Landlord accused of kidnapping tenants, dumping them in a cemetery, so he could evict them
ALBANY, N.Y. — A New York landlord is out on bail after being arrested and accused of kidnapping tenants from his property and dumping them in a cemetery 30 miles away.
The two tenants accused landlord Shawn Douglas of kidnapping them while armed from their home at his property in the South End neighborhood of Albany.
In the police report, the two accusers say they were abducted, restrained with zip ties and covered with pillowcases. They then claim Douglas dumped them off in a rural cemetery in the town of Ghent.
One person was able to free themselves from the restraints to seek help at a nearby house.
“He’s lucky they came out of that alive. They could have froze to death out there,” said Albany County Sheriff Craig Apple.
Douglas was reportedly frustrated he couldn’t evict the victims from his property because of a statewide ban on evictions caused by the pandemic. Apple said despite frustrations from landlords, there’s a legal system in place.
“My advice to both parties is to be patient. You have to be tolerant. There is a process. I didn’t invent it, so don’t call down to the sheriff’s office screaming and yelling like everybody has for the last 12 months,” Apple said.
The ban on evictions in New York expires May 1. As landlords wait for their day in court, eviction requests continue to grow. Meanwhile, the sheriff’s hands remained tied.
“We know right now, we have upwards of 100 [eviction requests], and we know there’s hundreds basically in the filing ready to go at city court, town court,” Apple said.
The Albany Police Department has not released further details about this case, but more people could be charged in connection with the alleged kidnapping.
via: https://www.pix11.com/news/national-news/landlord-accused-of-kidnapping-tenants-dumping-them-in-a-cemetery-so-he-could-evict-them
Photo Credit: pix11.com/Drew Angerer
An artist honors icons by creating Black History Month-themed playing cards
(CNN) — Kearra Johnson was in her senior year at the University of Missouri when she came up with the concept for what is now known as the Revolution Card Deck — a deck of playing cards featuring the names and faces of notable Black individuals.
Michelle Obama, Thurgood Marshall and Oprah Winfrey are just a few of the figures who appear in a set of cards.
“It’s dedicated to the dreamers — to all of the African American individuals before us who paved the way,” Johnson told CNN.
Despite praise from her peers, the Kansas City, Missouri-based graphic designer and founder of Studio Lo recalled being hesitant to take what was originally a class project and turn it into a physical product.
“I just hadn’t seen it done before,” Johnson said. “But I looked at an example from the class and I was like, ‘How would that look with a Black figure on it?'”
The 22-year-old illustrator recalled how she didn’t intend to take her design idea beyond the classroom. “That, literally, was where it was going to stay and I wasn’t going to push the product any more,” Johnson continued. That all changed when she got her first order request.
Last October, a professor at the University of Missouri came across the design on Johnson’s portfolio website. She was eager to buy a few decks as gifts for her graduate students; however, the cards didn’t actually exist.
“I didn’t want to tell her no,” Johnson recalled. “So I took that as an opportunity just to motivate me to go ahead and get them done.”
After fulfilling the professor’s five-deck order, Johnson pivoted her focus to the cards and began pushing the design.
“I’ve just been showing them to people who I think would be interested and just seeing how many eyes I can get on them,” Johnson explained. “And literally every person that I’ve shown has been excited about it — more excited than me sometimes.”
Johnson initially only printed 100 decks that she planned to sell on her own. However, curators at Made In KC, a company in Kansas City that sells locally designed products, suggested that she print more. “So then I went and got 500 more printed,” Johnson continued. The cards are now being sold in-store at all three Made in KC locations.
Starting important conversations about Black history and Black culture is something Johnson hopes can be achieved with the playing cards. She explained how the project is her creative passion mixed with an important topic.
“I think it’s always important to push [Black] culture forward,” Johnson said. “And there’s no better way to do that and than through creativity.”
Johnson currently works as an In House designer at Kanbe’s Markets, an organization that seeks to eliminate food deserts in Kansas City. Her creative skills, coupled with the idea that art can be used as a powerful tool for change, makes her job at the nonprofit even more enjoyable.
“Just being able to contribute my talents, and contribute to the bigger cause is super rewarding,” Johnson continued.
Looking back on her journey so far, Johnson explained how grateful she is to be surrounded by people who support her work and have her best interest in mind.
“I think a lot of times people kind of fear that people won’t respect or understand their idea,” Johnson said. “But, really, you just gotta be confident and people will see what you see.”
To learn more about the Revolution Card Deck and the artist behind the design, visit her website. The deck sells for $30.
via: https://www.kmov.com/news/an-artist-honors-icons-by-creating-black-history-month-themed-playing-cards/article_cbfc4569-5da1-50e8-9d9a-cf05041536a7.html
Photo Credit: Kearra Johnson
Florida man ‘blacked out’ before using scissors to sever his wife’s lover’s penis
A Florida man who allegedly used a pair of scissors to cut off his wife’s lover’s penis claims he “blacked out” during the attack, a report said.
Alex Bonilla, 51, is set to plead guilty Thursday to charges of kidnapping, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for the July 2019 attack in the victim’s mobile home in Bell, the Smoking Gun reported.
Bonilla barged into the victim’s home, and threatened him with a handgun and a metal pipe. He tied up the man in his bedroom, and said, “You are not going to die, but you are going to have something to remember this for your whole life,” according to the outlet.
The married father of five from El Salvador then pulled down the victim’s shorts and said, “This is normal, you will not die today.”
Bonilla took a pair of scissors and began cutting the man’s penis, splattering blood everywhere. He continued threatening the man before leaving the home with the severed organ, the Smoking Gun reported. The victim’s two daughters were in the home during the incident.
Doctors have been unable to reattach the victim’s penis and he’s been having trouble with urinating and having sexual intercourse with his wife.
Bonilla faces 30 years in prison if convicted.
via: https://nypost.com/2021/02/25/man-in-florida-used-scissors-to-cut-off-his-wifes-lovers-penis/
Photo Credit: Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office
Maryland teacher’s aide seen masturbating during Zoom lesson with kids
A teacher’s aide in Maryland masturbated during a Zoom call with eighth-graders — but insists he thought the online lesson had ended.
Marc Schack, an assistant for special education students at Shady Grove Middle School in Gaithersburg, told the Bethesda Magazine Wednesday he was unaware his self-love session had been captured on the virtual call until being interviewed.
“I thought I was logged out when class was over,” Schack told the bimonthly mag. “I had no clue that Zoom was still on. Why would I do that? That’s my job. I had no clue that Zoom was on. I mean, that’s just crazy behavior.”
A 13-second clip — later posted on social media – shows Schack gaze at his screen before standing up, taking a few steps away and beginning to pleasure himself, according to the report.
Schack’s name appeared on the screen as the host of the Zoom call. Seconds later, another name appeared, replacing him as the moderator.
The 21-year employee for Montgomery County Public Schools – who also runs Pirate Magic, a business that throws “pirate parties” for youngsters while he portrays a character named “Captain Silly Bones” – said he has since been placed on administrative leave.
But he insisted his actions were “just a mistake.”
“I’m only human,” he continued. “It was my bad.”
District officials called Schack Monday to say he was being put on leave, adding that they had “misplaced his background check file,” he said.
“Maybe they were looking to see if I had any criminal misbehavior or anything like that,” Schack told Bethesda Magazine.
But district officials didn’t reference the troubling video portion to him Monday, Schack said, claiming he was unaware of the footage until Wednesday.
“I’m not a pervert or anything like that, you know,” he continued. “You gotta believe me on that … I thought I was in the privacy of my own home. I had no clue.”
A district spokeswoman confirmed to The Post Thursday that a staffer had been put on leave as an investigation is ongoing into “inappropriate behavior that was sexual in nature” earlier this week.
“Per our procedures, we do not release the names of staff members that are under investigation,” spokeswoman Gboyinde Onijala said in a statement. “Local authorities were informed and are investigating as well.”
A spokesman for Montgomery County police confirmed the probe but declined further comment Wednesday since no charges have been filed, according to the report.
Messages seeking comment from Schack were not returned early Thursday.
via: https://nypost.com/2021/02/25/teachers-aide-seen-masturbating-had-no-clue-zoom-was-on/
Photo Credit: Fox5 Washington DC
Mr. Potato Head goes gender neutral and renamed just “Potato Head”
Mr. Potato Head is no longer a mister.
Hasbro, the company that makes the potato-shaped plastic toy, is giving the spud a gender neutral new name: Potato Head. The change will appear on boxes this year.
Toy makers have been updating their classic brands to appeal to kids today. Barbie has shed its blonde image and now comes in multiple skin tones and body shapes.
Thomas the Tank Engine added more girl characters. And American Girl is now selling a boy doll.
Hasbro said Mr. Potato Head, which has been around for about 70 years, needed a modern makeover.
via: https://www.pix11.com/news/national-news/a-mister-no-more-mr-potato-head-goes-gender-neutral
Photo Credit: pix11.com
Navy vet died after police knelt on his neck for nearly five minutes
The family of a Navy veteran who was going through an episode of paranoia says he died after a Northern California police officer knelt on his neck for several minutes.
The family of 30-year-old Angelo Quinto said Tuesday that they called police to their home in Antioch on Dec. 23 because he needed help. They said that soon after arriving, an officer knelt on Quinto’s neck for nearly five minutes.
Quinto lost consciousness and was taken by ambulance to a hospital, where he died three days later. The Antioch Police Department didn’t respond to a request for comment.
A public record request made by this station was denied due to an active investigation.
via: https://www.pix11.com/news/national/family-navy-vet-died-after-police-knelt-on-his-neck
Photo Credit: Isabella Collins via AP
Police officer dies after attempted rescue of teens who fell through ice
A 16-year-old girl was killed and a teen boy was injured after they slipped through an icy lake in Ohio — and a police officer died during the rescue attempt, officials said.
The drowning was reported just before 6:30 p.m. Tuesday near a private dock on the north side of Rocky Fork Lake, according to news station WCPO.
The boy, who was only identified as a 13-year–old, tried to locate the girl under the ice before he freed himself, authorities said.
Divers ultimately pulled the girl from the lake around 11 p.m. — after four hours of being trapped under the ice — but she succumbed to her injuries later in the hospital, WCPO reported.
An Ohio Natural Resources Department police officer who responded to the call also died after he suffered a medical emergency during the rescue attempt, the outlet reported.
Officer Jason Lagore fell ill shortly after arriving at the scene and was brought to the hospital, but he was unable to be resuscitated, officials said. No further details were released about the circumstances surrounding his death.
“Our hearts are with the family and loved ones of Officer Jason Lagore, who died in the line of duty last night,” Ohio Department of Natural Resources Director Mary Mertz said.
“Our law enforcement officers and their families carry a unique and challenging burden of responsibilities, and we are deeply grateful for their service.”
The 13-year-old was also transported to the hospital, where he was treated for hypothermia, officials said. Neither teen was identified by name.
via: https://nypost.com/2021/02/24/officer-dies-after-attempted-rescue-of-teens-who-fell-through-ice/
Photo Credit: Google Maps
College student found hanged after telling friends she had been raped
A 17-year-old British college student who told friends she had been raped at a house party was found hanged in her room the next morning.
Megan Younger-Watson told friends she was “distraught” after being sexually assaulted at the party after a night of drinking on Feb. 15, 2019, in Ipswich — just hours before she was found dead in her hostel, the Ipswich Star reported.
The teen’s death, the subject of an inquest at the Suffolk County Coroner’s Court on Tuesday, determined that Younger-Watson had cocaine, Ecstasy, and Xanax in her body when she died — but relatively low levels of alcohol.
Police later identified her alleged attacker but declined to press charges, although Suffolk Police Det. Inspector Daniel Connick acknowledged it was “apparent” that Younger-Watson had been “too intoxicated” to consent to sex, The Sun said in a report Wednesday.
“Megan was one of the most wonderful, bubbliest, happiest people you’d ever meet,” her mother, Natashia Younger-Watson, told The Sun. “She put everyone before herself. That’s why there’s been such a big tribute to her. She was absolutely amazing.”
The teen, a drama student at Suffolk New College in Ipswich, had a history of anxiety and depression and was facing eviction from the Christchurch House hostel.
The night before her death, Younger-Watson was out with friends for a night of partying at the Grinning Rat pub, and joined the group at a party at a local apartment when the bar closed at midnight, the Ipswich Star said.
The teen rarely went out and told a friend she “didn’t know what she was doing.”
After telling her friends of the assault, Younger-Watson was twice carried upstairs by the night manager at the hostel, but was ultimately left alone. At 10 a.m. the next morning, her friends called the police because she was not answering her door.
Police broke the door down and found her unresponsive, the reports said.
via: https://nypost.com/2021/02/24/student-found-hanged-after-telling-friends-she-had-been-raped/
Photo Credit: facebook
Florida woman charged with setting fire to 10 trash trucks
POMPANO BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A South Florida woman who set fire last fall to 10 garbage trucks outside a solid waste business where she worked has been arrested, authorities said.
Saprell Frazier, 43, was taken into custody during a traffic stop Friday in Pompano Beach, a day after being placed under surveillance, according to a Broward Sheriff’s Office report. She was charged with one count of burglary with structural damage and 11 counts of second-degree arson.
According to a news release, surveillance video from the early morning hours of Oct. 18 shows a person in a garbage bag suit and goggles break into the Waste Pro compound in Pompano Beach, just north of Fort Lauderdale. Investigators said the intruder torched the gate before walking around the compound and setting fire to multiple trucks. Before leaving, the person opened a door to the building and placed a bottle containing a clear substance on the floor and then set it on fire, officials said.
Investigators estimated the fires did about $4 million in damage.
As the building caught fire, the intruder left the scene in a black car, authorities said. Another car on the scene may have been a lookout, investigators said. Authorities are still searching for an accomplice, the sheriff’s office said.
Officials didn’t release details about how they said they identified Frazier as a suspect or what a motive might have been. At one point, officials had been offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to an arrest. It wasn’t clear if anyone had received the money.
Frazier was being held without bond. Court records didn’t list an attorney for her.
via: https://www.kmov.com/news/florida-woman-charged-with-setting-fire-to-10-trash-trucks/article_6c03fdf3-0893-56f1-afde-48781be87de5.html?block_id=985911
Photo Credit: Broward County Sheriff’s Office via AP
HelloFresh apologizes after customer appears to receive bottle of urine with delivery
A meal delivery service was forced to apologize Sunday after a customer received what appeared to be a bottle of urine with their order.
The unwanted ingredient — which apparently arrived in an empty plastic Coca-Cola bottle — was included in a HelloFresh meal kit delivered to an address in the UK.
“Hey @HelloFreshUK , I’ll keep it simple: why have I received someone’s bottled up piss as part of my order?” Oliver McManus tweeted on Sunday, with a photo of the bottle in question.
When other Twitter users speculated that the bottle was full of apple juice, McManus offered to return the bottle to HelloFresh.
“I’ll send it to you and you can have a whiff in case you’re [sic] sceptical,” he tweeted.
Others pointed out that the bottle may have been accidentally left there by a warehouse worker or a delivery driver. McManus agreed, saying that the box was already partially opened when it arrived.
“The last thing I would want is for anyone to get sacked or in trouble as a result of this incident. It is unfortunate that it happened but I’m sure it raises some wider questions about working conditions in the UK,” McManus told The Independent.
HelloFresh quickly responded to McManus on Twitter, saying they “truly lack the words to describe how sorry we are because of this,” before issuing a longer apology to UK media outlets.
“Given the wholly unacceptable nature, we are urgently investigating, along with our delivery company, how an open box with this bottle in it was delivered.
“We have apologized directly to Mr McManus and offered an appropriate good will gesture. We are working hard to do everything we can to ensure that this cannot happen again.”
McManus seems to have taken the delivery fiasco in stride, writing in one final tweet: “Am I concerned about wider working conditions in the UK? Yes. Do I think anyone deserves to be sacked? No. Did I think so many people would care? No. Will I keep tweeting about boxing? Yes.”
via: https://nypost.com/2021/02/22/hellofresh-apologizes-after-customer-appears-to-receive-bottle-of-urine-with-delivery/
Photo Credit: nypost.com