TexasTowelie
TexasTowelie's JournalMan imprisoned for black man's beating faces fed hate charge
PITTSBURGH (AP) - A white man serving a three- to six-year state court sentence for beating a black man at a Pittsburgh commuter rail station during a drunken argument following a Kenny Chesney concert has agreed to plead guilty to a federal hate crime charge for the nonfatal incident, federal prosecutors and his attorney said Monday.
The charge against Ryan Kyle, 22, is filed under the 2009 Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which makes it illegal to cause physical harm because of expressed racial animus.
"The anticipated plea in this case ensures that Ryan Kyle is held fully accountable for a federal hate crime that carries a significant sentence, highlights the radial motivation for the offense, and demonstrates the federal government's commitment to prosecuting racially-motivated crimes," U.S. Attorney David Hickton said.
Kyle's attorney, Almon Burke, a former federal prosecutor, confirmed Ryan has agreed to plead guilty to the charge, which can carry up to 10 years in prison. But Burke said he and federal prosecutors are recommending a three-year sentence that will run concurrently with Ryan's state sentence - meaning Ryan won't serve any additional prison time if a judge approves the plea deal.
Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20161128_ap_0f84473f075042e88912e628b57a647e.html
Trump supporter banned for life after viral tirade on Delta flight to Allentown
A passenger who launched into a obscenity-laced pro-Donald Trump tirade on board a Delta flight to Allentown has been banned for life from flying on the airline.
“He will never again be allowed on a Delta plane,” Delta Air Lines CEO Edward Bastian wrote in an internal memo dated Nov. 28, which was obtained by CNBC's Steve Kopack.
The man, who has yet to be identified, shocked passengers on board an Delta flight traveling from Atlanta to Allentown last week when he began yelling about President-elect Trump.
Emma Baum, a passenger on board the flight, posted a 45-second video of the man’s tirade to her Facebook page, adding, “Didn’t take long to notice that I’m back in ‘Merica…” In the video, which quickly went viral, the man can be seen calling passengers, among other things, “Hillary b—es.”
Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/real-time/Trump-supporter-banned-for-life-after-viral-tirade-on-Delta-flight-to-Allentown.html
Rochester City Court Judge Leticia Astacio stripped of all duties.
The teetering career of City Court Judge Leticia Astacio has taken another blow: She has been stripped of the few judicial duties she had.
Not only that, she also isn't allowed in non-public areas of the county's judicial buildings.
State Supreme Court Justice Craig Doran last week removed Astacio from all judicial work. Astacio's continued legal problems — she violated the terms of her drunken driving conviction discharge by attempting to again drink and drive — was central to the discipline, Doran said in a telephone interview Monday.
Also, he said, "continued public confidence in the judiciary" was important to the decision, which he made in conjunction with City Court Judge Teresa Johnson, the administrative judge for City Court. Doran is the administrative judge for the region's courts.
Read more: http://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2016/11/28/judge-astacio-stripped-all-duties/94546822/
Sweets Lounge in Buffalo closed after 3 women are shot there
Sweets Lounge at Olympic and Schreck avenues was ordered closed Monday evening by Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown and Police Commissioner Daniel Derenda, following the shooting of three women there.
Mayor Brown told The Buffalo News at about 8:30 p.m. Monday that he ordered the immediate closing of the lounge because of "a number of incidents" at the establishment, including three shootings there early Sunday.
Police continue to investigate the shootings of three women in Sweets Lounge just before 3 a.m. Sunday. The three victims, in their late 20s to mid-30s suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to Michael F. DeGeorge, spokesman for the Buffalo Police.
The mayor said the closure notice was posted on the door of the lounge early Monday evening.
Read more: http://buffalonews.com/2016/11/28/sweets-lounge-closed-3-women-shot/
Massachusetts adopts strict background check rules for Uber, Lyft drivers
Come April, divers for ride service companies like Uber and Lyft will have to pass the strictest background check in the country, according to a deal reached between the Massachusetts legislature and the companies Monday.
The new rules would require the companies ensure that the independent drivers who provide taxi-like services pass state background checks, including their criminal records, and require that they not be registered sex offenders, state officials said.
"The safety and security of the riding public is our top priority, and I am pleased this agreement will set a national standard for the most comprehensive state background checks for TNC drivers in the country," said Governor Charlie Baker, using an acronym for "transportation network companies," the label Massachusetts uses to described Uber Technologies Inc, Lyft and similar companies.
The rules require that the companies begin the background checks for all drivers operating in the state by Jan. 6 and complete them by April 3. That is a year earlier than they would have been mandated by a state law on ride-sharing companies passed this summer.
Read more: http://www.metro.us/boston/uber-lyft-drivers-to-pass-strict-background-check-in-mass/zsJpkB---XC8QJfRBKX6Kc/
State commits 2.5M to combat underage drinking on campuses
Alcohol is still the most abused drug on college campuses nationwide, so New York State is allocating $2.5 million to combat underage drinking at SUNY and CUNY schools, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Monday.
The money will be used by 20 campuses to help them develop coalitions to work on strategies to prevent underage drinking.
“This funding will build on our progress to prevent senseless tragedies and equip students with vital knowledge to curb underage and binge drinking, and provide critical services to those at risk for addiction,” Cuomo said in a news release.
“Time after time, we have seen the reckless behavior, and bad decisions with often life-altering consequences that come with underage drinking.”
Read more: http://www.metro.us/new-york/state-commits-2-5m-to-combat-underage-drinking-on-campuses/zsJpkB---g5W6lf9k7KfY/
Johnny Manziel sued for allegedly breaking nose of Austin bar worker in September
Johnny Manziel is facing a new round of legal trouble after a lawsuit filed Monday alleges the former Heisman Trophy winner and out-of-work NFL quarterback broke a bar worker’s nose in Austin, Texas in September.
Plaintiff Eric Newton sued Manziel in a Travis County district court and is seeking damages of $200,000 to $1 million.
The suit, which was first reported by Texas Our Texas on Facebook, claims that Newton, a bar-back, was working in an upstairs room at the New York, New York bar in the early hours of Sept. 6, where the ex-Texas A&M quarterback was attending a private party.
Manziel, 23, who has re-enrolled in classes at Texas A&M for the fall academic semester, allegedly “demanded” that Newton prepare several drink orders, which the employee could not do because he isn’t a bartender.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/johnny-manziel-allegedly-broke-nose-austin-bar-worker-suit-article-1.2890497
Cruz: Republicans must deliver on repealing ObamaCare
Texas Sen. Ted Cruz had a warning Sunday for President-elect Donald Trump and GOP leaders in Congress: Don’t blow it.
“If we’re given the White House and both houses of Congress and we don’t deliver, I think there will be pitchforks and torches in the streets,” Cruz said on ABC’s “This Week.” “And I think quite rightly.”
Cruz called the GOP clean sweep a “mandate” for Republicans to deliver on their promises of repealing ObamaCare and rolling back regulation.
Since his election, Trump has already softened his tone on a few campaign promises, such as putting Hillary Clinton in jail and completely scrapping ObamaCare.
Read more: http://nypost.com/2016/11/28/cruz-republicans-must-deliver-on-repealing-obamacare/
London cafe slammed for deeply offensive items after selling Nutzy smoothie with a swastika on
London cafe slammed for ‘deeply offensive’ items after selling ‘Nutzy’ smoothie with a swastika on the bottleA cafe has been slammed for selling a “Nutzy” smoothie with a swastika on the bottle.
A woman who lost family in the Holocaust asked the manager to remove it but he refused. She said: “I left the shop almost in tears.”
Nin Com Soup shop inside Old Street Tube station in North London flogs the 300ml nuts-based drink for £3.95.
Karen Pollock MBE, Chief Executive of the Holocaust Educational Trust, said: “This ‘branding’ attached to this soft drink is offensive – it demonstrates at best, a lack of sensitivity and at worst, complete disrespect for the millions murdered during the Holocaust.”
Read more: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/2272121/london-cafe-slammed-for-deeply-offensive-items-after-selling-nutzy-smoothie-with-a-swastika-on-the-bottle/
Cargill accounting manager stole 3.1M from agriculture giant
ALBANY — In one of the area's largest-ever cases of employee theft, an accounting manager for Cargill at the Port of Albany admitted Monday she stole more than $3.1 million from the global agriculture giant over 10 years.
Diane L. Backis, 50, of Athens, caused losses of at least $25 million to Cargill, the largest privately held corporation in the United States, according to federal prosecutors in Albany.
Backis pleaded guilty to charges of mail fraud and filing a false tax return, which under federal sentencing guidelines could send her to prison for more than 11 years. She agreed to pay Cargill $3.5 million in restitution, forfeit her home in Greene County, give up an investment brokerage account and her Cargill pension.
She will be sentenced March 28 by U.S. District Court Judge Mae D'Agostino, who accepted Backis' guilty plea. Backis waived an appeal of any sentence of nine years or less.
Read more: http://www.timesunion.com/local/article/Cargill-executive-admits-she-stole-3-1M-from-10639904.php
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Gender: MaleHometown: South Texas. most of my life I lived in Austin and Dallas
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