Democratic New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s much ballyhooed plan to decriminalize pot won’t happen this year, as Republican state lawmakers are refusing to support the idea, The New York Times reports. Cuomo announced two weeks ago he wanted to change the state’s marijuana possession laws. Under his plan, the possession of small amounts of marijuana in public view – the No. 1 cause of arrests in New York City – would no longer be a crime....
Celebrities getting into altercations with the paparazzi is nothing new. Neither are altercations at the airport. So the only new thing with this type of encounter is which celebrity loses his temper with the all too aggressive paparazzi. Enter Russell Brand at the Los Angeles International Airport. According to The Los Angeles Times, comedian Russell Brand was arrested for battery after a paparazzi incident at the airport this past Friday. The 35 year-old Brand was set to board a flight with his fiancée, Katy Perry, when Brand shoved one of the photographers that was following the celebrity couple....
Silicone breast implant risks have not barred the FDA from declaring the breast implants as safe. Silicone-gel breast implants hadn’t been used for 14 years until the FDA made them available again in 2006, reports CBS News. The FDA has only recently reviewed its findings, coming to the conclusion that they are safe and effective, if used as intended. According to the FDA’s preliminary data, there was no indication that the breast implants caused breast cancer, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or reproductive issues, according to CBS News....
The inherent tension in the recent trend to legalize recreational marijuana at the state level is that the drug remains an illegal substance at the federal level. Up until now, the Department of Justice has taken a hands-off approach to marijuana enforcement, trusting “state and local authorizes to address marijuana activity through enforcement of their own narcotics laws.” But that could all change under the new presidential administration. Last week, White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the Justice Department under President Trump may step up enforcement of federal laws against recreational marijuana use....
Casino magnate Steve Wynn and his wife Elaine are heading toward divorce, according to an AP report. Michael Sommermeyer, a Clark County court spokesman, told the AP that “divorce papers were filed March 5 and sealed by a judge the same day.” The sealing of the case would keep the case out of the private eye, should it remain sealed throughout the proceedings. Steven Wynn, 67, and Elaine, 66, were college sweethearts who originally married in 1963, but these aren’t the first rough marital waters the couple have sailed considering the Wynns got a divorce in 1986 and remarried five years later....
Taking a shot at Tequila versus taking a shot of tequila can bring you a lawsuit. The infamous star of the reality show A Shot at Love With Tila Tequila has filed a civil lawsuit claiming domestic assault against her former lover, NFL player Shawne Merriman of the San Diego Chargers. According to The New York Daily News, the lawsuit was filed in San Diego Superior Court and is for assault, battery, false imprisonment, and emotional distress....
Are your cherished Ugg boots bad for your feet? The answer to that question depends on what you use the sheepskin-lined boots for, and how often. Uggs are undoubtedly in high season now. And especially with their recent Tom Brady endorsement, those sporting Ugg boots need to be aware of their limited utility with walking and extended wear. What Ugg boots provide in warmth and fashion appeal (for some), they lack in arch support....
A $37 million settlement agreement has been reached between the former owner of a Maryland hospital and patients of Dr. Mark Midei who went through unnecessary heart stent procedures. Although Midei wasn’t a party to the lawsuit, the settlement agreement seeks to do away with the class action lawsuits against Catholic Health Initiatives for Midei’s actions, according to The Baltimore Sun. The settlement agreement must be finalized by a judge before it’s binding, but if approved on the current terms, as many as 273 patients could receive compensation....
Walmart has pleaded guilty to violating environmental protection laws, including the Clean Water Act, in three separate cases this week. The world’s largest retailer is now set to pay more than $110 million in fines. Walmart admitted to six misdemeanor counts of violating the Clean Water Act in two cases filed by federal prosecutors in Los Angeles and San Francisco. The company admitted to illegally disposing of hazardous waste materials at its retail stores....
Investigations, criminal and otherwise, need cooperative witnesses to supply evidence. In some cases, that assistance is forthcoming – people report crimes, testify against defendants, or hand over DNA, documents, and other physical evidence. In other cases, witnesses are a little more reluctant. Take the case of retired Lt. General Michael Flynn, President Trump’s former national security adviser and center of two investigations (one congressional and one criminal) into the Trump campaign’s contact with Russia before and after the 2016 presidential election....
There seems to be a new scam born every minute, and this one is tricky, on so many levels. You may have already experienced it, but didn’t know it’s name. The neighbor spoofing scam is used by con artists and robocallers that call your phone, seemingly with a local number, but they are not a local business. Currently, the Better Business Bureau has no solution to this scam other than not picking up the phone for any number you don’t recognize....
When police officers cross the line and cause a person injury, even if the officers were making a lawful arrest, there may be a claim of excessive force that the victim or arrestee can use to sue the police. Generally, the law allows law enforcement to use the force that is reasonably necessary in order to affect an arrest. However, the amount of force that is reasonably necessary is not an easily quantifiable amount....
Black Eyed Peas member will.i.am dresses like he’s from the future and apparently has a ride from Back to the Future too. Too bad for him that while the law allows you to express your fashion sense in your clothing (for the most part), there are laws that limit what you can do with your car. will.i.am learned this the hard way when he was pulled over in Hollywood. While cruising in a custom built ride that resembles the DeLorean from Back to the Future, will....
Willie Nelson’s pot plea has been rejected by a Texas judge. The plea stems from Willie Nelson’s pot possession charge last November. The country legend was arrested in Texas last year when a Border Patrol agent smelled something suspicious in his tour bus. A search revealed some marijuana, though the amount was not enough for a felony, reports Reuters. Nelson was charged with a misdemeanor, according to Reuters. And, a creative pot plea agreement was hashed out....
Bad credit is no fun, and with the record number of foreclosures, bankruptcies filed, and loan defaults seen over the past eighteen months of the recession, many consumers may find themselves staring at the bottom of a bad credit barrel. And suddenly, those spam email messages, junk mail fliers, and telemarketing phone calls promising to whisk away bad credit, wipe the slate clean, and give you a new lease on life, and qualify for one on a new car—seem especially tempting....
Almost 1.6 million cribs are being recalled because two potential defects in the cribs’ “drop side” mechanism pose an entrapment and suffocation hazard for infants, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced Tuesday. CPSC is urging all parents to inspect their “drop side” cribs for hardware problems and missing or broken parts. The affected cribs were manufactured by Delta Enterprise Corp. and sold at retailers throughout the U.S. – including K-Mart, Target, and Walmart – from 1995 to 2007, according to the CPSC....
A 12-year-old boy has been arrested for stabbing and killing his 8-year-old sister, after his initial report of an intruder set off a massive manhunt. The boy told authorities in Calaveras County, California, that he saw an intruder and found his sister dying from stab wounds while his parents were out of the house April 27. But on Saturday, deputies took the boy into custody, The Sacramento Bee reports. The boy, whose name has not been released, is now in the hands of the juvenile justice system....
Undoing Obama era guidance advising federal prosecutors to pass on charging low-level drug offenders, Attorney General Jeff Sessions ordered prosecutors in his Justice Department to “charge and pursue the most serious, readily provable offense” under the law. What this shift means in practice is that federal defendants may now face “the most substantial guidelines sentence, including mandatory minimum sentences,” which were frowned upon during previous AG Eric Holder’s tenure. Sessions called his directive “moral and just” and advised that “[a]ny inconsistent previous policy of the Department of Justice relating to these matters is rescinded, effective today....
A nasty tweet was issued from ex-husband Charlie Sheen after Brooke Mueller’s attempt to secure a temporary restraining order (TRO) against him had been denied. Mueller’s petition was denied by a judge on Monday, E! News reports. “happy Bday Brooke when you’re done sucking off the parking lot at Home Depot why don’t ya ‘blow’ out this candle. c,” Sheen tweeted, alongside a photo of a cake with a plastic grenade stuck on top....
The country was shocked to learn last month that Carlina White, the victim of a 1987 New York baby kidnapping was alive and well. As authorities searched for her kidnapper or “mother” Ann Pettway more and more details came to light. Carlina White’s biological mother had handed her to Ann Pettway while in the hospital, believing her to be a nurse, reports Reuters. Pettway then took the baby and raised her as her own, telling friends and family that Carlina White was her biological child....
