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Pilot who police say tried to cut the engines on a jet midflight now faces a federal charge

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:50 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — An off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot struggled with the flight crew as he tried to cut the engines on a regional jet midflight on Sunday, and even tried to grab the handle of an emergency exit after being restrained, federal prosecutors said in charges announced Tuesday.Joseph David Emerson, 44, of Pleasant Hill, California, was initially arrested in Oregon on Sunday night on state counts of attempted murder after the flight crew reported that he attempted to shut down the engines on a Horizon Air flight from Washington state to California while riding in the extra seat in the cockpit. The plane was diverted to Portland, where it landed safely with more than 80 people onboard.A federal charge of interfering with a flight crew made public Tuesday said Emerson, who as an off-duty pilot was authorized to ride in the cockpit’s jump seat, made casual conversation with the captain and first officer when the plane was between Astoria, Oregon, and Portland, before trying ...

Police: 8 children rescued in California after their mother abducted them from Arkansas foster homes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:50 GMT

ANDERSON, Calif. (AP) — Authorities rescued eight children in California on Saturday after they were abducted by their biological mother and found roughly 1,500 miles (2,400 kilometers) from their foster homes in Arkansas, police said.The 36-year-old mother had lost her custodial rights, according to police in Anderson, a tiny city in a rural part of Northern California about 140 miles (225 kilometers) north of Sacramento. Law enforcement in Arkansas had previously issued a warrant for her arrest, though it was unclear when that occurred and how she transported the children.A “concerned citizen” reached out to authorities around 12:30 a.m. Saturday to request a welfare check after seeing six children with a woman who was “displaying bizarre behavior,” Anderson police said.Officers discovered the outstanding arrest warrant and took the woman into custody. The other two children were found in a home about 5 miles (8 kilometers) away.Details about the abductions and why the mother had ...

Myanmar reinstates family visits to prisoners to end a ban started during the pandemic

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:50 GMT

BANGKOK (AP) — Military-ruled Myanmar on Tuesday allowed prisoners to have family visitors from outside, a right that had been suspended for 3 1/2 years because of the coronavirus pandemic, the military’s information office and prison officials said.The rule allowing visitors carries detailed conditions, but it’s the first opportunity for many of the thousands of political detainees who have been locked up for opposing the military’s 2021 seizure of power to meet with their family members.Visitors must be able to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccinations and a household relationship to the prisoner being met. Further documentation is required from the visitors’ local administration offices and police precincts.A family member of a prisoner convicted of incitement and high treason for protesting military rule told The Associated Press that she was allowed to meet her son for about 20 minutes in a large room after waiting for about two hours with more than 100 other visitors. She v...

Chicago City Council to review Mayor Johnson's proposed 2024 CPD budget

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:50 GMT

CHICAGO — Members of the Chicago City Council will get their first look at Mayor Brandon Johnson's new plan for the Chicago Police Department on Tuesday.The mayor's 2024 spending plan would increase the overall CPD budget to nearly $2 billion.Part of Johnson's proposal includes spending nearly $5 million more next year on mental health services for law enforcement.This is the new superintendent's first budget hearing since being confirmed by the council last month. CPD Supt. Larry Snelling will oversee changes in the department at the direction of Johnson, who is working to transform it. The mayor unveiled his budget plan a few weeks ago. Mayor Johnson delivers first budget address When it comes to public safety, Johnson wants to move close to 400 police jobs and make them civilian jobs, and also promote about 100 officers to the detective ranks.Johnson said allowing civilians to do some of the work police are now doing will allow more officers to stay on the streets to do more la...

'Good day for you to move': Northwest Indiana man set house on fire after no longer being welcomed there, police allege

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:50 GMT

PORTER COUNTY, Ind. — A Northwest Indiana man flashed a gun and set a residence on fire after no longer being welcomed there, police allege.At around 10:45 p.m. Saturday, police responded to the 500 block of Serenity Terrace, located in Portage Township, on the report of a fire.A responding officer met with a woman who called 911 after observing her residence was on fire.The woman told police she suspected Timothy Burelison, of Valparaiso, 61, because he allegedly flashed a gun at her the day prior. An investigation into the matter was then launched by the Porter County Sheriff's Office.The woman told police Burelison used to resided at the residence "on occasion," but was no longer welcomed due to alleged "violent and unpredictable" behavior.The woman's camera footage allegedly showed Burelison lighting her residence on fire with a gas can. He was driving a red GMC Sierra truck.Another resident provided police with two alleged text messages from Bureilson."This is a good day for yo...

Evanston police warn of traffic ticket scam calls

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:50 GMT

EVANSTON, Ill. — Evanston police are warning residents about a scam where someone is posing as an officer and calling people about fake traffic tickets. The department reports that several people have gotten calls from someone posing as Sergeant Sophier and are told they must pay a fine or be arrested.  In some instances, the scammer calls from a spoof number mimicking the US Marshal's Service or City of Evanston 311. The scam calls all come from a number with a 312 area code.  MORE EVANSTON NEWS: Evanston community reacts after release of mother, daughter taken hostage by HamasA sergeant's name appears on the caller ID and is on the voicemail message for the phone number.  Anyone who may have fallen victim to this scam should call the Evanston Police Department to make a report at (847) 866-5000.

Ailing veteran gets wish to see B-52 he flew over Vietnam 50 years ago

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:50 GMT

AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (KDVR) — It all came together in a hurry.Fellow veterans and friends arranging a caravan to Colorado Springs. A transport van found. The Air Force Academy rallying its airmen. All to help check off the most important item on Kenneth Curry’s bucket list.Captain Curry, as he was known a half-century ago in Vietnam, just entered palliative care a week ago. It's hard to say how many days -- or how few -- he has in front of him.He had one last wish before he dies: seeing a B-52 bomber one last time. His friends discovered that not only is a B-52 on permanent display near the north gate of the Air Force Academy, but it happens to be one of the planes Curry flew over Southeast Asia.Two larger-than-life heroes — one made of metal, one with nerves of steel — reunited one last time Monday. “Thank you. That’s the best thing I can say. Thank you for loving us,” an emotional Curry told a crowd of friends and fellow veterans who gathered Monday in his honor at the Air For...

Ellis at plea hearing says she has 'deep remorse' over representing Trump

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:50 GMT

Former Trump campaign attorney Jenna Ellis tearfully expressed remorse while pleading guilty Tuesday in Georgia, telling the judge she regretted representing then-President Trump following the 2020 election.“If I knew then what I know now, I would have declined to represent Donald Trump in these post-election challenges,” Ellis told Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee before he accepted her plea.“I look back on this whole experience with deep remorse,” she continued. “For those failures of mine, your honor, I've taken responsibility already before the Colorado bar, who censured me, and I now take responsibility before this court and apologize to the people of Georgia.”Ellis is the third former Trump campaign attorney to take a plea deal with Georgia prosecutors in their 2020 election interference case, agreeing Tuesday to testify against her co-defendants, including the former president.She was sentenced to five years probation. Like the other defendants who have taken p...

Monday was the busiest day ever at Austin airport, smashing previous record

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — In a year of records falling left and right, another all-time high was toppled at the Austin airport. Monday was officially the busiest day ever recorded.A total of 43,243 passengers were screened through security at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Monday, Oct. 24., the day after F1 weekend at the Circuit of the Americas.The total is 1,002 more than the previous record, set after F1 weekend in 2022. It's the first time more than 43,000 passengers were recorded in a single day. Austin airport passenger totals still on track for record-breaking year… again Four days from this month now appear in the top 10 busiest days of all time. Oct. 16 and Oct. 9 rank third and fourth, while Oct. 6 ranks sixth — each with more than 36,000 passengers.AUS officials are projecting a record 22 million passengers this year. The current record of 21,089,289 passengers was set just last year. LIST: Here are all the new flights from AUS in 2023 and 2024 Airlines have added mo...

St. Paul City Council candidates speak out against contested Summit Avenue bikeway

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:54:50 GMT

The prospect of a five-mile elevated bikeway running along Summit Avenue — the longest continuous stretch of Victorian homes in the nation — has prompted at least a third of the 30 candidates for St. Paul City Council to speak out against the plans, which were approved by the council in May despite opponents’ concerns about potential impacts to trees, parking and aesthetics.Seven candidates from the city’s seven political wards gathered Wednesday at Cochran Park by Western and Summit avenues for a speak-out. The candidates pledged that, if they win office, their first act would be to repeal the Summit Avenue regional trail project, which has yet to be funded.The event was organized by Robert Bushard, a conservative candidate for the Ward 4 office currently held by Council Member Mitra Jalali.In addition to Bushard, the candidates at the event were Ward 1 candidate Travis Helkamp, Ward 2 candidate Peter Butler, Ward 3 candidate Patty Hartmann, Ward 3 candidate Troy ...