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‘There really is just no justice,’ brother says after motorist pleads guilty to Falcon Heights criminal vehicular homicide

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:13 GMT

A motorist has pleaded guilty to striking and killing a 29-year-old pediatric nurse in Falcon Heights in 2021, but her brother said Friday “there really is just no justice.”Abigail Anderson was the sister of Gabriele “Gabe” Grunewald, and both had been runners at the University of Minnesota. Grunewald, a professional runner, died of cancer in June 2019 at age 32.Zachary Anderson, the oldest of the sisters’ three brothers, said losing his two sisters has been “tough … a long road. But, mostly, my heart goes out to my parents,” he said, adding that he and his wife have a 2-year-old. “I cannot imagine something happening to a child.”Anderson was walking on the grass by the U of M’s golf course and soccer stadium on Larpenteur and Cleveland avenues about 6:45 p.m. Aug. 14, 2021. Ramsey County prosecutors say Melinda Jean Dotray, 47, had illegal drugs in her system when she drove more than 60 mph in a pickup truck, smashed into a parked car, careened o...

Man and child die in rollover crash in Aurora

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:13 GMT

A man and child died in a rollover crash at the intersection of South Havana Street and East Exposition Avenue on Friday night, according to the Aurora Police Department.Related ArticlesTransportation | Driver accused of hitting two parole officers in Colorado Springs is captured Transportation | Woman hit by car in Aurora dies Wednesday night Transportation | 4 pedestrians killed by metro Denver drivers over weekend, putting Colorado on track for record-breaking state total Transportation | Denver pedestrian struck and killed by driver on Colorado Boulevard Transportation | Driver kills pedestrian in Littleton hit-and-run, police search for white Jeep Cherokee The crash occurred at 6 p.m. and involved two vehicles, police said in a post on X. One vehicle rolled in the crash.#APDTrafficAlert: Officers have responded to the intersection of S Havana St and E Exposition Ave for a fatal crash. Traffic invest...

Colorado high school football: How Post Preps Top 10 teams fared in Week 6

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:13 GMT

Class 5A1. Cherry Creek (6-0) won vs. Cherokee Trail, 48-0: Senior Jordan Herron ran for 117 yards and three TDs on just 10 carries, QB Brady Vodicka completed 10 of 13 passes for 179 yards and two TDs, and the Bruins defense posted its second shutout in three weeks. Next week: vs. Smoky Hill, 7 p.m. Oct. 6.2. Pine Creek (6-0) won vs. Fountain-Fort Carson, 40-10: Senior RB Jonathan Coar piled up 192 yards and three TDs on 21 carries and linebacker Mason Miller notched a safety as the Eagles handed FFC its first loss of the season. Next week: at No. 10 Regis Jesuit, 6:30 p.m. Oct. 6. 3. Columbine (6-0) won at Pomona, 42-7: Seniors Mason Moreno (10 carries, 148 yards) and Josh Snyder (7-118) led a Rebels rushing attack that gobbled up 442 yards, while QB Reeve Holliday completed all eight of his passes for 90 yards and one score. Next week: at No. 4 Ralston Valley, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 6.4. Ralston Valley (4-1) at Lakewood, 7:30 p.m. Friday. Next week: vs. No. 3 Columbine, 7:30 p.m. Oct. 6....

Man sentenced to life in prison for killing '60s soul singer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:13 GMT

A homeless man who was convicted of killing an elderly woman on New Year's Day while attempting to rape her has been sentenced to life in prison, according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office.Rosendo Xo Pec, 28, was found guilty of killing 76-year-old Betty Jane Willis, a former soul singer in the 1960s on Jan. 1, 2018, at a strip mall in Santa Ana.Willis was a recording artist in the 1960s, working with prominent artists of the time, including Bill Medley of the Righteous Brothers and pianist and songwriter Leon Russell. As a solo act, Willis recorded several songs, including "Someday You'll Need My Love," "Act Naturally," and "Take My Heart."After falling on hard times, Willis became homeless and began living on the streets of Santa Ana, the DA's Office said.Rosendo Xo Pec is shown in a booking photo released by Santa Ana police on Jan. 1, 2018.Willis was killed by Pec as he attempted to rape her in the parking lot of a strip mall on the 1600 block of W. 1st Street. Pe...

17th, 18th and 19th buses with migrants arrive in L.A.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:13 GMT

Three buses filled with migrants from arrived in Los Angeles on Friday, making the 17th, 18th and 19th buses to arrive in L.A. since June. A third of all the migrants that have arrived in L.A. via bus have been children. L.A. Welcomes Collective confirmed the arrival of the buses Friday morning, all three from Texas, including one from Brownsville and two from Del Rio. There were a total of 109 migrants that arrived on the buses, the organization said. While complete demographics have not been made available, the migrants come from Colombia, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru and Venezuela."The LA Welcomes Collective learned of two of today's buses early this morning, stretching our resources in order to ensure that people were greeted with dignity and respect, supported to get to their destinations, reunited with family and connected with sponsors,” the organization said in a statement. Upon arrival, they were taken to a receiving site and provided humanitarian support ser...

Ventura man sentenced for deadly shooting, destructive pursuit

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:13 GMT

A Ventura man was sentenced to 32 years in prison for a deadly shooting and destructive police pursuit.The suspect was identified as Richard Hernandez, 27, by the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office.Hernandez pled guilty to charges of second-degree murder for the fatal shooting of Cameron Miller, an Oxnard resident.On June 29, 2016, Hernandez and three others — Alexis Ivan Ramirez, 28, Luis Aguilar, 26, and a 16-year-old girl were driving down East Main Street in Ventura. They stopped to confront two men walking on the sidewalk, police said. A verbal altercation ensued where gang names were yelled at the victims and Hernandez flashed a handgun.The four suspects then returned to their car and drove down the road. A few blocks away, they waited for the victims to walk by before firing several shots at the two men, police said.Miller was struck three times and died at the scene. The second victim was struck once but survived. The suspects sped off before authorities arrived....

Toys R Us to expand brick and mortar retail operations, including airports and cruise lines

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:13 GMT

Toys R Us is looking to make a major comeback, announcing this week it plans to expand its brick and mortar operations and add 24 new flagship stores in the country.WHP Global, the iconic toy store brand's parent company, announced it has partnered with a retail group to roll out new flagship stores across the U.S. beginning in 2024, as well as create new retail experiences for travelers by opening stores in airports and on cruise ships.The first airport store will open in November at the Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, the company said. Officials for WHP Global said the Toys R Us brand is still widely recognized and is growing rapidly since it acquired controlling stake in the company in 2021."Since acquiring Toys R Us, we have increased our global retail footprint by more than 50% with openings in the United States, United Kingdom, India, Dubai, and Mexico," said WHP Chief Executive Officer Yehuda Shmidman. "We now have over 1,400 stores and e-commerce sites across 31 cou...

After ouster of Gabe Kapler, SF Giants say they need to reset ‘standard’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:13 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — Under appropriately gray skies Friday afternoon, players went about their business as usual at Oracle Park. Patrick Bailey conferenced with catching coach Craig Albernaz in the outfield. Brandon Crawford prepared himself for his possible sendoff Sunday.Still, it was impossible to ignore the solemn news of the day.They played so poorly, collapsed so totally, that their manager of four years, Gabe Kapler, was fired with three games to go.“This is a s—ty day for the Giants baseball,” starter Logan Webb said. “As a whole, we haven’t done our job.”Outfielder Austin Slater found out when he arrived in the clubhouse and said there “was definitely some shock.” His platoon partner, Mike Yastrzemski, called it “unfortunate” but acknowledged that “this is the nature of the beast and he wears the burden of our performance.”The Giants went from 13 games over .500 in the first week of August to out of the play...

The top five most expensive home sales in Saratoga, reported the week of Sep. 18

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:13 GMT

A house that sold for $8.4 million tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Saratoga in the past week.In total, five residential real estate sales were recorded in the area during the past week, with an average price of $5 million. The average price per square foot was $1,501.The prices in the list below concern real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of Sep. 18 even if the property may have been sold earlier.5. $1.1 million, condominium in the 19200 block of Vineyard LaneThe sale of the condominium in the 19200 block of Vineyard Lane, Saratoga, has been finalized. The price was $1,140,000, and the condominium changed hands in September. The condominium was built in 1971 and has a living area of 1,132 square feet. The price per square foot was $1,007. The condominium features two bedrooms and two bathrooms.4. $3.5 million, single-family residence in the 18700 block of Dundee Ave.The property in the 18700 block of Dundee Ave. in Sara...

'Ringleader' of 1966 Monterey County killing spree granted parole

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:44:13 GMT

(KRON) -- A California inmate who went on killing spree in the 1960s in Monterey County was granted parole, and prosecutors vowed this week to continue fighting against his scheduled release.Jose Francisco Velasquez was 24 years old when he acted as a "ringleader" behind a series of killings in 1966, the Monterey County District Attorney's Office said. He is now 81 years old. The Board of Parole Hearings granted his request for freedom citing California's Youthful Offender and Elder Parole laws."We believe the inmate continues to pose an unreasonable current risk of harm to the public based on the egregious facts of these murders and currently lacks insight into both his responsibility for these murders and his sexual deviance," prosecutors wrote."During a horrific crime spree in 1966, inmate Velasquez and his crime partners Luis Francisco Pacheco, Jose Luis Galvan, Frank Urrea Gonzales, and Juan Vasquez Garcia, brutally murdered four victims," the DA's Office wrote. On July 29, 196...