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David French: How Christians and drag queens are defending the First Amendment

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:39 GMT

I’m mostly done with my legal career. In 2015, after more than 20 years of full-time litigation, I hung up my courtroom spurs and moved into the world of writing and thinking for a living. But every now and then, I re-enter the fray. Last year, I wrote an amicus brief in a case called 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis, arguing that a wedding website designer had a First Amendment right not to speak. And last week the Supreme Court reached a decision in the case, ruling for the website designer and holding that the state of Colorado could not require her to design websites that, for example, celebrated same-sex weddings.This case was not, as it has been widely described, about whether a website designer could refuse gay customers.That would be both illegal and immoral, and I would not participate in such a case.Indeed, the parties stipulated that the web designer, Lorie Smith, was “‘willing to work with all people regardless of classifications such as race, creed, sexual orientation and gen...

Two arrested following vehicle, foot pursuit

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:39 GMT

COHOES, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Law enforcement was involved in a vehicle pursuit and foot chase in the early hours of Sunday morning. Trevon McBee, 28, of Watervliet, and Shamod Murray, 30, of Troy, were arrested and taken into custody. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! According to the Cohoes Police, patrols were notified of a vehicle pursuit in Troy. Patrol units observed the suspected vehicle enter Roulier Heights in Cohoes. While police conducted a traffic stop, McBee exited the moving vehicle and attempted to flee on foot. He was taken into custody and officers recovered a loaded .22 caliber Sentinel R-100 revolver. The driver, Murray, was taken into custody on vehicle and traffic law violations.McBee was charged with criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree and obstructing governmental administration in the second degree. Murray was charged with aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle in the third degr...

Lark Street Infrastructure Project delayed

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:39 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - The Lark Street makeover that is supposed to increase safety is slowly taking shape and NEWS10 speaking with Lark Street businesses to check in with progress and how they are feeling about the project that was approved back in 2020. Mixed feelings as Lark St. makeover set to start in April The Lark Street Infrastructure Project was supposed to have already begun but is being pushed back to early August in order to give more time for public comment.NEWS10 reporter James De La Fuente took a walk down Lark Street with Patrick Noonan, Chairman of Lark Street BID, who talked about the improvement plans.“This project, from its inception, was always designed to create a more safer Lark Street mostly for pedestrians, but also for motorists while keeping the design elements that we have in mind in place,” said Noonan.According to the Lark Street Infrastructure Project website, the project will also include many upgrades such as ADA compliant ramps, replacement of cu...

New York State Police investigate fatal crash in Nassau

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:39 GMT

NASSAU, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A motorist passed away on Sunday evening after crashing into a tree. Police say the driver passed away from life-threatening injuries sustained in the crash. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! According to Schodack Police Chief Perry Natale, Rensselaer County 911 alerted patrols to be on the lookout for a vehicle wanted by the East Greenbush Police Department. A Schodack Police patrol located the vehicle and attempted to conduct a traffic stop. The driver failed to comply and lost control of his vehicle around Malden Road. The vehicle exited the roadway and struck a tree. Police attempted to provide medical aid to the driver but he was declared deceased on the scene.Investigations into the crash are ongoing. The Schodack Police were assisted by the Nassau Fire Department and New York State Police.

St. Louis County police sergeant accused of choking wife during ride from Wildwood pub

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:39 GMT

EUREKA, Mo. - A former St. Louis County police sergeant faces charges for domestic assault, driving while intoxicated, and driving with a revoked license. Police say Thomas Favazza, 47, attempted to strangle his estranged wife while she was driving.The woman went to the Wildwood Pub on Saturday to pick up her husband after he had been drinking. While driving they got into an argument and Eureka Police say he grabbed her throat, and then threatened to shoot her. She was able to pull the vehicle over, escape, and call 911. Ameren customers still without power in Missouri and Illinois after weekend storms Officers pulled the vehicle driven by Favazza over later. They noticed he had been drinking and driving with a revoked license.“Strangling someone - let alone your partner who is driving you home because you’re too drunk to drive - is absolutely unacceptable on so many levels,” states St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell.Our news partners at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch ...

Man, 25, dies after falling into water at Rocky Mountain National Park’s West Creek Falls

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:39 GMT

A 25-year-old man is dead after falling and being pulled underwater Sunday at West Creek Falls in Rocky Mountain National Park, according to a spokesperson with Rocky Mountain National Park.The body of the Rhode Island man, whose name will be released once his family is notified, was pulled from the falls on the east side of the park Sunday night.The victim’s body was flown by helicopter out of the park and transferred to the Larimer County Coroner who will determine the cause of death, a national park news release said.Larimer County Sheriff’s Office, Estes Park Health, Estes Park Police and Estes Valley Crisis Advocates all assisted the national park with the situation.Related ArticlesColorado News | Climber rescued from Rocky Mountain National Park Colorado News | Slackline hero who rescued skier hanging from Arapahoe Basin chairlift honored with Carnegie Medal Colorado News | Woman rescued from Boulder Creek dies at hospital...

Etsy cracks down on Denver artists selling Casa Bonita merchandise

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:39 GMT

Denver cartoonist Karl Christian Krumpholz on Monday said he had received a cease-and-desist email from Etsy prompted by his attempts to sell an illustration of Casa Bonita on the online marketplace.“Casa Bonita LLC reported that my illustration listing ‘infringed on their trademark,’ ” Krumpholz told The Denver Post after Westword first reported the story. “Because of that Etsy shut down the listing … it’s currently in my ‘inactive listings folder’ on Etsy.”The email, which was also sent to a least one other Denver artist who depicted the public, pink-hued edifice of the Lakewood Mexican restaurant, cited infringement of intellectual property. Etsy has frozen funds in Krumpholz’s payment account on the website “until the reporting party withdraws the report(s) of intellectual property infringement.”“Etsy received a report of trademark infringement from The Beautiful Opco LLC alleging that certain co...

France’s Emmanuel Macron weakened by crisis over teen killed by police

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:39 GMT

PARIS — Even in normal times Emmanuel Macron needed allies’ help governing France. To get some things done he worked with the traditional right. The center-left helped the French president accomplish others. The challenge was bigger than any a French leader had faced in more than two decades: He had to convince politicians across the country’s national assembly to support even a minor domestic project. Now, governing his already-polarized country has gotten close to impossible for Macron because a suburban police officer stopped a yellow Class A Mercedes and fired one fatal shot into the 17-year-old driver’s chest, setting off six days of tumult across the country. Macron’s centrist Renaissance party and its close allies had merely 251 seats out of 577 after Macron won his second five-year term last year with 58% of the votes in a runoff with far-right leader Marine Le Pen. Macron dreamed big despite the close victory. His first big goal was raising the retirement age from 62 ...

Dutch and Luxembourg prime ministers urge Serbia and Kosovo to defuse tensions under shadow of war in Ukraine

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:39 GMT

BELGRADE, Serbia — The prime ministers of the Netherlands and Luxembourg on Monday urged Serbia and Kosovo to act to defuse recent tensions that have threatened to push the Balkan region into instability as Europe faces Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. Dutch PM Mark Rutte and Xavier Bettel, the Luxembourg PM, spoke after meeting Serbia’s President Aleksandar Vucic in Belgrade. Rutte and Bettel travel to Kosovo on Tuesday for meetings with top officials there.“We cannot, both of us, emphasize enough how important it is that both Serbia and Kosovo take steps toward de-escalation and ultimately normalization of their relations through the EU-led dialogue,” said Rutte.“This is crucial for the two countries themselves, first and foremost, but also for the entire region and Europe as a whole,” he added. “With a war raging between Russia and Ukraine on our continent, it’s more important than ever that we act together.”Serbia and its former province Kosovo have been at odds for decades...

Getaway driver to 14-year-old who shot woman after Denver fender bender sentenced to prison

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:39 GMT

The getaway driver to a 14-year-old who used a high-powered assault rifle to shoot and kill a 32-year-old woman after their cars had been in a fender bender was sentenced last week to 35 years in prison and 14 years of parole, according to the Denver District Attorney’s Office.Although Neshan Johnson did not pull the trigger in the murder, Chief Deputy District Attorney Jake Friedberg said Johnson “certainly bore partial responsibility for what happened, and as a result, owes a debt to the city, the community and to Ms. Cabriales’s family that he has yet to pay.”Pamela Cabriales was shot and killed while sitting in her car in February 2021 at Colfax Avenue and Interstate 25 in Denver. Johnson was 18 years old when he and the 14-year-old juvenile were charged with Cabriales’ homicide, the DA’s office said.During Friday’s sentencing hearing, Cabriales’ loved ones described her as the “best example of Live, Laugh and Love,” the DA’s office said...