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Lobbyist gets 2 years in prison for Michigan marijuana bribery scheme

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:41 GMT

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A lobbyist responsible for $42,000 in bribes given to the head of a Michigan marijuana licensing board was sentenced Wednesday to two years in federal prison.Brian Pierce cooperated with investigators in bagging the big target, Rick Johnson, who was formerly known as a powerful Republican lawmaker before leading the marijuana board in 2017-19.The board reviewed and approved applications to grow and sell marijuana for medical purposes. Johnson was recently sentenced to more than four years in prison for accepting $110,000 when he was in charge.Pierce, a lobbyist and consultant for politicians and the marijuana industry, was greedy and in a “dark place” when he conspired to bribe Johnson, defense attorney Ben Gonek said in a court filing.Prosecutors said Pierce’s corruption included paying a Detroit stripper $2,000 to have sex with Johnson.“Pierce’s bribes corrupted the process for the state’s issuance of licenses for businesses to operate in a n...

Q&A: Errol Morris on his John le Carré documentary ‘The Pigeon Tunnel’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:41 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Errol Morris has just sat down with a reporter when his wife calls.“I’m being deposed,” Morris says, smiling, into his phone. “I hope that it’s going to turn into a criminal investigation, but I believe it’s just an interview.”Morris, the veteran documentarian of “The Thin Blue Line,”“The Fog of War” and “The Unknown Known,” knows a thing or two about interviews. He famously invented a contraption called “The Interrotron” to capture face-to-face eye contact on camera.In his latest film, “The Pigeon Tunnel,” Morris sits down with the celebrated spy novelist John le Carré, the enigmatic author of “The Spy Who Came in From the Cold” and “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy.” The interviews were conducted shortly before the author’s death in 2020 at the age of 89. Their exchange probes the life and work of le Carré, whose real name was David Cornwell, and who as a former British intelligent agent was, himself, expert in conducting interrogations. The film, which opens Friday...

Man charged with bringing gun to Wisconsin Capitol arrested again for concealed carry violation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:41 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A man who twice brought guns to the Wisconsin state Capitol and demanded to see Gov. Tony Evers has been arrested again on suspicion of a concealed carry violation he allegedly committed that same night, the governor’s administration said Wednesday.Joshua Pleasnick, 43, of Madison, entered the Capitol on the afternoon of Oct. 4 without a shirt, guiding a dog on a leash and openly carrying a holstered handgun, according to prosecutors and investigators. He approached Evers’ office and demanded to speak with the governor. Evers wasn’t in the building at the time.Pleasnick was arrested, booked and released on bail. According to prosecutors, he returned to the Capitol that same night with an AK-style semi-automatic rifle and a police baton in his backpack. He again demanded to see Evers but the building was already closed. He was taken into custody again that same night and was formally charged this Monday with openly carrying a firearm in a public build...

Neymar’s next chapter is off to a difficult start as Ronaldo and Messi continue to lead the way

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:41 GMT

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — In what has become an all-too familiar sight, Neymar left the soccer field in tears after yet another injury.Quite a contrast to Lionel Messi’s smiles at Inter Miami and Cristiano Ronaldo’s reenergized success with Portugal.Neymar hurt his knee in the first half of Brazil’s 2-0 World Cup qualifying loss at Uruguay on Tuesday. Now he, Brazil and Saudi club Al Hilal face an anxious wait to learn the extent of the damage.At the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, a knee to the back from Colombia defender Juan Zuniga in the quarterfinals ruled Neymar out of the tournament with a fractured vertebra. Then last year in Qatar, there were more tears when Neymar feared an ankle injury would cut his tournament short. Instead, it was a loss to Croatia in the quarterfinals that prematurely ended his bid to win soccer’s biggest trophy.Ronaldo and Messi turned the Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best player into a personal duel at the height o...

Democrat Katrina Christiansen announces her 2nd bid for North Dakota US Senate seat

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:41 GMT

Democrat Katrina Christiansen has launched a second bid for one of North Dakota’s U.S. Senate seats.Christiansen is an assistant engineering professor at the University of Jamestown. She ran for U.S. Senate in 2022 against Republican incumbent John Hoeven, who won a third term with 56% of the vote to Christiansen’s 25% and independent candidate Rick Becker’s 18%.“North Dakotans deserve strong, principled leadership that prioritizes their needs, and I am fully prepared to take on that responsibility,” Christiansen said in a statement. “People are tired of the chaos and lack of results coming from Washington.”She is seeking the seat held by Republican U.S. Sen. Kevin Cramer, who has not announced whether he will seek a second term, The Bismarck Tribune reported on Wednesday.Cramer was the state’s sole congressman in 2018 when he beat Democratic U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp in one of the most closely watched Senate races that year.Heitkamp’s 2012 Senate run wa...

Wednesday Forecast: Temps in upper 60s with few showers late

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:41 GMT

CHICAGO — Increasing clouds Wednesday with milder conditions and a chance of late afternoon showers. Winds: S 5-10 mph. High: 68. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storms here Cloudy and breezy tonight with showers/t'storms likely. Wind: S 10-20, G30 mph. Low 53.Thursday Forecast: Rain at times and breezy. Winds: SSW 5-15 mph. High 62. Extended outlook calls for showers and breaks of sun on Friday with a high of 62. Still a few lingering showers are possible into Saturday. But partly sunny skies look to win out by the afternoon with a high in the upper 50s. Mid to upper 50s on Sunday with a bit more sunshine. Next week we're looking dry on Monday with highs back to near 60. Warmer on Tuesday with highs likely back upu to near 70. Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog

P. Terry's opens burger stand in Bastrop

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:41 GMT

BASTROP, Texas (KXAN) -- P. Terry's celebrated the launch of its 31st location in Central Texas this week with its newest burger stand in Bastrop.The drive-thru only location opened at 484 W. State Highway 71 for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night offerings, company officials said in the release. The Bastrop P. Terry's Burger Stand officially opened Wednesday, officials added. What’s the secret sauce behind P. Terry’s Texas growth? “We’re thrilled to be a part of this thriving community,” P. Terry's CEO Todd Coerver said in the release. “We look forward to serving the fine folks of Bastrop for many years to come.”The Bastrop location is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 7 a.m. to midnight on Fridays and Saturdays. More details on the new location are available online.

Artificial turf business 'doubles' after dry summer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:41 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Coming off of a hot and dry summer that won't be our last, people are looking for new ways to save water and at the same time keep their grass green.Coming after a very hot and dry summer with tight water restrictions. The idea of artificial turf that you don't have to water might sound appealing.That idea seems to be spreading."Over double from last year to this year is what we've done in business so far," said Patrick Walthall, owner and operator of Lone Star Turf."Typically, we do have a slower season in the wintertime. As of right now. It's not looking like that's going to happen this year," added Walthall.In fact, he says his business gets busier when it rains a lot or hardly at all.According to Walthall, "I think the hotter and drier it gets. And also the wetter it gets. Mud is a huge deal."The turf he installs is made of polypropylene, but putting green surfaces are made of nylon to allow the ball to roll.Artificial turf can be expensive,Walthall quoted, "An ...

Longhorns culture tested after loss to Oklahoma

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:41 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Texas started the season with an impressive 5-0 record that had them ranked No. 3 in the country. The Longhorns attributed their success in large part to an improved culture.That hot start and the ensuing momentum were stopped with a crushing defeat at the Cotton Bowl against Oklahoma. Now, after a bye week following the loss, that culture really gets tested. Bye week ahead of Houston game comes at right time for No. 8 Texas "That's when a lot more eyes - if they weren't on you at first they are now," said senior linebacker Jaylan Ford about Texas reacting to a loss. "Everybody is wanting to see how we'll respond. How we'll bounce back."The Longhorns actually moved up a spot in the Associated Press Top 25 to No. 8 during the bye week. The open weekend provided a reset for some players and what they say is a renewed focus."We didn't look at the [Oklahoma] game as something that's going to make or break us," said Longhorns senior linebacker David Gbenda. "We looked a...

Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks named NFC defensive player of the week

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:29:41 GMT

Vikings linebacker Jordan Hicks has been named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts against the Chicago Bears last Sunday.There’s a good chance the Vikings don’t earn the 19-13 win over the Bears without Hicks’ heroics.He led the Vikings with 10 tackles, intercepted a pass at a key moment and also returned a fumble 42 yards for a touchdown. It was the first time a Vikings player had an interception and returned a fumble for a touchdown in the same game since former safety Orlando Thomas did it against the Detroit Lions on Nov. 23, 1995.Asked about both splash plays, defensive coordinator Brian Flores heaped praise on Hicks for stepping up when the Vikings needed it most.The interception came shortly before halftime, as Hicks calmly located a ball floating in the air, then tracked it down to make the catch.“Almost baseball-like in center field,” Flores said of Hicks’ interception. “That’s an unusual play in our game. It does...