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Prosecutors: Ferguson woman wields baseball bat during custody change

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:52 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - A Ferguson woman is accused of wielding a baseball bat and attacking the mother of her grandson during a custody exchange.The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office charged Meia Burks, 42, with second-degree assault and armed criminal action.According to a report from the Berkeley Police Department, the incident happened May 22 outside the QuikTrip in the 6800 block of North Hanley Road. Mom: Son with disabilities restrained at school 75 times in four years Police claim Burks walked up to the victim and struck her in the legs and forehead with a bat. Surveillance video shows Burks with the bat. Burks admitted to hitting the woman, police said.“Sharing child custody with an ex-partner can be stressful for both parents and for their families, but violence always makes it worse for everyone, especially the child,” St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell said.Burks remains jailed on a $150,000 cash-only bond.

Ferguson police to enforce 'Temp Tag Tuesday' plan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:52 GMT

FERGUSON, Mo. - The Ferguson Police Department will soon roll out an enforcement plan intended to crack down on drivers using expired temp tags around city streets. Ferguson Police Chief Troy Doyle calls the effort "Temp Tag Tuesday." He says the department will make expired temp tags its focus on Tuesdays moving forward. Doyle, who was just sworn in as Ferguson Police Chief in March, says the effort is a matter of "safety and compliance" rather than generating revenue for the city. Mom: Son with disabilities restrained at school 75 times in four years "Enforcing expired temporary tags is tough. If we ticket someone with expired tags, they may struggle to pay the fine as they couldn't pay for the original tags. However, not ticketing isn't fair to law-abiding citizens who renew their plates per state law," said Doyle via Twitter. Temp tags have particularly been a concern since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic three years ago. During the pandemic’s peak, the state of Missouri w...

Illinois man stuck waist-deep in Alaska mud flats drowns as tide comes in: 'Mother Nature has no mercy'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:52 GMT

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — A man who was walking on tidal mud flats with friends in an Alaska estuary got stuck up to his waist in the quicksand-like silt and drowned as the tide came in before frantic rescuers could extract him, authorities said.Zachary Porter, 20, of Lake Bluff, Illinois, was submerged Sunday evening as the tide came in, and his body was recovered Monday morning, Alaska State Troopers spokesperson Austin McDaniel told The Associated Press. A member of Porter's group called 911 when they couldn't get him out, but it was too late, authorities said.The accident was the latest tragedy at Turnagain Arm, a 48-mile-long (77-kilometer-long) estuary carved out long ago by glaciers that travels southeast from the Anchorage area and parallels a major highway. At low tide, the estuary is known for its dangerous mud flats made of silt created by glacier-pulverized rocks. At least three other people have gotten stuck and drowned there over the years. Many more have been rescued, ...

Man dies in St. Louis after gunshot to the head

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:52 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- A man was found with a gunshot wound to the head in the 4800 block of Margaretta in the Penrose neighborhood Thursday morning. He was pronounced dead at the scene.Homicide detectives have been called to investigate the death. A FOX 2 photographer is headed to the scene. More details will be posted here as they come into our newsroom.

Raging Rivers WaterPark opening this weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:52 GMT

GRAFTON, Ill. - Raging Rivers WaterPark is set to reopen this weekend. On Saturday, May 27, anyone can enjoy the park's family interactive play area, the "Lazy River," and the Mississippi Monster. One-day admission tickets start at $21.99 and can be purchased online. Trending -- Former ‘Basketball Wives’ star from St. Louis admits multiple frauds Raging Rivers is also planning to celebrate school teachers and staff with their 'School Staff & Teacher Appreciation Days.' From May 27 to 29, all school staff are open to free admission. On Independence Day, free admission will also become available for active and retired military members. For more information about the park, click here.

Charges against Aurora parents in co-sleeping death of 2-day-old baby draws condemnation from pregnancy justice groups

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:52 GMT

The criminal case of an Aurora couple charged in the co-sleeping death of their 2-day-old baby has spurred outcry from state reproductive justice groups who describe the prosecution as part of a growing trend across the country in which pregnant and postpartum people are facing more criminalization.Brittany Diekneit, 27, and her husband Sean Byrne, 26, are each facing a felony charge of child abuse resulting in death. Diekneit and baby Walker returned home from the hospital on Sept. 22, and Walker died sometime that night or early morning. In April, three months after the autopsy was completed, arrest warrants were issued for the pair. The Aurora police arrest affidavits allege that the couple was drinking alcohol before sharing a bed with the baby and “ignored the substantial and unjustifiable risk of co-sleeping with Walker while being incapacitated and they were thus unable to check on him.”The 18th Judicial District Attorney’s Office also upped the detective...

Boat ramp at Cherry Creek Reservoir to reopen in time for Memorial Day weekend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:52 GMT

One boat ramp at the Cherry Creek reservoir will open before the Memorial Day weekend, state officials announced Thursday.The west boat ramp will be open ahead of the weekend, Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials said in a posting on Twitter. The east boat ramp at the reservoir remains closed, officials said.Opening the ramp required the removal of debris and cleanup that developed after the recent storm event in early May.The six inches of rain that fell on the park raised the reservoir level by 10 feet, prompting the closure of both boat ramps, the swim beach, and some other park areas, and washed out some park roads.*airhorn noises*Cherry Creek west boat ramp will be open in time for Memorial Day weekend. The East boat ramp remains closed. Hats off to park staff for working hard on debris removal and cleanup!— CPW NE Region (@CPW_NE) May 25, 2023Subscribe to our weekly newsletter, The Adventurist, to get outdoors news sent straight to your inbox.

14 places to see outdoor movies in Denver and the Front Range this summer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:52 GMT

Outdoor summer movies have lots in common with other types of warm-weather fun — namely, that all you need is a blanket, a beverage and a couple of hours to fully enjoy them.Related ArticlesThings To Do | Live-action “Little Mermaid” largely sticks to what worked in the 1989 animated version Things To Do | Summer movie guide: Every highly-anticipated release now through Labor Day Things To Do | A fleshing out of familiar villain helps give “Peter Pan & Wendy” new life | Movie review Things To Do | “Wild Life,” from “Free Solo”‘s Jimmy Chin is a rickety helicopter tour of a fascinating marriage As usual, many of the films on this annual roundup are all-ages appropriate, with new and classic animation and comedy and romance — but also kinetic genre flicks and crowd pleasers.Most are free or cheap, and start around dusk (8:30 p.m.). Some offer family-fri...

Bill to legalize 'magic mushrooms,' other psychedelics in California advances

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:52 GMT

A bill that would decriminalize the possession of some psychedelic substances passed the California State Senate Wednesday and now heads to the State Assembly. Senate Bill 58, which was introduced by Senator Scott Weiner, would allow people age 21 or older to own or prepare "certain hallucinogenic substances," including psilocybin, psilocyn, dimethyltryptamine (DMT), ibogaine, and mescaline.Psilocybin is often referred to as "magic mushrooms."The bill would also repeal laws that prohibit growing "spores or mycelium capable of producing mushrooms or other material which contain psilocybin or psilocyn."SB 58's decriminalization of mescaline specifically excludes peyote derivatives.The bill's author states that peyote use and cultivation will remain a crime because the plant is "nearly endangered" and because of its historical spiritual use by Native Americans.In this Aug. 3, 2007, file photo magic mushrooms are seen in a grow room at the Procare farm in Hazerswoude, central Netherland...

Florencio Lagara-Perez Pronounced Dead in Rollover Crash on Fairview Avenue [Goleta, CA]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:43:52 GMT

Single-Truck Accident near Highway 101 Left 55-Year-Old Santa Barbara Man DeadGOLETA, CA (May 25, 2023) – Early Tuesday morning, a rollover accident involving a single pickup truck left Florencio Lagara-Perez fatally injured.The deadly crash happened around 5:15 a.m. on the Fairview Avenue onramp to Highway 101 in the city of Goleta.According to CHP, a blue 1999 Ford Ranger driven by a 64-year-old Santa Barbara man, entered Fairview Avenue before spinning out of control.Subsequently, the pickup rolled over and landed on its roof on the right shoulder of the roadway.Reports showed several responders arrived at the scene, including CHP officers and paramedics, Santa Barbara County Fire, and American Medical Response.Unfortunately, the first responders declared the passenger dead at the scene. Meanwhile, the Ford driver was transported to a hospital with minor injuries.Later, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s-Coroner’s Office identified the deceased passenger as 55-year-old Flor...