Prosecutors seek to drop three felony charges against the brother of Patrick Mahomes

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:22:01 GMT

Prosecutors seek to drop three felony charges against the brother of Patrick Mahomes Prosecutors in Kansas are asking a judge to drop three felony charges related to accusations that Jackson Mahomes — the younger brother of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes — grabbed a woman by the neck and kissed her against her will.Johnson County Assistant District Attorney Megan Ahsens on Tuesday filed a motion to dismiss three counts of aggravated sexual battery. A fourth charge — misdemeanor battery — would remain.The court filing cited a lack of cooperation from the alleged victim.Jackson Mahomes’ attorney, Brandan Davies, said in a statement that his client “has done nothing wrong. We had full confidence that the truth of the matter would ultimately be revealed.”The original charges accused Jackson Mahomes, a 23-year-old social media influencer, of crimes that occurred Feb. 25 at Aspens Restaurant and Lounge in Overland Park, Kansas, a suburb of Kansas City.Investigators said Mahomes shoved a waiter who tried to come into a room where he was with the resta...

Nylander’s bet paying off as contract talks with Maple Leafs heat up

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:22:01 GMT

Nylander’s bet paying off as contract talks with Maple Leafs heat up William Nylander keeps reminding the Toronto Maple Leafs how important he is to the team’s success.This should make his reportedly imminent whopper of a contract extension a little more digestible for the executives cutting those eight-figure cheques and a diehard fan base who studies salary-cap charts closer than box scores.A few hours prior to Nylander’s two-goal, six-shot performance Tuesday in the Maple Leafs’ clean 3-0 road win over the Los Angeles Kings, Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos reported that 2024’s most coveted impending unrestricted free agent had been engaged in positive negotiations with GM Brad Treliving.In the works is the blueprint for an eight-year deal that would net the stud winger approximately $11.25 million annually and about $90 million in total – the same AAV that Nylander’s friend, winger David Pastrnak, netted from Boston early in 2023 before his own bargain deal expired. Related: Leafs’ Nylander not r...

Shohei Ohtani was ‘exceptionally attracted to this country,’ Blue Jays GM says

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:22:01 GMT

Shohei Ohtani was ‘exceptionally attracted to this country,’ Blue Jays GM says Toronto Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins has shed some light on the team’s failed pursuit of two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani after being famously tight-lipped about the entire process during MLB’s Winter Meetings last month.Speaking to reporters over Zoom on Wednesday, Atkins confirmed Ohtani did travel to the Blue Jays spring training complex in Dunedin, Fla., and said, “There’s no doubt in my mind” that Ohtani was interested in joining the club.“We were obviously disappointed with the outcome, and it was a very difficult phone call to receive. One of the more difficult ones in my career,” Atkins said. “At the same time, (it was an) incredible process and just group effort and collaboration that (we) feel so good about. Not only that process, but what it meant to be in that position for this organization, for the city, for the country. There’s no doubt in my mind he was exceptionally attracted to this country, this city, th...

An Arkansas sheriff’s deputy was fatally shot, and a suspect is in custody, state police say

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:22:01 GMT

An Arkansas sheriff’s deputy was fatally shot, and a suspect is in custody, state police say LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — An Arkansas sheriff’s deputy was shot and killed Tuesday and a suspect is in custody, said Arkansas State Police, who provided little additional details on the shooting.State police on Tuesday night said it was investigating the shooting of the Stone County deputy that occurred at 4:30 p.m. A news conference was expected later on the shooting, police said Tuesday night.Police did not identify the deputy or the suspect, or say where in the north Arkansas county the shooting occurred.A Stone County deputy died in a shooting in 2019 in Leslie, about 77 miles (124 kilometers) north of Little Rock, when responding to a domestic welfare check. The suspect in the shooting was also fatally shot.The Associated Press

Vancouver region closes out 2023 with higher home sales, average price of $1,168,700

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:22:01 GMT

Vancouver region closes out 2023 with higher home sales, average price of $1,168,700 VANCOUVER — The Real Estate Board of Greater Vancouversays December home sales rose compared with a year earlier as the region closed out 2023 with balanced market conditions despite high borrowing costs.The board says 1,345 homes changed hands in December, a 3.2 per cent increase from the same month in 2022, but 36.4 per cent below the 10-year seasonal average.There were 1,327 new listings of detached, attached and apartment properties last month, a 9.9 per cent increase from a year earlier, as new listings were 22.7 per cent below the 10-year seasonal average.The composite benchmark home price in December for Metro Vancouver was $1,168,700, a five per cent increase from December 2022, but down 1.4 per cent from November 2023.Andrew Lis, the board’s director of economics and data analytics, says higher borrowing costs haven’t been enough to dissuade buyers from entering the market, but that “the story of 2023 is one of too few homes available relative to the pool ...

Japan police arrest a knife-wielding woman inside a train after 4 people are reported injured

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:22:01 GMT

Japan police arrest a knife-wielding woman inside a train after 4 people are reported injured TOKYO (AP) — Police arrested a woman who wielded a knife and injured four passengers inside a train that stopped at Tokyo’s electronic town of Akihabara late Wednesday, Japanese media reported. Police rushed to the scene after a report that a woman was brandishing a knife while the train stopped at the Akihabara station, where four people were injured and taken to a hospital, NHK public television reported.Police arrested the attacker, identified only as a woman in her 20s, on suspicion of attempted murder, Kyodo News reported. It said at least three men who were stabbed were taken to hospitals.No other details, including the condition of the injured and a motive for the attack, were available. Police declined to confirm the media reports.Violent crimes are rare in Japan, which has strict gun control laws and only a handful of gun-related crimes annually. But in recent years, there have been several high-profile cases involving random knife attacks and arson on subways, and th...

3 to hospital after driver of stolen SUV crashes into vehicle: OPP

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:22:01 GMT

3 to hospital after driver of stolen SUV crashes into vehicle: OPP Three people were injured after their vehicle was involved in a collision with the driver of a stolen SUV, Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) said.OPP Sgt. Kerry Schmidt said the two-vehicle crash happened on Wednesday in the Highway 6 and Upper James Street area.Burlington OPP officers confirmed the driver of a stolen SUV was travelling southbound on Upper James when he collided with the vehicle, which was travelling northbound on Highway 6 and making a left turn. 3 people to hospital after a stolen vehicle was involved in a 2 car crash on #Hwy6/Upper James. #BurlingtonOPP investigating, charges laid on the driver and passenger of the stolen vehicle ^ks pic.twitter.com/XofjXKgKTZ— OPP Highway Safety Division (@OPP_HSD) January 3, 2024Sgt. Schmidt said the driver of the northbound vehicle was treated for relatively minor injuries. Two other female passengers were also hurt, one with minor injuries and another with serious injuries.The driver of the stolen SUV was not injured and...

Chicago firefighter in court Wednesday for NYE road rage shooting incident

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:22:01 GMT

Chicago firefighter in court Wednesday for NYE road rage shooting incident CHICAGO — A Chicago firefighter is due in court Wednesday in connection to a road rage shooting on New Year's Eve.According to police, 34-year-old Omotayo Kassim is facing several felony charges including aggravated battery by discharge of a firearm, attempted first-degree murder and aggravated discharge of a firearm from an occupied vehicle.Police said the charges stem from a shooting that unfolded just before 8 p.m. Sunday in the 1600 block of West Foster Avenue in Andersonville.Police say a 35-year-old man who was driving a Jeep attempted to make a U-turn, when Kassim allegedly exited a Chevy Tahoe and opened fire. Chicago firefighter charged in connection with apparent road rage shooting in Andersonville Police say the victim suffered a gunshot wound to his face and was taken to the hospital in critical condition.Kassim was taken into custody at the scene.He is scheduled to attend a detention hearing at 12:30 p.m. Wednesday.

California retailers now required to have gender-neutral toy aisles

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:22:01 GMT

California retailers now required to have gender-neutral toy aisles (KTLA) – Major retailers in California are now required to have gender-neutral toy aisles under a new state law that went into effect Monday.The new law requires retail department stores physically located in California with 500 or more employees to “maintain a gender-neutral section or area, to be labeled at the discretion of the retailer.” New California law to limit how much landlords can charge for security deposits Stores that already have gender-focused toy areas won’t have to get rid of them but instead add a toy section that would apply to children of any gender, according to the law’s text.The law passed the state Legislature and was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in 2021. Retailers that don’t comply with the law will initially be fined $250, followed by $500 for repeat offenders.California Assembly member Evan Low (D-Silicon Valley) said it was a child who inspired him to introduce the bill.“I was inspired to introduce this bill after 8-year-old Britten asked, ‘Why should a...

ABJ: Tesla expands to suburb northeast of Austin as footprint grows

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 08:22:01 GMT

ABJ: Tesla expands to suburb northeast of Austin as footprint grows AUSTIN (Austin Business Journal) -- Tesla Inc.'s growing footprint in the Austin area now includes a sizable facility in Hutto. But what it's for remains unclear.The Austin Business Journal visited the 36,000-square-foot site at 200 County Road 199 in the fast-growing industrial hub northeast of Austin in late December. The parking lot was full and a nondescript warehouse-style building was bustling with employees in construction vests and helmets, but there were no signs listing any companies and no clear indications of who was occupying it. The only traces it could be Tesla were a handful of the company's electric vehicle charging stations out front.But Elon Musk's EV manufacturing and clean energy company is linked to the site in state filings, and it has been confirmed by Hutto officials. Tesla's expansion to Hutto underscores the company's wide-reaching plans for the region — as far south as San Antonio and, now, as far north as Hutto — as it continues buildout of its multibill...