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Four St. Louis men charged over fake checks in vehicle sale scheme

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:35 GMT

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. - Four St. Louis men face felony charges in connection with a vehicle sale scheme through which they allegedly used fake cashier’s checks to buy vehicles from private sellers online and resold the vehicles for profit.An 11-count federal indictment charges Alen Saric, 35, Valentino Colic, 32, Emad Hasanbegovic, 33, and Almir Palic, 24. All four are accused of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft. Colic and Saric are also charged with interstate transportation of stolen goods for allegedly transferring the vehicles from Illinois to Missouri. St. Louis police warn of surge in carjackings and break-ins According to court documents, the four men participated in a scheme to defraud people attempting to sell their vehicles on Facebook and Craigslist from 2018 until August 2023. They reportedly used fake cashier's checks to acquire the vehicles. Once the men possessed a vehicle, they would then resell the vehicle to another person for cash be...

Steinberg Skating Rink opens for new season this weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:35 GMT

ST. LOUIS - While it may not feel too much like ice skating weather yet, winter is right around the corner, and Steinberg Skating Rink at Forest Park is set to open this weekend. Crews spent Thursday working on some last-minute preparations. The outdoor rink opens this Friday, Nov. 17, and it will stay open through early March.A long-time tradition for many in the area, Steinberg has dealt with challenges in preparing for this season, like fluctuating temperatures. Thankfully, they have decades of experience and proper training to tackle seasonably warm temperatures. Ex-St. Louis postal worker admits to depositing checks from stolen mail Steinberg Ice Skating is a staple for many this time of year, especially for Charlie S., who comes here more than once during the season. He says his favorite thing to do at Steinberg is to skate fast. "With Steinberg being the Midwest’s largest outdoor ice skating rink, how could you not skate fast," he said. Hours at the rink vary throughout the...

Sullivan Farms Christmas Trees gears up high demand

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:35 GMT

BALLWIN, Mo. - We're one week away from Thanksgiving, but it's almost time for families to start picking out their perfect Christmas trees. At Sullivan Farms Christmas Trees in Ballwin, organizers have been working all afternoon to prepare for their grand opening on Saturday. “We’ve got a lot of trees already here. We've got two more truckloads coming. One’s coming today, and we’ll be ready to go on Saturday,” said Lynn Sullivan, the owner of Sullivan Farms Christmas Trees.  St. Louis police warn of surge in carjackings and break-ins Sullivan says they’ll have plenty of trees, with new truck loads continuing to come over the next few weeks, but some sizes are harder to get than others. “Eight to nine are hard to get. That’s probably the hardest size. Eight to nine,” he said. “If you’re wanting a tall tree, 12-to-20-foot tree, you need to come early. Like at least the first week.” With the cost of the trees from farmers, as well as the increased cost to get them here, the price tag...

Colorado sergeant who OKed use of force against Christian Glass sentenced to probation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:35 GMT

A former Clear Creek County sheriff’s sergeant will not serve any jail time for his role in the killing of 22-year-old Christian Glass, a Boulder man who was shot by police after he called 911 for help while stuck on the side of the road and experiencing a mental health crisis.Kyle Gould, 37, pleaded guilty to failing to intervene in the excessive use of force by another officer in Clear Creek district court on Wednesday.He was sentenced to two years of probation and a $1,000 fine for the misdemeanor charge. Gould must withdraw his Colorado Peace Officer Standards and Training certification and is barred from ever working as a law enforcement officer or security personnel under the plea deal.Gould was initially charged with criminally negligent homicide and reckless endangerment after he and former Clear Creek Sheriff’s Deputy Andrew Buen were indicted by a grand jury in November 2022.Buen pleaded not guilty to second-degree murder, reckless endangerment and official misconduct on N...

Serena Williams and Ruby Bridges to be inducted into National Women’s Hall of Fame

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:35 GMT

By CAROLYN THOMPSON (Associated Press)Serena Williams and Ruby Bridges will be inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame next year, the hall announced Thursday, adding the tennis great and civil rights icon to a previously announced list of women to be honored during Women’s History Month in March. “The 2024 inductee class has broken barriers, challenged the status quo, and left an impact on history,” the Hall of Fame said in its announcement.Eight other honorees were announced in the spring. Williams and Bridges became available after the date and location of the ceremony were changed, a spokesman said. Williams, 42, is a 23-time Grand Slam tennis champion who holds the record for the longest player ranked No. 1. She retired from tennis last year and earlier this month became the first athlete to win the Fashion Icon award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Bridges, 69, was a 6-year-old first-grader when she became one of the first Blac...

Man allegedly points rifle at West Hollywood charter school employee

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:35 GMT

A man was taken into custody after allegedly pointing a rifle at a public school employee in West Hollywood Thursday morning, authorities said.The incident unfolded at the Larchmont Charter School campus at 4900 Wilshire Blvd.According to Los Angeles Police, the suspect brandished the rifle, prompting the school to go on lockdown and notify parents through its emergency alert system.The suspect, whose identity was not immediately released, was arrested a short time later in the Hollywood area.“There are no reported injuries and no active threat to the community,” police said.KTLA footage from the scene showed Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Deputies blocking several lanes of travel on Wilshire Boulevard and interviewing witnesses.It's unclear if the suspect was connected to the school.“I heard from my wife that the staff did an amazing job keeping kids safe and calm,” said Olga Lavtar, whose son and daughter attend Larchmont. “I’m glad everybody’s okay.”

Amazon has nearly everything. Now it's adding cars

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:35 GMT

You can already buy almost anything on Amazon. Beginning next year, the e-commerce behemoth will add cars to its product lineup.Hyundai will be the first brand offered."Hyundai is a very innovative company that shares Amazon’s passion for trying to make customers’ lives better and easier every day," Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, said in a statement."Our broad, strategic partnership should do just that, from changing the ease with which customers can buy vehicles online to making it simple to use Alexa in Hyundai vehicles for entertainment, shopping, smart home adjustments and calendar checks."Cars have been sold online for years. But when Amazon enters a market, it tends to dominate. And millions of consumers are already comfortable shopping on the site.Amazon says buyers will be able purchase their vehicle online and then either pick it up at a local dealer or have it delivered."Customers will be able to search on Amazon for available vehicles in their area based on a range of preferences...

Former LAPD commissioner auctioning off typewriters used by Hemingway, Unabomber

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:35 GMT

Businessman and former Los Angeles Police Department Commissioner Steve Soboroff is selling some of his rare and most prized possessions: typewriters.The philanthropist and business developer is auctioning off his collection of typewriters used by some of America's greatest — and most notorious — writers.Typewriters in the collection include those used by Ernest Hemingway, Truman Capote and the Unabomber Ted Kaczynski. A typewriter once belonging to Tom Hanks — another prominent collector of the anachronistic technology — is also included in the auction lot.Heritage Auctions has been hired to list the items and coordinate the auction. Lost footage of Walt among Disney artifacts included in auction A portion of the auction’s proceeds will go toward the Jim Murray Memorial Foundation, a favorite nonprofit of Soboroff's, which funds scholarships for undergraduate journalism students.Murray, the Pulitzer Prize-winning sportswriter for the Los Angeles Times, sparked Soboroff'...

Man Pronounced Dead after Big-Rig Collision on Lamb Boulevard [Las Vegas, NV]

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:35 GMT

49-Year-Old Man Fatally Struck in Semi-Truck Crash near St. Louis AvenueLAS VEGAS, NV (November 16, 2023) – One man died Tuesday night in a semi-truck crash on Lamb Boulevard and St. Louis Avenue on November 7th.Police responded to the scene just before 1:10 p.m., after receiving multiple dispatch calls.According to reports, the 49-year-old male driver of a northbound Nissan collided with an International 4700 truck. Investigators say the truck driver failed to yield the right of way and turned left onto St. Louis Avenue. As a result, the Nissan and truck crashed at the intersection.Paramedics arrived and took the man driving the Nissan, only described as 49-years-old, to Sunrise Hospital and Medical Center where he later died.Moreover, the truck driver remained in the area and cooperated with officers. Emergency crews closed off the surrounding area for a brief time during clearing operations.The team at Sweet James sends out their heartfelt sympathies to the friends and fami...

Woman Fatally Struck in Pedestrian Accident on Interstate 5 [Lacey, WA]

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:25:35 GMT

33-Year-Old Woman Pronounced Dead after Pedestrian Collision near Carpenter RoadLACEY, WA (November 16, 2023) – A pedestrian accident claimed the life of one woman Monday night on Interstate 5. The fatal incident transpired at approximately 6:00 p.m. on November 6th, in the northbound lanes of the freeway near Carpenter Road.According to officials, the driver of a vehicle was heading towards Carpenter Road in the middle northbound lane of Interstate 5. The circumstances leading to the incident are currently under investigation, but it was reported that the female pedestrian unexpectedly walked into the path of the oncoming vehicle.The collision resulted in life-threatening injuries to the woman. Despite the efforts of paramedics, the 33-year-old pedestrian was later pronounced dead.Meanwhile, the driver remained at the scene, cooperating with the investigation. No signs of impairment were observed, and no charges were filed against the driver.To facilitate the clearing of the ...