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Lawsuit Targets FBI Probe of Racial Justice Activists

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:32:06 GMT

The FBI’s secret infiltration and subversion of the racial justice movement in Colorado was challenged Tuesday in a lawsuit alleging that federal and local law enforcement officials abused their powers when they targeted left-wing activists in the summer of 2020.The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado, accuses the FBI, the Colorado Springs Police Department, and local police officers of overstepping their authority in infiltrating, surveilling, and requesting search warrants aimed at Colorado Springs activists. The FBI’s targeting of racial justice activists was revealed in February by The Intercept and the podcast series “Alphabet Boys.”In a separate federal case in Denver, the Justice Department last week did not deny that the government’s initial investigation of racial justice activists was prompted by speech. That filing — the government’s first public response to revelations that the FBI infiltrated the racial justice movement in Denver using a vio...

A teacher was caught on video abusing students. Her district is settling for over $11 million

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:32:06 GMT

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A school district in West Virginia has reached settlements totaling over $11 million in lawsuits involving a teacher who abused special education students in her classroom, according to a media report.Seven lawsuits against Nancy Boggs and the Kanawha County Board of Education were settled for a combined $11.75 million, WCHS-TV reported Monday, citing state insurance documents it obtained via a records request. The report did not indicate when the settlement was reached, and the school district did not comment to the television station.Boggs was caught on surveillance camera abusing several students at Holz Elementary School in Charleston in September 2021. She admitted to hitting one student with a cabinet door, pulling her hair and pulling a chair out from under her. Boggs also admitted to slamming another child’s head into a desk and slapping a third child. Boggs was sentenced to 10 years in prison in August 2022. County Judge Maryclaire Akers said in cou...

Efforts to help Haitians suffer grave blow with kidnapping of American nurse and daughter

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:32:06 GMT

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) — Efforts to help Haitians survive the gang violence swamping their nation suffered a grave blow with the kidnapping of an American nurse from New Hampshire and her young daughter, who remained missing Tuesday. Around 200 Haitians had marched in their nation’s capital to show their anger over the abduction of Alix Dorsainvil, who was working for nonprofit Christian ministry El Roi Haiti when she and the girl were seized Thursday. The kidnapped woman is the wife of El Roi Haiti’s founder Sandro Dorsainvil.Nonprofit groups are often the only institutions in Haiti’s lawless areas and the deepening violence has forced many to close, leaving thousands of vulnerable families without access to basic services like health care or education. Doctors Without Borders announced this month that it was suspending services in one of its hospitals because some 20 armed men burst into an operating room and snatched a patient.Witnesses told The Associated P...

Minnesota Lynx rebound from 0-6 start behind strong play from rookies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:32:06 GMT

After starting the season with six straight losses, it was easy to think that the Minnesota Lynx were on their way to a second consecutive appearance in the WNBA draft lottery.The Lynx have turned it around, winning three straight, including impressive road victories over New York and Connecticut to move back to .500 (13-13) and climb into sixth place in the standings. Minnesota won both those games against the top teams without All-Star forward Naphessa Collier, who is sidelined with a sprained ankle.In Collier’s absence, coach Cheryl Reeve has relied upon veterans Kayla McBride and Aerial Powers as well as rookies Diamond Miller, who went No. 2 in the draft, and Dorka Juhasz, who was picked 16th.“She’s not afraid of the big moment,” Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve said after Miller scored 22 points to beat New York. “Lots of times rookies can be intimidated. Look at some of the names on the other side. The rookies we had were excited for the moment.”Miller is averaging 1...

Colorado Day brings 2 new state license plates

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:32:06 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Along with the deals and events starting on Colorado Day, two new locally designed license plates became available on Aug. 1.The license plates started as a contest to celebrate Colorado's 150th anniversary. Thousands of people across the state voted for their favorite license plate designs. What new laws are going into effect in Colorado? “Colorado’s awe-inspiring beauty was well reflected in the hundreds of great designs submitted by talented Colorado artists as we celebrate 150 years of Colorado history,” Gov. Jared Polis said during an event announcing the contest winners in March.Two license plates were chosen: Colorado 150th Anniversary license plate entry in the under-13 category by Calista Blaschke of Denver. (Credit: Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles)Colorado 150th Anniversary license plate entry in the over-13 category by Evan Griesheimer of Denver. (Credit: Colorado Department of Motor Vehicles)Both plates were designed by Denver locals. The plate o...

Photos: 47 years ago, 144 died in one of Colorado's deadliest natural disasters

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:32:06 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Aug. 1 is celebrated as Colorado Day, the day it earned its statehood. But 47 years ago, ahead of the state's 100th birthday, Colorado experienced one of its deadliest natural disasters.On the evening of July 31, 1976, hours before Colorado's 100th birthday, a stationary thunderstorm released a deluge of rain in the upper part of the Big Thompson River drainage. Colorado Day brings 2 new state license plates According to the United States Geological Survey, the Big Thompson flood became one of the state's deadliest and costliest disasters.The National Weather Service said that an estimated 2,500 to 3,500 people drove to the area to stay in one of Colorado's most scenic spots to celebrate 100 years of Colorado. On the afternoon of July 31, heavy rain fell over the 70-square-mile region from 6:30-11 p.m.The heaviest rainfall, between 12 and 14 inches, fell on the western side of the canyon. Water levels rose quickly and raged through the canyon corridor, according to...

Man arrested in Polis death threat faces new charge in threat against prosecutor

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:32:06 GMT

BRIGHTON, Colo. (KDVR) — A man arrested for threatening to kill Gov. Jared Polis faces a new charge for allegedly threatening to kill an Adams County prosecutor.Jeromie Rose, 41, has a warrant out for his arrest for retaliation against a prosecutor. Caught on camera: Lightning hits homes, fences On March 12, Rose allegedly left a death threat on the voicemail of the prosecutor who convicted him in 2018 for harassment for threatening to kill Northglenn Police officers.In an interview with the Problem Solvers, Rose admitted threatening to put a bullet in the governor's head but said he never thought he would be taken seriously.“It was not a genuine threat. It never was. I never was going to do that,” said Rose, who was charged with retaliation against an elected official for the June 20 threat left on a voicemail to the governor's front desk.Rose told FOX31 the threat he made years ago to Northglenn Police was a case of him blowing off steam. But he insisted he has no memory of leav...

Colorado saw 8th-highest influx of high earners during the pandemic

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:32:06 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- The country's super-earners found a new home in Colorado during the COVID-19 pandemic.Colorado gained the eighth-highest number of individuals earning at least $200,000 a year, according to an analysis of IRS data by financial advisor SmartAsset. The study period covers 2020 to 2021, during which there was a nationwide reshuffling of wealthy people looking for more elbow room in an age of lockdowns. Colorado ranks 4th in nation for attracting high earners High earners fled tax-heavy states from 2020 to 2021 and moved into states with lower rates. Florida gained over 27,000 high earners in that year, the highest in the country, followed by Texas with just over 9,000. Colorado had a net gain of 2,052 people earning over $200,000 a year.California, New York, Illinois, Massachusetts and New Jersey lost the most high earners. Combined, these states lost some 62,000 people making $200,000 or more in 2021.The Centennial State now has some of the nation’s highest income ...

DeSantis-controlled Disney World district abolishes diversity, equity initiatives

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:32:06 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Diversity, equity and inclusion programs were abolished Tuesday from Walt Disney World’s governing district, now controlled by appointees of Gov. Ron DeSantis, in an echo of the Florida governor’s agenda which has championed curtailing such programs in higher education and elsewhere.The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District said in a statement that its diversity, equity and inclusion committee would be eliminated, as would any job duties connected to it. Also axed were initiatives left over from when the district was controlled by Disney supporters, which awarded contracts based on goals of achieving racial or gender parity.Glenton Gilzean, the district’s new administrator who is African American and a former head of the Central Florida Urban League, called such initiatives “illegal and simply un-American.” Gilzean has been a fellow or member at two conservative institutions, the James Madison Institute and the American Enterprise In...

Ukraine summons Polish ambassador over ‘unacceptable’ comments about gratitude

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 12:32:06 GMT

Ukraine summoned the Polish ambassador on Tuesday over “unacceptable” comments made by a senior official in the Polish president’s office, who said Ukraine was ungrateful for the country’s help.Ukraine’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs invited Polish ambassador Bartosz Cichocki to Kyiv to discuss the comments made on Monday by Marcin Przydacz, secretary of state in the chancellery of Poland’s president and head of the international policy bureau.“During the meeting, it was emphasized that the statements about the alleged ingratitude of the Ukrainians for the assistance of the Republic of Poland do not reflect reality and as such are unacceptable,” Oleg Nikolenko, spokesperson for the foreign ministry in Kyiv, said in a press release.In an interview with Polish media, Przydacz spoke in favor of extending an EU ban on certain Ukrainian exports, saying defending the interests of Polish farmers was very important.  Przydacz also said Ukraine had received a lot of support from Pol...