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Sotomayor's staff pushed library, colleges to buy her books: report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:19 GMT

(The Hill) -- Liberal Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s staff pushed colleges and a library to purchase copies of her book when she traveled there for speaking engagements, according to a new investigation from The Associated Press.The AP’s investigation, based on more than 100 public records requests, detailed several ethical dilemmas related to the justices’ regular travel to universities.It noted multiple occasions in which Sotomayor’s taxpayer-funded staff prodded school and library officials to purchase additional copies of the justice’s books. Sotomayor's financial disclosures detail book royalties and advances amounting to hundreds of thousands of dollars paid by her publisher, Penguin Random House, over the years.“For an event with 1000 people and they have to have a copy of Just Ask to get into the line, 250 books is definitely not enough. Families purchase multiples and people will be upset if they are unable to get in line because the book required is sold out,” a S...

Stop driving some 2003 Ram pickups, owners urged after another Takata air bag inflator death

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:19 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Stellantis and the U.S. government are urging the owners of some 2003 Dodge Ram pickups to stop driving them after a passenger was killed by an exploding Takata air bag inflator.The company says owners of the pickups should contact a dealer or the company to find out if their trucks are part of a 2015 Takata recall. Stellantis says the trucks shouldn't be driven until repairs are made.The company says the person was killed in a May 13 crash that caused the air bags to inflate. Neither Stellantis nor the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration would say where the crash happened or identify the victim. The person ”succumbed to a serious injury consistent with those observed in previous Takata inflator failures," Stellantis said in a prepared statement Tuesday.The death is the 26th in the U.S. since May of 2009, and more than 30 people have been killed worldwide. NHTSA said the death was the first due to an exploding front passenger air bag inflator. The rest of t...

Dripping Springs launches website ahead of 2024 total solar eclipse

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:19 GMT

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) -- The city of Dripping Springs will experience two eclipses over the next nine months, and it's preparing for an influx of visitors. An annular solar eclipse will happen on October 14 of this year, and a total solar eclipse will happen on April 8 of next year. The city is preparing through a task force that launched last year and a newly-launched eclipse website. Texas Hill Country prepares for thousands of visitors ahead of total solar eclipse Hotel rooms are booking up or already sold out ahead of next April’s total solar eclipse, officials with the city of Dripping Springs previously told KXAN. The city said in a release that because the city will be in the totality of the April 8 eclipse for three minutes, it expects a significant number of visitors. "While both types of eclipses are exciting, total solar eclipses are rare. Total solar eclipses happen somewhere in the world every 18 months and only happen in the same place approximately every 3...

Former GOP representative announces campaign to retake South Texas seat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:19 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A former U.S. representative announced she'll try to retake her Congressional seat in South Texas that flipped back to blue last year. Mayra Flores, a Republican, released a video on social media Tuesday morning announcing her campaign for U.S. House District 34, which stretches south from Kingsville along the Gulf Coast to the border. It includes communities like Harlingen and Weslaco. Flores briefly held the seat after winning a special election in June 2022, becoming the first Mexican-born woman to serve in Congress and boosting Republican efforts to make gains in the Rio Grande Valley. During the general election in November, though, Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez unseated her despite national Republican groups pouring money into the race. She ended up losing that race by eight percentage points. In a tweet announcing her candidacy Tuesday, she wrote, "We made history last year, but there’s still work to be done here in South Texas. I’m running to help restore ...

Russell's Deli in Ballston Spa up for sale

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:19 GMT

BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Russell Shapiro opened his first Russell's Deli in 1991 in Pleasantville. In 2008, he opened Russell's Deli in the former Quiznos space in Ballston Spa, and the deli just celebrated its 15th anniversary there. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Now, after 43 years in the restaurant business, Shapiro, who operates Russell's Deli with his wife, is looking for someone to buy the place. The deal includes the building and the business for $599,999."We love the business. We love the store. But we're just physically tired. We would like to slow down," said Shapiro. The Scene Coffee & Cocktails opens in Guilderland Shapiro said he's already had some interest in buying the deli. In December, he had an offer that they were considering, but ultimately changed his mind. "I would be nice to see it continue since we've built up such a fabulous business. We're a staple in this town," said Shapiro. "You d...

Ulster County sex offender gets 10 years on child pornography charges

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:19 GMT

HIGHLAND, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A convicted Highland sex offender was sentenced to ten years in prison Tuesday for possession of child pornography. Shawn Wetzel, 39, previously pleaded guilty to charges. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Wetzel previously pled guilty in Georgia to receipt of child pornography and was sentenced to over five and a half years of incarceration. In September 2021, roughly 16 months after his release from prison, probation officers conducted an inspection of Wetzel's home in Ulster County.Per the DOJ, during the inspection, he was found to possess approximately 10 images consistent with child pornography and one video, depicting children as young as 7 years old. After he is released he will be required to serve a 30-year term of post-release supervision.

Lake George music and skate fest returns this fall

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:19 GMT

LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. (NEWS10) - In 2022, a new festival at Charles R. Wood Park brought music and skateboarding to town as the leaves started to turn orange. This year, it's time to get wild again. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The Wild in the Trees Music & Skate Festival is officially coming back to Lake George on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 7-8. The festivities include two days of music, as well as skateboarding contests running through the weekend at the venue's skate park, the Lake George Skate Plaza. The lineup has yet to be announced, but in its second year, the festival and its organizers are thinking big. This year's festival aims to offer a dozen musical acts, up from seven in 2022. The lineup will include a full day of jam bands, followed by a day of rock and metal, according to organizers on Facebook. Food and craft vendors will also populate the park to keep things festive throughout the weekend. Ski patrol f...

Pittsfield man pleads guilty to assault charges

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:19 GMT

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (NEWS10) -- A 32-year-old Pittsfield man was sentenced to 419 days in the House of Corrections for breaking and entering and assaulting a victim. Mathew Marauszwski will also serve two years of probation with the following conditions: mental health and substance treatment as per probation and no drugs and alcohol with random screening. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Marauszwski was accused of breaking into a residence on Bartlett Avenue on September 9, 2021. According to witnesses, the defendant kicked in the door. Police say he attacked a victim inside and was wielding a box cutter.Assistant District Attorney Amy Winston represented the Commonwealth. Tara Jones-Nutting served as the Victim Witness Advocate on behalf of the District Attorney’s Office.

Chick-fil-A sets opening dates for Clifton Park, North Greenbush

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:19 GMT

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Chick-fil-A has announced the opening dates for its two new Capital Region restaurants. Both the Clifton Park and North Greenbush locations are set to open on July 20. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The Clifton Park restaurant, located at 304 Clifton Park Center Road is locally owned and operated by Scott Payne. The North Greenbush restaurant, located at 502 North Greenbush Road is locally owned and operated by Will Potts.“I’m thrilled to finally open the doors of Chick-fil-A Clifton Park Center and welcome the community into our restaurant so they can experience firsthand Chick-fil-A’s signature hospitality and delicious food,” said Payne. “I want to thank my entire team, as well as the community, for the continued excitement and for helping make this possible. The wait is now over!”  Fidens Brewing soft launching Albany taproom “The Rensselaer community has shown tremendous support and ex...

Loudonville man sentenced for cocaine distribution conspiracy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:19 GMT

LOUDONVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Loudonville man was sentenced to five years in prison today for his part in a cocaine distribution conspiracy in the Capital Region. Jesus Baez, 32, previously pleaded guilty to charges. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), Baez admitted to conspiracy to distribute cocaine and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. As part of his plea, he admitted that between June 2021 and December 2021, in Albany and Rensselaer Counties, he and three others engaged in a conspiracy to ship cocaine from Puerto Rico to the Capital Region.Per the DOJ, the cocaine was shipped via U.S. mail in one-kilogram bricks and was taken to a stash house maintained by Baez on Fifth Avenue in Troy. From there, it was processed for distribution with other drugs. Road closure in Cohoes Per the DOJ, Baez will serve a four-year term of supervised release. The term will begin onc...