The Associated Press Updated 6:56 AM EDT Sep 26, 2018 Ann Arbor – A newly released analysis says a federal Great Lakes cleanup program is good for the region’s economy. The study says every dollar spent on the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative during its first seven years will generate an additional $3.35 of economic activity through the year 2036. It was based on research at the University of Michigan and case studies from a number of cities in the eight-state region. The initiative was established under President Barack Obama in 2010. It has provided more than $2.5 billion for thousands of projects that clean up toxic pollution, fight invasive species, prevent runoff and restore wildlife habitat. According to the report, the program has created or supported thousands of jobs. It has particularly strengthened tourism and boosted housing values in Great Lakes coastal communities. … [Read more...] about Report: Great Lakes cleanup boosts region’s economy
Friends: Kavanaugh’s 2nd accuser never sought spotlight
Garance Burke, Alanna Durkin Richer and Nicholas Riccardi Associated Press Published 7:00 AM EDT Sep 26, 2018 Boulder, Colo. – Between shifts ladling hot meals at the dining hall, Deborah Ramirez did her best to fit in with the blue-blooded social set of Yale University in the 1980s. She took a chartered flight to the Bahamas sophomore year with dozens of other spring breakers and attended booze-filled parties on campus with posh private-school grads. What she says happened at one of those gatherings inside Yale’s brick dormitory walls has pulled her from a life as an advocate for needy families and domestic violence survivors to the center of the battle over the shape of the Supreme Court. Friends said Ramirez rarely talked about her college days and lived a private life in the Rocky Mountains foothills, but colleagues said they sensed something in her past had drawn her to devote her life to supporting women in trouble. “I definitely had known she went to … [Read more...] about Friends: Kavanaugh’s 2nd accuser never sought spotlight
Jason Van Dyke trial: Jurors see animated video of officer fatally shooting Laquan McDonald
CHICAGO -- Lawyers for a white Chicago police officer who killed a black teenager presented an animated video to jurors on Tuesday that aimed to depict the officer's perspective during the shooting and support his claim that he feared for his safety when he shot Laquan McDonald 16 times. The trial resumes Wednesday with the defense presenting evidence for a third day. The animated video is aimed at countering graphic police dashcam video that shows Jason Van Dyke shooting the 17-year-old McDonald as the teen holds a knife and walks away from officers in 2014. Van Dyke continued to shoot for more than 10 seconds after McDonald crumpled to the street. The dashcam video, released a year after the shooting, is the centerpiece of the state's case against Van Dyke. But it was recorded from a different angle than Van Dyke's view - from the side of the officer and behind McDonald. What the officer saw during the incident could be critical during his murder trial, as jurors try to determine if … [Read more...] about Jason Van Dyke trial: Jurors see animated video of officer fatally shooting Laquan McDonald
How much? Greek state owed huge amount of uncollected taxes
Updated 3:48 am PDT, Wednesday, September 26, 2018 FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2009 file photo, boats are seen on Ammoudi Bay near seaside tavernas on the island of Santorini, Greece. Tax authorities say they have used surveillance drones in Greece for the first time to spot violations on Santorini, where tourists were allegedly being taken on boat tours of the island's sea-filled volcanic crater without getting receipts. Greece's Independent Authority for Public Revenue says that the one-day operation last week involved surveillance of nine tour boats, and that the violations recorded in a follow-up inspection were worth 25,000 euros ($29,400) in lost revenue. less FILE - In this Sept. 21, 2009 file photo, boats are seen on Ammoudi Bay near seaside tavernas on the island of Santorini, Greece. Tax authorities say they have used surveillance drones in Greece for the first ... more Photo: Michael Virtanen, AP … [Read more...] about How much? Greek state owed huge amount of uncollected taxes
Cosby Defense Vows Appeal; Publicist Decries Justice System
A publicist for once-beloved actor Bill Cosby complained that his conviction and three- to 10-year prison term for sexual assault Tuesday stem from a racist and sexist justice system, as the defense vowed to appeal the first celebrity trial of the #MeToo era. Cosby, 81, was spending his first night alone in a Pennsylvania prison after being accustomed to a life filled with handlers and household help. Cosby spokesman Andrew Wyatt said that Cosby was "one of the greatest civil rights leaders in the United States for over the past 50 years," while decrying the trial as the "most sexist and racist" in the country's history. The judge, prosecutor and jury saw it differently. Famous Mug Shots "No one is above the law. And no one should be treated disproportionately because of who they are, where they live, or even their wealth, celebrity or philanthropy," Montgomery County Judge Steven O'Neill said in sentencing Cosby to an above-average sentence for a 2004 sex assault. Cosby's … [Read more...] about Cosby Defense Vows Appeal; Publicist Decries Justice System