Latest from El Bashayer
Yahoo
11 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Libby man jailed on stalking accusation
Jun. 20—A 54-year-old man faces three counts of violating a protection order and one stalking charge after being arrested in the parking lot of a local store across from the residence of a person who has a protection order against him. Richard Joseph Devine is facing four charges, up to seven years of jail, and fines of up to $12,000. According to police documents, on April 23, sheriff deputies were asked to keep an eye on a vehicle at Dollar Tree. The owner of the car, police documents said, was Devine, who had a permanent protective order from a reporting party, and the store was across the highway from the reporting party's residence. Deputies noted he was in a position at the Dollar Tree to observe any movement from the reporting party. Deputies took Devine into custody for violating the protection order. When deputies spoke with the reporting party, they stated that Devine had been messaging her and visiting the party's place of residence. The first contact, they said, happened about five days after Devine had been served with the temporary order of protection. According to police documents, the reporting party showed over 250 messages in a two-day time frame, including pictures of Devine's genitalia. There were also two voice calls and a personal visit to the reporting party's residence.
Reuters
11 minutes ago
- Sport
- Reuters
Stars sign D Nils Lundkvist to 1-year contract
June 20 - The Dallas Stars re-signed defenseman Nils Lundkvist to a one-year, $1.25 million contract on Friday. Lundkvist, 24, recorded five assists and a plus-4 rating in 39 games this past season. "Nils brings a unique combination of offensive ability and defensive reliability to our lineup," Stars general manager Jim Nill said in a statement. "His puck-moving skills, vision, and hockey sense are assets that elevate our game in transition. We're thrilled to have him back and excited to see how he continues to grow and contribute to our success." Lundkvist has totaled 44 points (nine goals, 35 assists) in 183 career games with the New York Rangers and Stars. The Swede was selected by the Rangers with the 28th overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft before being traded to Dallas on Sept. 19, 2022 in exchange for a conditional first-round selection in the 2023 draft and a conditional fourth-round selection in the 2025 draft. The Stars also signed forward Mavrik Bourque to a one-year, $950,000 contract extension. Bourque, 23, recorded 25 points (11 goals, 14 assists) in 73 games last season. --Field Level Media
Associated Press
12 minutes ago
- Politics
- Associated Press
Police in northeast Ohio arrest man who allegedly menaced GOP US Rep. Max Miller on interstate
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — A northeast Ohio man was arrested Thursday on allegations that he threatened and spewed antisemitic epithets at Republican U.S. Rep. Max Miller while the two were traveling on an interstate highway near Cleveland. Police in Rocky River said Feras S. Hamdan, 36, of Westlake, voluntarily turned himself in with counsel present and is awaiting an appearance in municipal court. A message was left with his lawyer seeking comment. Miller, who is Jewish, called 911 while driving on Interstate 90 on his way to work Thursday. He reported that another driver was cutting him off, making profane hand gestures, showing a Palestinian flag and shouting death threats targeted at him and his 1-year-old daughter. After an interview with police, Miller filed a complaint against Hamdan alleging aggravated menacing and sought a criminal protective order. Local police continue to investigate with assistance from the U.S. Capitol Police, the Ohio State Highway Patrol, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Attorney's office and the Rocky River prosecutor. The Ohio Jewish Caucus praised Rocky River police and extended their thoughts to Miller and his family, noting the incident followed by just days the politically motivated shootings in Minnesota, which left two people dead and two others injured. 'Enough is enough,' the all-Democratic legislative alliance said in a statement. 'There is no place for this type of violence — whether it be political, antisemitic, or ideological — whatsoever. We believe we can solve our differences with humility, not hatred.'
The Independent
12 minutes ago
- Politics
- The Independent
DeSantis ally ‘MAGA Marva' named president at Florida HBCU despite campus concerns
Marva Johnson, an ally of Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, has been confirmed to serve as president of Florida A&M University, despite vigorous opposition from students and prominent alumni. It's the latest in a trend that now sees former Republican lobbyists or lawmakers leading five of the state's 12 public universities. "To the Rattler community, students, faculty, alumni, stakeholders: I am listening, and I hear your dreams, and I hear your concerns,' Johnson, a cable industry executive and lawyer, who has served appointed positions under GOP governors DeSantis and Rick Scott, said during a contentious Wednesday meeting of the state university system's Board of Governors. 'And my door will always be open." At the meeting, where officials confirmed Johnson to lead the state's sole public historically Black university (HBCU), many of those criticisms continued. "Marva Johnson is not ready to lead the nation's number one public HBCU," Florida A&M alumna and former ABC News president Kim Godwin, who served on the university's search committee, told the gathered attendees, which included alums who stood and turned their back as Johnson spoke. "She does not have the best resume. She did not have a good on-campus interview,' Godwin continued. 'She appeared unprepared and short-sighted and did not present well to our stakeholders. She had the opportunity, but failed to win the support of any stakeholder group. These are facts." DeSantis was not involved directly in Johnson's selection in May, but his attorney general praised the executive's candidacy, and his deputy chief reportedly lobbied the search committee to nominate Johnson, the Tallahassee Democrat reports. Some feared that Johnson, who served on the Florida State Board of Education for four years, did not have experience in academia, while others worried she would continue Governor DeSantis's attempts to remake public education in the state in a more conservative image. Under DeSantis, the state has enacted policies that serve as de facto book bans on materials that often include stories about Black and LGBT+ people, and has banned funding for diversity programs, while blocking an advanced placement African American history class. Critics of Johnson argued she would be a partisan in this effort, and labelled her with the nickname 'MAGA Marva,' after Donald Trump's Make America Great Again slogan. "Right this very minute, a group of activist Republicans are trying to put in the highest position of power someone who is solidly and objectively unqualified for it," alum and film producer Will Packer said in a May Instagram video after university officials chose Johnson as their pick to submit to state officials. "She is a career lobbyist with no experience in higher education administration, literally the same amount of higher education admin experience as you or I. Zero, none." During a May forum with alumni and students, Johnson insisted she wasn't a 'Trojan horse,' and pointed to her experience working in state politics as a sign of her bipartisan bona fides. 'No, I'm not a Trojan horse. I was not sent here to dismantle FAMU," she said. "I would love the opportunity to work with you and to grow FAMU.' Johnson has said she hopes to elevate Florida A&M to an R1-class research university. Florida A&M alumni have filed a lawsuit over the presidential selection process.
Yahoo
12 minutes ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Celebrities and rugby stars complete cycle for MND research in Dublin
Sports stars and celebrities have completed a cycle around the island of Ireland to raise funds for research into motor neurone disease (MND). The 555-mile cycle set off from Belfast on Sunday in memory of the late Scottish rugby star Doddie Weir. Weir died of MND aged 52 in November 2022, after years of campaigning to raise awareness of the condition and funds for research. Scottish rugby star Kenny Logan and broadcaster Gabby Logan were among those who took part in Doddie'5 Lions Challenge, cycling around 100 miles a day for six days. The husband and wife said thinking of how the 'cruel' disease takes away a person's control of their body inspired them to keep going along the most gruelling parts of the cycle. There were joyous scenes in Dublin as the team completed the journey, celebrating by popping bottles of pink prosecco and ordering rounds of Guinness. Among those who crossed the finish line in Stillorgan were ex-footballer Ally McCoist, actor Jamie Bamber, former Harlequins player Mel Deane, and cancer campaigner Iain Ward. The journey will continue at the British and Irish Lions' 1888 Cup clash with Argentina at the Aviva Stadium, with the cyclists delivering the match ball which travelled along the 555-mile cycle with them. McCoist said he had a view of the ball at the back of Kenny Logan's bike 'going up every hill'. He added: 'I know for a fact the one thing about these people over here, they love their sport, they love their rugby, and they love good people attempting to do good things, and I think when they get with that match ball tonight, I think the reception will be absolutely fantastic.' Speaking to the PA news agency, Kenny Logan thanked the people of Ireland for cheering them on along the way by beeping horns and donating any amount they could. He said: 'We went to one coffee shop, told her what we were doing. She said 'My uncle died of MD'. She gave us 50 coffees and all the food for free. So it's been amazing.' Gabby Logan said the final day was 'really physically challenging', as they climbed 1,250 metres in a few hours, but also provided a profound moment for the cyclists through stunning scenery in Co Wicklow. 'There was quite a lot of solitude today, because we weren't going through villages and towns, we were going through beautiful scenery. (It gave) a lot of time for people to think about why they're doing this today, and you can see the outpouring of emotion at the end,' she told PA. 'It's about finding cure and a solution to a terrible, terrible disease which just rips away people and their lives and at the moment, there's no hope.' Asked about the cruel effect the disease has on a person's control of their body, the couple said it helped get them through the tough parts of the cycle. Gabby Logan said: 'When you're out there and you're on the bike, and it's tiring, your body's aching, and I think 'how lucky am I that I could do that', you know? So that's why you keep going.' Kenny Logan added: 'What Gabby said, think 'you can do these things, people with MD can't'. 'The mind is so powerful. If you get your mind right, your body will follow you, and the one thing with MD, you can have the strongest mind in the world, but your body ain't gonna follow you. 'In those dark moments, when you're up the hills, and you're really struggling sometimes, I just think I just want to get off my bike and I was determined not to off my bike because we can move our legs, we can control ourselves. 'So it's been amazing. Everybody has been amazing. It's just incredible.' Asked what Weir would have thought of on Friday, he said: 'He'd think we're idiots, genuinely.' He said it was 'amazing' to have Weir's wife Kathy on the cycle on the final day, and to have Doddie's son Hamish following the cycle for the week, who was originally meant to take part but had broken his shoulder. Gabby said: 'He'd love this now. He'd love what's going to happen next with everybody going to the game tonight. 'He was so synonymous with the British and Irish Lions and loved in this country as (he was in) every country that he went to. Doddie was one of those people that just really resonated with people.' The challenge has raised more than £557,000 for the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association and My Name'5 Doddie Foundation, which Weir set up in 2017, a year after being diagnosed with MND. Kenny Logan said: 'When he first started the foundation, he was thinking 'how can I find a cure?' 'And very quickly he realised it wasn't about him. He realised it's his job to try and find a cure for the person who will get it today or tomorrow.' McCoist, while holding a celebratory pint of Guinness, said that they had been well looked after while on the journey. He said the scenery of the island was a highlight, saying that it reminded of home. 'I'm a west coast of Scotland man, and it's so similar, absolutely beautiful, green – in some places it's almost lunar with the rocks – it was fantastic. The weather we've had last couple of days, beautiful greenery over the Guinness Lake,' he told PA. 'So we're gonna come back, no bikes involved, I'm gonna take the car and we're gonna do a little bit of tour. No bike next time, I can assure you.' Asked about MND, he said: 'It's arguably the cruellest and most horrible of diseases when you see what it does to you, it eats away at you. 'Big Doddie, what a figure, not just in the rugby world throughout the UK and Ireland, all over. He's just a lovable, big character, and it shows no mercy, the disease. 'You see what it's done to a lot of people, you know, top sports stars, and it doesn't matter who you are, any walk of life, it doesn't pick and choose. It's a horrible, horrible disease. 'I think we're all duty bound to attempt to do something about it. If we can help, no matter how small you might think it may be, you've got to do it, because we have to find a cure for it.'
