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$557K settlement for pedestrian hit by texting Denver cop

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:14 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — An Arapahoe County couple is expected to receive $557,000 from Denver to settle a lawsuit after Eric Szakmary was hit by a Denver Police officer who was texting while driving.The city council has the settlement on its consent agenda for Monday's meeting, which means the lawsuit settlement is likely to be approved. The lawsuit was filed by Szakmary and his wife, Kimberly.The Problem Solvers first reported on the lawsuit earlier this year after Szakmary's attorney, Scott Smith, complained negotiations with the city had stalled."Liability on the case seems very, very clear. And yet the City and County of Denver and the officer that hit my client refuse to accept responsibility for it," Smith said at the time.RTD surveillance video of a Sep. 17, 2019, crash involving a Denver police officer who was texting and driving (Credit: RTD)“You’d think if anybody was paying attention to their surroundings, it would be an officer,” said Szakmary, remembering the night of Sep. 17, ...

'Kids have to buckle up': Seatbelt could have saved teen's life

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:14 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — According to Colorado State Patrol, 61 teen drivers have died in the state so far this year, and that is a 53% increase from this time last year.Those numbers are shocking to the family of Sammie Caflisch. Sammie was in a car crash in Parker in July 2020 and wasn't wearing a seatbelt. Resident stabs alleged robber to death in Broomfield She died the day after her 15th birthday."Because she wasn't wearing her seatbelt, she was ejected from the vehicle. The kids that were in the car that had their seatbelt on actually didn't even have to go to the hospital, had no injuries," said Sammie's aunt, Shelly Gibson.Sammie's death was crushing for her family."Sammie was just a very spunky, ornery young lady," Gibson said. "She had so much life ahead of her and was just so much fun."Seatbelt use linked to deadly teen crashesNow her family runs the Sammie's Sunshine foundation. They help other families after crashes and go into schools to help with driver safety weeks. Their m...

The Patriots, at 1-5 for 1st time since 1995, taking small improvements back to the drawing board

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:14 GMT

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Over three weeks and three straight losses, Mac Jones has walked into the Patriots team facility ready to face the kind of truths only game film can reveal.It’s been difficult to watch and many of the same themes continue to pop up each week — turnovers, penalties and poor fundamentals.Yet as much as the season seems to be slipping way with each passing game, it hasn’t affected the third-year quarterback’s resolve to help his team find a way out of its current malaise.“We definitely need to improve but have to keep swinging,” Jones said. “If you don’t swing, you’re not going to get any hits. Definitely going to keep swinging.”Sunday’s 21-17 setback at Las Vegas has dropped the Patriots to 1-5 for the first time under Bill Belichick.They remain in last place in the AFC East, with back-to-back matchups against the division’s top two teams up next.While many of the issues that need to be corrected are clear, what’s also undeniable is that New England’...

Robbins: Israel’s critics estranged from reality

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:14 GMT

There is a famous scene in the classic movie “Annie Hall” in which protagonist Alvy Singer visits his girlfriend’s family, and encounters her somewhat untethered brother in a hallway. Singer listens as the brother rambles incoherently before politely taking his leave. “Right, well, I have to go now, Duane,” he says, “because I’m due back on planet Earth.”“Planet Earth” came to more than one person’s mind about 36 hours after the news emerged about Israelis slaughtered in cold blood, babies riddled with machine gun bullets in their cribs, hundreds of young people mowed down at a music festival, human beings decapitated, raped and abducted by Hamas,1,300 Israelis murdered, 3,700 Israelis maimed. Over 150 terrified innocents held hostage in the terror state established in Gaza by Hamas for the purpose of annihilating Israel.At a solidarity rally for Israel in Boston, Massachusetts Senator Edward Markey announced that what was called for was “de-escalation” of “the conflict....

Ravens safety Marcus Williams ‘iffy’ to play vs. Lions; OLB Tyus Bowser’s injury status ‘more complicated’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:14 GMT

Ravens safety Marcus Williams is “iffy” to play Sunday against the Detroit Lions because of the hamstring injury he suffered in London while outside linebacker Tyus Bowser’s absence because of a knee injury has become “more complicated,” coach John Harbaugh said on Monday.Williams took a hit from behind when he was trying to block on fellow safety Geno Stone’s interception return in the third quarter of the Ravens’ 24-16 win over the Tennessee Titans. “Not a long-term hamstring, but hamstrings are finicky,” Harbaugh said. “So it’s not going to be a couple days. It’s going to be week to week, probably.”The Titans game was Williams’ second back from a pectoral injury he suffered in the season opener, so he was already playing through pain.The prognosis for Bowser, who has been on the non-football injury list all season, is murkier.“I’m going to let Tyus comment on that, ...

Massachusetts home sales hit 13-year low in September, new report finds

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:14 GMT

Massachusetts home sales dropped to a low for the month of September not seen since the Great Recession, according to a report from real estate data tracker The Warren Group released Monday.“Low inventory, record high prices, and rising interest rates have made it progressively more difficult for buyers to purchase homes – regardless of where they’re looking,” said Cassidy Norton, Warren Group Associate Publisher and Media Relations Director.The number of single-family homes sold in the state in September was only 3,608, the Warren Group report detailed, an over 25% drop compared to last September. The total number of single-family homes sold so far reached 30,665, trailing the same nine-month period in 2022 by over 10,000.This comes as housing inventory in the state remains remarkably low, and mortgage rates have surged to a 23-year high, according to data from Freddie Mac released in September.At the same time the report said the median single-family home price remaine...

Harvard suffers major loss as ‘stunned and sickened’ Wexner Foundation pulls support

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:14 GMT

The Wexner Foundation, a leading advocate for the Jewish faith, is pulling its support for Harvard University in the latest rebuke of the college’s handling of the terror attack in Israel.The foundation is cutting ties with Harvard’s Kennedy School and pulling its support.In an open letter addressed to Harvard’s Board of Overseers on Monday, the foundation said, “We have observed that this cherished tolerance for diverse perspectives has slowly but perceptibly narrowed over the years,” adding that the “Wexner Israel Fellows are increasingly marginalized, their voices and views even shouted down.”The Jerusalem Post adds the open letter goes on to state, “We are stunned and sickened at the dismal failure of Harvard’s leadership to take a clear and unequivocal stand against the barbaric murders of innocent Israeli civilians by terrorists.”The nonprofit was founded by former Victoria’s Secret billionaire Leslie Wexner and his wife Abigail, who accused Harvard of “tipto...

Matt Poitras bumps up as Bruins jumble lines

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:14 GMT

The Bruins have played two games and won them both, but that doesn’t mean the team is a finely tuned Stradivarius just yet, especially on offense. Against Nashville, they needed two power-play goals and a sublime David Pastrnak penalty shot to eke out the 3-2 victory.So in Monday’s practice ahead of the team’s four-game road trip that begins on Thursday in San Jose, coach Jim Montgomery jumbled his top nine forwards to create three different lines.The most eye-catching move was to to bump up rookie centerman Matt Poitras to play with Brad Marchand, bringing up Morgan Geekie with him. Jake DeBrusk moved back to his natural left wing to play with David Pastrnak and Pavel Zacha while Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic, a solid pairing last season, were reunited with James van Riemsdyk on the left wing.Montgomery had said at the start of the season that he wanted to be patient with his new top six, but apparently two games was enough patience shown for him to start the b...

Prosecutors appealing length of prison sentences for Proud Boys leaders convicted of Jan. 6 plot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:14 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department is appealing the length of prison sentences for four Proud Boys leaders convicted of seditious conspiracy in the U.S. Capitol attack, challenging punishments that were significantly shorter than what prosecutors had recommended, according to court filings on Monday.U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly sentenced former Proud Boys national leader Enrique Tarrio and three lieutenants to prison terms ranging from 15 to 22 years after a jury convicted them in May of plotting to stop the peaceful transfer of presidential power from Donald Trump to Joe Biden after the 2020 presidential election. Tarrio’s 22-year sentence is the longest so far among hundreds of criminal cases stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, but prosecutors had sought 33 years behind bars for the Miami man. Prosecutors also had recommended sentences of 33 years for former Proud Boys organizer Joseph Biggs, of Ormond Beach, Florida; 30 years for Proud Boys chapt...

Republicans in Nevada are split in dueling contest over 2024 presidential nomination

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:14 GMT

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Nevada’s dueling contests of presidential nominees have split the field of Republican contenders, with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis opting to compete against former President Donald Trump in the caucus run by the state GOP while three major rivals face off instead in the early state-run primary.Though DeSantis’ supporters were among those warning that the Nevada Republican Party had created rules that tilted the process in favor of Trump, the Floridian announced Sunday he would run in the Feb. 8 caucus and try to win delegates that help a candidate become a nominee. Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley on Monday filed as a candidate for the Feb. 6 primary, run by the state. The primary offers an opportunity to prove electability, at least symbolically, before crucial contests in South Carolina and a slate of primaries on Super Tuesday.Former Vice President Mike Pence and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott on Friday also filed for the primary. Nevada hol...