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Boulder Police Oversight Panel to vote on suspending operations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:36 GMT

Boulder’s Police Oversight Panel will vote Wednesday on whether to suspend its operations temporarily after City Council voted 5-2 last week to remove panelist Lisa Sweeney-Miran.The ouster came amid a months-long controversy over Sweeney-Miran’s appointment to the panel earlier this year, and the decision to remove her was seen by some as overriding the voices of the POP selection committee and communities of color who nominated Sweeney-Miran for the position.In a written statement after Thursday’s vote, Sweeney-Miran and her attorney, Dan Williams, said the decision was “unlawful and unethical” and that the POP’s appointment process had turned into “a circus.”Less than three weeks prior, an independent investigator hired to investigate several code of conduct complaints against the POP selection committee ruled that the committee had not adequately evaluated Sweeney-Miran, who had previously made social media posts criticizing police for “real or perceived bias.” Before her appoin...

Dacono city staff purchases ballots for recall election despite council’s inaction

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:36 GMT

Dacono city staff members had to take matters into their own hands and order ballots for the upcoming recall election after the City Council failed to authorize the purchase.During its April 24 meeting, the Dacono City Council narrowly voted to hire Wilson Williams LLP as special counsel for the June 27 recall election and to rent election equipment for $8,452.However, when it came time to vote on purchasing ballots for the recall, the council no longer had a quorum after Mayor Pro-Tem Kathryn Wittman and Councilmembers Danny Long, Jim Turini and Jackie Thomas abruptly left the meeting out of frustration.In accordance with the city’s charter, Turini and Thomas were not allowed to vote on the agenda items pertaining to their own recall. The charter says, “No elected official shall vote on any question concerning the official’s own conduct.”Turini and Thomas will face a recall for allegedly violating Colorado open meetings law on Feb. 13 when they, along with Wittman and Long, voted t...

Hiker from Los Angeles missing in Joshua Tree National Park

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:36 GMT

A Los Angeles man is missing after going on a hike in Joshua Tree National Park late last month, officials said.Trammell Evans, 25, was dropped off at Black Rock Campground on April 30 and was supposed to be picked up on May 5, but he was not there.Evans had planned to hike from Black Rock to Geology Tour Road, then back to Black Rock via the California Riding and Hiking Trail, park officials said in a news release.He was reported missing that same day and park rangers and the Joshua Tree Search and Rescue Team responded immediately.The search team is made up of highly trained trackers, searchers and climbers who are familiar with the area, officials said. Park officials are also working with the Bureau of Land Management and the California Highway Patrol amid the ongoing search.Evans is described as being an athletic and experienced long-distance hiker who is familiar with the sprawling desert park.He is 6 feet 3 inches tall, weighs 190 pounds, has brown eyes and brown/red hair and...

Vacant home burns in East Hollywood

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:36 GMT

A fire tore through a vacant home in East Hollywood Tuesday morning.The blaze in the 1100 block of North Berendo Street was reported at 9:19 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department."Heavy fire" emanated from the one-story structure, fire officials added. Footage shared to the Citizen app showed a large column of smoke that was visible from miles around.Initial reports did not include any injuries to firefighters or civilians.

Despite security fixes, Hyundai and Kia thefts keep rising

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:36 GMT

Nearly three months ago, Hyundai and Kia unveiled software that was designed to thwart an epidemic of thefts of their vehicles, caused by a security flaw that was exposed on TikTok and other social media sites.So far, it hasn’t solved the problem. Across the country, thieves are still driving off with the vehicles at an alarming rate.Data from seven U.S. cities gathered by The Associated Press shows that the number of Hyundai and Kia thefts is still growing despite the companies' efforts to fix the glitch, which makes 8.3 million vehicles relatively easy targets for thieves. Hyundai, Kia update security after TikTok challenge thefts From Minneapolis, Cleveland and St. Louis to New York, Seattle, Atlanta and Grand Rapids, Michigan, police have reported substantial year-over-year increases in Hyundai and Kia theft reports through April. An eighth city, Denver, which was hit early by the theft outbreak, reported a 23% decline from 2022 levels but still endured a high number of thefts...

Utah mom accused of killing husband with fentanyl, wrote grief book following death

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:36 GMT

A Utah woman who wrote a children's book about coping with grief following the death of her husband has been charged with murder, according to court documents obtained by KTLA sister station KTVX.Kouri Richins was arrested on May 8 in Summit County for aggravated murder and three counts of possession of drugs with intent to distribute, court records show. The alleged murder occurred on March 3, 2022, a day before Richins' husband, Eric Richins, died "unexpectedly," per his obituary. He and Kouri were married for nine years and had three young sons together.Kouri Richins appears on KTVX in Salt Lake City, Utah. (KTVX)This photo provided by KPCW.org shows Kouri Richins at the KPCW studio in Park City, Utah, April 12, 2023. Richins was arrested on Monday, May 8, in Utah and is accused in charging documents of poisoning her husband with a lethal dose of fentanyl at their home in Kamas, a small mountain town near Park City. (KPCW.org via AP)According to court documents, Eric was found de...

Desert Fungi: Canyon Creek Mushrooms Are Feeding The Coachella Valley

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:36 GMT

When snowbird Jim Shaffer emigrated from his frigid Michigan roots to the warm breezes of the Coachella Valley, the only thing he really missed was finding fresh mushrooms to satisfy his love for fungi. After spending a few hundred hours on YouTube, he created his own farm in a spare bedroom, and within three years, his Canyon Creek Mushrooms could hardly keep up with the desert demand.The one-room operation started in 2019, when Shaffer built his first fruiting room in his garage, followed by an incubation room and a lab. What was just meant to be a source of fresh fungi for family and friends, Canyon Creek Mushrooms outgrew its garage-based farm and moved into its current 4,500-square-foot facility in Palm Desert in 2021.“When most people think of mushrooms, they think of dark caves and manure;  that’s so not us,” Shaffer tells L.A. Weekly in the sterile climate-controlled fruiting chamber located in an industrial section of the Washington Business Park. Jim Shaffer at Canyon Cree...

10 Facts About Memorial Day You May Or May Not Know

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:36 GMT

Memorial Day is a day of remembrance and honor for those who have died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. It’s a time for Americans to pay tribute to the brave men and women who have sacrificed everything to defend our freedoms. But did you know that there are some fascinating and little-known facts about this national holiday? From its origins to its traditions, Memorial Day has a rich history that many people are unaware of. Read the full article on our sister site, the Fort Bend Star, here. Advertising disclosure: We may receive compensation for some of the links in our stories. Thank you for supporting LA Weekly and our advertisers.The post 10 Facts About Memorial Day You May Or May Not Know appeared first on LA Weekly.

Robert Miller Killed in Pedestrian Accident on State Route 246 [Buellton, CA]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:36 GMT

Pedestrian Crash Near Casino Drive Kills 69-Year-Old Solvang ManBUELLTON, CA (May 9, 2023) – Friday midnight, a pedestrian crash on State Route 246 claimed the life of Robert Miller.The incident happened around 12:00 a.m., along the eastbound State Route 246, just west of Casino Drive.According to reports, Miller was wearing dark clothing as he traveled on foot across State Route 246. At that time, a 2011 Ford pickup was traveling on the westbound lanes of the highway as Miller was crossing its path. The driver of the Ford attempted to stop but could not do it in time, striking Miller, leaving him with serious injuries.Responding paramedics transported 69-year-old Robert Miller of Solvang to a local hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.The California Highway Patrol said the involved driver was uninjured.In addition, Chumash Casino provided a surveillance video from the establishment that captured the collision.No words can mend the broken hearts and sorrow felt during t...

Lolo Zouai Wants to Play

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:36 GMT

Lolo Zouai Wants to Play: The last time we saw Zouaï, she was opening for Dua Lipa at the massive Kia Forum. She certainly didn’t look out of place that day, wowing somebody else’s crowd in an arena setting. The day when she headlines such a place might not be too far away, especially considering the quality of last year’s PLAYGIRL album. This is the latest stop on The Playgirl Tour, so expect her to pull out all the stops. Amelia Moore also performs.“This whole album is about not boxing myself into any one genre or sound,” she said in a statement. “Once I had that revelation – that my album could be like my life itself – it unlocked an entirely new outlook on making music for me.”Of that show at the Forum, we said last year, “Lolo Zouaï was born in Paris and raised in San Francisco and, as a result, she sings in a combination of French and English. Like, literally, she switched languages within the same song. It made for some fascinating musical moments, particularly on excel...