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St. Louis County tax preparer accused of filing $252K in fake deductions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:58 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A federal grand jury indicted a St. Louis County tax preparer last month for falsifying tax returns over the last few years.Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri said Elisa Brown, 57, lied on 11 tax returns between 2018 and 2021. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News SIGN UP NOW According to court documents, Brown is accused of filing fake deductions for clients for items including medical and dental expenses, gifts, and non-reimbursed employee expenses.The false deductions totaled approximately $252,000.Brown was charged with 11 counts of assisting in the preparation of a false tax return. If convicted, Brown faces up to three years in federal prison and a $250,000 fine on each charge.

Juvenile charged with murder of 15-year-old in Gravois Park neighborhood

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:58 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A juvenile has been charged with the murder of a 15-year-old St. Louis girl.Emily Valentine was shot in the 3700 block of Minnesota Avenue in the Gravois Park neighborhood on Feb. 28.Police responded to the scene at about 7:40 p.m. that night. When officers arrived, they found Valentine on a parking pad behind a residence and learned that she had suffered a gunshot wound to her face. Valentine was rushed to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News SIGN UP NOW Homicide detectives identified a suspect, a 15-year-old boy, and presented the case to the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office. Prosecutors charged the teen with second-degree murder in St. Louis Juvenile Court.At present, the suspect is in c...

Denver Art Museum removes Emma Bunker’s name from gallery, returns $185,000 in donations following Denver Post investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:58 GMT

Emma C. Bunker (Photo provided by CU-Denver)In January 2018, Emma C. Bunker and the Denver Art Museum reached an agreement — one that would etch the longtime donor and board member’s name on the institution’s walls for half a century to come.The esteemed scholar, who helped the Denver museum build its Asian art collection over six decades, would donate $125,000 to the museum’s Vision 2021 Capital Campaign, a project to renovate the north building and expand the museum campus. Two of her children would chip in another $60,000 combined.In return, the Denver Art Museum agreed to put the Bunker name in three-dimensional lettering on a gallery wall, displayed in a prominent location until 2071.But five years to the day after Bunker put pen to paper on a deal that would cement her legacy in the Mile High City for decades to come, the museum notified the Colorado attorney general that it planned to remove her name from the wall in the Martin Building and give back a...

DPS board votes to close 3 Denver schools with severely low enrollment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:58 GMT

Denver’s school board voted Thursday to close three schools at the end of the academic year because of severely low enrollment, including two that members had decided against shuttering nearly four months ago. The decision to close the schools — Denver Discovery, Mathematics and Science Leadership Academy, and Fairview Elementary — comes as overall enrollment in Denver Public Schools has fallen for three consecutive years. The problem is starting to affect the district’s budget, with DPS facing a potential $9 million budget shortfall at the end of the year. “Closing a school can be a painful and emotional process but it’s important to remember the decision is made with the best interest of students,” said board member Michelle Quattlebaum, adding, “This is hard for me. I do not like closing schools.”Superintendent Alex Marrero has identified 12 additional schools that also have low enrollment, but he doesn’t plan to make a final recommendati...

California sues Huntington Beach for limiting housing development

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:58 GMT

California Attorney General Rob Bonta followed through on a threat Thursday, filing legal action against Huntington Beach over that city’s efforts to block state affordable housing laws.“No one gets to pick and choose the laws they want to follow,” Bonta said during a virtual news conference to announce a lawsuit and motion for a preliminary injunction. “We provided plenty of ways for Huntington Beach to get into compliance. They ignored it.”On Tuesday, Huntington Beach’s City Council voted 4-3 to block the so-called “builder’s remedy” law, which allows developers to construct housing projects without city approval in any municipality that does not have a housing plan as long as 20% of the new units are affordable. Can you afford a starter home in Los Angeles? See how California’s largest cities compare In February, Huntington Beach, a city with a median home price of $845,500, also passed a ban on new accessory dwelling unit (ADU) applications, a legal process created by the Cali...

Teen’s death, 2nd stabbing in El Sereno occurred 'with no provocation': LAPD

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:58 GMT

The stabbing attacks on a 17-year-old honors student and a 33-year-old father in El Sereno on Friday occurred "with no provocation," Los Angeles Police Department officials said on Thursday.In a press conference, officials indicated that David Anthony Zapata, 32, was taken into custody in Alhambra on Wednesday in connection with the death of Woodrow Wilson High School student Xavier Daniel Chavarin and for allegedly stabbing Daniel Villalobos a few hours later.The El Sereno attack, which occurred at about 4 p.m. Friday in the 4500 block of Valley Boulevard, left Chavarin seeking help at a local King Torta shop before he collapsed on the floor, witnesses said. The adult man was stabbed "about a mile and a half away," said Detective Ryan Rabbett. Man accused of fatally stabbing high school student in L.A. taken into custody "Both incidents were completely unprovoked. these citizens were attacked for no apparent reason," Rabbett said.Zapata has been arrested seven times on misdemean...

Two Killed in Head-On Collision on 118 Freeway [Porter Ranch, CA]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:58 GMT

Two Killed and Two Injured after Wrong-Way Crash near Tampa Avenue Off-RampPORTER RANCH, CA (March 9, 2023) – Early Sunday morning, a head-on collision on 118 Freeway left two people dead and two others hospitalized.The deadly collision happened around 4:25 a.m., along the 118 Freeway, at the Tampa Avenue off-ramp.According to the California Highway Patrol, an eastbound black sedan traveled in the westbound lanes of the freeway.Consequently, the sedan crashed head-on with a yellow box truck upon reaching Tampa Avenue, sending the truck on the off-ramp embankment.Two passengers in the sedan died at the scene. Their identities remain undisclosed to the public pending notification from the next of kin.Meanwhile, the driver of the sedan was suspected of driving under the influence. Paramedics transported the driver to a regional trauma center, along with the truck driver.At this time, police have not released further details regarding the head-on collision on 118 Freeway.The team ...

Two Women Hospitalized after Head-On Crash on Lake Murray Boulevard [San Diego, CA]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:58 GMT

Two-Vehicle Crash near Jackson Drive Left Two Women Severely InjuredSAN DIEGO, CA (March 9, 2023) – Friday afternoon, a head-on crash on Lake Murray Boulevard left two women with serious injuries.The incident happened on March 3rd, at around 4:36 p.m., at the 8300 block of Lake Murray Boulevard.According to reports, an olive 1966 Ford Mustang was traveling southbound on Lake Murray Boulevard. There, it veered into oncoming traffic and struck a silver 2008 Subaru Impreza WPX that was traveling northbound. The impact of the collision left the Mustang’s driver, a 49-year-old woman, and her passenger, a 19-year-old woman, with severe injuries.Emergency crews transported the two women to a local hospital for treatment of life-threatening injuries. Meanwhile, the 30-year-old male driver of the Impreza was not hurt.At this time, police have not released further information regarding the head-on crash on Lake Murray Boulevard. Officials will update the public with details once t...

1 Dead, 1 Hospitalized Following Fiery Car Accident on Euclid Street [Fountain Valley, CA]

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:58 GMT

55-Year-Old Driver Dies in Fiery Two-Car Accident on Slater Avenue and Euclid StreetFOUNTAIN VALLEY, CA (March 9, 2023) – Sunday afternoon, one victim was killed and another was hospitalized after a fiery car accident on Euclid Street.First responders arrived at the scene around 4:52 p.m., near Slater Avenue on February 26th.According to reports, the collision involved a white 2022 Toyota Camry and a white 2008 Dodge Caravan.Investigators say the Camry was traveling northbound on Euclid Street while the Caravan was heading south. The Caravan attempted to turn left onto east Slater Avenue from southbound Euclid when it collided with the Camry.Upon impact, the Caravan burst into flames and the 55-year-old driver was pronounced dead at the scene.Authorities were able to extricate the trapped 51-year-old Camry driver before his vehicle was engulfed in flames. Consequently, authorities transported him to the hospital with head traumas.At this time, drugs or alcohol were not yet det...

Bay Area university faces default on loan for its huge property

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:00:58 GMT

OAKLAND — Holy Names University, a private Catholic college in Oakland, has defaulted on the loan for its property, a fresh financial jolt for the 154-year-old school as it faces a shutdown this year.The school, nestled in the East Bay hills, is in default on a loan from lender Preston Hollow Community Capital, according to documents filed on Feb. 23 with the Alameda County Recorder’s Office.The loan, issued in 2019, totals $49 million, the county property records show. Preston Hollow could attempt to seize the property through foreclosure on the financing package.“Holy Names continues to struggle,” said Sam Singer, a spokesperson for the co-ed private university.Holy Names University at 3500 Mountain Boulevard in Oakland, gathering area. (Google Maps)In December 2022, the university announced that it would close its doors in May 2023, after the current school year is complete.“Holy Names University has struggled to remain open as it faced rising o...