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Vanity, no profanity: Illinois rejects 304 plates for being too cheeky

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

ILLINOIS – Be careful what you wish for your license plate in Illinois. The Secretary of State has the right to reject any personal or vanity license plate that doesn't fit their guidelines or is too hard to read for law enforcement. Secretary of State Alex Giannoulias has released the 2023 license plate naughty list, revealing that more than 300 plates were rejected this year due to profanity, offensive language, or illegibility. Some of these plates were deemed too obscene or defamatory.Illinois offers an option on its website called "Pick-A-Plate," allowing residents to create their own license plate for their vehicles. However, certain guidelines must be followed to have your choice honored.The Secretary of State’s office received nearly 55,000 requests for vanity and personalized plates this year, with 304 being denied. The office flags combinations of letters and numbers that can be construed as lewd or offensive, including expletives, racial labels, sex and drug references, a...

St. Louis County woman loses $7,000 from unfinished deck projects

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - A man allegedly persuaded a St. Louis County woman to pay him privately for home improvement projects several years ago that he never started. The accused man, formerly employed as a St. Louis-area contractor, now faces a felony charge, per Missouri court records. Prosecutors have charged Jody Flynn, 51, of Imperial, Missouri, with one count of felony stealing in excess of $750. According to court documents obtained by FOX 2, Flynn was assigned to remove a customer's deck and replace it with a new one while he worked for Chesterfield Fence and Deck. Soulard bar owners question legitimacy of NYE bar crawl promoted online Court documents state that after he removed the deck, he claimed that mold removal would be necessary and that the company would not move forward with more work. After that, Flynn reportedly offered to complete the work independently of his employer. The woman agreed to a contract that called for Flynn "to replace a handrail on the front po...

Parkway West High School student earns perfect ACT score

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. - A junior at Parkway West High School recently earned a perfect ACT score of 36, the highest possible score on the ACT college placement exam.The Parkway School District announced Thursday that Felicity Jackson earned a perfect ACT score in September. A perfect ACT score of 36 is quite an accomplishment. Less than one percent of students who take the test nationwide attain a perfect score. Are you using your headlights properly? Missouri law has guidelines on light usage The ACT is a curriculum-based achievement exam that measures students’ knowledge andskills in English, reading, mathematics, and science, including analysis and problem-solvingskills that determine college and career readiness.Jackson hasn't yet decided on a university to attend after high school, but the Parkway School District says she plans to study something related to visual arts, biology or zoology. ACT scores are accepted at all major four-year colleges and universities across the U.S.

Driver was drunk, speeding, weaving in and out of traffic in Broomfield crash that killed high school student, mom

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

A Louisville man was allegedly driving at least twice the speed limit and weaving in and out of traffic before causing the Dec. 12 crash that killed a 16-year-old and his mother, according to an arrest affidavit. He was charged Thursday with vehicular homicide and DUI.Jose Menjivar, 37, was arrested Friday in connection to the crash on Main Street near Broomfield High School that killed high school student Riordan Powell and his mother, Melissa Powell, 47.The 17th Judicial District Attorney’s Office Thursday announced they have charged Menjivar with two counts of vehicular homicide and two counts of DUI – fourth or subsequent offense, the district attorney’s office said in a news release.In a letter sent Dec. 13 to students and families, Broomfield High School Principal Ginger Ramsey said Riordan was a student at both Broomfield High and the Boulder Technical Education Center.Menjivar was driving a 2000 Toyota Tundra south on Main Street when he crashed into a 2016...

Samuel Girard returns to the Avalanche after time in players’ assistance program

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

Samuel Girard has rejoined the Colorado Avalanche after spending nearly a month away from the team.Girard participated in the team’s morning skate Thursday ahead of a game against the Ottawa Senators. He entered the NHL/NHLPA Players Assistance Program last month, which the league announced Nov. 24.In a statement released the same day, Girard said he was seeking help for severe anxiety and depression.“I have made a proactive decision to take care of my mental health, and will be entering treatment for severe anxiety and depression that has gone untreated for too long and led to alcohol abuse,” Girard said in a statement released by his agency, CAA. “Taking care of your mental health is of the utmost importance, and I encourage everyone to speak up and seek help should you feel like you need it. I want to express my gratitude to my wife, family, friends, the club, my teammates and the fans for their patience, understanding and continued support.”Cale Makar, who has missed the p...

Storm brings flooding, early-morning tornado warning to Southern California

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

A slow-moving storm system dropped several inches of rain on parts of Ventura County, causing widespread flooding and even a tornado warning Thursday morning. Real-time Radar Images So much rain accumulated in areas of Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Ventura that first responders had trouble responding to reports of flooding at some homes and businesses. Video showed several feet of water left vehicles stuck at the intersection of West Channel Islands Boulevard and South J. Street Thursday morning.A flooded intersection in Oxnard is seen following heavy rain on Dec. 20, 2023. (@VVDREAA)Emergency crews respond to flooding in Port Hueneme on Dec. 21, 2023. (TNLA)Vehicles are seen in flood waters near the 101 Freeway in Santa Barbara on Dec. 21, 2023. (Caltrans District 5)The Oxnard Fire Department issued a message for drivers to stay off the streets if possible. "Please stay off the city streets for the next several hours until the water recedes. Standing water can cause vehicles to stall ...

Lightning closes Malibu beaches

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

If anyone was planning to go to the Malibu beaches amid the back-to-back storms that are dousing the Southland, those plans are fully foiled now.The city of Malibu announced that its beaches were closed as of mid-morning Thursday due to lightning strikes. Storm brings flooding, early-morning tornado warning to Oxnard "LA County Lifeguards are clearing the water & closing beaches in Malibu due to lightning strikes & thunderstorms based on National Weather Service advice," the city said in an alert. California Weather Radar Map The beaches are expected to reopen early Thursday afternoon, but in the meantime, "people outdoors near beaches should seek shelter," officials said.

Police seek driver in fatal South L.A. hit-and-run

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

The Los Angeles Police Department is looking for a driver who struck and killed a woman Tuesday evening in the Vermont Square area of South Los Angeles. A vehicle believed to be a small white sedan was headed south on Western Avenue near Vernon Avenue when it hit a woman walking across Western, police said in a news release. The vehicle fled the scene.The pedestrian, a 42-year-old Angeleno, was taken to a local hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries.Anyone with information about this collision is asked to contact Detective Gerald Chavarria at 213-924-362 or [email protected]. During non-business hours or on weekends, calls should be directed to 1-877-LAPD-24-7 (1-877-527-3247). Anyone wishing to remain anonymous should call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or go directly to lacrimestoppers.org.

Dan Aykroyd: Cracking The Creativity Code

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

It was in the gonzo era of the ‘70s that we first came to know a skinny young comedian from Canada by the name of Dan Aykroyd. It was the golden age of standup comedy when nothing was taboo. Everybody and everything was fair game. If we weren’t at an underground comedy club watching Robin Williams go off the rails, we were getting high around the record player, listening to Steve Martin Get Small on vinyl.The Second City improvisation comedy troupe brought its talents from both its original Chicago and its Toronto companies together with L.A.’s The Groundlings in 1975 and provided many of the performers who made up the Saturday Night Live ensemble. It included Aykroyd, Chevy Chase, Laraine Newman, Garrett Morris and other Not Ready for Primetime Players that have since passed on to the great Friar’s Club in the sky, like Gilda Radner and John Belushi. The show, whose first host was standup royalty George Carlin, forever changed the landscape of comedy and late-night tele...

Scott Tenzer, Natalie Stafford, and Cristian Aranda Jr. Killed in 2-Car Accident on Pacific Coast Highway [Oxnard, CA]

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:49 GMT

Three Pronounced Dead after Two-Vehicle Collision near Naumann RoadOXNARD, CA (December 21, 2023) – Natalie Stafford, Scott Tenzer, and Cristian Aranda Jr. died Tuesday night in a two-car crash on southbound Pacific Coast Highway.At approximately 11:10 p.m., law enforcement arrived at the location along the southbound lanes of the freeway near Naumann Road.According to reports, the operator of a northbound Volkswagen Golf deviated into the southbound lanes, colliding with a Nissan Sentra. A southbound Scion Fr-S then collided with the disabled Volkswagen Golf.During the incident, the Scion also struck 21-year-old Aranda Jr. from Port Hueneme, who was attempting to aid those in distress. The pedestrian succumbed to their injuries at the scene. The Ventura County Medical Examiner’s Office later identified the deceased driver as 44-year-old Scott Tenzer of Malibu.Furthermore, Tenzer’s passenger, 48-year-old Natalie Stafford, also succumbed to her injuries at the hospital. Upon th...