power has been restored to about 80% of residences in Texas, but many people are still without electricity and clean water.

To add insult to injury, some power company customers were hit with massive electric bills averaging $2.32 per kilowatt hour.

Twitter user @KatandTonyT shared a copy of her most recent power bill for a whopping $3,801.16.

She wrote:

"When your electric company tells you to switch but there has been a hold on switching for over a week now. Using as little as possible 1300 sq ft house and this is my bill. How is this fair. I only paid $1200 for the whole 2020 year."

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Harry and Meghan Markle Officially Quit Britain’s Royal Family

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Henry Mountbatten-Windsor, Duke of Sussex, and his American wife Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, have officially quit the royal family, leaving behind a life of service to their British subjects.

Meghan had a parting shot for England's Queen Elizabeth II who stripped them of their remaining service roles after they announced their second child will be born American.

The news comes just months after the mom-to-be opened up about her heartbreaking miscarriage in July 2020.

Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Images

Her Majesty the Queen said she was "saddened by their decision" to abandon their life of public service, and she wished "the Sussexes" a happy new life in America.

Meghan shot back at the Queen with a subtle dig: "We can all live a life of service. Service is universal," she wrote in a statement.

WENN.com

As you know, Harry and Meghan abandoned their royal duties in 2019. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Meghan became engaged to Harry in 2017 and they wed in 2018. Their son, Archie Mountbatten-Windsor, was born the following year.

Chris Jackson/Getty Images

On January 8, 2020, the couple announced their intentions to step away from public service. They moved to Canada and then to America to pursue celebrity stardom in movies and television -- roles which have eluded them since Americans don't much care for royals.

On Valentine's Day, Harry, 36, and Meghan, 39, announced they are expecting their second baby born on American soil.

John Rainford/WENN

In a rare statement this week, the Queen confirmed Harry and Meghan's eight military roles and patronages were revoked and redistributed to "working members of the royal family" who know their roles as humble public servants.

After living rent-free in Tyler Perry's West Coast mansion, the former royals purchased their own home in California.

The final insult to the Royal family will come when Harry applies for American citizenship.

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2 women dressed up as grannies to receive Covid-19 mRNA shots

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Two women were so desperate to get the still experimental Covid-19 mRNA shots that they dressed up as "grannies" to skip the line.

Florida health officials say the two women aroused suspicion immediately.

"So yesterday, we realized a couple of young ladies came dressed up as grannies to get vaccinated for the second time. So I don't know how they escaped the first time," said Dr. Raul Pino, the director of the Florida Department of Health in Orange County, during a press briefing on Thursday.

According to Dr. Pino, the two women showed up to the Orange County Convention Center wearing bonnets, gloves and glasses -- "the whole thing," he said. The women wore disguises to make themselves eligible to receive the vaccination outside of a health care or long-term care facility setting.

The women had valid vaccination cards for their first injections, but there was an issue with their driver's licenses on the second go 'round.

Their dates of birth "did not match those they had used to register for the vaccines," said the Orange County Sheriff's Office in a statement. "The names, however, did match the registration."

The sheriff's office identified the women as Olga Monroy-Ramirez, 44, and Martha Vivian Monroy, 34.

The women were not arrested or cited. But security was increased at the vaccination site.

"This is the hottest commodity that is out there right now," the director said. "So we have to be very careful with the funds and the resources that we are provided."