Category: U.S. News

The United Farm Workers organization has withdrawn its support for yearly festivities honoring founder Cesar Chavez following disturbing but vague accusations that have emerged.

On Tuesday, union leadership issued a statement indicating that claims involving “abuse of young women or minors” were serious enough to recommend that supporters nationwide participate in immigration advocacy activities or community service rather than traditional March events celebrating Chavez’s contributions.

Union officials clarified they have not been contacted directly about any abuse incidents and lack personal knowledge of the accusations. Both the union and Cesar Chavez Foundation declined to provide additional details when contacted by The Associated Press.

“Some of the reports are family issues, and not our story to tell or our place to comment on,” union representatives stated.

Multiple commemorative gatherings scheduled in San Francisco, Texas, and Arizona – where Chavez was born – were called off following requests from the foundation, which acknowledged becoming aware of concerning claims about Chavez during his tenure leading the organization. Event coordinators did not respond immediately to AP inquiries.

Both organizations announced plans to create systems allowing anyone potentially harmed by Chavez to share their experiences privately.

“These allegations have been profoundly shocking,” the union declared. “We need some time to get this right, including to ensure robust, trauma-informed services are available to those who may need it.”

California pioneered the establishment of March 31 – Chavez’s birth date – as an official day recognizing the labor activist, with other states adopting similar observances. President Barack Obama designated March 31 as national Cesar Chavez Day in 2014, encouraging Americans to celebrate his contributions.

Numerous roads, educational institutions and recreational areas carry Chavez’s name. Born in Yuma, Arizona, he was raised in a Mexican-American household that migrated throughout California harvesting lettuce, grapes, cotton and other seasonal produce. He passed away in California in 1993 at 66 years old.

Chavez gained national recognition through his early organizing efforts in agricultural fields, conducting hunger strikes, leading grape boycotts and ultimately securing agreements with growers to negotiate with farm laborers for improved compensation and workplace conditions.

In 1962, Chavez partnered with Dolores Huerta to establish the National Farm Workers Association, later renamed the United Farm Workers of America.

Agricultural workers remain essential to California’s farming industry, which produces approximately half of America’s fruits, nuts and vegetables.

Chavez fought against inadequate wages and harsh working environments. Field workers lacked restroom facilities and used short-handled tools that required hours of bending over while weeding crops.

Supervisors routinely disregarded worker health and fair compensation, particularly affecting Spanish-speaking employees who were in the country temporarily or without documentation and possessed limited political or legal resources to combat mistreatment.

Air passengers nationwide are facing significant disruptions as multiple challenges converge to create travel chaos across American airports.

The combination of unfavorable weather conditions, airline operational issues, and lengthy security screening processes is creating a perfect storm of delays for those trying to reach their destinations.

These widespread transportation problems are affecting airports from coast to coast, leaving many travelers stranded or facing extended wait times as they attempt to complete their journeys.

Motorists traveling on Andries Road should expect delays as intermittent lane restrictions remain in effect through this evening.

The temporary lane closure affects the stretch of roadway from Red Mill Road to the cul de sac, with traffic impacts expected to last until 6 PM today.

Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time or consider alternate routes to avoid potential delays in the area.

A growing number of residents in Galveston County, Texas are making the decision to call their boats home, driven by both the appeal of waterfront living and mounting financial pressures from traditional housing costs.

This floating lifestyle has gained popularity in the coastal community as individuals seek alternatives to expensive apartments and houses. The boat-dwelling trend represents both a creative housing solution and a way to embrace life on the water in this Gulf Coast region.

A Marine Corps investigation has determined that an extraordinarily rare equipment failure during a live artillery demonstration at Camp Pendleton caused metal fragments to shower Interstate 5, damaging two California Highway Patrol vehicles last October.

The incident happened during a military celebration marking the Marine Corps’ 250th anniversary, with Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in attendance. Debris from the malfunctioning shell scattered across the closed interstate, hitting both a patrol car and motorcycle.

According to a comprehensive 666-page investigation report released December 19 and first disclosed Monday, military officials found “no definitive answer” for why the M795 high explosive round detonated prematurely at approximately 1,480 feet above ground. The report states such early detonation goes “beyond reasonable expectations and should not have happened, but it did.”

“It is manufactured to a tolerance of one defect in a million,” the investigation states. Officials determined no Marine personnel acted negligently or improperly.

Following the mishap, 26 California House representatives and both state senators wrote to Hegseth demanding answers about who authorized firing live rounds over the freeway and what safety measures were implemented.

The incident intensified tensions between President Donald Trump and California officials, including Governor Gavin Newsom. Some Republicans initially criticized Newsom for shutting down a 17-mile section of the highway before the exercise, while local leaders questioned the unconventional military display they believed was staged for Trump administration officials.

“We’re thankful to the Marines for their thorough and precise investigation — in stark contrast to the dangerous and performative demands by JD Vance and Pete Hegseth to shoot live ammunition over a civilian area for their entertainment,” Diana Crofts-Pelayo, a Newsom spokesperson, stated Tuesday.

Prior to the celebration, Newsom had criticized the highway closure, characterizing the live-fire exercise as an intimidation tactic against Trump critics who were holding “No Kings” demonstrations throughout San Diego that day.

“Firing live rounds over a busy highway isn’t just wrong — it’s dangerous,” Newsom stated at the time.

The Marine investigation identified multiple possible contributing factors to the malfunction, including howitzer cannons positioned too closely together during firing and the “potential presence of anomalous electromagnetic energy in the vicinity.”

The October 18 demonstration at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton showcased aircraft, naval vessels, and amphibious vehicles for the anniversary event. The planned artillery display involved 60 rounds fired across the coastal highway, according to an October CHP incident report.

“It will be a good show regardless of who shows up,” Gen. Eric Smith, Marine Corps commandant, wrote in an October 14 email to Brig. Gen. Garrett “Rainman” Hoffman from the White House Military Office.

Military and public safety officials noted the location was atypical. While live-fire training occurs regularly, it typically happens on designated ranges within the 195-square-mile base located north of San Diego.

The initial round fired at 1:46 p.m. from M777 howitzers positioned on a beach west of Interstate 5 failed to clear the roadway and exploded mid-flight near southbound I-5, sending fragments toward protective details assigned to the vice president. Officials immediately stopped the exercise and fired no additional munitions, CalMatters reported in October.

One officer reported hearing sounds like “pebbles” hitting his CHP BMW motorcycle, while other fragments struck an unoccupied Ford patrol vehicle. The two officers who had been using that vehicle discovered a 2-inch by ½-inch shrapnel piece on the hood, creating a small dent. Incident report photographs show the damaged patrol car and an officer holding the metal fragments.

In a December 5 statement included in the military report, an unnamed Marine said the Secret Service requested the I-5 closure for security reasons involving a “Very Very Important Person” — the president — due to proximity to the demonstration viewing area. Trump ultimately did not attend the event.

JASPER, Ga. — Authorities responded to gunfire at a Veterans Affairs medical facility Tuesday afternoon in this Georgia mountain community, resulting in one victim being flown to a hospital and the alleged gunman being wounded by police officers.

Law enforcement arrived at the VA medical facility at approximately 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, according to an official city statement posted on social media. When officers found the alleged shooter, they engaged the individual, resulting in the suspect being wounded by gunfire, the announcement stated.

Phone attempts to reach the Pickens County VA facility on Tuesday were unsuccessful, with calls being directed to automated message systems.

The medical facility provides outpatient services to veterans, including primary medical care and specialized treatments such as lab work, remote healthcare consultations, and psychological support services, based on information from the clinic’s official website.

The community of Jasper, home to approximately 5,000 residents, sits about 60 miles north of Atlanta’s city center. Local highway markers identify the town as Georgia’s “First Mountain City” as travelers encounter the beginning of the Appalachian mountain range.

Images published by the Pickens Progress, the area’s local publication, captured numerous law enforcement personnel at the incident location, with officers in protective gear positioned near a shopping center in the community.

The medical facility began operations during summer 2020, according to a Department of Veterans Affairs announcement celebrating its opening.

“The new Pickens County VA Clinic will increase access and ensure that our Veterans continue to receive the high-quality health care that they have earned and deserve closer to their home,” officials said in the release.

A federal court has thrown out a civil rights lawsuit filed by a Tennessee family who claimed law enforcement and emergency responders used deadly force on their son during a medical emergency.

The case centered on the 2017 death of Austin Hunter Turner, a 23-year-old Bristol, Tennessee man who died after police and paramedics responded to a seizure call at his apartment. On Monday, a federal judge sided with the city of Bristol and its employees, determining that too much time had passed before Turner’s family brought their legal challenge.

Turner’s death was among more than 1,000 cases nationwide identified in an Associated Press investigation where individuals died following police use of non-lethal force methods.

The victim’s mother, Karen Goodwin, didn’t file her lawsuit until 2024 after AP journalists provided her with police body camera footage she had never seen before. This video evidence led the family to question the official autopsy findings that attributed Turner’s death to multiple drug toxicity. The family’s legal team has announced plans to challenge the dismissal.

The heart of the lawsuit involved discrepancies between what the body camera footage showed and officers’ accounts of the incident inside Turner’s residence after his girlfriend requested emergency medical assistance.

Legal representatives for Bristol city officials, emergency medical personnel, and the involved officers chose not to provide statements when contacted by the AP this week.

According to police reports, officers deployed a Taser and held Turner face-down because he was allegedly resisting paramedics. However, the lawsuit contended that the video evidence revealed Turner wasn’t striking or kicking anyone and couldn’t follow commands because he was experiencing a seizure.

The legal filing described how the footage showed law enforcement and medical personnel applying “significant pressure on the back of Mr. Turner’s head and upper back while Turner was face-down, in the prone position, with a spit sock covering his airway, hands cuffed behind his back and legs shackled.”

Family attorney David Randolph Smith expressed disagreement with the court’s timing interpretation in his statement to the AP.

“In our case, the state’s official autopsy affirmatively and incorrectly attributed Austin’s death to ‘multiple drug toxicity as a consequence of recreational drug use’ and it was not until 2023 — when body‑camera footage surfaced and a forensic pathologist reviewed the evidence — that Karen Goodwin first learned restraint‑induced asphyxia, not drugs, caused his death,” Smith stated. “We intend to appeal and will ask the Court of Appeals to hold that families in this position are entitled to their day in court when they could not reasonably have discovered the true cause of death until long after the fact, through no fault of their own, but because of misinformation and omissions by government actors.”

The Associated Press investigation revealed that in similar cases examined, officers failed to follow established safety protocols for restraining individuals, including positioning people face-down in ways that could impair breathing or using Tasers excessively.

Defense attorneys representing the city, police department, and paramedics maintained that since Goodwin witnessed officers using force against her son, she had only one year from that incident to initiate legal proceedings.

The family’s legal team argued their case involved a cover-up that should have extended their filing deadline. They contended the statute of limitations shouldn’t begin until AP reporters provided the police video to the family in August 2023, during their collaborative investigation with FRONTLINE PBS and the Howard Centers for Investigative Journalism at the University of Maryland and Arizona State University.

BOSTON — Historical reenactors wearing period military uniforms and three-cornered hats gathered at one of America’s most historic Catholic churches Tuesday, later discharging muskets and parading through local streets to commemorate 250 years since British forces left the city.

Participants with men on horseback and even livestock traveled across South Boston’s terrain in the morning breeze while local residents observed from their doorsteps — many still in sleepwear and covered with blankets, seemingly roused by the sounds of drumming and bagpipe music.

The observance honors Evacuation Day on March 17, 1776, when British military units departed Boston. This turning point occurred after General George Washington strengthened Dorchester Heights using cannons transported from Fort Ticonderoga by Colonel Henry Knox, forcing the British withdrawal.

This milestone represented the Continental Army’s initial significant triumph in the Revolutionary War, concluding an 11-month blockade of Boston and claiming the city for American forces.

The date traditionally coincides with St. Patrick’s Day, a combination that has influenced Boston’s festivities for generations and was celebrated again with a joint parade in South Boston over the weekend.

Tuesday’s observance started at St. Augustine Chapel and Cemetery, where attendees participated in Mass at the 1818 structure before creating a procession that traveled through South Boston toward Dorchester Heights, the elevation where colonial troops placed cannons overlooking the harbor. A memorial at that location, recently restored through a $37 million renovation, has reopened for public visits.

Ronald White from Milton, wearing colonial clothing, joined reenactors discharging replica firearms in the church cemetery after the service and explained the anniversary holds personal significance.

As a New Hampshire Sons of the American Revolution member, he connects his family history to an ancestor who served in the conflict. His eyes filled with tears Tuesday while discussing his admiration for the country’s founding fathers.

“To think that 250 years ago Henry Knox made such a courageous stand, I get choked up thinking about it,” White said. “They really were going up against a force — it was kind of a suicidal idea to stand up against Great Britain. And we did it. Here we are remembering it.”

Richard Vige, a Boston area resident, explained he visited Dorchester Heights for his first time to observe the 250th anniversary, despite maintaining a lifelong fascination with American history.

“I’ve always been interested in history, really since grade school,” he said. “I’ve visited many of the sites along the Freedom Trail, but I had never been here before. I wanted to take advantage of the 250th to see what was going on.”

He noted that participating in the commemoration provided an opportunity to consider the nation’s progress since its establishment — from a group of Atlantic coastal colonies to a country with over 340 million citizens.

Greta Gaffin, a Boston University theology student researching American religious history, found the Catholic ceremony historically contradictory.

Conducting a Catholic Mass for the anniversary represents a scenario the nation’s founders likely never envisioned. Colonial Massachusetts historically limited Catholic religious practices, and churches didn’t establish themselves in Boston until after the Revolution, as religious liberties grew and Irish immigration transformed the city.

“I’m here because I think having a Catholic Mass in honor of Evacuation Day is conceptually absurd,” she said. “They would have hated this — I had to see it.

“And I love parades,” she added.

Anti-Catholic attitudes were common in colonial New England, though this began changing during the Revolutionary War, when the American movement depended partly on Catholic France. The Quebec Act, which safeguarded Catholicism in nearby Quebec, was viewed by some colonists as dangerous and is mentioned in complaints within the Declaration of Independence.

Salisbury officials are ready to showcase their latest community investment with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting at Woodcock Park’s brand-new playground this Thursday at 4 p.m.

The Department of Field Operations spearheaded the renovation project, which involved removing outdated play structures and installing contemporary equipment aimed at creating a safer and more exciting recreational space for area families and children.

This playground transformation demonstrates Salisbury’s ongoing dedication to enhancing public recreational facilities and strengthening neighborhood amenities across the city.

“Woodcock Park has been a long-term asset of the Pinehurst/Camden neighborhood for years. It is now receiving a much-deserved makeover to be sure it is well-positioned to be enjoyed for many generations to come. Neighborhood parks are critical component of quality livability and these kinds of improvements are vitally important,” said Mayor Randy Taylor.

Residents are encouraged to join the celebration and experience the park’s enhanced features firsthand. Local officials, city personnel, and community partners will come together to commemorate this neighborhood investment. Kona Ice will provide complimentary frozen treats for those attending the ceremony.

City leaders anticipate the upgraded playground will bring fresh vitality to the area as families create new memories and children discover the exciting play opportunities for years ahead.

Event Details:

Woodcock Park Playground Ribbon Cutting

Thursday, March 19, 2026

4:00 p.m.

Woodcock Park

803 Riverside Road

For additional information about City parks and recreation updates, please visit https://salisbury.md/ or follow the City of Salisbury on social media.

WASHINGTON – A top Pentagon official disclosed Tuesday that military operations targeting suspected narcotics trafficking boats have resulted in the deaths of 157 people believed to be connected to drug organizations.

Joseph Humire, a senior Defense Department official overseeing homeland defense and Americas security matters, provided the casualty figure in written testimony to Congress. The operations have taken place across 45 separate military actions against suspected drug vessels since September 2025.

The military campaign has focused on the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean regions, with forces destroying a total of 47 boats suspected of transporting illegal narcotics, according to Humire’s statement.

These deadly operations represent a key component of the current administration’s strategy to disrupt illegal drug supply chains, officials say. However, the campaign has drawn criticism from legal scholars and Democratic members of Congress who have raised concerns about the lawfulness of such strikes.

Humire described the military actions as having a “significant and profound” effect on drug trafficking operations. He reported that vessel movements linked to narcotics smuggling dropped by 20% in Caribbean waters and declined by 25% in the Eastern Pacific.

Despite releasing video footage of most strikes on social media platforms, military officials have shared limited additional information about the operations. Details remain scarce regarding the types and quantities of drugs aboard the targeted vessels, as well as information about the individuals who were killed.

Air travel disruptions persisted Tuesday following Monday’s powerful storm system that battered the eastern United States, leaving travelers stranded and frustrated across major airports nationwide. The weather-related chaos is compounded by ongoing staffing challenges at airport security checkpoints due to a partial government shutdown that began February 14.

Flight tracking data from FlightAware showed more than 750 domestic flights were cancelled by early Tuesday morning, with approximately 1,300 additional flights experiencing delays. The timing couldn’t be worse, as airports are packed with spring break vacationers and college basketball fans traveling to March Madness tournament games.

Monday’s storm system brought heavy snowfall to the Midwest before racing eastward with wind gusts reaching nearly 50 mph in portions of New York, according to the National Weather Service. Major aviation hubs bore the brunt of the disruptions, with Chicago O’Hare International Airport cancelling around 600 flights, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International seeing over 470 cancellations, and New York’s LaGuardia Airport grounding more than 450 flights.

The Federal Aviation Administration implemented ground stops at both Hartsfield-Jackson and Charlotte Douglas International Airport while imposing ground delays at JFK and Newark Liberty International Airport due to dangerous weather conditions.

Kelly Price, attempting to return to Colorado after an Orlando family vacation, experienced the cascading effects firsthand when her Sunday night flight wasn’t cancelled until early Monday morning. “By that time the only place for us to sleep was the airport floor. So we’re all tired and frustrated,” Price explained, noting that her family couldn’t secure another flight until Tuesday afternoon.

Similarly, Danielle Cash found herself unexpectedly stranded in St. Louis while returning to Tampa, Florida, from a Las Vegas weekend trip. Now she’s spending hundreds of extra dollars on hotel accommodations in a snowy climate she wasn’t prepared for. “It was 80 degrees in Tampa when I left and then going to Vegas,” Cash said. “And it was 90 degrees in the desert.” Her rescheduled itinerary now routes through Tennessee before finally reaching Tampa Tuesday afternoon.

The travel nightmare coincided with TSA workers missing their first complete paycheck over the weekend due to the ongoing partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Transportation Security Administration. Congressional Democrats have indicated that Homeland Security funding will remain blocked until new limitations are imposed on federal immigration enforcement, following the deadly shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis this year.

This marks the third government shutdown in under twelve months that has left TSA employees temporarily unpaid, with workers having to wait for retroactive compensation once operations resume. Airport security lines have grown longer as staffing shortages worsen, with TSA agents either taking second jobs, unable to afford transportation to work, or leaving the agency entirely. The Department of Homeland Security reports that over 300 TSA agents have resigned since the shutdown began.

At Hartsfield-Jackson on Monday, TSA union representatives held a press conference outside the airport, cautioning that security wait times could become increasingly lengthy as the shutdown drags on. Despite financial hardships, union officials emphasized that many officers continue reporting to work.

Aaron Barker, a local representative with the American Federation of Government Employees, described how TSA workers “are coping with eviction notices, vehicle repossessions, empty refrigerators and overdrawn bank accounts.” Demonstrators behind him displayed signs declaring, “We want a paycheck, not a rain check.”

Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans advised passengers departing Sunday and Monday to arrive at least three hours early “due to impacts from the federal government’s partial shutdown.” Austin’s airport shared social media footage from 5:30 a.m. local time showing security lines extending onto the outdoor sidewalk.

At Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, traveler Mel Stewart and his wife arrived four hours ahead of their usual schedule to account for extended TSA processing times. “I think it’s being politicized way too much — way too much,” Stewart commented regarding the shutdown. “And these people are working. They work hard, and for TSA people not to get paid, that’s silly.”

NEW YORK — Authors exploring topics ranging from America’s housing crisis to the influence of ancient civilizations have been recognized with this year’s J. Anthony Lukas journalism awards, honoring the legacy of the renowned investigative reporter.

Columbia Journalism School and Harvard University’s Nieman Foundation for Journalism revealed the recipients on Tuesday, continuing a tradition that celebrates outstanding literary journalism.

The $10,000 Lukas Book Prize was awarded to Jeff Hobbs for “Seeking Shelter: A Working Mother, Her Children, and a Story of Homelessness in America,” recognizing works that demonstrate “literary grace, commitment to serious research and social concern.” William Dalrymple earned the Mark Lynton Prize for history, also worth $10,000, for his book “The Golden Road: How Ancient India Transformed the World,” which meets the same criteria for combining scholarly rigor with compelling storytelling.

Two authors received the more substantial Work-in-Progress Awards, each carrying $25,000 grants. danah boyd was honored for “Data Are Made, Not Found: A Story of Politics, Power, and the Civil Servants Who Saved the U.S. Census,” while Karim Zidan received recognition for “In the Shadow of the Cage.”

Since their inception in 1998, these awards have recognized distinguished writers including Robert Caro, Isabel Wilkerson, and Jill Lepore.

Traffic is being rerouted around a portion of Wil King Road after a tree fell and became entangled in overhead power lines.

The roadway has been shut down at the intersection with Kendale Road while crews work to clear the obstruction and address any electrical hazards.

Motorists are advised to find alternate routes until the tree and wire situation can be safely resolved and the road reopened to normal traffic flow.

Air travelers encountered widespread disruptions Tuesday as the aftermath of severe winter weather continued to wreak havoc on flight schedules nationwide, with airport security delays made worse by an ongoing partial government shutdown affecting federal workers.

The travel chaos comes during peak season for air travel, with spring break vacationers and college basketball fans heading to March Madness tournaments filling airports just as the February 14th government shutdown has created staffing challenges at security checkpoints.

Flight tracking data from FlightAware showed more than 550 domestic flights were cancelled by early Tuesday, with an additional 460 experiencing delays throughout the day.

Major transportation hubs including New York, Chicago and Atlanta saw significant disruptions Monday as a powerful storm system brought heavy snowfall to the Midwest before moving toward the Atlantic coast, prompting National Weather Service warnings about dangerous winds and possible tornadoes.

Colorado resident Kelly Price found herself sleeping on the airport floor in Orlando after her Sunday evening departure was cancelled without notice until Monday morning. “By that time the only place for us to sleep was the airport floor. So we’re all tired and frustrated,” Price explained, noting her family couldn’t secure another flight until Tuesday afternoon.

Monday’s nationwide flight disruptions hit hardest at Chicago O’Hare with approximately 600 cancellations, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International with over 470, and New York’s LaGuardia Airport with more than 450 cancelled departures, FlightAware data revealed.

Federal Aviation Administration officials implemented ground stops at both Hartsfield-Jackson and Charlotte Douglas International Airport due to dangerous weather conditions, while imposing ground delays at JFK and Newark Liberty International Airport.

Tampa resident Danielle Cash became stranded in St. Louis Sunday while returning from a Las Vegas weekend trip, forcing her to spend hundreds of extra dollars on hotel accommodations in snowy conditions she hadn’t prepared for. “It was 80 degrees in Tampa when I left and then going to Vegas,” Cash noted. “And it was 90 degrees in the desert.” She managed to book a connecting flight through Tennessee that should get her home by Tuesday afternoon.

The weather-related travel problems coincided with Transportation Security Administration workers missing their first complete paycheck during the weekend due to the current partial government shutdown targeting the Department of Homeland Security, TSA’s parent agency.

Congressional Democrats have indicated Homeland Security funding will remain blocked until new limitations are imposed on federal immigration enforcement following the deadly shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis this year.

This marks the third government shutdown in twelve months to leave TSA employees without pay temporarily, though workers will receive retroactive compensation once operations resume.

Airport officials across the country have documented extended security checkpoint wait times as staffing shortages grow worse, with TSA workers taking additional employment, unable to afford transportation to work, or leaving their positions entirely. Department of Homeland Security officials report more than 300 TSA agents have resigned since the shutdown began.

Union representatives for TSA workers gathered Monday outside Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport to warn travelers about potentially longer security delays as the shutdown persists, though they emphasized many officers continue working despite increasing financial hardship.

Aaron Barker, representing the American Federation of Government Employees locally, described how TSA employees “are coping with eviction notices, vehicle repossessions, empty refrigerators and overdrawn bank accounts.” Demonstrators behind him displayed signs reading “We want a paycheck, not a rain check.”

New Orleans’ Louis Armstrong International Airport advised passengers Sunday and Monday to arrive three hours before departure “due to impacts from the federal government’s partial shutdown,” while Austin’s airport shared social media footage from 5:30 a.m. showing security lines extending outside onto sidewalks.

Atlanta traveler Mel Stewart and his spouse arrived four hours ahead of their scheduled departure to account for extended TSA processing times. “I think it’s being politicized way too much — way too much,” Stewart commented Monday regarding the shutdown. “And these people are working. They work hard, and for TSA people not to get paid, that’s silly.”

A 61-year-old man walked out of a Brooklyn courthouse Monday as a free man after spending nearly two decades imprisoned for a robbery worth approximately $550 that he never committed.

Kenneth Windley expressed relief despite losing almost 20 years of his life to wrongful imprisonment. “It cost me 20 years, but they said they corrected it now. So that’s all that matters. So I’m good with that,” Windley stated as he exited the courthouse, experiencing freedom for the first time since his 2007 conviction.

The judge vacated Windley’s conviction and completely dismissed his case following a joint request from both prosecution and defense attorneys. District attorneys revealed that fresh evidence, including admissions of guilt from two other men who had been convicted in similar robbery cases, validated Windley’s consistent claims of innocence.

Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez, a Democrat, acknowledged the system’s failure after meeting with Windley outside the courthouse. “This case is really a cautionary tale of how things can seem one way but, without careful analysis, not be what it purports to be,” Gonzalez explained.

“Had we known what the evidence was, this case should have never happened,” the district attorney continued, noting that he had offered Windley a private apology.

The case began in 2005 when Windley was taken into custody after purchasing an appliance for his mother using a money order that had been stolen.

The money order was part of items taken from Gerald Ross, a 70-year-old victim who was followed to his home by two criminals after visiting a bank and post office. The perpetrators restrained Ross in a chokehold before stealing his money orders, cash, and bank book, according to Monday’s prosecutorial report.

Ross frequently obtained money orders at the same post office for rent and insurance payments, which created a traceable record that authorities used to investigate the theft. This paper trail ultimately pointed to Windley, who had provided his identification, driver’s license, and home address when making the appliance purchase.

Throughout the ordeal, Windley maintained his innocence regarding the robbery. He explained that he had purchased the $542.77 money order at a reduced price from two people he knew, who assured him the document was legitimate but claimed they couldn’t use it due to administrative complications.

Defense attorney David Shanies told the court Monday that “He was duped.”

Ross picked Windley out of a police lineup as one of his attackers, leading to a jury conviction in 2007 on robbery charges. Due to previous felony convictions on his record, Windley received a sentence of 20 years to life imprisonment. His subsequent appeals were unsuccessful.

From the beginning, Windley provided prosecutors with details about the individuals who sold him the money order, including their street names and partial information about their real identities. Following his conviction, a friend and private investigators assisted him in determining the men’s full identities and convincing them to reveal the truth about the incident, the district attorney’s report states.

In official sworn declarations and later during questioning by district attorney’s office staff, both men admitted to robbing Ross together and confirmed that Windley had no involvement in the crime, the report indicates. Officials described their confessions as “compelling.”

The report protects their identities, identifying them only as “Suspect 1” and “Suspect 2.” Both individuals are currently incarcerated for separate robbery convictions, according to the district attorney’s office. These other convictions all involved elderly male victims in their 60s and beyond who were stalked from banks and check-cashing businesses throughout Brooklyn during 2005 and 2006.

Prosecutors determined that if the jury had been aware of these men’s identities and criminal histories involving similar robberies, this information would probably have created reasonable doubt about Windley’s guilt.

No additional charges will be filed in this matter. The statute of limitations expired years ago, and victim Gerald Ross has passed away.

As Windley departed Monday afternoon to reunite with his family for a celebration, he expressed no resentment about his ordeal.

“I’m just going to move on from there,” he said.

A group of Apache women has filed an emergency petition with the U.S. Supreme Court following the completed transfer of sacred Arizona forest land to Resolution Copper, marking their final legal attempt to prevent a massive copper mining operation.

Federal officials finalized the land conveyance on Friday after an appeals court rejected challenges from the San Carlos Apache Tribe and environmental advocates who sought to halt the transfer.

The appellate judges concluded that the challengers’ legal arguments were unlikely to prevail and removed an emergency restraining order that had been in effect since last summer.

The transferred property encompasses Oak Flat, a location that Apache peoples and other Native American communities have utilized for religious rituals, spiritual practices, and medicinal plant collection for hundreds of years. Tribal members refer to this sacred area as Chi’chil Bildagoteel, and the San Carlos Apache Tribe, along with Apache Stronghold and other advocacy groups, have waged a lengthy legal battle to preserve it.

While acknowledging the severe impact on Native American religious practices, the appeals court noted in Friday’s decision that the land transfer would permanently change the character of the area and result in the destruction of sites considered sacred by the tribe and other parties.

“Despite those grave harms to Native religious practice, Congress has chosen to transfer this land, and plaintiffs have not raised any viable challenges to that decision,” the court stated.

Legal representatives for the U.S. Forest Service have consistently maintained in court documents that the agency lacks authority to prevent the exchange, as Congress required the transfer through provisions inserted into essential defense spending legislation that former President Barack Obama signed in 2014.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, whose department oversees the Forest Service, released a statement Monday describing the project as integral to President Donald Trump’s energy independence goals.

“Completing this land exchange unlocks a major domestic source of copper, essential for defense, grid modernization and next-generation energy, and positions the nation to secure its future by expanding mineral production and unleashing America’s full resource potential,” she said.

Resolution Copper, owned by mining corporations Rio Tinto and BHP, projects the operation will contribute $1 billion annually to Arizona’s economy while creating thousands of employment opportunities. The initiative has garnered backing from residents in the nearby town of Superior.

Company officials maintain that the project underwent comprehensive Forest Service evaluation, including discussions with tribes having historical connections to the area.

“Courts at every level have consistently ruled in favor of Resolution Copper, and three different presidential administrations have supported this project,” stated Vicky Peacey, Resolution’s president and general manager. “It is time for the meritless litigation to end.”

The company has not yet responded to inquiries regarding construction timelines at the location.

Wendsler Nosie Sr. from Apache Stronghold expressed ongoing concerns about water usage and potential environmental contamination from the mining activities in a social media statement.

“The fight for Oak Flat raises critical issues about the environment and our nation’s commitment to Native rights and religious freedom,” Nosie said. “But at its heart, it is a battle for our sacred and holy land, the faith that has always been defined by it, and the right to have our religious traditions respected and protected.”

Community organizations dedicated to assisting individuals navigating the criminal justice system have existed for years, but a particular model has seen remarkable expansion recently.

These specialized support networks, known as participatory defense hubs, have experienced substantial growth throughout the last ten years, transforming how defendants engage with their legal cases.

The approach allows people charged with crimes to become active participants in building their own defense strategies, rather than remaining passive observers in the legal process.

Sometimes the smallest gestures create the biggest impact, as one Miami woman discovered when her taxi driver father received an unexpected gift from a regular passenger.

The woman recounts how her father, who drove a cab in Miami, would regularly discuss her dreams and goals with a frequent customer during their rides together. These conversations about his daughter’s aspirations clearly made an impression on the passenger.

Eventually, the customer presented the taxi driver with fifty dollars earmarked specifically for his daughter. While the amount might seem modest, it proved to be precisely what she needed to seize a pivotal opportunity that would alter the course of her future.

The story highlights how meaningful connections can form in unexpected places, and how one person’s generosity – even in small amounts – can create ripple effects that transform someone else’s entire life path.

The U.S. Defense Department made public Saturday the identities of six military personnel who perished in the crash of a military refueling aircraft.

The service members lost their lives when their refueling plane went down in what officials are calling a tragic accident.

Residents living in the Rabbit Run and Surfers Way neighborhoods need to prepare for a planned water service disruption scheduled for March 24.

The advance notification was posted to alert community members about the upcoming interruption to their water supply. Households and businesses in these specific areas should make necessary preparations for the temporary loss of water service.

The public advisory was issued on March 16 to provide residents with adequate notice of the scheduled maintenance work that will affect water availability in their neighborhoods.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Children swarmed onto the Dolby Theatre stage as Conan O’Brien began hosting the 98th Academy Awards, setting the tone for a ceremony where ‘One Battle After Another’ claimed the top prize and youthful energy seemed to dominate the evening.

An atmosphere of uncertainty about both immediate concerns and future generations hung over this year’s Academy Awards, influenced by ongoing conflicts, political upheaval, and questions about cinema’s direction in an AI-driven era. These Oscars carried a heavy dose of anxiety, with presenters and winners attempting to find hope amid widespread concerns.

‘We honor tonight not only cinema, but the principles of worldwide artistic expression, teamwork, perseverance, strength and that most uncommon trait in today’s world — hope,’ O’Brien declared during his opening remarks. ‘We will celebrate tonight. Not because everything is perfect, but because we continue working and hoping for improvement.’

The previous time the Academy Awards occurred immediately following a U.S. military engagement in the Middle East was in 2003, when ‘Chicago’ earned best picture honors just days after the Iraq War commenced.

However, Sunday evening told a different tale. The ceremony’s major victor, Paul Thomas Anderson’s ‘One Battle After Another,’ a multigenerational story exploring revolution, immigration detention, and white supremacist themes, seemed perfectly suited for current times. The production, which earned six Academy Awards, succeeded partly because it resonated with contemporary issues.

When questioned about his film’s relevance and America’s trajectory during backstage interviews, Anderson, still processing his first Oscar victories — including best director and best adapted screenplay — after three decades in filmmaking, seemed momentarily surprised. ‘I assumed we were here to celebrate,’ he quipped.

However, Anderson, who had mostly refrained from discussing his movie’s themes directly during the awards circuit, acknowledged that his film drew strength from its contemporary relevance.

‘Our production clearly contains numerous connections to daily news events,’ Anderson stated.

‘Regarding future developments, I’m uncertain,’ he continued with a shrug. ‘However, I understand that our story concludes with our protagonist, Willa, departing to continue battling malevolent influences, and, as I mentioned in my acceptance speech, working to restore basic reasoning and moral behavior to prominence.’

The relationship between screen narratives and real-world events created an appropriately unsettled atmosphere for the 98th Oscars. For perhaps the first time in years, cinema and the Academy Awards seemed aligned with current circumstances. This alignment appeared not only in ‘One Battle After Another,’ but also in the post-apocalyptic journey film ‘Sirāt,’ the Iranian vengeance story ‘It Was Just an Accident,’ and Ryan Coogler’s ‘Sinners,’ examining forces that exploit Black communities.

While ‘One Battle After Another’ and ‘Sinners’ (four victories, including best actor for Michael B. Jordan and, marking a historic first for women and Black cinematographers, best cinematography for Autumn Durald Arkapaw) potentially indicated promising prospects for high-budget, original American cinema, their success also highlighted Hollywood’s rapidly changing landscape.

Warner Bros., the studio distributing these films, collected a record-matching 11 Academy Awards. David Zaslav, in a Monday staff communication, described it as ‘an extraordinary achievement for Warner Bros. Discovery.’ This triumph might also represent the studio’s final major victory as an independent entity. Warner Bros. has agreed to join with David Ellison’s Paramount Skydance in a transaction valued at $111 billion.

The entertainment industry, having already witnessed Amazon’s acquisition of MGM and Disney’s purchase of 20th Century Fox, understands that consolidation inevitably reduces employment opportunities. Los Angeles film production has declined dramatically in recent years.

O’Brien himself suggested his position might be temporary, describing himself as ‘the final human presenter’ of the Oscars, which will transition from ABC to YouTube in three years. Through comedic segments during the broadcast, O’Brien highlighted cinema’s current challenges. One sequence mocked classic widescreen movies reformatted for smartphone-friendly vertical viewing. Another imagined ‘Casablanca’ — coincidentally a Warner Bros. production — simplified with constant plot explanations for distracted streaming viewers.

Consequently, promoting Hollywood’s traditional glamorous image has become significantly more challenging during the industry’s premier evening. The Oscars now resemble an embattled motivational speech encouraging continued perseverance. Beyond the discussion surrounding Timothée Chalamet’s concerns about movies potentially becoming as niche as opera or ballet lay genuine worries about this major entertainment medium’s survival.

‘The cinema experience faces some vulnerability currently,’ director Joachim Trier explained to reporters after earning best international film for ‘Sentimental Value.’ ‘Therefore, I feel tremendous pride that audiences have supported our movie.’

Numerous winners avoided political commentary. Neither ‘Iran’ nor President Donald Trump’s name was mentioned during the televised ceremony, though presenter Jimmy Kimmel came close. Before announcing the best documentary category, Kimmel sarcastically noted the omission of ‘Melania.’

‘Oh, wow,’ Kimmel remarked. ‘He’s going to be upset his spouse didn’t receive a nomination for this.’

Following an awards season that frequently avoided political topics, many speakers were more direct. Presenter Javier Bardem approached the microphone and declared clearly: ‘No to war, and free Palestine.’ During the best documentary Oscar acceptance for ‘Mr. Nobody Against Putin,’ Pavel Talankin, the educator featured in the film, spoke through translation: ‘For our tomorrow, for all our young ones, end these conflicts immediately.’

Jessie Buckley, the best actress recipient for her portrayal of a mourning mother in ‘Hamnet,’ similarly focused on children, particularly her eight-month-old daughter Isla ‘who is completely unaware of these events and is likely dreaming about her next feeding,’ Buckley shared.

Buckley expressed more optimism than most regarding future possibilities. From the podium, she told her spouse she desired ‘20,000 additional children’ with him. Yet repeatedly, Sunday’s award recipients found difficulty expressing appropriate sentiments for an era of deteriorating American unity and expanding warfare, instead returning to discussions about the world younger generations will receive. Trier, during his acceptance remarks, referenced James Baldwin.

‘I want to conclude by echoing the brilliant American author James Baldwin, who reminds us that every adult bears responsibility for every child,’ he stated. ‘Let’s avoid supporting politicians who don’t seriously consider this obligation.’

Ultimately, ‘One Battle After Another’s’ victory seemed increasingly certain since it clearly reflected many people’s current concerns. Anderson’s movie concludes with its young lead character, portrayed by Chase Infiniti, hurrying toward a demonstration while Tom Petty’s ‘American Girl’ begins playing.

‘How do you handle the situation when your parents, who carry their own wounds, have passed down a challenging legacy?’ Anderson explained backstage. ‘That represents our narrative.’

Air travelers faced a perfect storm of problems Monday as severe weather systems and ongoing government shutdown issues combined to create widespread flight disruptions across the United States.

More than 3,600 flights scheduled within or traveling to the U.S. were grounded Monday, with an additional 6,800 experiencing delays, according to FlightAware flight tracking data. The chaos stemmed from dangerous storm systems moving through the eastern United States while Transportation Security Administration workers continue operating without pay during a partial government shutdown that entered its second month.

The timing couldn’t be worse for air travel, as airports are packed with spring break vacationers and college basketball fans traveling to March Madness tournament games. The shutdown, which started February 14, has created staffing challenges at security checkpoints nationwide.

Major aviation hubs bore the brunt of Monday’s disruptions. Chicago O’Hare International Airport saw nearly 500 flight cancellations, while Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International experienced over 300 cancellations and John F. Kennedy International Airport had more than 230 flights scrapped.

The National Weather Service issued warnings about the advancing storm system, which had already dumped feet of snow across the Midwest and was moving toward the East Coast with dangerous winds and potential for “producing strong and long track tornadoes.”

Federal Aviation Administration officials implemented ground stops at Hartsfield-Jackson and Charlotte Douglas International Airport due to severe weather conditions, while also ordering ground delays at JFK and Newark Liberty International Airport.

Stranded passengers shared their frustrations as travel plans fell apart. Kelly Price, attempting to return to Colorado following a family trip to Orlando, Florida, learned her Sunday evening flight was canceled only in the early hours of Monday morning.

“By that time the only place for us to sleep was the airport floor. So we’re all tired and frustrated,” Price explained, noting that her family’s next available flight wouldn’t depart until Tuesday afternoon.

Similarly, Danielle Cash found herself stuck in St. Louis Sunday while trying to reach Tampa, Florida, after a Las Vegas weekend trip. She’s now paying hundreds of extra dollars for hotel accommodations in a snowy climate she wasn’t prepared for.

“It was 80 degrees in Tampa when I left and then going to Vegas,” Cash noted. “And it was 90 degrees in the desert.” She’s now scheduled on a flight routing through Tennessee before finally reaching Tampa Tuesday afternoon.

The travel disruptions coincide with TSA employees missing their first complete paycheck over the weekend. The current partial government shutdown specifically impacts the Department of Homeland Security, TSA’s parent agency. This marks the third shutdown in under a year leaving TSA personnel temporarily unpaid, with back pay only coming after government operations resume.

Congressional Democrats have stated that Homeland Security funding won’t be restored until new limitations are imposed on federal immigration enforcement, following the deadly shootings of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis this year.

Airport security checkpoint delays have increased at some locations due to staffing shortages, as TSA workers seek additional employment, struggle with commuting costs, or leave their positions entirely. Homeland Security reported on social media last week that more than 300 TSA agents have resigned since the shutdown began.

During the weekend, chief executives from major airlines including Delta, American, United and Southwest sent an urgent appeal to Congress requesting restored Homeland Security funding and bipartisan legislation protecting federal aviation worker pay during future shutdowns.

“It’s difficult, if not impossible, to put food on the table, put gas in the car and pay rent when you are not getting paid,” the airline leaders stated in their congressional letter.

A 41-year-old Afghan refugee who assisted U.S. military forces in his homeland has died at a Dallas-area hospital following his detention by federal immigration officials, authorities confirmed.

Mohommad Nazeer Paktyawal passed away at Parkland Hospital in Dallas on Saturday morning, just one day after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers took him into custody.

Medical officials have not yet determined what caused his death. However, Paktyawal’s relatives say he showed no signs of illness before his arrest.

“We still cannot understand how this happened. He was only 41 years old and was a strong and healthy man. His children keep asking when their father will come home,” the family said in statement.

According to ICE officials, Paktyawal faced arrest on September 16th for allegedly defrauding SNAP, the nation’s largest food assistance program. The agency also arrested him on November 1st on theft charges.

During his Friday arrest and intake procedures, Paktyawal did not mention any existing health conditions, ICE reported.

While being held in an ICE Dallas field office processing room Friday evening, Paktyawal started experiencing difficulty breathing and chest pain, officials said. Emergency responders transported him to Parkland Hospital where medical staff treated him overnight.

Saturday morning, hospital staff observed that Paktyawal’s tongue had swollen while he was eating breakfast. Medical personnel attempted numerous life-saving procedures, but he died at 9:10 a.m., ICE stated.

“His passing is currently under active investigation,” ICE said.

Paktyawal had previously worked with U.S. military special operations forces in Afghanistan before arriving in America as a refugee after U.S. forces withdrew and the Taliban regained control in August 2021, according to #AfghanEvac, a San Diego organization that assists Afghan allies in resettling.

The father of six was residing in Richardson, a Dallas suburb, with his family while awaiting resolution of his asylum application, #AfghanEvac reported.

Fatalities in ICE detention facilities have increased dramatically during Trump’s current presidency.

The agency documented 14 deaths in custody between October 1st and January 6th of the current fiscal year, putting it on track to exceed last year’s total of 24 deaths. ICE recorded 12 custody deaths during fiscal year 2024 and 12 deaths total across the previous three years.

ICE has expanded its detention population to over 70,000 individuals from approximately 40,000 when Trump’s second term began. The agency plans to allocate $38.3 billion to increase capacity to 92,600 beds by November’s end, including converted warehouse facilities designed to hold up to 10,000 detainees each.

Teresa Younger will conclude her leadership of the Ms. Foundation in June, wrapping up her time at the helm of America’s pioneering women-focused philanthropy during a period marked by significant social and political upheaval under Donald Trump’s return to the presidency.

While acknowledging current challenges in achieving political equality for all people – a core mission of the Ms. Foundation – Younger remains committed to continuing her advocacy work beyond her CEO role.

“I believe feminism is still alive and well,” Younger told The Associated Press during a recent interview. “In fact, it has been the one thing that has been the preservation of democracy and our constitutional rights in some way over the past 12 years.”

During her leadership, Younger addressed domestic violence issues involving NFL players, broadened the organization’s support for community-based groups across Southern and Midwestern states, and successfully secured more than $100 million for the foundation’s permanent fund. In 2018, the organization adopted a new approach prioritizing investments in programs serving girls and women of color – a shift that carried special significance under Younger’s guidance as a leader with Black and Indigenous heritage.

“The institution was explicit in our strategic plan to say that we want to center women and girls of color as a point of inclusion, not exclusion,” Younger explained. “And now we are sitting in a spot where quote-unquote DEI is looked at as bad. And we refuse to accept that.”

This strategic pivot led to the foundation’s 2020 research study titled “Pocket Change: How Women and Girls of Color Do More with Less,” which challenged other charitable organizations to reconsider both their funding priorities and methods.

The study revealed that charitable foundations allocated approximately $356 million to organizations serving women and girls of color in 2017 – representing less than 0.05% of all foundation grants distributed in 2018.

Beyond exposing this minimal investment in some of America’s most underserved communities, the research uncovered significant disconnects between funders and organizations led by women of color. Many of these nonprofits employ comprehensive approaches, combining services like childcare and diaper distribution with reproductive rights advocacy. However, funders often compartmentalize their grants by specific populations, strategies, or issues, choosing to support only portions of these organizations’ work.

The study recommended that foundations offer flexible, long-term financial support, align their strategies with recipient organizations, actively seek feedback from grant recipients, and back intermediary organizations with strong connections to these groups.

This approach has historically defined the work of women’s funds and the Ms. Foundation within the philanthropic sector. These organizations both assist grassroots groups serving marginalized communities and develop innovative funding and partnership models that other funders later adopt as standard practices.

The first women’s funds in America emerged during the 1970s, with the Ms. Foundation becoming the initial national organization dedicated to supporting women’s groups and feminist causes. Gloria Steinem, Patricia Carbine, Letty Cottin Pogrebin, and Marlo Thomas established it in 1973.

Sunny Fischer, who helped establish the Chicago Foundation for Women, explained that the women who created it around 1983 sought to serve women differently than many large social service organizations were doing at that time.

Instead of advising women facing domestic violence to return home and repair their marriages, Fischer noted, “There were new groups that were trying to help women where they were, to really understand what was going on in the home and to try to give women choices about what they could do if they were in an abusive situation.”

Lucia Woods Lindley, a photographer and heir to a wealthy Nebraska family whose wealth originated from telecommunications and coal industries, was another Chicago Foundation for Women founder whom Fischer remembered as “a great planner.”

In 2023, the Ms. Foundation revealed that Woods Lindley had bequeathed $50 million through her estate – the largest donation the organization had ever received. This gift comprised nearly half of the $106 million the foundation eventually secured for its endowment.

During an interview at that time, Younger said the Ms. Foundation had not anticipated Woods Lindley’s bequest would be so substantial.

“She trusted and believed that Ms. (Foundation)’s role as the national public women’s foundation was critical to the thought leadership that needed to happen in philanthropy around feminism and around challenging the field and around growing and asking the right kinds of questions,” Younger said.

Despite these gains, the financial resources managed by women’s funds remain small compared to major foundations’ assets and the largest individual philanthropists’ wealth. Melinda French Gates stands as a notable exception, having pledged billions of dollars to benefit women and girls.

The Women’s Philanthropy Institute at Indiana University’s Lilly Family School of Philanthropy has monitored charitable giving to women and girls, finding that over a decade, their share of overall philanthropic support increased from 1.59% in 2012 to 2.04% in 2023, with a peak of 2.18% in 2022.

“The vast majority of philanthropic dollars are going to the general population and based on need rather than identity,” said Jacqueline Ackerman, the institute’s director. However, she noted they monitor giving to historically underfunded groups to determine whether these patterns are shifting.

The Ms. Foundation will announce Younger’s successor this spring, while Younger has not yet revealed her future plans. Speaking with visible emotion, Younger expressed her love for her work with the foundation while expressing confidence it will thrive under new leadership.

“I want to look back and see somebody who’s built on what I’ve been able to do and take it to the next level,” she said. “And I will sit back with pride in what they are able to accomplish.”

A Colorado woman who assisted in one of the nation’s most disturbing funeral home scandals will learn her fate Monday as she faces potential decades behind bars for defrauding grieving families.

Carie Hallford, 48, could receive up to 20 years in federal prison after admitting to stealing more than $130,000 from families while operating a fraudulent funeral business. In many instances, bereaved relatives received urns containing concrete powder rather than their loved ones’ ashes. Investigators also discovered that incorrect bodies were buried in two separate cases.

The shocking scheme unraveled when authorities discovered nearly 200 rotting corpses at the Return to Nature funeral home in Colorado Springs in 2023. Bodies were stacked so densely they blocked doorways, with insects and maggots present throughout the facility. Containers had been positioned to collect bodily fluids leaking from the remains.

In August, Hallford entered a guilty plea to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, acknowledging that she and former husband Jon Hallford not only deceived customers but also illegally obtained almost $900,000 in federal pandemic relief funds.

Hallford’s defense attorney, Robert Charles Melihercik, argues his client was a victim of domestic abuse who acted out of “fear and severe anxiety.” According to court filings, Carie Hallford filed for divorce in November 2024 after being jailed, which freed her from her ex-husband’s constant communication and allowed the “fog in her mind from the years of abuse” to clear.

The defense claims Jon Hallford employed “classic instruments of domestic violence” to maintain control, including threats of suicide and murder. Melihercik contends these tactics motivated his client’s participation in the scheme.

However, federal prosecutors are pushing for a 15-year sentence, arguing that Hallford exploited families during their most vulnerable moments. While sentencing guidelines suggest up to eight years due to her clean criminal record, government lawyers want harsher punishment given the severity of the crimes.

The former couple had marketed “green burials” without embalming but instead used the pandemic loan money for luxury purchases including vehicles, cryptocurrency, high-end items from Gucci and Tiffany & Co., and cosmetic procedures.

Victims of the scheme have endured lasting psychological trauma, experiencing guilt, shame, nightmares, and panic attacks since learning the truth about their loved ones’ treatment.

Emma Williams, whose family used the funeral home for her father’s services in 2022, rejects the abuse defense. “She continued to stay with the business and take advantage of us out her own greed,” Williams stated.

Crystina Page, whose son’s remains were abandoned at the facility after his 2019 death, believes Hallford spent four years “feeding the monster” by continuing to accept new clients. “She is just as guilty as he is, except that he couldn’t have done it without her bringing him the bodies,” Page said.

Defense documents claim much of the extravagant spending resulted from “love-bombing” as Jon Hallford tried to make amends. While Carie Hallford reportedly urged purchasing cremation equipment with the loan funds, she was allegedly too frightened to insist on it.

“Although she will be behind bars for the next decade or more, she finally feels free,” Melihercik wrote, adding that a reduced sentence would enable Hallford to eventually work and compensate victims.

Hallford also faces 25 to 35 years when sentenced on state charges next month. Both she and her ex-husband pleaded guilty in December to nearly 200 counts of corpse abuse in state court, with plea agreements allowing concurrent federal and state sentences.

Jon Hallford received 20 years federally and 40 years in state court. During his state sentencing, he expressed remorse, saying: “I had so many chances to put a stop to everything and walk away, but I did not. My mistakes will echo for a generation. Everything I did was wrong.”

PARK CITY, Utah — Final arguments are scheduled for Monday in the murder trial of a Utah woman who authored a children’s book about coping with loss following her husband’s death, only to later face charges for allegedly killing him.

The trial, originally planned to span five weeks, concluded unexpectedly last week when Kouri Richins chose not to take the stand and her defense team suddenly ended their case without presenting any witnesses. Her lawyers expressed confidence that the prosecution failed to present sufficient evidence during three weeks of testimony to secure a murder conviction.

According to prosecutors, 35-year-old Richins mixed five times the deadly amount of fentanyl into a drink she prepared for her husband Eric Richins, leading to his death in March 2022 at their residence near the upscale ski community of Park City.

Additional charges include fraudulent insurance claims following her husband’s death, an alleged earlier murder attempt on Valentine’s Day using a fentanyl-laced sandwich that caused him to lose consciousness, and several other felony counts, court records show. Richins has entered not guilty pleas to every charge.

The primary charge of aggravated murder could result in a prison sentence ranging from 25 years to life.

The prosecution plans to emphasize their theory that Richins murdered her husband for financial gain while planning a life with her alleged lover.

Defense lawyers are anticipated to contend that the state’s case contains significant gaps and relies heavily on conjecture.

Prosecutors revealed that Richins, who worked in real estate focusing on property renovation, owed $4.5 million and incorrectly assumed she would inherit her husband’s estate valued at over $4 million upon his death. Without his awareness, she had secured multiple life insurance policies on her husband totaling approximately $2 million in benefits, according to prosecutors.

The jury viewed text exchanges between Richins and Robert Josh Grossman, the man she allegedly had an affair with, where she discussed dreams of leaving her marriage, obtaining millions through divorce, and eventually marrying Grossman.

A computer forensics expert presented internet searches from Richins’ device, including queries for “what is a lethal.dose.of.fetanayl” [sic], “luxury prisons for the rich America,” and “if someone is poisned” [sic] what does it go down on the death certificate as.”

Before her arrest in May 2023, Richins independently published a children’s book about loss designed to help her sons understand their father’s passing. Her promotion of “Are You with Me?” on regional television and radio programs has been cited by prosecutors as evidence of premeditation and an attempted cover-up.

Summit County Sheriff’s detective Jeff O’Driscoll, who led the investigation, testified that Richins hired a professional writing service to create the book.

O’Driscoll revealed that authorities received an unmarked package following Richins’ arrest containing the book and an accompanying message: “There are two sides to every story. This is a true Kouri, a devoted wife and adoring mother. Thought you should know.”

Amazon records later revealed that Richins’ mother had sent the package.

The defense team worked to undermine the credibility of the prosecution’s primary witness, Carmen Lauber, the family’s housekeeper who testified about selling fentanyl to Richins multiple times.

Defense attorney Wendy Lewis argued that Lauber never dealt fentanyl and was incentivized to provide false testimony for legal benefits. The defense highlighted that Lauber initially denied selling the synthetic opioid but changed her story after investigators revealed Eric Richins died from a fentanyl overdose.

At the time of her arrest in this case, Lauber was participating in drug court as an alternative to jail time for separate charges and had violated certain program requirements.

The defense presented footage of law enforcement telling Lauber they could revoke her drug court arrangement and that she might receive an extended prison term.

“Give us the details that will ensure Kouri gets convicted of murder,” a voice in the recording stated.

Lauber received immunity in exchange for her cooperation and testified that she felt compelled to “step up and take accountability of my part in this.”

Prosecutors presented portions of a document discovered in Richins’ jail cell that they claim contains instructions for testimony from her mother and brother. The six-page document directs her brother to inform her previous lawyer that Eric Richins had told him about obtaining fentanyl from Mexico and “gets high every night.”

Defense attorneys maintained the document was part of a fictional story Richins was developing. They have claimed that Eric Richins struggled with painkiller addiction and requested his wife to obtain opioids for him.

Nevertheless, body camera evidence shown in court revealed that Richins told officers on the evening of her husband’s death that he had no background with illegal drug use.

A star-studded psychological thriller featuring Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington and Kate Mara is launching on Apple TV under the title “Imperfect Women,” while fresh musical releases from both BTS and Luke Combs highlight this week’s new entertainment arrivals across streaming platforms.

Additional noteworthy content hitting your screens includes a brand new “Peaky Blinders” film titled “The Immortal Man,” the season’s most anticipated video game release called Crimson Desert, and Bradley Cooper’s latest directorial effort “Is This Thing On?” featuring Will Arnett and Laura Dern.

Cillian Murphy returns as Tommy Shelby in “The Immortal Man,” the latest “Peaky Blinders” installment arriving on Netflix Friday, March 20. Series originator Steven Knight penned the screenplay while Tom Harper took the director’s chair, with Rebecca Ferguson and Barry Keoghan joining the cast. All six previous seasons remain available on Netflix for viewers wanting to revisit or catch up on the series.

Bradley Cooper takes on directing duties for “Is This Thing On?,” his third directorial project starring Will Arnett and Laura Dern in a story about a divorcing man who discovers stand-up comedy. The film draws inspiration from Manchester comedian Joseph Bishop’s real experiences. Associated Press reviewer Jocelyn Noveck described it as “a deeply felt film about one teetering marriage, and a work whose power sneaks up on you slowly.” The movie debuts on Hulu Friday, March 20.

“Wicked: For Good,” the dramatic finale of Jon M. Chu’s two-part adaptation, arrives on Peacock Friday, March 20. The cast returns with Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum and others for this darker second installment, which received less favorable reviews than its predecessor and garnered no Oscar nominations. AP Film Writer Jake Coyle noted in his review that “‘Wicked: For Good,’ rather than conjuring Oz anew, always feels like it’s jumping from one set piece to another. Maybe this is a silly gripe for a fantasyland. (‘I don’t have any idea where the offices of the Lollipop Guild are!’) But I rarely found myself lifted into a movie world, but rather sat watching it — sometimes with admiration, rarely with delight — from the mezzanine. The rub of going for maximum effect all the time is that the actors never have a chance to simply be.”

The highly awaited return of BTS happens Friday, March 20, with “ARIRANG” marking their first complete album since all seven members—RM, Jin, Jimin, V, Suga, Jung Kook and j-hope—finished South Korea’s required military service. Their devoted fanbase, known as ARMY, has reached peak excitement levels. Adding to the celebration, supporters can watch their live comeback show on Netflix Saturday, called “BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE ‘ARIRANG,’” broadcasting from Seoul’s Gwanghwamun Square.

Luke Combs faces the challenge of matching his own massive success, having achieved pop crossover status largely through his widely popular version of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car.” His answer comes in the form of a new album, “The Way I Am,” releasing Friday. The tracks “Be By You” and “Sleepless in a Hotel Room” have already become country radio favorites, positioning the album to become one of the year’s major country releases.

“Imperfect Women” brings together Elisabeth Moss, Kerry Washington and Kate Mara in an Apple TV psychological thriller about three close friends whose relationship crumbles following a criminal incident. Moss and Washington serve as executive producers for this series adapted from Araminta Hall’s novel. The supporting cast features Joel Kinnaman, Corey Stoll, Leslie Odom Jr., Sheryl Lee Ralph and Ana Ortiz. The eight-episode series launches Wednesday with its first two episodes.

“The Lady” debuts Wednesday on Britbox as a limited series dramatizing Jane Andrews’ true story—a former dresser for the Duchess of York who was imprisoned for killing her boyfriend. This four-part production stars Mia McKenna-Bruce as Andrews and Natalie Dormer as Sarah Ferguson.

Following the success of the awkward yet brilliant comedy “Jury Duty” in 2023, many questioned whether a second season could work. The original followed Ronald, who believed he was serving on an actual jury for a real case being filmed by documentarians, unaware that everyone except him were actors. Season two introduces Anthony, a temporary worker at a family hot sauce company who doesn’t realize his coworkers are performers and every situation is scripted during a company retreat. “Jury Duty Presents: Company Retreat” premieres Wednesday on Prime Video.

The beloved Hallmark series “When Calls the Heart” gets a prequel called “Hope Valley: 1874” exclusively for Hallmark+. Bethany Joy Lenz portrays Rebecca Clarke, a Chicago woman who travels with her daughter to start fresh in the Canadian frontier. When their wagon fails, she must rely on assistance from an unmarried local rancher. Jill Hennessy co-stars in this series premiering Saturday, March 21 on Hallmark+.

Lisa Kudrow reprises her role as struggling actress Valerie Cherish in HBO’s “The Comeback” for a third and final season. Each of the show’s three seasons has been separated by roughly a decade, chronicling a woman’s efforts to remain relevant in Hollywood’s constantly evolving entertainment industry. The new episodes find Cherish starring in an AI-written television series. This dark comedy begins streaming Sunday, March 22 on HBO Max.

Crimson Desert represents spring’s most talked-about gaming release, an expansive role-playing adventure from South Korean developer Pearl Abyss. Players follow Kliff, a warrior in the medieval-inspired realm of Pywel who embarks on a revenge quest after he and his allies are attacked. Expect battles against typical fantasy enemies including witches, demons, ogres and dragons, with promotional footage even showing a flying mechanical unit. The game launches Thursday for PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and PC.

Baseball enthusiasts received an early season bonus with this year’s World Baseball Classic, making it fitting that Team USA captain Aaron Judge graces the cover of MLB The Show 26. This year’s version allows players to recreate the WBC alongside unlimited Major League seasons, whether controlling an entire organization or developing a single player from minor leagues to the Hall of Fame. New additions include “Bear Down Pitching” and “Big Zone Hitting” for crucial moments, plus the ability to dispute ball and strike calls. The game releases Monday for PlayStation 5, Xbox X/S and Switch.

LOS ANGELES – The Academy Awards ceremony on Sunday night saw the dark comedy thriller ‘One Battle After Another’ take home the top honor of Best Picture, edging out the vampire film ‘Sinners’ in what was considered a tight race for Hollywood’s most prestigious award.

Michael B. Jordan secured the Best Actor award for his performance playing twin brothers in ‘Sinners.’ Meanwhile, Jessie Buckley claimed the Best Actress trophy for her portrayal of Agnes Hathaway, William Shakespeare’s wife, in the film ‘Hamnet.’

Sean Penn received the Best Supporting Actor award for his performance as a military officer consumed by obsession in ‘One Battle After Another.’ This marks Penn’s third Oscar win. The actor, known for frequently missing industry award ceremonies, was absent from the Dolby Theatre.

‘Sean Penn couldn’t be here, or didn’t want to, so I’ll accept the award on his behalf,’ presenter Kieran Culkin, who won supporting actor last year, told the audience.

Amy Madigan, 75, won Best Supporting Actress for playing the eccentric Aunt Gladys in the horror movie ‘Weapons.’ The victory came four decades after her initial Oscar nomination, marking her first win.

During her acceptance speech, Madigan expressed gratitude to ‘Weapons’ director Zach Cregger.

‘He just wrote a dream part and he just let me grab it by the throat,’ Madigan stated.

The Netflix film ‘KPop Demon Hunters,’ which became a worldwide sensation, received the Best Animated Feature award.

The evening’s festivities paused for solemn tributes to two legendary filmmakers who passed away – directors Robert Redford and Rob Reiner.

Billy Crystal, known for ‘When Harry Met Sally,’ praised Reiner’s body of work including ‘A Few Good Men’ and ‘This Is Spinal Tap,’ saying these films would ‘last for lifetimes.’ He was accompanied on stage by Demi Moore, Meg Ryan, and other actors from Reiner’s notable films.

Barbra Streisand, Redford’s co-star in ‘The Way We Were,’ described him as a ‘brilliant, subtle actor’ and an ‘intellectual cowboy.’ She concluded her tribute by performing several lines from the film’s famous theme song.

Conan O’Brien kicked off the evening as host, making light of his role by saying he was proud to serve as ‘the last human host’ during a time when Hollywood fears artificial intelligence might replace human workers.

The star-studded event, considered Hollywood’s most extravagant annual celebration, occurred while the United States is engaged in military conflict with Iran.

Enhanced security measures surrounded the ceremony. Event organizers confirmed collaboration with federal agents and local law enforcement following government warnings about potential Iranian threats against California, although officials stressed no specific or credible danger to the Oscar ceremony had been identified. Guests navigated multiple security checkpoints and metal detectors before entering the venue.

Behind the glamorous facade, the film industry continues grappling with concerns about production moving away from traditional Hollywood locations as studios seek better tax benefits and reduced expenses in other states and countries, diminishing Hollywood’s control over filmmaking.

Warner Bros., which produced both ‘One Battle’ and ‘Sinners,’ is currently being acquired by Paramount Skydance in a transaction that will reduce the number of major film distribution companies. The advocacy organization Free Press operated a mobile billboard throughout Hollywood during the weekend expressing opposition to this corporate merger.

The golden Oscar statues are awarded based on votes from approximately 10,000 entertainment industry professionals including actors, producers, directors, and technical specialists who comprise the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences membership.

This year, the Academy implemented new measures aimed at ensuring voters actually view the films before casting ballots. The digital voting platform now monitors whether voters have streamed each nominated movie. However, voters can still indicate they viewed films through other means outside the Academy’s streaming service.

A former Afghan soldier who served with American military forces has died while in federal immigration custody, marking at least the 12th such death this year during the current administration’s immigration enforcement efforts.

Mohammad Nazeer Paktyawal, 41, passed away on Saturday from undetermined causes, according to Shawn VanDiver, president of the veteran-led advocacy organization AfghanEvac. Federal agents had taken Paktyawal into custody Friday morning outside his apartment in a Dallas suburb as he was escorting his children to school.

The father of six was residing in Richardson, Texas, with his family while awaiting a decision on his asylum application. VanDiver reported that Paktyawal’s relatives were informed he was transported to a Dallas hospital Friday evening and remained alive Saturday morning before his death occurred.

“It is highly unusual for an otherwise healthy 41-year-old man to die less than a day after being taken into government custody,” VanDiver stated, calling for an immediate investigation into the circumstances.

Paktyawal had served as an Afghan special forces member, collaborating with U.S. Army Special Forces beginning in 2005. He and his family were among those evacuated from Afghanistan in 2021 during the American military withdrawal following two decades of conflict, according to VanDiver.

In Texas, Paktyawal worked at an Afghan halal market and served as the main income earner for his household, which included an 18-month-old baby, VanDiver explained.

This death contributes to rising fatality numbers in immigration detention facilities, with 31 people dying in ICE custody last year – the highest total in twenty years. Current detention numbers have reached unprecedented levels, with approximately 68,000 individuals held in ICE facilities as of early February.

More than 70,000 Afghan nationals entered America through the previous administration’s Operation Allies Welcome program after the Taliban regained control of Kabul in 2021, according to Department of Homeland Security data. The current administration has moved to end temporary protected status that had been granted to roughly 14,600 Afghans for humanitarian reasons, potentially subjecting them to deportation proceedings.

The Department of Homeland Security, ICE’s parent agency, indicated it requires additional time to provide a response to media inquiries about the incident.

Six American military personnel lost their lives when their aerial refueling aircraft went down in western Iraq last week during anti-Iran operations, including a Kentucky mother who leaves behind two young children.

Among those killed was Tech Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, who came from Bardstown, Kentucky, and took immense pride in her military service, according to her husband Gregory Pruitt, who spoke Sunday.

“I’ll give you something brief — in a word, radiant,” Gregory Pruitt said during a telephone conversation while fighting back emotion. “If there was a light in the room, she was it.”

Ashley Pruitt is survived by the couple’s 3-year-old daughter and her stepson.

She had been serving with the 99th Air Refueling Squadron at Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base in Birmingham, Alabama, where she worked as an assistant flight chief of operations and trained others to operate the KC-135’s refueling boom.

Ashley enlisted nine years ago and had completed three previous overseas deployments. Her record included nearly 900 combat flight hours and two associate degrees from the Community College of the Air Force.

Military officials released the names of all six victims Saturday night, revealing that three were stationed at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Florida, and Sumpter Smith, while the remaining three served at an Ohio Air National Guard facility in Columbus.

“To lose a member of the Air Force family is excruciatingly painful, especially to those who know them as son, daughter, brother, sister, spouse, mom, or dad,” U.S. Air Force Col. Ed Szczepanik, commander of the 6th Air Refueling Wing, stated in an official release. “To lose them at the same time is unimaginable.”

Maj. Gen. Matthew S. Woodruff, Ohio’s adjutant general, described the three Columbus-based victims as “remarkable Airmen whose service and commitment embodied the very best of our Ohio National Guard. Their impact on their teammates and our mission will not be forgotten.”

According to U.S. Central Command, the aircraft was operating in “friendly” airspace Thursday when an undisclosed incident involving another plane occurred. Military officials confirmed the second aircraft landed without incident, and investigators are examining the crash.

The KC-135 aircraft specializes in mid-air refueling operations, enabling other planes to extend their flight range and maintain operations without landing. Military specialists note the aircraft can also transport injured personnel and conduct surveillance operations.

According to the Congressional Research Service, the Air Force operated 376 KC-135s last year, with 151 on active duty, 163 in the Air National Guard, and 62 in the Air Force Reserve. The aircraft has remained in service for over six decades.

Maj. John A. “Alex” Klinner, 33, had received his promotion to major just this January and had been deployed for less than a week when the tragedy occurred, his brother-in-law revealed.

The pilot leaves behind three young children: twin infants aged 7 months and a 2-year-old son, according to his brother-in-law James Harrill.

Klinner graduated from Auburn University and served eight years in the U.S. Air Force from Birmingham, Alabama. He had recently relocated his family to a new residence, his wife Libby Klinner shared in a social media post mourning his loss.

He held the position of chief of squadron standards and evaluations at the Birmingham air facility.

Known as an outdoor enthusiast who loved hiking, Klinner was always willing to assist others. During their last meeting in January, Klinner had helped Harrill dig his vehicle out of snow at a family wedding.

“Alex was one of those guys that had this steady command about him,” Harrill, an Atlanta resident who established a GoFundMe campaign for Klinner’s family, explained. “He was literally one of the most kindest, giving people.”

In her social media tribute, Libby Klinner expressed her heartbreak for their children, who will mature without knowing their father.

“They won’t get to see firsthand the way he would jump up to help in any way he could,” she posted. “They won’t see how goofy and funny he was. They won’t witness his selflessness, the way he thought about everyone else before himself. They won’t get to feel the deep love he had for them.”

Klinner had completed four deployments since 2019, accumulating 362 combat hours and 181 combat support hours.

Tech Sgt. Tyler Simmons, 28, worked with the Ohio Air National Guard’s 166th Air Refueling Squadron as a boom operator handling fuel transfer from tanker to receiving aircraft, his Air Force biography shows.

His mother, Cheryl Simmons, confirmed Saturday that she was arranging funeral services for her son, a Columbus resident.

In a statement provided to WCMH-TV in Columbus, Tyler Simmons’ relatives expressed their immeasurable sadness over the fatal incident.

“Tyler’s smile could light up any room, his strong presence would fill it. His parents, grandparents, family and friends are grief stricken for the loss of life,” the family stated.

Simmons enlisted in 2017 and obtained an associate degree from the Community College of the Air Force. He became a refueling specialist in 2022 and earned technical sergeant rank in 2023. His service included three deployments over the past decade with 230 combat hours.

Capt. Ariana G. Savino, 31, served as a pilot with the 99th Air Refueling Squadron and held the role of chief of current operations. Her responsibilities included overseeing the flying hour program and managing daily flight scheduling, among other tasks.

Savino, originally from Covington, Washington, came through the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps program at Central Washington University, receiving her active duty commission in 2017.

Her assignments took her to bases in Georgia and Mississippi, where she logged over 300 combat hours. She achieved captain rank in 2021.

Capt. Seth R. Koval, 38, worked as an instructor pilot for the KC135R Stratotanker with 19 years of military service, the Ohio National Guard reported.

Koval lived in Stoutsville, Ohio, and served as an aircraft commander with the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus. Military records show he trained pilots in air refueling, aeromedical, cargo and passenger operations.

Government records indicated Koval originally came from Mooresville, Indiana.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in aviation operations from Purdue University and completed five deployments over the past 12 years. His assignments included locations in Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, Texas and Oklahoma.

The Ohio Guard reported Koval had logged over 2,000 flight hours, including 443 in combat situations. He received his captain promotion in 2022.

Capt. Curtis J. Angst, 30, served for ten years after earning a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Cincinnati. He joined the Ohio Air National Guard in 2015, with deployments in 2015 and this year.

Angst flew KC-135R aircraft with the 166th Air Refueling Squadron and resided in Columbus. Federal records indicated he originally came from Wilmington, Ohio.

His flight record included 880 hours, with 67 in combat situations. Angst received his captain promotion this past November.

Motorists traveling on Shilo Church Road should plan for potential delays today due to ongoing lane restrictions in the area.

According to traffic officials, drivers can expect sporadic lane closures along Shilo Church Road in the stretch between US-20 and Johnson Road. These temporary restrictions are scheduled to remain in effect until 3 PM today.

The intermittent nature of the closures means lanes may open and close periodically throughout the day, potentially causing stop-and-go traffic conditions for vehicles passing through the work zone.

Drivers are advised to allow extra travel time and consider alternate routes if possible to avoid potential delays in the area.

Officials in Anne Arundel County have declared an immediate halt to new sewer connections beginning March 2, 2026, citing overwhelming demand on the region’s wastewater treatment systems.

The Department of Public Works issued the emergency restrictions after the county hit maximum flow limits within the Baltimore City Sewer Service Area, putting strain on aging infrastructure shared between multiple jurisdictions.

Properties that tie into the Baltimore County Patapsco Interceptor and Sewage Pumping Station will face the most significant impact from these new rules.

County officials say that while daily average flows remain within acceptable ranges, deteriorating pipes and excessive water infiltration during storms have pushed peak usage beyond what current agreements between the counties allow.

Baltimore City and Baltimore County cannot provide Anne Arundel County with additional wastewater capacity due to existing legal settlements, creating a backlog for new construction projects.

Under the emergency measures, county officials will stop approving capacity requests for any new developments in the affected service area.

The county will also pause authorization for new building permits and tenant improvements that would connect to the overloaded infrastructure.

Developers who already secured capacity allocations measured in Equivalent Dwelling Units will keep their approvals, but no new allocations will be granted during the moratorium.

County officials plan to make exceptions for properties with failing septic systems that need immediate connection to public sewer lines. Building permits requiring one or more capacity units will undergo individual review.

Construction projects and permit applications that had not received official capacity approval before the announcement must now wait indefinitely.

These stalled projects cannot move forward until the county obtains additional wastewater capacity or officials modify or remove the restrictions entirely.

John Wrory Ficklin was just seven years old when he discovered his father held an extraordinary position of trust and responsibility.

The year was 1963, and America grieved the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Young Wrory sat with his mother and brother in their Washington apartment, watching the somber funeral proceedings unfold on television, when his mother suddenly drew in her breath.

There on the screen stood his father, James Woodson Ficklin, dressed in formal morning attire and positioned alongside Kennedy’s coffin with the White House ushers. Though he served as a White House butler, Jackie Kennedy had specifically requested his presence among the ushers for that historic day.

James Woodson Ficklin dedicated an extraordinary 44 years to the White House residence staff. His son, Wrory Ficklin, also built an impressive White House legacy, spending four decades with the National Security Council.

While presidents typically serve four or eight-year terms, the Ficklin family maintained an almost constant presence at the White House for nearly 80 years. Woodson Ficklin, his wife, several siblings, and son Wrory served under 13 different presidents, spanning from Franklin D. Roosevelt through Barack Obama.

This single family stood beside America’s leaders for one-third of the nation’s 250-year history.

When Wrory retired in 2015, he became the final Ficklin to work full-time at the White House, ending a family service record he chronicles in his book, “An Unusual Path: Three Generations from Slavery to the White House.”

“The book is my family’s history, it’s African American history and it’s our country’s history,” Wrory told The Associated Press during an interview. “My dad and I both stand on my grandfather’s shoulders, and I like to think that we both contributed a lot to our country.”

Wrory describes their saga as a “truly American story” that begins with his grandfather, James Strother Ficklin, born into slavery around 1854 in Virginia’s Rappahannock County.

During the Civil War, Strother served as a water carrier for Confederate forces. Following emancipation, he performed various tasks for his former owners.

After losing his first wife during childbirth, Strother remarried in 1894 and relocated to Youngstown, Ohio, seeking to escape Virginia’s racial hostility while pursuing opportunities in the thriving coal and steel sectors. Historical records indicate the family eventually returned to Rappahannock County, though the reasons remain unclear.

By 1901, Strother and his second wife, Helen, had accumulated sufficient savings to purchase 37 acres in Amissville, Virginia. He constructed a home and cultivated crops to support his family. Following Helen’s death during childbirth, Strother wed Vallie Lee Davenport in 1907. Together, they raised 10 children — five daughters and five sons.

John Woodson Ficklin was among those sons.

At age 15 in 1934, Woodson Ficklin moved to Washington to live with his older sister and her spouse. He balanced various jobs while attending evening high school classes, earning his diploma in 1939 — the same year his older brother Charles began working as a White House butler. Charles helped secure Woodson a part-time role washing dishes and handling tasks the butlers couldn’t complete themselves.

World War II military service temporarily interrupted their White House careers, but both brothers received promotions upon their return. Charles Ficklin advanced to head butler while Woodson Ficklin became a butler. On his second day in the butler role, Woodson Ficklin served breakfast to President Harry Truman and first lady Bess Truman.

Additional promotions came during Dwight Eisenhower’s presidency, with Charles Ficklin ascending to maître d’ — the highest butler position — while Woodson Ficklin became head butler, overseeing six full-time butlers.

When Charles Ficklin retired in March 1967, Woodson Ficklin again stepped into his brother’s role.

As maître d’, Woodson Ficklin managed the planning and coordination of White House social functions, from intimate luncheons and formal state dinners to birthday celebrations and casual South Lawn barbecues.

His responsibilities encompassed visits from British royalty, annual Christmas celebrations, Tricia Nixon’s 1971 White House wedding, and Gerald Ford’s daughter Susan’s decision to hold her high school prom at the executive mansion.

Throughout his tenure, Woodson Ficklin gained the confidence and respect of presidents and first ladies who depended on his professional knowledge. Many sent appreciation letters following successfully executed events.

In October 1969, first lady Patricia Nixon wrote about “the great number of complimentary remarks we receive following each White House social event,” according to a letter copy featured in the book. “Our family is most grateful to you for the time and interest you devote to make each occasion so enjoyable and memorable for our guests and for us.”

President Jimmy Carter sent a March 1979 letter thanking Woodson Ficklin and his staff for their work during the Egypt-Israel peace treaty signing ceremony.

“Everything was perfect and we are grateful,” Carter wrote.

Woodson Ficklin stepped down in May 1983. In what may represent the greatest tribute to his 44-year service, the Reagans invited him and his wife, Nancy, as guests to that year’s state dinner honoring Bahrain’s emir.

He likely became the first White House residence staff member to attend a state dinner as a guest, generating significant media attention. Woodson Ficklin dined at the first lady’s table and later told reporters she “put me at ease and made me feel like a guest.” When asked about the evening’s service, he responded, “Those are my boys. I trained them.”

Woodson Ficklin passed away in December 1984 at age 65.

“Seeing my Dad on television was a big deal, and to see him participating in our president’s funeral service was beyond my youthful comprehension,” Wrory Ficklin wrote. He noted that years elapsed before he grasped “the severity and the importance” of his father’s contributions.

Despite this, Wrory Ficklin also pursued meaningful White House work, starting with a high school summer position delivering confidential documents between the White House and Watergate special prosecutor. He also assisted his father in the pantry during state dinners and major events.

Wrory Ficklin joined the NSC staff in 1975, launching a 40-year career that overlapped with his father and other relatives. He initially worked evening shifts as a clerk while attending college during daytime hours, and by 1987 was responsible for training new personnel.

During Obama’s administration, Wrory Ficklin earned promotion to special assistant to the president for national security affairs. Before retiring in 2015, he made a special request to his supervisor, national security adviser Susan Rice: Could he attend a state dinner, following his father’s example?

Wrory Ficklin and his wife, Patrice, received invitations to the 2015 state dinner for Chinese President Xi Jinping. With slight modifications, he wore the same tuxedo jacket and cummerbund his father had worn in 1983.

He described the dinner as his career’s pinnacle.

“Just to experience firsthand the quality of the service, the precision of the butlers, the type of service that they provided, was a legacy to my dad, actually,” Wrory Ficklin said during the interview.

BOSTON — Large crowds filled the streets of South Boston Sunday as the city hosted its yearly St. Patrick’s Day parade, ranking among America’s biggest Irish cultural celebrations.

The annual event attracts spectators from throughout Massachusetts and neighboring states, featuring musical groups, decorated floats, military veterans, and community organizations parading through South Boston’s streets.

Municipal leaders reported weeks of advance planning had taken place, with law enforcement, transportation authorities, and emergency responders working together on crowd control and safety measures for the massive gathering.

The parade represents a significant yearly custom in Boston, which has strong Irish cultural ties, and typically occurs alongside Evacuation Day observances that honor the 1776 withdrawal of British forces from the city.

Authorities advised parade-goers to prepare for street closures and packed public transportation systems as visitors flood the area during the day-long festivities.

The previous year’s celebration attracted tens of thousands of participants and viewers, showcasing numerous marching contingents.

Sunday’s festivities were scheduled to start late morning and run through the afternoon hours.

WASHINGTON – Pentagon officials released Saturday the identities of six American Air Force personnel who perished in an aircraft accident over Iraq.

The service members were aboard a KC-135 aerial refueling aircraft conducting operations in support of U.S. military strikes against Iran. Military officials stated the incident involved a collision with another aircraft but was not caused by enemy fire or friendly fire, and remains under investigation.

Half of the fallen airmen served with the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill Air Force Base near Tampa, Florida. They were Major John A. Klinner, 33, from Auburn, Alabama; Captain Ariana G. Savino, 31, from Covington, Washington; and Technical Sergeant Ashley B. Pruitt, 34, from Bardstown, Kentucky.

The remaining three personnel were members of the 121st Air Refueling Wing stationed at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio. Those airmen were Captain Seth R. Koval, 38, from Mooresville, Indiana; Captain Curtis J. Angst, 30, from Wilmington, Ohio; and Technical Sergeant Tyler H. Simmons, 28, from Columbus, Ohio.

Newark law enforcement officials have taken a minor into custody following an early morning attack on a rideshare driver that left the victim hospitalized with stab wounds.

The violent incident unfolded just after midnight on March 14, 2026, when Newark Police Department officers were dispatched to a business parking lot located on the 100 block of Grove Lane in response to reports of a stabbing.

According to investigators, the victim was actively working as a rideshare driver when the assault occurred. Police have not released additional details about the circumstances leading up to the attack or the current condition of the injured driver.

The juvenile suspect now faces attempted murder charges in connection with the stabbing. Authorities have not disclosed the age or identity of the accused due to their minor status.

The investigation into this violent crime remains ongoing as Newark police work to piece together the events that led to the attack on the rideshare operator.

Federal prosecutors in New York have arrested a South Carolina lobbyist on extortion charges, accusing him of hiring an intimidator to force a former client to pay half a million dollars in fees.

Joshua Nass, 34, from Charleston, South Carolina, faces up to two decades behind bars if found guilty of attempted extortion. He was set to appear before a federal magistrate judge on Saturday after charges were made public Friday by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York.

According to federal court filings, Nass began recruiting someone in January to serve as muscle against his former client and the man’s son, demanding they pay $500,000 that Nass claimed they owed him. Court papers identify the victims only as ‘John Doe 1’ and ‘John Doe 2.’

‘Rather than honestly representing his client, Joshua Nass allegedly chose to shake him down by hiring an enforcer to extort payment,’ stated James Barnacle Jr., assistant director in charge of the FBI’s New York field office. ‘The FBI prioritizes crushing violent crimes offenses and extortion schemes.’

Federal lobbying records show Nass represented Joseph Schwartz, listing ‘federal presidential pardon advocacy’ among his services. A disclosure form from January 15 indicated Nass’s firm earned approximately $100,000 during the final quarter of 2025 for lobbying work.

President Trump granted a pardon in November to Joseph Schwartz, who had admitted guilt in 2024 for his involvement in a $38 million employment tax fraud case connected to nursing facilities he controlled nationwide through his New Jersey company, Skyline Management Group.

A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to confirm Saturday whether the charges against Nass connect to his work for Schwartz.

Authorities apprehended Nass outside his Manhattan hotel Friday, the same day he planned to meet with the government’s cooperating witness.

Nass’s legal representative has not yet responded to requests for comment on the allegations.

Prosecution documents reveal Nass agreed last December to provide lobbying services for $600,000. The client’s son made an initial $100,000 payment but later requested a payment plan for the remaining balance, which Nass considered disrespectful, according to court filings.

Nass, who holds a New York law license, instructed his associate to visit the son’s residence in the New York area to demand payment. However, the son closed the door after learning Nass had sent the visitor, court records state.

From January through March, Nass and the cooperating witness discussed various intimidation tactics to obtain the money, including physical assault and threatening the son with masked accomplices in a vehicle, prosecutors allege. An FBI agent’s sworn statement indicates Nass instructed the witness not to treat the son ‘like a human being.’

An Alabama father who had recently received a promotion to major died alongside five other service members when their military refueling plane went down in Iraq this week, according to his family members who spoke out Saturday.

Major Alex Klinner, 33, had only been deployed for less than a week and leaves behind three young children – infant twins who are 7 months old and a 2-year-old son, according to his brother-in-law James Harrill, who confirmed the death on Saturday.

“It’s kind of heartbreaking to say: He was just a really good dad and really loved his family a lot — like a lot,” Harrill said.

Another victim was identified as an Ohio service member whose family recalled his infectious smile and strong presence.

While the Pentagon has not officially released the names of all six casualties, family members began sharing details about their loved ones on Saturday.

According to U.S. Central Command, the aircraft was operating in “friendly” territory during missions targeting Iran when an undisclosed incident occurred involving a second aircraft. Military officials reported the other plane made a safe landing.

The Ohio Air National Guard’s 121st Air Refueling Wing announced through a Friday evening Facebook statement that three of the deceased were members of their Columbus-based unit.

“We share in the sorrow of their loved ones, and we must not forget the valuable contributions these Airmen made to their country and the impact they have left on our organization,” according to the 121st Air Refueling Wing’s post.

The Birmingham, Alabama native had served eight years in the U.S. Air Force and had recently relocated his family to a new residence, his wife Libby Klinner shared in a heartfelt Instagram tribute following his death.

Known for his love of outdoor activities like hiking, Klinner was always willing to lend a helping hand. During their last meeting in January, Harrill recalled how Klinner cleared snow from his car during a family wedding celebration.

“Alex was one of those guys that had this steady command about him,” said Harrill, who helped set up a GoFundMe site for Klinner’s family. “He was literally one of the most kindest, giving people.”

In her social media tribute, Libby Klinner expressed her devastation for their children, who will never experience their father’s caring nature firsthand.

“They won’t get to see firsthand the way he would jump up to help in any way he could,” she wrote. “They won’t see how goofy and funny he was. They won’t witness his selflessness, the way he thought about everyone else before himself. They won’t get to feel the deep love he had for them.”

Sgt. Tyler Simmons from Columbus, Ohio, was also confirmed as one of the six fatalities in Thursday’s KC-135 Stratotanker accident, his mother Cheryl Simmons verified Saturday. She indicated she was beginning to arrange funeral services for her son.

Through a statement shared with WCMH-TV in Columbus, Tyler Simmons’ relatives expressed their overwhelming grief following news of the tragic crash.

“Tyler’s smile could light up any room, his strong presence would fill it. His parents, grandparents, family and friends are grief stricken for the loss of life,” they said.

U.S. Central Command, responsible for Middle Eastern operations, confirmed the accident happened during a combat operation over “friendly” western Iraq territory. Military leaders stated an investigation is underway and emphasized the crash was “not due to hostile or friendly fire.”

The KC-135 serves as an aerial refueling platform, enabling other aircraft to extend their flight range and maintain operations without requiring ground stops. Military specialists note the aircraft can also transport injured personnel and perform reconnaissance duties.

Data from the Congressional Research Service indicates the Air Force operated 376 KC-135s last year, with 151 assigned to active duty, 163 serving with the Air National Guard, and 62 in Air Force Reserve units. The aircraft has remained in military service for over six decades.

When a circle of New Jersey friends became frustrated with traditional nightclub experiences, their passion for dancing led them to create their own solution. The group launched a monthly dance event they named ‘All My Friends’ as an alternative to the conventional club atmosphere they had grown weary of.