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‘Ridiculous’: White House rejects espionage charges against Wall Street Journal reporter

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:32 GMT

The White House on Thursday rejected espionage charges made by Russia against Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich, calling the claims “ridiculous.”“What I can say is the charges against him are ridiculous, we have been very clear about that,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters Thursday. “Those are ridiculous and they’re not accurate.”Jean-Pierre would not answer a question about whether Gershkovich has ever worked for the United States government. Russia has claimed Gershkovich was acting on orders from the United States to “collect information about the activities of one of the enterprises of the Russian military industrial complex that constitutes a state secret.”The Journal has also rejected the allegations that Gershkovich was conducting espionage.Jean-Pierre said a process conducted within the State Department would determine if  Gershkovich would be designated as wrongfully detained.“We have to make sure that we get the information. The most impor...

2 wanted in connection with fatal shooting of 14-year-old

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:32 GMT

BERKELEY, Mo. - Two young men are wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of a Berkeley teenager.The shooting happened outside a home in the 6800 block of Larry Lane on the evening of Sunday, March 26. Police found the 14-year-old victim on the front lawn with a gunshot wound to his chest.Berkeley police requested the help of the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis. Within days, investigators identified two suspects: Taivion Kirk and LA'Marrion Mathews, both 18.The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office has charged both Kirk and Mathews with first-degree assault and armed criminal action.Kirk and Mathews should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information on their whereabouts should contact their nearest law enforcement agency.

Adam Wainwright surprises on Opening Day b singing the national anthem!

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:32 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Adam Wainwright has spent a lot of Opening Days on the mound (six to be exact). For his final one as a player, he drew an assignment he has never had for a St. Louis Cardinals home opener. Wainwright landed on the injured list last week, so he couldn't pitch in the home opener. Instead, he traded his glove for a microphone. To the surprise of the Busch Stadium crowd, he sang the National Anthem. The 41-year-old recently discovered his passion for music and he's challenged himself to take on new heights. He produced 17 studio recordings over the offseason and put on a charity concert through Big League Impact in January. RELATED - What to know for the 2023 St. Louis Cardinals home opener Wainwright's performance of the Star-Spangled Banner followed an electric violin performance of O' Canada to welcome the Toronto Blue Jays. Before that, tens of thousands of fans enjoyed a pregame ceremony with Clydesdales, Cardinals Hall of Famers and car escorts for the Opening Day r...

More information released after small plane crashes in rural Illinois

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:32 GMT

LINCOLN, Ill. (WMBD) - More information has been released by the Federal Aviation Administration(FAA) Thursday after a small plane crashed in Lincoln Wednesday.According to the FAA, two people on board the plane were sent to a hospital in Springfield with non-life-threatening injuries. FAA: Two people on board small plane crash in Lincoln The fixed-wing single-engine aircraft crashed southwest of Logan County airport next to Open Arms Christian Fellowship at approximately 7:30 p.m. Wednesday.The two people in the airplane were completing proficiency training through touch and go's. That's when they take off and land the plane multiple times. On their final touch and go, the plane crashed less than a half mile away from the airport which was its destination.The pilot of the plane was certified and the passenger was a flight instructor.The lead pastor at the church, Larry Crawford, saw the incident and said it was a miracle they are both alive."It looks like the plane what it did wa...

Diversity debate dominates House action on Missouri state budget

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:32 GMT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Missouri Democrats argued Thursday that restrictive language barring the state from spending tax dollars on diversity and inclusion initiatives threatens to close charter schools, interrupt delivery of medical services and could even force the Capitol Building to go dark.Each of the 13 bills spending $45.6 billion to run state government in the year beginning July 1 includes the language, as does the supplemental budget bill spending $2 billion to maintain state operations through the end of the current fiscal year.Sponsored by Rep. Doug Richey, R-Excelsior Springs, as floor amendments during initial debate Tuesday, the sweeping language became the focus of hours of debate Thursday as the House sent the budget to the Senate.In a speech defending the language, Richey said it was intended to prevent preferential treatment in state agencies. The goal, he said, is to root out any attempt to implement concepts of critical race theory in state government programs.In ...

Fans packed downtown for Cardinals Opening Day

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:32 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Fans filled up downtown St. Louis Thursday afternoon, enjoying the baseball season opening at home for the Cardinals.The pep rally kicked off at Kiener Plaza with games, music, and a few of your favorite KPLR and KTVI personalities stopping by, the city was alive Thursday afternoon before the game.Tickets are still available for the game against the Toronto Blue Jays this weekend, and offering promotional giveaways. Top Stories: Man accused of plowing into officers should not have been driving Fans were also quick to make their way to the ever-expanding Ballpark Village to continue the celebration of what is certainly viewed as a local holiday for many.This season featured great matchups like the Blue Jays, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Angels of Anaheim, to name a few of the teams that 2023 promises to bring to Busch Stadium.With temperatures in the upper 60s and sunshine in St. Louis, all was well as this baseball town awakened from its winter slumber.“I...

RTD’s commuter rail partners appeal ruling that denied $100 million-plus claim

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:32 GMT

The contracting team that built three commuter-rail lines for the Regional Transportation District filed an appeal Thursday of a court ruling denying its claim for the transit agency to cover nearly $112 million in unexpected costs.Denver Transit Partners’ 2018 lawsuit stemmed from problems with crossing-gate technology that delayed the opening of the G-Line and required flaggers at active rail crossings on the A- and B-Lines for more than two years. In a ruling issued Feb. 10, Denver District Judge Andrew P. McCallin, who presided over a late-2020 civil trial, found that DTP had shouldered the risk that it would face difficulties winning regulatory approval for the problem-plagued warning system.The judge, at the same time, also rejected RTD’s counter-claims for $27 million in damages.The contracting team’s lawyers have asked the Colorado Court of Appeals to review some of the judge’s findings and interpretations of the partnership contract.Related ArticlesT...

Avs’ Bo Byram after missed opportunity to overtake Minnesota in Central: “We’ll remember this one down the road”

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:32 GMT

Presented with a chance to take first place in the Central on Wednesday night at Ball Arena, the Avalanche faltered in the biggest home game of the year.The Avs turned in a sloppy first period that led to a few players getting called out by coach Jared Bednar for being “passengers” in an eventual 4-2 loss to the Minnesota Wild that also saw Colorado’s 12-game power play scoring streak snapped.The result will provide plenty of notes and adjustments for Bednar to put in his back pocket for a potential playoff matchup with the Wild down the line. With only eight games left in the regular season, the Avs would currently face the Dallas Stars in the first round, with the winner possibly meeting Minnesota in the second round.“(Minnesota is) a hard-working team that’s committed on both sides of it,” Bednar said. “They don’t need a lot of chances to score goals. They’re on a heater now — 16-1-4 — and you can’t make mistakes against...

Wildfire burning in Elbert County near Simla threating at least 500 acres; evacuations underway

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:32 GMT

A wildfire is burning in Elbert County near Simla where a red flag warning for fire danger has been posted.Simla Colorado. South of aHwy 24. Wildland fire. 1 structure lost. Multi Mutual Aid requested. Air support ordered.#cofire#cowxRed Flag Warning— Live Events (@coeventslive) March 30, 2023According to a tweet from the Elbert County Office of Emergency Management, the large fire is threatening approximately 500 – 700 acres south of Simla.FIRE REPORTED SOUTH OF SIMLAThere is currently a large wildfire burning south of Simla threatening approximately 500-700 acres. Evacuation of the town of Simla is in effect. There is a shelter located at the Elbert County Fairgrounds at 95 Ute Ave, Kiowa, CO. pic.twitter.com/DFYzbYXH6x— Elbert County OEM (@ElbertCountyOEM) March 30, 2023The fire is described as a grass fire, and some residents in the area have been evacuated, said Lt. Karla Schmidt of the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office. El Paso County is assisting Elbert ...

FBI documents give new view into Las Vegas shooter's mindset

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:25:32 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — The high-stakes gambler who opened fire on a concert crowd on the Las Vegas Strip in 2017, killing 60 and injuring hundreds more, was apparently angry over how the casinos were treating him despite his high-roller status, according to a fellow gambler whose interview with the FBI is detailed in hundreds of pages of documents made public this week.The revelation comes years after the FBI in Las Vegas and the local police department concluded their investigations without a definitive motive, although both agencies said gunman Stephen Paddock burned through more than $1.5 million, became obsessed with guns, and distanced himself from his girlfriend and family in the months leading up to the massacre.In a statement Thursday, Las Vegas police defended their inconclusive findings and dismissed the importance of the documents released this week in response to an open-records request from the Wall Street Journal.“We were unable to determine a motive for the shooter,” the st...