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St. Louis County woman used fake identity to buy cars, lease home

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:15 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A St. Louis County woman admitted to using fake identities to buy two cars and lease a home. Amia Hill, 26, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud in federal court Tuesday. Her charges date back to December 2021. According to her plea agreement, Hill used the name and personal information of someone identified as "S.A." to buy a Dodge Charger for around $30,000. Nearly three months later, she did the same thing, but used a different person's name and information to but a Dodge Durango for nearly $36,000. St. Charles asks residents to send pics of cars with illegal temp tags In March 2022, Hill reportedly used S.A.’s information to lease a home in Florissant. She lived there through July 2022, costing the landlord around $6,000. Hill also helped a woman obtain a $6,500 loan from First Community Credit Union in March 2022, using someone else’s personal information. That woman has been indicted separately, and her case is pending. Close Thanks ...

As teens take to e-bikes, parents ask: Is this freedom or danger?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:15 GMT

BOULDER — With e-bikes soaring in popularity, regulators have been unable to keep up with the quickly evolving market. Safety and law enforcement officials note that many models marketed to children and teenagers exceed legal speed limits and more closely resemble motor vehicles, which require a license and registration to operate.For the moment, the power to decide what teenagers may or may not ride falls to a nongovernmental authority: parents. Across the country, they are expressing a mix of enthusiasm, contrition and uncertainty about the trendy mode of transportation.Some parents who initially embraced e-bikes now say their enthusiasm has waned with news of recent crashes involving teenagers.“Initially, it was a godsend,” said Julie Wood, whose daughter Sawyer, 14, got an e-bike this past spring. “She’s a teen — she wants to go everywhere.”For Wood of Boulder, Colorado, that meant less time carting Sawyer in the car. But she had a firm rule that Sawyer wear a helmet...

Deion Sanders’ football revolution at CU will be televised. Will the 2023 Buffs be ready for their close-up?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:15 GMT

BOULDER — Van Wells will soon have his own IMDb page, which kind of blows his mind into a million little pieces. But not nearly as many pieces as it does for his pals back in Houston.“Yeah, I’ve got some homeboys who are always sending me stuff I don’t even know that’s out there,” the CU Buffs sophomore center said of his newfound internet fame. “They’ll send me a different video (and say), ‘Look at you, look at you.’ I’m like, ‘(Darn), I didn’t even know that was out.’”Wells, a chiseled, 290-pound blocker and one of only a handful of 2022 CU starters still with the football program, knows his close-up is coming — whether he likes it or not.Regardless of how many games they actually win, this fall will feature the most-filmed, most-documented, most-exposed and maybe the most talked-about — at least, nationally — football team in Buffs history.Last December, CU football became “The Deion Sanders Show.” And that show means the cameras almost never stop rolling.From D...

Taylor Swift, Ed Sheeran fans used 2.5 times the amount of wireless data as typical Broncos games at Empower Field

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:15 GMT

When Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran came to Empower Field at Mile High for concerts this summer, the hugely popular signers tested the stadium’s wireless capacity in ways it hadn’t ever been tested before.Actually, it was the fans, not the singers, who were doing the testing, moving 2.5 times the amount of data seen in a typical Denver Broncos game, said Russ Trainor, a senior vice president of information technology for the team during a media tour Saturday.Taylor Swift fans edged out Sheeran fans, moving 25 terabytes and then 26 terabytes on the two nights of her Eras tour in mid-July. That compares to the 22 terabytes Sheeran fans moved on Aug. 19, even though there were an extra 10,000 of them packed on the field, setting a single-event attendance record for the stadium at 85,233.To put a single terabyte in perspective, it is equivalent to about 250,000 photos, the data in 250 movies or 500 hours of HD video, or the equivalent of 6.5 million documents stored as average-...

Several L.A. schools placed on lockdown after man seen in tactical gear

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:15 GMT

Several schools in the Sunland/Tujunga area of Los Angeles were placed on lockdown Tuesday after a witness reported seeing a man wearing tactical gear in the area, authorities said.Police received the report around 9:30 a.m. when someone noticed a man riding a scooter wearing full tactical in the area of Mount Gleason Middle School, a Los Angeles Police spokesperson told KTLA. No weapon was seen.Police activity at Mount Gleason Middle School. Aug. 29, 2023. (KTLA)Mount Gleason Middle School, Plainview Avenue Elementary, Verdugo Hills High School, Mount Lukens Continuation High, Apperson Elementary School and Pinewood Early Education Center were placed on lockdown as a precaution, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Unified School District told KTLA."As a precautionary measure, we are modifying our operations to ensure the safety of our students," LAUSD said. "We are also maintaining direct communication with local authorities, who are keeping us updated with the latest developments. ...

Disneyland's Haunted Mansion to get an expanded outdoor queue and new store

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:15 GMT

The grounds near Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion will be expanded to accommodate a larger outdoor queue and a Madame Leota-themed retail shop, theme park officials announced on Tuesday.Construction on the new project will begin in January 2024, with the new additions expected to “build on the story and lore of the Haunted Mansion.”“The expanded queue will tie into these stories and more, including new gardens inspired by Master Gracey, Madame Leota and the one-eyed cat,” the Disney Parks blog said.Madame Leota conjures up spirits in the séance room of the Haunted Mansion at Disneyland Park. The Haunted Mansion is the home of 999 happy haunts, but there is “always room for one more” as guests take a spirited tour aboard their doom-buggy.(Joshua Sudock/Disneyland Resort)Officials announced that the gardens will be decorated with elements ranging from a water fountain and gazebo to themed statuary and landscaping.The expansion will be a welcome addition for guests since the walkways in Ne...

‘Wall Street Whiz Kid’ charged with defrauding victims out of nearly $250K in L.A. County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:15 GMT

A man once known as the “Wall Street Whiz Kid” has been charged with stealing nearly a quarter of a million dollars as part of an investment scam in Los Angeles County, officials announced Tuesday.David Bloom, 59, faces nine counts of securities fraud and nine counts of grand theft with special allegations of two or more prior felony convictions, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. He is accused of committing multiple counts of theft by convincing people to give him money in exchange for investments and other financial opportunities. Prosecutors allege that Bloom never delivered on the investments and failed to return the bulk of the money given to him by victims in the case. The alleged fraud occurred between 2021 and 2023. It involved nine victims and nearly $250,000, according to the DA’s office. Bloom was arrested Monday and is set to be arraigned Tuesday. “David Bloom managed to convince hard-working people to turn over their earnings ...

Oxnard man faces 5 felonies, including murder, for pair of shootings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:15 GMT

An Oxnard man faces five felony charges, including murder, in connection with two shootings, the Ventura County District Attorney's Office announced Tuesday.Willis Nichols, 20, faces a murder charge in the March 12, 2022, shooting of Adrian Sandoval, prosecutors said in a news release.In that attack, which occurred at an abandoned retail building in Oxnard, Sandoval was declared dead at the scene, while "bullets struck at least two other partygoers causing significant injury," prosecutors said.He was arrested six days later, according to jail records.Nichols was also implicated in a Dec. 24, 2021, shooting at the Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard.Nichols allegedly fired at a vehicle in the parking lot, striking one person and narrowly missing another, said prosecutors, who added that the wounded person suffered "severe injury."In addition to the murder count, Nichols has been charged with two counts of assault with a firearm and two counts of assault with a semiautomatic firearm, ac...

Honest Renovation: Where Lizzie Mathis and Jessica Alba Spice Up Homes with Laughs and Luxury

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:15 GMT

In a world where home renovation shows are as abundant as misplaced IKEA screws, “Honest Renovation” emerges as a breath of fresh air, blowing away the dust and cobwebs with a dose of wit, humor, and a touch of Hollywood glamour. Hosted by the dynamic duo of design, Lizzie Mathis and Jessica Alba, this show isn’t just about sprucing up homes; it’s about transforming them into havens of laughter and luxury.The premise of “Honest Renovation” is simple: two charismatic hosts, an arsenal of power tools, and a heap of homes in desperate need of a makeover. But what sets this show apart is its commitment to authenticity – a rarity in a world where even reality TV seems to have a script. With Lizzie and Jessica at the helm, there’s no need for scripted drama; the authentic hilarity and camaraderie between the two hosts are enough to keep viewers hooked.Lizzie Mathis, the queen of quirky designs, brings her signature style that’s equal parts w...

Experiential Nonprofit The Hope Booth Offers Solutions for Los Angelenos Exhausted from Hollywood Strikes, Extreme Weather, and Other Systemic Challenges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:17:15 GMT

As life slowly began to shift back to pre-pandemic life, and the official emergency order issued for LA County lapsed at the end of March 2023, other challenges emerged: inclement weather, unrelenting unemployment challenges, and now, of course, the Hollywood strikes brought forth by the WGA and now SAG-AFTRA. Though most people associate Los Angeles with the glamorous lifestyles of reality stars on shows like “Selling Sunset,” many live at or near the poverty line.For entertainment professionals barely scraping by, the seemingly unending strikes have intensified concerns about how they will make ends meet. In 2021, professional actors made a median salary of $46,960, with the lower quartile averaging $30,040.Beyond financial hardships, the emotional and psychological toll is palpable. For those in the industry, their craft isn’t just a job – it’s a part of their identity. The void left behind can lead to many mental health challenges when that is taken away. The Hope Bo...