Jimmy Kimmel on Michael Cohen's Bombshell Testimony

'Star Trek: Discovery' Renewed for Season 3 as part of Expansive, Multi-Series Plan

On Wednesday, streaming service CBS All Access announced Star Trek: Discovery has been renewed for a third season.

In a press release, CBS All Access also announced Season 3 will have a new co-showrunner, Michelle Paradise, partnering with CBS Studios Star Trek series architect Alex Kurtzman. Paradise previously worked on The CW’s The Originals and joined Star Trek: Discovery as a writer for Season 2.

“Michelle joined us midway through season two and energized the room with her ferocious knowledge of Trek,” Kurtzman said in the season renewal statement. “Her grasp of character and story detail, her drive and her focus have already become essential in ensuring the Trek legacy, and her fresh perspective always keeps us looking forward. I’m proud to say Michelle and I are officially running Star Trek: Discovery together.”

Star Trek: Discovery Season 3 Renewal Just The Beginning

According to Julie McNamara, Executive Vice President of Original Content for CBS All Access, Star Trek: Discovery’s second season exceeded expectations for subscriber growth. McNamara positioned the season renewal as part of the streaming service’s expansive plans for Star Trek, making it just one component in “bringing fans new Star Trek stories for many years to come.”

Read more: https://www.newsweek.com/star-trek-discovery-season-3-renewed-picard-series-cbs-all-access-lower-decks-1346288

Fight over progressive income tax starts in Illinois

Even though the issue would be decided at the ballot in November of 2020, Illinoisans are already getting a glimpse of what’s in store in the fight to change the state’s income tax structure from a flat percentage to one that taxes higher earners more.

Two nonprofits have formed with the missions of fighting for and against changing Illinois’ constitution to allow a higher percentage of income to be taxed from higher-earning residents.

Ideas Illinois is an initiative of the Coalition for Jobs, Growth and Prosperity. That's a privately-funded nonprofit run by former Illinois Manufacturers Association President Greg Baise and businessman James Gidwitz, brother of President Donald Trump's former Illinois campaign finance head, Ron Gidwitz. In the past, the organization successfully fought back then Gov. Rod Blagojevich's push for a Gross Receipts Tax, the union-led "card check" campaign and Cook County President Toni Preckwinkle's tax on sugary drinks."

“We will focus on policies that will create jobs and grow our economy,” it says. “It’s going to take hard work and straight talk but together we can put Illinois on the right track.”

Read more: https://www.ilnews.org/news/economy/fight-over-progressive-income-tax-starts-in-illinois/article_13e34422-3933-11e9-b083-efa4d8511c33.html

Recession fears loom over state budget talks

Gov. J.B. Pritzker's administration has laid out its revenue estimate for the coming year for a House committee, projecting an increase in the near-term and noting predictions of an economic downturn ahead.

Coming up with a revenue estimate is part of the state's budgeting process. The state's constitution requires that the budget is balanced, but politicians have been able to get around that mandate. Illinois lawmakers have a long-standing practice of spending more than the state collects. The state hasn't had a balanced budget since at least 2001.

On Thursday, the Governor’s Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Revenue shared revenue estimates for the coming fiscal year with the House Revenue and Finance Committee.

Committee chair state Rep. Michael Zalewski, D-Riverside, said it sounds like revenue will be fairly flat.

Read more: https://www.ilnews.org/news/economy/recession-fears-loom-over-state-budget-talks/article_48f6d846-3b99-11e9-a156-1ba5a7e552b3.html

Attorney charged with stealing clients' investments back in South Bend for court appearance

SOUTH BEND — Eric Marshall, the local attorney who appeared to have skipped town amid fraud allegations and charges last year, is back in South Bend and made his first court appearance Monday.

Marshall, 61, closed his office without notice and stopped communicating with clients at the beginning of last year. Not long after, two civil lawsuits were filed against Marshall by former clients accusing him of running a Ponzi scheme and stealing their investments.

In December, he was charged in federal court with five counts of mail fraud in what the U.S. Attorney called an “elder abuse scam.” In January, Marshall was arrested in Clearwater, Fla. After being extradited, Marshall was booked into the St. Joseph County Jail at the end of last week.

Monday, Marshall was arraigned on his federal charges before Magistrate Michael Gotsch. Marshall pleaded not guilty on all counts. Judge Gotsch denied bond and ordered Marshall to remain in pre-trial detention. A jury trial has been scheduled for April 29.

Between two civil suits, Marshall has been ordered to pay roughly $2.5 million. His wife, Kathleen Marshall, is named in one of the suits, but recently had the default judgement against her vacated. She said she had no knowledge of her husband’s alleged crimes and she didn’t know she was being sued.

Read more: https://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/attorney-charged-with-stealing-clients-investments-back-in-south-bend/article_b3b0bb02-0e89-59b4-8f9e-c7e8bbb03fef.html

The Senate has confirmed a former coal lobbyist to lead the EPA

Source: AP

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Thursday confirmed former coal industry lobbyist Andrew Wheeler to lead the Environmental Protection Agency, despite concerns by Democrats and one Republican about regulatory rollbacks he's made in eight months as the agency's acting chief.

Senators voted 52-47 to confirm Wheeler, who was nominated by President Donald Trump after former administrator Scott Pruitt resigned last year amid a series of ethics allegations.

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., chairman of the Senate environment committee, called Wheeler "uniquely qualified" to lead EPA and said that under Wheeler the agency is putting forward proposals that "both protect our environment and allow the country's economy to flourish."

But Sen. Tom Udall, D-N.M., said Wheeler was failing to protect the environment and human health and was "nominated to unravel and undo the environmental protections that are now in place."

Read more: https://journalstar.com/news/national/govt-and-politics/the-senate-has-confirmed-a-former-coal-lobbyist-to-lead/article_4f10e9a5-338e-5f8b-a091-8ca6f222e4c8.html

As grassroots liberals rise, Democrats sideline 2 black activists in Indianapolis

Derris Ross heard President Donald Trump was coming to town. He responded by leading a rally at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. An April 2016 photograph shows Ross, who goes by Dee, protesting against Trump's visit by shouting into a red bullhorn, his left index finger pointing to the sky.

Belinda Drake is a former intern for U.S. Rep. Andre Carson, an Indianapolis Democrat. She served on the executive board of the Indiana Stonewall Democrats, an organization that advocates for gay rights, and she holds the Democratic leadership position of precinct committeewoman.

Both of them felt secure in their Democratic bona fides — until this month when they were told they are not members of the party. Not officially, anyway, because of a technicality in how affiliation is determined in Indiana. And, soon, maybe not even in spirit.

Ross and Drake are preparing to run as independents after the Marion County Democratic Party rejected their candidacies for City-County Council seats earlier this month. The decision has sparked an intraparty fight that is spilling into public.

Read more: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2019/02/24/indianapolis-democrats-keep-dee-ross-belinda-drake-out-council-elections/2863167002/

Pete Buttigieg wants U.S. voters to know that the Midwest 'is not afraid of change'

In his first visit to Indianapolis since announcing his 2020 bid for the White House, South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg spoke candidly to hundreds at IUPUI on Sunday about being a millennial in Indiana, his stance on topics such as health care and gun violence, and his advice to LGBT youth.

The event at Hine Hall Auditorium at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis was part of Buttigieg's 10-city tour for his autobiography, "Shortest Way Home." More than 400 people filled the auditorium to hear the Hoosier presidential candidate.

The 37-year-old's book, which landed on the New York Times' best-sellers list last week, chronicles success stories from his time as mayor, his unsuccessful campaign for state treasurer, his military service in Afghanistan, his relationship with Indiana and his return home to South Bend.

"Our part of the country really holds the key to the future of U.S. politics and economics in a lot of ways, so in the course of sharing South Bend's story, I'm really trying to tell a broader story about the interior of the U.S.," Buttigieg told IndyStar. "I want people to understand that this is a part of the country that is not afraid of change."

Read more: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2019/02/24/pete-buttigieg-democrat-presidential-candidate-wants-voters-know-indiana-midwest-not-afraid-change/2929209002/

Gov. Eric Holcomb admits he's smoked marijuana, still doesn't support legalization

Gov. Eric Holcomb admitted at a press conference Wednesday that he smoked weed while in college.

The question came up during Wednesday’s wide-ranging news conference, when Holcomb was asked about his stance on legalization. The governor was then asked if he had ever used marijuana.

Hoosiers with high hopes for the legalization of medical or recreational marijuana still shouldn't look for an ally in Holcomb, though. The governor said he wouldn't support legalization until federal law is changed, at which point the state could review it.

"If the law changed, we would look at all the positive or adverse impacts it would have," he said. "I'm not convinced other states have made a wise decision."

Read more: https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2019/02/27/indiana-governor-eric-holcomb-admits-he-smoked-marijuana-does-not-support-legalization/3004316002/

Michigan attorney general uses Facebook message to serve $784K judgment

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel used a private message on Facebook to serve a court judgment to a 23-year-old man convicted of violating the Michigan Consumer Protection Act, officials said Wednesday.

After Christopher Carr, formerly of Troy, fled Michigan and stopped responding to traditional channels for court communications, Nessel obtained a judge’s permission to serve Carr a judgment ordering him to pay $784,328.

Carr formerly ran Fan Authentics and Printrageous, both online businesses -- but failed to deliver to customers after taking their credit card payments.

“Thousands of consumers were robbed of their money by Christopher Carr’s deceitful online business practices,” Nessel said in a statement. “I want this action to send a clear message that even if you leave the state, we will pursue you. This office will go after those who uses the internet to exploit consumers.”

Read more: https://www.mlive.com/news/2019/02/michigan-attorney-general-uses-facebook-message-to-serve-784k-judgement.html