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Columbus, Ohio, agrees to pay $10 million settlement to family of Andre Hill

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Columbus, Ohio, agrees to pay $10 million settlement to family of Andre Hill

The settlement, the highest amount the city has ever agreed to pay, will be voted on by the City Council on Monday, City Attorney Zach Klein said in a statement announcing the settlement.

“We understand that because of this former officer’s actions, the Hill family will never be whole,” Klein said.

“No amount of money will ever bring Andre’ Hill back to his family, but we believe this is an important and necessary step in the right direction.”

The city, as part of the settlement, also agreed to rename a municipal gym after Hill.

In a statement, the Hill family and their legal team, led by attorney Ben Crump, thanked the city and its leaders “for doing the right thing” in agreeing to the settlement and the renaming of the gym.

“Now all those involved can begin to heal,” the statement said.

Hill’s daughter, Karissa, holding her 3-year-old daughter, later told reporters that the settlement was a first step in the healing.

“It’s one step but it’s not full justice,” she said. “It doesn’t take the scar off of our hearts that we still have from my dad not being here.”

She added, “You guys all have to remember how my dad died. He died on a 311 call, a non emergency. He was shot four times and after the the four times he was laying on the floor. There were 22 officers on the scene. Nobody helped my father. The money is not even enough to help (with) the pain or anything of my dad laying on that floor.”

She wants to see her father’s face painted on a wall in the gym and community center that will now bare his name, Karrisa Hill said.

Hill was shot and killed on December 22 while officer Adam Coy — who now faces murder charges — and another officer were responding to a report of a man who had been sitting in his SUV for an extended period, repeatedly turning his engine on and off.

Coy fatally shot Hill, 47, within seconds of their encounter as Hill walked toward Coy holding an illuminated cell phone in his left hand, body camera footage showed. Hill was unarmed.

Coy turned his camera on after the shooting. The camera’s look-back feature captured 60 seconds of video, but no audio, before Coy turned it on.

The body camera footage appears to show Coy and Hill walking toward one another, and Coy starts shooting within a few seconds. It’s not clear whether Hill or Coy said anything during their brief interaction because Coy did not activate his body camera.

The first few seconds of Coy’s body camera video in which audio is available show the officer ordering Hill to get his hands out to the side, ordering him to get on his stomach, and warning an officer to not get close because one of Hill’s arms is under the car where he collapsed after being shot.

About 37 seconds after the shooting, Coy asked whether a medic was coming. A report prepared by the Columbus police chief after the shooting said an officer who responded with Coy said she heard Coy say he saw a gun, and that Coy yelled, “There’s a gun in his other hand, there’s a gun in his other hand!”

Crump said in December that Hill was visiting a family friend at the home where he was killed.

Footage from the body camera of another officer at the scene showed Hill lying on the floor of a home’s garage while he is handcuffed.

An unidentified woman came out of the home and told police, “He was bringing me Christmas money! He didn’t do anything.”

Coy was fired in December as a result of the shooting.

Prosecutors last month filed an additional reckless murder charge against Coy, according to court records.

Coy was previously indicted in February on charges of murder in the commission of a felony, felonious assault and two counts of dereliction of duty related to Hill’s death. He pleaded not guilty to those charges.

Columbus officials were critical of how officers handled rendering aid to Hill.

Appradab’s Evan Simko-Bednarski, Rebekah Riess and Amir Vera contributed to this report.

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South Carolina sheriff's office releases jail footage showing the in-custody death of a mentally ill Black man

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South Carolina sheriff's office releases jail footage showing the in-custody death of a mentally ill Black man

Jamal Sutherland died at the Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center in North Charleston on January 5, 2021, the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office said. Footage shows deputies pepper spraying and tasing Sutherland, 31, multiple times after he appeared to resist leaving his cell for a bond hearing.

Sutherland was pronounced dead after attempts by medical staff at the facility to save his life, according to a news release issued by the sheriff’s office at the time.

“Mental illness does not give anybody the right to put their hands on my child,” Sutherland’s mother, Amy Sutherland, said in a news conference Friday, describing him as “an example of what I wanted him to be.”

“I want y’all to know Jamal was a great man. He had faults like everybody else, but he was a great man,” she said. “I’m content that God has Jamal.”

Family attorney Mark A. Peper said the family would endeavor to answer Sutherland’s last question: “What is the meaning of this?”

“People with mental health issues are entitled to the same exact civil rights as you and me and every other healthy, wealthy person in this world,” Peper said.

Sutherland’s death comes at a time when law enforcement are under increased scrutiny for their use of force, particularly against Black people and other people of color, in addition to encounters with people in the midst of mental health episodes.

Charleston County Solicitor Scarlett Wilson has said her office is reviewing the case and she will make a decision about whether anyone will be criminally charged “before the end of June.”

In a statement released with the videos, Graziano called the incident “a horrible tragedy.”

“Our officers removed Mr. Sutherland from his cell that morning in order to ensure that he received a timely bond hearing, as required by law,” Graziano said. “Their efforts were complicated by the increasing effects that Mr. Sutherland was suffering as a result of mental illness.”

“Since this tragedy occurred, we have assessed our resources and are evaluating options for global improvement, including a focus on mental health awareness,” she added.

Sutherland tased between 6 and 8 times, deputy says

Peper said Sutherland had asked his family for help dealing with his mental illness on December 31, 2020. The family had taken him to a local mental health center where they hoped he would be safe.

According to North Charleston Mayor Keith Sumney, officers responded to Palmetto Lowcountry Behavioral Health Center on January 4 after calls of a “large scale fight” that had “erupted between patients and staff.” In body camera footage released by North Charleston, officers were told Sutherland had punched a staff member and threw a fax machine.

According to Peper, an altercation occurred between two patients other than Sutherland, and that the center had called 911 in response. While police were responding, Peper said, “Jamal became agitated” and intervened in an effort to help.

“Given the confusion, he is alleged to have committed a misdemeanor offense of simple assault on a nurse staff member” at the center, Peper said.

In a statement, the health center’s CEO Timothy A. Miller said the staff had “followed facility protocols” in their attempt to bring the situation under control and that police were called to further “help protect the safety of our patients and staff.”

On the morning he died, Sutherland was scheduled to attend a bond hearing for a misdemeanor assault charge, according to a statement from Wilson, the county solicitor. Deputies at the detention center were responsible for moving Sutherland from his jail cell, according to the statement.

At the beginning of the footage from one of the body cameras, a deputy is heard saying Sutherland has refused to leave his cell and that he took “an aggressive stance.” The deputy also says a captain has been notified and that the judge required Sutherland appear before the judge. Deputies were going to extract Sutherland from the cell while medical personnel were present, he says on the video.

The video shows deputies asking Sutherland to put his hands through the cell door so he could be handcuffed and taken to court. Sutherland is seen in his cell and heard yelling, “I’m warning you, I’m warning you.” Deputies note Sutherland has a spoon in his hand.

About 15 minutes pass before a deputy deploys pepper spray into Sutherland’s cell. Sutherland is heard coughing and wraps a blanket around his head. Deputies deploy another round of pepper spray a few minutes later, as Sutherland stands in the corner of the cell, covering his face with the blanket.

Deputies soon unlock the cell door and tase Sutherland, who is heard yelling out in pain. While on the ground, Sutherland is ordered to “slide to the door” and “get on your stomach.” Video shows him sitting down, inching toward the door.

“What is the meaning of this?” he asks.

The deputies enter the cell to cuff Sutherland and one tells him not to resist. “I’m not resisting, officer,” says Sutherland. Deputies try to handcuff Sutherland with his arms behind his back, and a deputy says “loosen up” before using his left hand to force Sutherland to the ground.

The sound of a Taser is heard again as Sutherland cries out. He’s seen flat on the ground, his legs flailing as deputies try to gain control, yelling at him, “put your hands behind your back, Sutherland.” A male deputy has a knee on Sutherland’s back between his shoulder blades while a female deputy sits on his lower back, a knee on each side of Sutherland.

Sutherland is eventually handcuffed and slid out of his cell into a common area, where deputies remove Taser barbs from his front and back and lift a motionless Sutherland into a nearby wheelchair. A medic enters the frame and a deputy asks, “Will you check him?”

The medic checks Sutherland’s pulse and says he’s breathing before asking deputies to put him back on the floor. More medics soon arrive to help, and one says they feel a pulse.

Deputies explain what happened. “He got tased about probably six to eight times, at least,” one says.

EMS is called and paramedics arrive about 12 minutes later, eventually hooking Sutherland up to an automatic chest compression machine. After about 35 minutes of trying to revive Sutherland, EMS stops the machine. A few minutes later, a blanket is placed over him.

Sutherland was ‘not a threat,’ congresswoman says

Sutherland’s father, James Sutherland, said in Friday’s news conference that the footage was disturbing, adding it shows changes need to be made in law enforcement.

“He was already afraid and confused about the situation, and there was nobody in there to talk to him with any compassion, to try to reason with him and to let him know what was going on,” he said.

“If they had brought in somebody that maybe was neutral,” James Sutherland said, “that was not an officer, maybe a mental health person, could have been a nurse, somebody that was less threatening, they probably could have deescalated that situation. But that didn’t happen.”

In a statement Friday, South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said Sutherland’s death was “a tragedy” and that video of the incident revealed issues that “need to be addressed in training, procedures, and policies around law enforcement’s encounters with those experiencing mental illness.”

“Jamal’s mother, Amy, has bravely challenged us all to learn from her son’s tragic death,” McMaster said. “We will do so.

Congresswoman Nancy Mace of South Carolina’s first district said her “heart is broken for Jamal Sutherland’s family.”

“The video released last night by the Charleston County Sheriff showing the final moments of Jamal’s life is horrific. Jamal was in custody. He was alone in a jail cell. He was not a threat to anyone in that moment,” Mace said.

“No one deserves the death penalty for missing a bond hearing or for being a mental health patient.”

Appradab’s Alta Spells and Dave Alsup contributed to this report.

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House Democrats unveil $1.9 billion bill to increase security after January 6 Capitol attack

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House Democrats unveil $1.9 billion bill to increase security after January 6 Capitol attack

The sweeping legislation, introduced by House Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Rosa DeLauro, a Democrat from Connecticut, covers a wide array of priorities, including providing funding to broadly enhance security across Capitol grounds as well as specific provisions to bolster protections and increase preparedness for lawmakers, including at their district offices, and the Capitol Police force.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has said that Democrats plan to bring the legislation to a vote on the floor next week.

“It’s very essential that we get going with that. In my view, it’s overdue. But nonetheless, it’s urgently needed now,” Pelosi said at her weekly news conference on Thursday.

Democrats have pushed for security upgrades and a supplemental funding bill to address security at the Capitol in the wake of the January 6 attack incited by former President Donald Trump’s lies that the election was stolen and calls for his supporters to fight back. Some Republicans have warned, however, against an overreach that they say would effectively create a locked down Capitol.

The legislation would need to pass in the Senate as well as in the House before it could go to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law.

“The January 6 insurrection caused tragic loss of life and many injuries, while leaving behind widespread physical damage to the Capitol Complex and emotional trauma for Members, Congressional employees, and the Capitol Police,” DeLauro said in a statement announcing the release of the legislation.

“This emergency supplemental appropriation addresses the direct costs of the insurrection and strengthens Capitol security for the future,” she said. “It is also long overdue recognition of the work of the Capitol Police, the sacrifices that they and their families have made, and the changes they need.”

Among a number of provisions, the legislation would provide $250 million for Capitol grounds security, which could be used for physical infrastructure including “retractable, or ‘pop-in’ fencing, and security sensors,” according to a bill summary released by the House Appropriations Committee.

There would be $162.7 million to harden security safeguards for windows and doors at the Capitol building as well as at House and Senate office buildings.

The plan would have $7.4 million set aside to increase security for lawmakers, including threat assessments, and $10.6 million would go toward security measures and the installation of camera systems in district offices for members.

The Capitol police force would be given $8.6 million for body cameras, $6.8 million for specialized training and $2.6 million “to procure basic riot control equipment to outfit all officers with ballistic helmets, batons, and body shields,” the bill summary states.

The legislation would also set aside $200 million “to create a dedicated Quick Reaction Force to augment the Capitol Police,” according to the summary.

Additionally, the security bill provides funding to help deal with the prosecution of individuals who took part in the January 6 attack.

The bill summary says there would be $39.5 million “to process the hundreds of prosecutions of perpetrators of the January 6 insurrection, including $34 million for United States Attorneys; $3.8 million for the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice; and $1.7 million for the National Security Division of the Department of Justice.”

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Neera Tanden joins White House as a senior adviser after withdrawing Cabinet nomination

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Neera Tanden joins White House as a senior adviser after withdrawing Cabinet nomination

A longtime health policy expert, Tanden will begin planning for potential policy changes that could result from the forthcoming Supreme Court decision on Republican legal efforts to strike down the Affordable Care Act. She worked in former President Barack Obama’s administration as the act was designed and implemented.

Among other duties, the official said, Tanden will also launch a review of the US Digital Service.

Biden originally nominated Tanden to be director of the Office of Management and Budget. But Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia joined Republicans in blocking her confirmation, citing her past acerbic criticism of political adversaries in both parties.

She withdrew from consideration in March. Shalanda Young, confirmed by the Senate as deputy budget director, is serving as acting director pending confirmation of a permanent choice.

Tanden was a longtime aide to Hillary Clinton who became president of the liberal Center for American Progress after leaving the Obama administration.

Her new role does not require Senate confirmation.

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Fact-check: Stefanik wrongly says US recently saw 'worst jobs report in over 20 years'

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Fact-check: Stefanik wrongly says US recently saw 'worst jobs report in over 20 years'

Stefanik argued that because of Biden, the US is in an economic crisis and has just experienced the worst jobs report in two decades.

“We see the worst jobs report in over 20 years,” Stefanik said in reference to the April jobs report released last Friday. “Unemployment is up, small businesses are struggling to hire workers.” The New York congresswoman suggested that Biden’s extension of unemployment benefits bears some responsibility for the alleged crisis.

Facts First: It is simply untrue that the April jobs report is the worst in two decades. Just over one year ago, the US economy experienced its largest one-month decline in job numbers in recorded history. The most recent jobs report did fall significantly below forecasts but is in no way the “worst jobs report in over 20 years,” or even the past year.

In April 2020, the US economy lost 20.5 million jobs, following a loss of 870,000 jobs in March of that year. This was far and away the most significant decrease since the US began tracking the number in 1939.

Since then, when the unemployment rate hit 14.7%, the US has added jobs back to the economy with the exception of December 2020, when the economy lost 140,000 jobs.

April’s job report showed the US added 266,000 jobs while forecasts from economists had predicted something closer to a million jobs added that month. Oxford Economics, an economic forecasting firm, called the miss in forecast predictions for April “one of the largest on record,” and was the biggest miss in expectations since Refinitiv, a financial data provider, started recording that data in 1999.

Republicans have used this significant forecast miss to criticize Biden and his policies. Stefanik, however, did not say this was the worst report relative to economist expectations, she just said it was the worst. Stefanik’s office did not respond to Appradab’s request for comment.

The unemployment rate rose to 6.1% in April, up from 6% a month earlier, as more people returned to the labor force to look for work, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said last Friday. The US economy is still down 8.2 million jobs compared to pre-pandemic employment levels.

Appradab’s Anneken Tappe contributed to this article.

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Waterway under vital Memphis bridge reopens to maritime traffic

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Waterway under vital Memphis bridge reopens to maritime traffic

Earlier Friday, the Coast Guard said more than 60 vessels with over 1,000 barges had been held up on the river.

The first vessel with barges passed under the bridge just after 10 a.m. local time, according to MarineTraffic.com.

An initial analysis of the bridge found it to be “stable,” and an independent firm was to take a second look on Friday, Tennessee’s Chief Engineer Paul Degges said before the reopening was announced. Officials had said emergency repairs could take months and lead to delays in a major US shipping corridor.

“Based on information provided to us by the Tennessee Department of Transportation, the Coast Guard has determined that transit under the I-40 bridge is safe for maritime traffic,” Coast Guard Capt. Ryan Rhodes of the Port of Memphis said in a statement.

“We appreciate the cooperative efforts of both the Tennessee and Arkansas Departments of Transportation, as well as maritime port partners, to ensure the safety of our waterway.”

Closure highlights nation’s crumbling infrastructure

The Hernando de Soto Bridge on Interstate 40 — a major artery for traffic crossing the Mississippi River between Memphis and eastern Arkansas — was shut down Tuesday for emergency repairs after transportation officials discovered the crack during a routine inspection.

The Coast Guard’s decision on reopening the passageway to barges was contingent on a final state DOT analysis.

The bridge closure highlights the nation’s crumbling infrastructure and President Joe Biden’s push for a $115 billion increase in spending to modernize bridges, highways, roads and main streets in need of repair.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Friday said the shutdown was “a huge disruption” to traffic both on the road and on the Mississippi River. He told The Washington Post an inspection “revealed a major crack that could have led to a catastrophic failure.”

“So we don’t have to use our imagination to understand why bridges are important and why they need to be in good repair,” Buttigieg said.

“We need first-rate infrastructure if we want to have a first-place economy,” he added. “This is a matter of economic competitiveness, as well as safety and wellbeing.”

The infrastructure plan, which must be approved by Congress, aims to fix the 10 most economically significant bridges in the country, as well as proposing repairs to 10,000 smaller bridges.

It’s possible the Hernando de Soto Bridge would be eligible for funding, but the White House’s plan lacks details on how the money would be disbursed. The administration has not identified which 10 bridges it deems most economically significant.

I-40 is a major transcontinental transportation route, Degges said. Appradab affiliate WMC called the bridge a “vital piece of America’s infrastructure for moving traffic and freight around the country.”

According to the TDOT, the average daily traffic for the bridge is about 45,000 vehicles, with about 25% of that being truck traffic.

Drivers are being rerouted to Interstate 55, about 3 miles south, where another bridge spans the Mississippi River, causing major delays.

Degges sought to reassure the public about mounting concerns this week over the condition of the “old bridge” where I-40 traffic has been diverted, particularly the high volume of eighteen-wheelers.

“The wear and tear over that time would be infinitesimal,” Degges said.

“It will not measurably accelerate the deterioration of the bridge during the short duration” of heavier traffic, he added.

Tennessee shares responsibility for the bridge with the Arkansas Department of Transportation, which discovered the crack during a routine inspection and immediately shut down the bridge, the release said.

Degges described the crack as “very unusual.�� He believes the crack was most likely caused by fatigue or a welding error when the bridge, designed in the 1960s, was originally constructed, but the state will conduct forensic analysis to discern the exact cause.

The bridge was opened in August 1973 with a price tag at that time of $57 million, WMC reported.

It’s unclear how long the crack has been there, but Degges believes it has probably been there for a couple weeks. He noted it was not present during a bridge inspection in September 2019.

Prices of corn and soybeans could rise

Soy Transportation Coalition Executive Director Mike Steenhoek told Appradab the marine traffic shutdown was an “unwelcome” situation and, in the short term, prices of corn and soybeans could increase, especially south of Memphis.

If traffic along the river remained suspended, Steenhoek expected the industry to begin shifting to rail and to a lesser extent, trucks, to move product.

As for any grain stuck on barges, Steenhoek says there’s significant difficulty and expense in unloading and moving it to other types of transportation. “I expect the barges in the queue will wait — hoping traffic will resume in the near future,” he said.

The system has already been stressed by shifting buying and consumption habits, and a shutdown or delay can easily compound the challenges, he said.

At 48 years old, the Hernando de Soto Bridge is newer than the 72-year-old Memphis-Arkansas Bridge on I-55, where traffic is being diverted.

Appradab’s Katie Lobosco, Amir Vera, Jason Morris, Kate Sullivan, Richard Davis and Paul P. Murphy contributed to this report.

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Opinion: Republicans face a defining question on infrastructure

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Opinion: Republicans face a defining question on infrastructure

Today’s Republican Party shares less and less with Ronald Reagan, who raised the gas tax to pay for substantial investments in America’s highway and public transit systems. The bipartisan consensus that Reagan and Democrats in Congress achieved is still alive today among the American public, who overwhelmingly support greater infrastructure investment even if it means increasing some taxes. Among those Americans are half of all Republicans. The question is: Do their elected representatives?

President Joe Biden is wise to see if there are enough Republican members of Congress still in the party of Reagan and Eisenhower, not the party of Grover Norquist, the anti-tax zealot who, repudiating Reaganomics, said: “A gas tax is an attack on middle-income America.” If none of those Republicans remain, then Biden should keep going and see if Democrats are able to break the generation-long gridlock in Washington on infrastructure by sticking together.

Republicans and Democrats can find the money to pay for the infrastructure to rebuild America if the political courage exists.

The easy part is coming up with a plan for investing in American infrastructure. Done properly, infrastructure makes our lives better, creates quality jobs and fosters prosperity. The trick is how to pay for it. When you boil it all down, there are only three options: raise revenue, borrow or fake it.

Traditionally, infrastructure has been paid for at the federal level by user fees: the gas tax for highways; the harbor maintenance tax for ships; universal service fees on telephones. Aligning the cost of building and maintaining an infrastructure network with those who benefit from it makes political and economic sense.

Biden’s plan to pay for his infrastructure package avoids this historical direct connection, but indirectly links the two. Biden proposes raising the corporate tax to 28%. Corporations benefit from many aspects of infrastructure, although not as directly as specific users. Republicans, and some Democrats, have balked at this. The question is whether they are just against higher corporate taxes specifically — or against any and all tax increases to pay for infrastructure.

There are many other ways to pay for infrastructure. Instead of having corporations pay directly, their owners could pay a tiny amount when they buy or sell corporate stock or debt. Increasing the federal financial transaction fee by 0.001 cents per dollar (10 cents per $100 traded) would generate $777 billion over 10 years. This fee increase comes with the added bonus of reducing some of the high frequency trading on Wall Street and discouraging short-termism among speculators (imagine if the GameStop frenzy produced a windfall of new money to fix potholes!).

The traditional system of infrastructure funding still works. The federal gas tax has not changed since 1993. Back then, it was almost 20% of the price of a gallon of gas. Today, it is around 7%. Raising the gas tax back to that level and indexing it to inflation thereafter would raise a projected $512 billion over the next 10 years.

Borrowing is another way to do it. With interest rates near historic low levels, the federal government can afford to borrow to invest in infrastructure and still end up better off. Republicans in Congress supported racking up what would be an additional $100 billion in debt-financed discretionary military spending increases in just the first three years of the Trump administration.

Prioritizing tanks over roads is political — and not new (or wise) — but offers a path for infrastructure advocates to consider. Linking infrastructure to national defense is how former President Dwight Eisenhower succeeded, just look at the title of the law: The National Interstate and Defense Highways Act, for the purpose of defense, not commerce.

The final alternative is to fake it. Congress can pretend it is either raising revenue or incentivizing others to pay for infrastructure. Republicans in Congress have started to fixate on finding a way to capture lost gas tax revenue for electric cars as a potential solution. This is like looking for a penny in the seat cushion when you need $1,000.

There were almost four times as many Ford F-150 trucks sold in 2019 (almost 900,000) as all electric vehicles combined (242,000). The average car on the road is 12 years old, so think about how few are electric. Scoring gimmicks to hide federal spending or pretend there is new tax revenue may avoid breaking no-new tax pledges, but just result in greater deficits or less infrastructure. Either is hardly a solution.

Biden is choosing the politically courageous route of paying for what he’s preaching: rebuilding America’s infrastructure better than it was without sticking future generations with the tab. The question is whether Republicans will rediscover the small ‘c’ conservative principle that freeways are not free and that those who benefit from infrastructure ought to pay for it.

There are many roads that get us to where we want to go. Will Republicans go along for the ride or keep us all stuck in a multi-generational traffic jam?

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Carole Baskin offers $5,000 reward for tiger missing in Houston

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Carole Baskin offers $5,000 reward for tiger missing in Houston

Baskin is offering the money to whoever has the big cat, provided that person will release the animal to a sanctuary that is accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, and will work with the authorities to convict the people involved in the buying and selling of the tiger, Baskin says in the video.

The Bengal tiger was seen strolling in front of a Houston home Sunday before being put in an SUV and allegedly driven away by Victor Hugo Cuevas, who was out of jail on bail for an unrelated murder charge.

The whereabouts of the tiger are currently unknown.

Cuevas posted a $50,000 bond Wednesday over the tiger incident, after he was charged with evading arrest/detention with a vehicle.

His attorney, Michael Elliott, appeared on Appradab’s “New Day” on Friday morning and said he and his client are cooperating with federal authorities who are looking for the tiger, but not with Houston police because, “Quite frankly, you can’t trust them.”

He said Cuevas has been an occasional “babysitter” for the tiger.

“Clearly, they do have a bond,” Elliott said.

Cuevas has a court hearing scheduled for Friday.

Elliott told reporters before the hearing, “I’m sure that we’ll get some questions answered today and a lot of things will probably become public knowledge that maybe weren’t known before. At the end of all of this, we hope to show that Victor Cuevas is not guilty of evading arrest and that the judge should not revoke his bond.”

The attorney added, “I think you will also learn and come to find out that Victor Cuevas loved this, you know, tiger, loves him very much and really wants desperately to try to find the tiger and get the tiger to a nice, safe home.”

Elliott held a news conference outside of the Fort Bend County jail with Cuevas by his side.

They maintained that Cuevas is not the owner of the tiger, whom they described as a 9-month-old male named “India.”

“(The police) saw my client go out in the yard and retrieve the tiger and they’ve assumed he’s done a whole lot of different things that he necessarily has not done and not guilty of, just like they assumed that the tiger is his,” Elliott argued. “It, of course, is not.”

Elliott stressed they were working to locate the animal but would not say where his client, who was last seen with the tiger, drove Sunday night with India inside an SUV.

“We are both very anxious and looking forward to doing everything we can do to find India,” he said. “We want to find India.”

The Houston Police Department continues to investigate the location and status of the tiger. Officials have not given any reason to believe the tiger is on the loose or roaming the streets, and there is no indication the investigation has extended beyond Houston. Police characterize this situation as an “ongoing investigation,” and that any updates will come through its Twitter account.

Owning a tiger is a violation of Houston law, a misdemeanor punishable with a maximum $500 fine, but it is legal under Texas state law with certain restrictions.

Cuevas was previously charged with murder for allegedly shooting and killing a man in 2017. Court documents allege he has been in multiple violations of his bail since he was arrested.

Prosecutors have asked a judge to revoke Cuevas’ bail for the murder charge.

A startling sight in Houston

Jose Ramos, a resident in the Houston neighborhood where the incident took place, was eating a meal Sunday night when he looked out the window and saw a tiger sitting in his front yard.

“I had to pinch myself,” he said in an interview with Appradab. “Was this real?”

Ramos cautiously went outside to get a closer look. “It seemed a bit skittish,” he said. “But he was making full eye contact with me.”

An off-duty deputy who lives nearby showed up after seeing some photos of the tiger Ramos had posted on a neighborhood email forum, Ramos said.

The deputy had his weapon trained on the tiger when Cuevas came out of a nearby house, pleading with the deputy not to shoot the tiger, Ramos said. “He sounded very stressed out, very anguished by the mere fact that the deputy was aiming at the tiger and ready to shoot him.”

A man — identified by police as Cuevas — grabbed the tiger and tried to move it away from others, as seen in video captured by Maria Torres and provided to Appradab affiliate KTRK.

As police units responded, Cuevas put the tiger in a white SUV and drove off, according to Houston Police Commander Ron Borza.

Cuevas is charged with evading arrest/detention with a vehicle, according to Fort Bend County Jail records.

What to do when faced by a tiger

In an interview with Appradab on Wednesday, Baskin praised the off-duty deputy for his response when confronting the tiger.

“I was so impressed with the deputy that showed up on the scene because he did exactly the right thing, and he showed amazing restraint in not shooting that tiger,” Baskin said.

“He kept eye contact, he backed away slowly. A tiger, if you look down, if you turn, if that neighbor had run back to his door, that triggers their instinct to kill.”

Baskin said those in the neighborhood who were near the tiger were in “extreme danger.”

“Tigers are hardwired to roam hundreds of square miles, so there’s no cage that’s going to be sufficient for them,” she said.

“The only reason that people have tigers as pets is to try to show off to others.”

How agencies are responding

The unique dilemma regarding a missing tiger has resulted in multiple government services and animal groups coordinating on what to do if the tiger is found.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service told Appradab the agency is consulting with Houston Police and offering expert advice to make sure the Endangered Species Act is not violated when detaining the tiger.

A spokesperson for BARC — the city’s animal shelter and adoption facility — said animal control officers are assisting Houston Police with the investigation. Per city rules, it is illegal to keep any wild animals that are dangerous to humans in any facility other than an accredited zoo or shelter.

“In the event any such animals are found in Houston, Animal Control Officers will impound the animals and transport them to a secure location — either BARC, another shelter, or regional wildlife facility — to protect the safety of the public as well as the animals’ health,” spokesperson Lara Cottingham said in a statement.

In 2019, a different tiger was found in a cage in an abandoned home in Houston. Now named Loki, the tiger is located about 200 miles farther north in Texas at the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch, which is part of the Humane Society of the United States and houses more than 800 animals. That includes a second tiger named Elsa that was discovered in Bexar County, Texas, earlier this year during a historic round of winter storms.

The Black Beauty Ranch has offered to take in the new tiger once it is found, but a decision has not been made by Houston city officials, according to the Humane Society.

HPD Commander Borza said in a press conference on Monday that finding the tiger was a top concern. He added they have also been looking for bear cubs that were missing last year but have yet been located.

Appradab’s Holly Yan, Carma Hassan, Keith Allen, Amir Vera and Eric Levenson contributed to this report.

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Opinion: Late-night hosts weren't always so political. Here's why they changed

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Opinion: Late-night hosts weren't always so political. Here's why they changed

Welcome to Washington, D.C.

At least since Johnny Carson made his monologue a must-see ritual, this has been the pattern: A top politician misspeaks, missteps, even misspells, and the jokes fly like flocks of pigeons, the hosts eager to put in their rightful place every exalted man (or woman) bronzed by national fame.

If you play golf and keep hitting spectators with errant tee shots (Gerald Ford); if you block two airport runways for a $200 haircut from a guy named Christophe (Bill Clinton, according to The New York Times); if you shake hands campaigning in a department store and grab the hand of a mannequin (George H.W. Bush); if you misspell potato (Dan Quayle); if you say you “took the initiative in creating the Internet” (Al Gore); if you try to escape a press conference in China and keep pulling on locked doors (George W. Bush), you can be absolutely sure that you will have made the job of late-night joke-writers delightful for days, maybe weeks.

This has become an all-but sacred tradition in American politics — and comedy. It has long been cited as a sign of what America stands for: complete independence, and the freedom to publicly mock our leaders, without fear of retribution. This act of unfettered satirizing has been nowhere more exercised than in the late-night hours on stages in New York and Los Angeles.

For most of the history of late night, this system worked well — mainly because intentions on both sides were never ugly, even if they weren’t always good.

Those were the days. But that is certainly not how the mix of politics and late-night comedy could be described now. In what will inevitably be called the Donald Trump era, the relationship between joker and target became a blood sport.

It was surely not that way during the long dominance of Johnny Carson in late night. Carson, though he navigated times at least as turbulent as today’s — with the civil rights movement, Vietnam and Watergate roiling the nation — resisted taking any kind of overt stand on the issues, big as they were. He offered a simple rationale: Why would I want to alienate half my audience?

Jay Leno, who succeeded him, adopted the same philosophy — equal opportunity joke-telling. The idea was to draw laughs, not blood. David Letterman, until later in his career, mostly followed the strategy. Conan O’Brien, whose trademark was smart silliness, was even less political.

Trump may have shaken up late-night traditions more than any individual who preceded him, but he was not the catalyst for the most significant shift in how late-night covered politicians. The true turning point was the naming of Jon Stewart as host of “The Daily Show.”

Under its first host, Craig Kilborn, “The Daily Show” was built around loony, real-life news, like the invention of diapers for birds. Stewart, after he took over the show in 1999, pushed it in what one of the then-writers, Allison Silverman, called “an editorial direction” in an interview she did for my podcast, “Behind the Desk: The Story of Late Night.”

Which is another way of saying: Stewart injected point of view. Late night has not looked back since. Stephen Colbert elevated the form to satirical ju-jitsu, offering up bombastic right-wing views to illustrate how wrong they were.

John Oliver essentially imported the tough POV approach of “The Daily Show” to his HBO series, “Last Week Tonight,” where he raised the stakes on issue-comedy. Seth Meyers adapted his own acerbic take on the news from “SNL” to NBC’s “Late Night” show. Jimmy Kimmel, because of his baby son’s health crisis, found himself thrust into the middle of the nation’s health care debate — and he spoke out forcefully.

It is not only a conservative talking point to say that Barack Obama got through eight years almost completely unscarred by late-night jokes. He was clearly helped by having views more in sync with late-night hosts (and writers). But Obama also steered clear of major scandals and didn’t offer easy caricature.

Virtually every other president has had a comic persona forced on him early and the monologue jokes flow naturally: Nixon was tricky; Ford was clumsy; Carter was a hick; Reagan took a lot of naps; the first Bush was patrician; Clinton was a hound; on and on. Obama was mainly seen as aloof, not exactly fodder for wild comedy.

Trump defied the easily characterized persona as well, because he did and said so much that smashed the scales of political comedy:

He was comically narcissistic; comically rude; comically uninformed. He bragged about his sexual prowess. His staff was sycophantic to the point of lickspittle-ism; his family was farcically outrageous; his cabinet was frequently embroiled in scandals; his own Secretary of State called him a moron; his former national security adviser said he’s not fit for office; he was accused of having an affair with a porn star; he appeared to alter a weather map; he tossed paper towels to hurricane victims; and eventually he suggested people ingest disinfectant to cure Covid. And he was impeached — twice.

Several of the current late-night hosts mentioned to me that this excess amounted to something like a comedy bacchanal — a wild party at first, with everyone having fun throwing things at Trump; then it got to be just too much. Worse, it got to be downright dangerous.

For some, the tipping point was the white supremacist march in Charlottesville (one dead). For others, it was gross negligence in handling the pandemic (more than half a million Americans dead). For all of them it was the threat to democracy in Trump’s lie that he was the rightful winner in 2020 and his instigation of the insurrection at the Capitol (five dead).

Desus Nice, the co-host with The Kid Mero of Showtime’s late-night entry, “Desus & Mero,” told me it was great for a nascent show like theirs when “Trump falls into our laps.” But there was a problem: It wasn’t funny. “It was like: It hurt people,” Desus said. “And it hurt democracy.”

Mero added, “To be tremendously trite and corny and cliché, it’s like laughing to keep from crying, you know what I mean? Like: This guy is lighting our country on fire.”

The idea that Joe Biden might bring nothing but boring “he’s old!” jokes to the nightly monologues seems a fine prospect to shows happy to be out from under the unceasingly funny but equally unsettling behavior of the Trump administration.

But the news may not cooperate. The undying loyalty to Trump among Republicans, and their commitment to backing his debunked claims of winning the election looks like it will continue to be a story.

When Facebook’s Oversight Board announced last week that its ban on Trump would continue for at least six more months, it was just like the old days: wall-to-wall Trump jokes. You could almost hear the late-night hosts’ collective lament: “Just when we thought we were out, he pulls us back in!”

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HUD Secretary Fudge violated the Hatch Act, Office of Special Counsel concludes

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HUD Secretary Fudge violated the Hatch Act, Office of Special Counsel concludes

Fudge, who joined White House press secretary Jen Psaki at a briefing in March, was asked about the special election to fill her vacant seat in Congress.

Though Fudge declined to weigh in on the House race, she told reporters she thought Dayton Mayor Nan Whaley and US Rep. Tim Ryan, both Democrats, were strong candidates to fill the seat currently occupied by Republican Sen. Rob Portman, who announced in January he would not seek reelection when his current term ends in 2022. Both have since launched campaigns — Ryan for the Senate seat and Whaley for governor of Ohio.

According to the US Office of Special Counsel, the agency charged with investigating Hatch Act violations, the rule prohibits federal employees from “using their official titles or positions while engaged in political activity,” including “any activity directed at the success or failure of a political party, candidate for partisan political office, or partisan political group.”

In a letter dated Thursday to a conservative watchdog group that had previously filed a complaint against Fudge, OSC concluded that she violated the Hatch Act and said she has been issued a warning.

“By stating, for example, that ‘we have a good shot at it’ and ‘I believe we can win the Senate race,’ Secretary Fudge showed support for the Democratic Party with respect to the Ohio Senate race while speaking in her official capacity,” the chief of OSC’s Hatch Act Unit, Ana Galindo-Marrone, wrote in the letter. “Accordingly, OSC has concluded that she violated the Hatch Act during her official appearance at the March 18 press briefing.”

Fudge issued a statement after the March briefing recognizing she shouldn’t have answered the question.

The OSC official said that because Fudge “expressed remorse” over her comments and was counseled by HUD ethics officials about the Hatch Act’s restrictions, “OSC has closed this matter by issuing her a warning letter.”

“Please note that Secretary Fudge has been advised that if in the future she engages in prohibited political activity we will consider such activity to be a willful and knowing violation of the law that could result in further action,” Galindo-Marrone continued.

OSC declined to comment. A HUD spokesperson pointed to Fudge’s previous March statement acknowledging she shouldn’t have answered the question.

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What Disney, Airbnb and DoorDash results reveal about the post-pandemic economy

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What Disney, Airbnb and DoorDash results reveal about the post-pandemic economy

The big question: As the coronavirus situation improves in countries like the United States, which trends from the past 14 months will have staying power, and which will be resigned to the pandemic past?

Airbnb, DoorDash and Disney (DIS), which reported results after US markets closed on Thursday, provide some idea.

Airbnb: The company said interest in travel is surging again as vaccines become more widely available, pointing to a sharp increase in bookings in the United Kingdom immediately after British Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced plans in February to gradually exit lockdown. For US customers aged 60 and above, searches on Airbnb for summer travel rose by more than 60% between February and March.

The company is also ready for more customers to use Airbnb for longer-term stays as they take advantage of greater acceptance of remote work. It said that nearly a quarter of stays last quarter were for 28 days or more, up 14% from 2019. Shares are down slightly in premarket trading.

DoorDash: People are still ordering lots of food delivery even as restaurants open back up for traditional dining. DoorDash reported a 198% jump in revenue last quarter to $1.1 billion even as it dealt with a shortage of workers, and increased its full-year outlook.

“As markets continued reopening and in-store dining increased across the US, the impact to our order volume was smaller than we expected, which contributed to strong performance in the quarter,” the company said, though it cautioned that may have been partially attributable to stimulus checks. Shares are up almost 9% in premarket trading.

Disney: Streaming has carried Disney through the pandemic, with Disney+ growing to more than 100 million subscribers. Yet the biggest star in Disney’s media universe appears to be shining a little less bright, sending shares down 4%.

The company said Thursday that Disney+ now has 103.6 million subscribers, below the 110 million Wall Street was expecting. That’s forced investors to wonder: Is that because people are getting vaccinated and stepping away from streaming? Netflix also reported sluggish subscription growth last quarter.

Down but not out: Disney said it remains on track to reach its long-term subscriber goals despite the apparent slowdown. It’s betting that as the pandemic eases, it will be able to produce more movies and shows, helping to bring in new customers.

Whether it’s right will become clearer in the months ahead, which will pose the true test of whether people actually ditch their sweatpants, get out of the house and shake up the economy once again.

It could get easier to get a credit card without a credit score

For years, if you didn’t have a credit score it was extremely difficult to get a credit card or certain types of loans. But a new plan among some of the nation’s largest banks may help Americans without traditional credit histories get approved.

Ten banks — including JPMorgan Chase (JPM), Wells Fargo (WFC) and U.S. Bancorp (USB) — have tentatively agreed to a plan to share data like bank account deposits and bill payment activity to help qualify borrowers without traditional credit histories, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The push for financial institutions to come to a data sharing agreement came from a program run by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency. The OCC has confirmed there is a plan, but the details of the agreement among the banks still need to be worked out.

Should the proposed arrangement go through, it would mean that if you don’t have a credit score but you have a bank account at Wells Fargo, for example, you can use that financial history to help you get a credit card with another bank, like JPMorgan Chase.

“This will give millions of Americans the opportunity to access credit that’s essential to building wealth — buying a home, starting a business, or financing education,” Trish Wexler, a spokesperson for JPMorgan Chase, told Appradab Business.

The backstory: There are currently 53 million people without a credit score, according to the Fair Isaac Corporation, the creator of FICO credit scores. These consumers, who are disproportionately lower income and people of color, face higher borrowing costs because they’re forced to turn to products like payday loans.

Banks and lenders refer to those without credit history as “credit invisible.” This group can include young people or recent immigrants, as well as people who haven’t used credit in a long time or who have lost their access due to financial difficulties.

The business angle: Big banks may also be eager to revise their policies as online upstarts chip away at demand for their products.

“Some of this cooperation among the biggest banks may be a bit of reaction to smaller banks and fintech companies infringing on their space,” said Matt Schulz, chief industry analyst at LendingTree.

Target will temporarily stop selling trading cards amid frenzy

Target (TGT) has announced that it will stop selling trading cards in its stores following a violent dispute at one of its locations — a sign of just how overheated the market for collectibles has become.

The details: Last week, a Target in Wisconsin was locked down after a man was physically assaulted by four others over sports trading cards.

“The safety of our guests and our team is our top priority,” Target said in a statement. “Out of an abundance of caution, we’ve decided to temporarily suspend the sale of MLB, NFL, NBA and Pokémon trading cards within our stores, effective [Friday].”

The cards will still be available online, the company said.

Remember: The value of trading cards has skyrocketed in recent months during the Covid-19 pandemic. That’s grabbed interest from both amateur and professional investors looking to cash in on spectacular returns.

Target previously was limiting card purchases to just one item a day, saying that guests were lining up overnight to get their hands on hot items, per Appradab affiliate WISN.

Walmart (WMT), for its part, said it will keep selling cards in stores for now.

“We are determining what, if any, changes are needed to meet customer demand while ensuring a safe and enjoyable shopping experience,” a spokesperson said in a statement.

Up next

Data on US retail sales, import and export prices and industrial production arrives at 8:30 a.m. ET.

Coming next week: Home Depot (HD) and Lowe’s (LOW) report earnings as the housing market booms.

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Congressional Democrats have a 100% vaccination rate

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Congressional Democrats have a 100% vaccination rate

“No,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said when asked if the rule mandating masks unless a member is speaking on the House floor would be modified. She then asked, “Are they all vaccinated?”

The answer, among Democrats across both chambers, is a 100% vaccination rate. For Republicans, it’s a different story — with at least 44.8% of House members vaccinated and at least 92% of senators.

In a follow-up to a March House-wide survey and interviews with members, Appradab has confirmed that 312 of the 431 members of the House — just over 72% of the 431-member body — have now received a Covid-19 vaccination. Of that, all 219 House Democrats have reported being vaccinated. Among the Republican conference, 95 of the 212 members — 44.8% — have said they are vaccinated.

One hundred and twelve Republican offices did not respond to multiple Appradab inquires.

One House Republican, Rep. Tom Massie of Kentucky, said he is not vaccinated.

“The Pfizer and Moderna trials showed no benefit from the vaccine for those previously infected, so I will not be taking the vaccine,” Massie said in a statement to Appradab.

Both clinical trial and real-life data finds the mRNA vaccines are more than 95% effective at preventing severe Covid-19 illness, hospitalizations and death.

Three other Republicans — Reps. Greg Steube and Kat Cammack of Florida and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia — said they did not want to share the information.

“I’m not going to talk about it. I don’t think anybody should have to share their personal, private medical information with anybody,” Steube told Appradab.

Rep. Guy Reschenthaler of Pennsylvania told Appradab, “I have the antibodies” when asked if he had been vaccinated. But experts don’t know how long antibodies last in a person who has recovered from Covid-19, and research suggests that coronavirus vaccines will provide better protection, especially when it comes to some of the worrying variants. One study found that people in South Africa who received the Pfizer vaccine after B.1.351 became the dominant circulating virus were still very strongly protected from infection, and that protection lasted for at least six months.

All 50 members of the Senate Democratic caucus are fully vaccinated against Covid-19, according to interviews with those senators and a Appradab review of their public statements.

On the Republican side, 46 of 50 senators report being vaccinated, while two won’t publicly announce their vaccine status and two others — Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Rand Paul of Kentucky — are refusing to get vaccinated, arguing they already got the disease and therefore don’t need it.

Paul, who is an ophthalmologist, and Johnson argue that the antibodies they have are protective against serious reinfection despite the fact the CDC has been advising people that they do not know how long immunity lasts and to get the vaccine even if they have had prior infections.

“I thought I was doing everyone a favor,” Johnson told Appradab in a phone call in March. “I don’t think any of this is settled science, but the reason I am not vaccinated yet is I have had Covid and even when I had it, I had a mild case. … Now I am being attacked as being anti-science. It boggles my mind.”

Vaccine hesitancy among Republicans remains a concern as the country races to end the pandemic, several polls have shown. Kentucky’s other senator, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who is a polio survivor and vaccine supporter, has repeatedly addressed the issue, urging all Republicans to get the shot.

GOP Sens. Kevin Cramer and Mike Braun told Appradab several months ago that they likely would get the coronavirus vaccine. But they say they will not publicly disclose their vaccination status, arguing it’s a private medical decision.

Cramer, who represents the red state of North Dakota, said he decided not to share whether he got or will receive the shot “out of respect” for a lot of his constituents who value their privacy.

“What’s really been emphasized back home is that for many, many North Dakotans … the privacy is more important than the issue,” Cramer said. “And really out of respect for them, I just feel like, you know, we don’t divulge medical information.”

He added of the coronavirus vaccine that “You should feel free to do it if you want to do it. You should not feel ashamed to not do it if you don’t want to do it. This is a free country.”

Similarly, Braun said he thinks personal choice is more important.

The Indiana Republican cited many reasons Americans may choose not to get the shot, such as “allergies, personal or religious objections, or concerns over underlying health conditions” and argued “it isn’t proper to intrude on any American’s personal health decisions” in a statement that his office provided to Appradab.

Braun also told Appradab this week that his decision not to divulge his vaccination status was not related to how his constituents feel about privacy, but that it is his personal view. He contended, though, that the personal choice mindset is a “philosophy that we might have in a place like Indiana.”

Asked if he thinks it’s important to help promote getting a Covid vaccine by having the shot and publicly announcing it, as many Republicans remain hesitant, Braun said, “No, I think that’s something that is a step too far.”

At the same time, both Cramer and Braun recommend Americans get a vaccine to help end the pandemic if they want to.

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A university president resigned after a recent plagiarized speech. It's not the first commencement address lifted

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A university president resigned after a recent plagiarized speech. It's not the first commencement address lifted

Caslen resigned from his position Wednesday after admitting his commencement speech plagiarized portions of a speech given by the former head of US Special Operations Command, retired Navy Adm. William McRaven.

“I was searching for words about resilience in adversity and when they were transcribed into the speech, I failed to ensure its attribution. I take full responsibility for this oversight,” Caslen wrote in a letter to students obtained by Appradab affiliate WIS.

McRaven, who led the successful raid that killed Osama Bin Laden, gave a stirring speech to the University of Texas at Austin in 2014 that has been viewed on YouTube by millions, featuring lines that have been lifted by others since.

Each school system in the US has its own policies regarding student plagiarism, yet it can be nebulous when educators or administrators themselves fail to attribute properly. Several graduations in the last decade have witnessed speakers using material that was unattributed or outright copied.

Caslen said he was “truly sorry” and apologized for having undermined trust in the university’s leadership. “I understand the responsibilities and higher standards of senior level leadership. When those are not met, trust is lost. And when trust is lost, one is unable to lead.”

When originality goes astray

McRaven’s 2014 address, known by some as the “Making Your Bed” speech, preached to those in attendance the power of focusing on details, to do the little things right on the way to bigger and better possibilities.

“Know that life is not fair and that you will fail often,” McRaven said during one part that Caslen’s speech closely matched. “But if you take some risks, step up when the times are toughest, face down the bullies, lift up the downtrodden and never, ever give up — if you do these things, then the next generation and the generations that follow will live in a world far better than the one we have today. And what started here will indeed have changed the world — for the better.”

This was, however, not the first time McRaven’s remarks have been unattributed or copied for use by others.

Weeks after McRaven’s speech, a superintendent for a public school system in Massachusetts was suspected of lifting portions of it to use in her commencement speech, according to reporting from Appradab affiliate WFXT.

The superintendent said she incorporated ideas from a prior speech she heard a year earlier and was unaware of the similarities until a student sent her an anonymous letter pointing out the correlation, according to WFXT. She later retired from her position, stating the issue would remain a distraction if she stayed.

In 2017, parts of a commencement speech from a high school principal in Connecticut closely resembled McRaven’s speech, according to reporting from newspaper Republican-American. The principal said he had “committed plagiarism” and served an eight-day, unpaid suspension after apologizing to students and the community.

Giving credit when it’s due

It is not only McRaven that has been a source for unsourced material. A graduation speech given at a West Virginia high school in 2019 by its principal was found to be all too similar to a speech actor Ashton Kutcher gave at the 2013 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards. Both had, among other similarities, matching quotes about “opportunity,” nodded to Steve Jobs and concluded with “I love you guys.”

The principal apologized in a statement obtained by Appradab affiliate WTAP. “It was never my intent to take credit for what I said or give a specific credit because of how I prefaced my speech,” his statement said. “I did not get all my ideas from Ashton. Format yes, thoughts and ideas were from my heart.”

The high school overseen by the Massachusetts administrator in 2014 had a handbook which defined plagiarism as “copying or paraphrasing from the work of another student or from published sources … without proper documentation,” and doled out punishments to students with increasing severity for each instance, according to reporting from newspaper The Sun Chronicle.

The University of South Carolina is explicit in its honor code to students, with offenders referred to its Office of Academic Integrity.

The 2019 apology from the West Virginia principal included in his remarks, “In the future, anything that is spoken by me or any other administrator to the public, if it has been said by anyone else, it will be cited.”

The lesson provided here for any student or school official tasked with the difficulties of writing and performing a public speech: wise words from others are perfectly fine to share. With attribution.

Appradab’s Justin Lear contributed to this report.

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2021 BMW M440i Convertible is all about smiles per gallon

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2021 BMW M440i Convertible is all about smiles per gallon

This car’s front-end styling is slightly softer than BMW M3 and M4’s. Do you like it any better?

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Unless it’s something grand like a Rolls-Royce Dawn, I’m not much of a convertible fan. The added glare of top-down driving hurts my eyes; I don’t like getting sunburned or having wind tussle my wispy hair; plus these cars are often noticeably shakier than their fixed-roof counterparts. But the 2021 BMW M440i Convertible is compelling enough to make even a droptop hater like me think twice.

Like

Impressive refinement

Strong acceleration

Silky inline-six

Don’t Like

Uneven low-speed braking

iDrive 7 could be simpler.

Brash front end

Naturally, this car’s main attraction, and the feature that most clearly separates it from the 4 Series coupe, is its folding cloth roof. This is a new addition that replaces the previous convertible’s hardtop. The redesigned assembly is about 40% lighter than before, which helps lower the center of gravity, though it also provides a tiny bit more headroom inside. Transitioning the M440i from enclosed car to open-air cruiser (or vice versa) happens in a curt 18 seconds, something you can do at speeds up to 31 mph.

Keeping the M440i’s interior study-hall quiet, even at highway speeds, its folding soft top features a flush-mounted rear window and multiple layers of insulation. Additionally, the intake system, engine cover and underbody are tweaked to help minimize ruckus. The exterior fabric top is offered in two colors, basic black and Moonlight Black, the latter of which has a metallic shimmer.

2021 BMW M440i Convertible: Droptop fun plus driving refinement

See all photos

Two engines are offered in the 4 Series convertible and each is available with rear- or all-wheel drive. A 2.0-liter turbo-four motivates 430i models, though M440i variants like my tester feature a spicy 3.0-liter turbo I6. Truth be told, the base engine’s 255 horsepower is probably more than enough, but it’s impossible to argue with the optional six’s 382 hp and 369 pound-feet of torque, which is routed to the pavement through an astute eight-speed automatic transmission. This combination can propel the M440i to 60 mph in 5 seconds flat, an impressive sprint time, though it feels even quicker than that. Depending on the wheel and tire combination, terminal velocity is either 130 mph or 155 mph, though with the top down both are probably fast enough to rip your hair plugs out. I already have enough exposed scalp to ever give this a try.

Making that up-level engine even more intoxicating is its silver-tongued exhaust note and incredible refinement. From idle to redline, the thing is smoother than hand lotion, transmitting basically zero vibration to the cabin. Aiding performance and fuel economy, this straight-six is augmented by a 48-volt electrical system, which also helps iron out stop-start events, making them nearly imperceptible. At lower speeds, the engine also shuts off and the M440i glides along, which is great, but without any load on the drivetrain it changes the brake-pedal feel, making it a bit of a challenge to stop smoothly at times. The M440i features M Sport Brakes including four-piston front calipers and single-pot rears, and this setup provides incredible stopping performance for everyday street use.

This 3.0-liter turbo-I6 is an absolute sweetheart, strong, sonorous and practically as smooth as an electric motor. 

Craig Cole/Roadshow

I’m almost ashamed to admit this, but I actually prefer the M440i convertible to the 2021 BMW M4. The car is still extremely quick and engaging without the manic, boiling-over feel of its overcaffeinated sibling. This droptop’s front end, while still plenty — let’s just say distinctive — is less in-your-face than what’s fitted to the M3 sedan and M4 coupe. The front fascia is smoother and less pronounced around the top of kidney grilles and the titanium-colored accents (Cerium Gray in BMW parlance) look great, especially next to this example’s deep Tanzanite Blue II Metallic paint, which is a $1,950 option.

The M440i’s steering is quick and precise, and for better handling, the 4 Series convertible can be fitted with an Adaptive M Suspension system, which includes continuous damping adjustment at each wheel. But even with the stock suspenders this car is entertaining to drive, striking a great balance between sport and smooth. M440i examples also come with an M Sport Differential, which equalizes torque between the left and right rear wheels for better traction. This feature is optional on the less-potent 430i.

Whether the top is up or down, this Bimmer feels impressively sturdy. Structural shakes and jiggles are barely noticeable, even when driving over moon-cratered pavement, which is one of my primary complaints about convertibles. Fold the roof away to bask in Mother Nature’s glory and the M440i provides a serene driving experience and a purring exhaust note that’s pleasantly pronounced without being intrusive. Wind noise and buffeting are also well attenuated.

The 2021 BMW M440i Convertible’s interior is bright and airy, suitably (if not overwhelmingly) luxurious, too.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Even though it drives with a sharp edge, the M440i carries itself with dignity and restraint. This impressive refinement makes the car a bit deceptive, as you’re always going faster than you think. Fortunately, all this speed does little to impact fuel economy. The M440i stickers at 23 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. Combined, it’s rated at 26 mpg, though in mixed use I’ve been averaging 28 and change, damn impressive performance for such a potent and porky car (it is, after all, 4,171 pounds of Bavarian goodness).

Settle in behind the wheel and this BMW coddles you with an appropriately luxurious interior. This cabin doesn’t blow my mind, but everything is sensibly laid out, the leather is of good quality and there are plenty of soft materials. The front bucket chairs are comfortable enough and the backseat, while it doesn’t provide sprawl-out legroom, is still plenty spacious for adult passengers.

The 4 Series convertible comes standard with an 8.8-inch center touchscreen and a 5.1-inch instrument-cluster display. Live Cockpit Professional, which is offered as a standalone extra or bundled in several options packages, upgrades the main screen to a 10.3-incher and the gauge cluster to a 12.3-inch panel. The former is home to iDrive 7, an infotainment system that is blazingly fast but a little clunky. It’s definitely not one of the easier systems to grasp, but once you do familiarize yourself it works well enough. If you don’t feel like learning a new system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard and, for added convenience, each smartphone-mirroring system can connect to the car wirelessly.

This M440i Convertible is ready for some fun in the sun.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Other standard tech includes lane-departure warning with steering correction, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Excellent automatic high beams are also included at no extra charge. Unfortunately, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability and traffic jam assist as well as a 360-degree camera system and self-parking capability cost extra.

When it comes to dollars and cents, the 2021 BMW M440i Convertible starts around $65,000 including $995 in destination fees, which is about 11 grand richer than an entry-level 430i ragtop. With the $3,700 Executive Package, the $1,300 Dynamic Handling Package, an $875 Harman Kardon sound system and a few other ancillaries, this example checks out for $74,870.

With its silky six-cylinder engine, solid feel and crisp-yet-refined dynamics, the M440i is a good luxury car and an excellent convertible. Even though I still prefer enclosed vehicles, this droptop BMW puts a smile on my face nearly every time I drive it, a monumental achievement.

[dipulb3]

2021 BMW M440i Convertible is all about smiles per gallon

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/2021-bmw-m440i-convertible-is-all-about-smiles-per-gallon-3/

2021 BMW M440i Convertible is all about smiles per gallon

This car’s front-end styling is slightly softer than BMW M3 and M4’s. Do you like it any better?

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Unless it’s something grand like a Rolls-Royce Dawn, I’m not much of a convertible fan. The added glare of top-down driving hurts my eyes; I don’t like getting sunburned or having wind tussle my wispy hair; plus these cars are often noticeably shakier than their fixed-roof counterparts. But the 2021 BMW M440i Convertible is compelling enough to make even a droptop hater like me think twice.

Like

Impressive refinement

Strong acceleration

Silky inline-six

Don’t Like

Uneven low-speed braking

iDrive 7 could be simpler.

Brash front end

Naturally, this car’s main attraction, and the feature that most clearly separates it from the 4 Series coupe, is its folding cloth roof. This is a new addition that replaces the previous convertible’s hardtop. The redesigned assembly is about 40% lighter than before, which helps lower the center of gravity, though it also provides a tiny bit more headroom inside. Transitioning the M440i from enclosed car to open-air cruiser (or vice versa) happens in a curt 18 seconds, something you can do at speeds up to 31 mph.

Keeping the M440i’s interior study-hall quiet, even at highway speeds, its folding soft top features a flush-mounted rear window and multiple layers of insulation. Additionally, the intake system, engine cover and underbody are tweaked to help minimize ruckus. The exterior fabric top is offered in two colors, basic black and Moonlight Black, the latter of which has a metallic shimmer.

2021 BMW M440i Convertible: Droptop fun plus driving refinement

See all photos

Two engines are offered in the 4 Series convertible and each is available with rear- or all-wheel drive. A 2.0-liter turbo-four motivates 430i models, though M440i variants like my tester feature a spicy 3.0-liter turbo I6. Truth be told, the base engine’s 255 horsepower is probably more than enough, but it’s impossible to argue with the optional six’s 382 hp and 369 pound-feet of torque, which is routed to the pavement through an astute eight-speed automatic transmission. This combination can propel the M440i to 60 mph in 5 seconds flat, an impressive sprint time, though it feels even quicker than that. Depending on the wheel and tire combination, terminal velocity is either 130 mph or 155 mph, though with the top down both are probably fast enough to rip your hair plugs out. I already have enough exposed scalp to ever give this a try.

Making that up-level engine even more intoxicating is its silver-tongued exhaust note and incredible refinement. From idle to redline, the thing is smoother than hand lotion, transmitting basically zero vibration to the cabin. Aiding performance and fuel economy, this straight-six is augmented by a 48-volt electrical system, which also helps iron out stop-start events, making them nearly imperceptible. At lower speeds, the engine also shuts off and the M440i glides along, which is great, but without any load on the drivetrain it changes the brake-pedal feel, making it a bit of a challenge to stop smoothly at times. The M440i features M Sport Brakes including four-piston front calipers and single-pot rears, and this setup provides incredible stopping performance for everyday street use.

This 3.0-liter turbo-I6 is an absolute sweetheart, strong, sonorous and practically as smooth as an electric motor. 

Craig Cole/Roadshow

I’m almost ashamed to admit this, but I actually prefer the M440i convertible to the 2021 BMW M4. The car is still extremely quick and engaging without the manic, boiling-over feel of its overcaffeinated sibling. This droptop’s front end, while still plenty — let’s just say distinctive — is less in-your-face than what’s fitted to the M3 sedan and M4 coupe. The front fascia is smoother and less pronounced around the top of kidney grilles and the titanium-colored accents (Cerium Gray in BMW parlance) look great, especially next to this example’s deep Tanzanite Blue II Metallic paint, which is a $1,950 option.

The M440i’s steering is quick and precise, and for better handling, the 4 Series convertible can be fitted with an Adaptive M Suspension system, which includes continuous damping adjustment at each wheel. But even with the stock suspenders this car is entertaining to drive, striking a great balance between sport and smooth. M440i examples also come with an M Sport Differential, which equalizes torque between the left and right rear wheels for better traction. This feature is optional on the less-potent 430i.

Whether the top is up or down, this Bimmer feels impressively sturdy. Structural shakes and jiggles are barely noticeable, even when driving over moon-cratered pavement, which is one of my primary complaints about convertibles. Fold the roof away to bask in Mother Nature’s glory and the M440i provides a serene driving experience and a purring exhaust note that’s pleasantly pronounced without being intrusive. Wind noise and buffeting are also well attenuated.

The 2021 BMW M440i Convertible’s interior is bright and airy, suitably (if not overwhelmingly) luxurious, too.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Even though it drives with a sharp edge, the M440i carries itself with dignity and restraint. This impressive refinement makes the car a bit deceptive, as you’re always going faster than you think. Fortunately, all this speed does little to impact fuel economy. The M440i stickers at 23 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. Combined, it’s rated at 26 mpg, though in mixed use I’ve been averaging 28 and change, damn impressive performance for such a potent and porky car (it is, after all, 4,171 pounds of Bavarian goodness).

Settle in behind the wheel and this BMW coddles you with an appropriately luxurious interior. This cabin doesn’t blow my mind, but everything is sensibly laid out, the leather is of good quality and there are plenty of soft materials. The front bucket chairs are comfortable enough and the backseat, while it doesn’t provide sprawl-out legroom, is still plenty spacious for adult passengers.

The 4 Series convertible comes standard with an 8.8-inch center touchscreen and a 5.1-inch instrument-cluster display. Live Cockpit Professional, which is offered as a standalone extra or bundled in several options packages, upgrades the main screen to a 10.3-incher and the gauge cluster to a 12.3-inch panel. The former is home to iDrive 7, an infotainment system that is blazingly fast but a little clunky. It’s definitely not one of the easier systems to grasp, but once you do familiarize yourself it works well enough. If you don’t feel like learning a new system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard and, for added convenience, each smartphone-mirroring system can connect to the car wirelessly.

This M440i Convertible is ready for some fun in the sun.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Other standard tech includes lane-departure warning with steering correction, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Excellent automatic high beams are also included at no extra charge. Unfortunately, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability and traffic jam assist as well as a 360-degree camera system and self-parking capability cost extra.

When it comes to dollars and cents, the 2021 BMW M440i Convertible starts around $65,000 including $995 in destination fees, which is about 11 grand richer than an entry-level 430i ragtop. With the $3,700 Executive Package, the $1,300 Dynamic Handling Package, an $875 Harman Kardon sound system and a few other ancillaries, this example checks out for $74,870.

With its silky six-cylinder engine, solid feel and crisp-yet-refined dynamics, the M440i is a good luxury car and an excellent convertible. Even though I still prefer enclosed vehicles, this droptop BMW puts a smile on my face nearly every time I drive it, a monumental achievement.

[dipulb3]

2021 BMW M440i Convertible is all about smiles per gallon

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/2021-bmw-m440i-convertible-is-all-about-smiles-per-gallon-2/

2021 BMW M440i Convertible is all about smiles per gallon

This car’s front-end styling is slightly softer than BMW M3 and M4’s. Do you like it any better?

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Unless it’s something grand like a Rolls-Royce Dawn, I’m not much of a convertible fan. The added glare of top-down driving hurts my eyes; I don’t like getting sunburned or having wind tussle my wispy hair; plus these cars are often noticeably shakier than their fixed-roof counterparts. But the 2021 BMW M440i Convertible is compelling enough to make even a droptop hater like me think twice.

Like

Impressive refinement

Strong acceleration

Silky inline-six

Don’t Like

Uneven low-speed braking

iDrive 7 could be simpler.

Brash front end

Naturally, this car’s main attraction, and the feature that most clearly separates it from the 4 Series coupe, is its folding cloth roof. This is a new addition that replaces the previous convertible’s hardtop. The redesigned assembly is about 40% lighter than before, which helps lower the center of gravity, though it also provides a tiny bit more headroom inside. Transitioning the M440i from enclosed car to open-air cruiser (or vice versa) happens in a curt 18 seconds, something you can do at speeds up to 31 mph.

Keeping the M440i’s interior study-hall quiet, even at highway speeds, its folding soft top features a flush-mounted rear window and multiple layers of insulation. Additionally, the intake system, engine cover and underbody are tweaked to help minimize ruckus. The exterior fabric top is offered in two colors, basic black and Moonlight Black, the latter of which has a metallic shimmer.

2021 BMW M440i Convertible: Droptop fun plus driving refinement

See all photos

Two engines are offered in the 4 Series convertible and each is available with rear- or all-wheel drive. A 2.0-liter turbo-four motivates 430i models, though M440i variants like my tester feature a spicy 3.0-liter turbo I6. Truth be told, the base engine’s 255 horsepower is probably more than enough, but it’s impossible to argue with the optional six’s 382 hp and 369 pound-feet of torque, which is routed to the pavement through an astute eight-speed automatic transmission. This combination can propel the M440i to 60 mph in 5 seconds flat, an impressive sprint time, though it feels even quicker than that. Depending on the wheel and tire combination, terminal velocity is either 130 mph or 155 mph, though with the top down both are probably fast enough to rip your hair plugs out. I already have enough exposed scalp to ever give this a try.

Making that up-level engine even more intoxicating is its silver-tongued exhaust note and incredible refinement. From idle to redline, the thing is smoother than hand lotion, transmitting basically zero vibration to the cabin. Aiding performance and fuel economy, this straight-six is augmented by a 48-volt electrical system, which also helps iron out stop-start events, making them nearly imperceptible. At lower speeds, the engine also shuts off and the M440i glides along, which is great, but without any load on the drivetrain it changes the brake-pedal feel, making it a bit of a challenge to stop smoothly at times. The M440i features M Sport Brakes including four-piston front calipers and single-pot rears, and this setup provides incredible stopping performance for everyday street use.

This 3.0-liter turbo-I6 is an absolute sweetheart, strong, sonorous and practically as smooth as an electric motor. 

Craig Cole/Roadshow

I’m almost ashamed to admit this, but I actually prefer the M440i convertible to the 2021 BMW M4. The car is still extremely quick and engaging without the manic, boiling-over feel of its overcaffeinated sibling. This droptop’s front end, while still plenty — let’s just say distinctive — is less in-your-face than what’s fitted to the M3 sedan and M4 coupe. The front fascia is smoother and less pronounced around the top of kidney grilles and the titanium-colored accents (Cerium Gray in BMW parlance) look great, especially next to this example’s deep Tanzanite Blue II Metallic paint, which is a $1,950 option.

The M440i’s steering is quick and precise, and for better handling, the 4 Series convertible can be fitted with an Adaptive M Suspension system, which includes continuous damping adjustment at each wheel. But even with the stock suspenders this car is entertaining to drive, striking a great balance between sport and smooth. M440i examples also come with an M Sport Differential, which equalizes torque between the left and right rear wheels for better traction. This feature is optional on the less-potent 430i.

Whether the top is up or down, this Bimmer feels impressively sturdy. Structural shakes and jiggles are barely noticeable, even when driving over moon-cratered pavement, which is one of my primary complaints about convertibles. Fold the roof away to bask in Mother Nature’s glory and the M440i provides a serene driving experience and a purring exhaust note that’s pleasantly pronounced without being intrusive. Wind noise and buffeting are also well attenuated.

The 2021 BMW M440i Convertible’s interior is bright and airy, suitably (if not overwhelmingly) luxurious, too.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Even though it drives with a sharp edge, the M440i carries itself with dignity and restraint. This impressive refinement makes the car a bit deceptive, as you’re always going faster than you think. Fortunately, all this speed does little to impact fuel economy. The M440i stickers at 23 mpg city and 31 mpg highway. Combined, it’s rated at 26 mpg, though in mixed use I’ve been averaging 28 and change, damn impressive performance for such a potent and porky car (it is, after all, 4,171 pounds of Bavarian goodness).

Settle in behind the wheel and this BMW coddles you with an appropriately luxurious interior. This cabin doesn’t blow my mind, but everything is sensibly laid out, the leather is of good quality and there are plenty of soft materials. The front bucket chairs are comfortable enough and the backseat, while it doesn’t provide sprawl-out legroom, is still plenty spacious for adult passengers.

The 4 Series convertible comes standard with an 8.8-inch center touchscreen and a 5.1-inch instrument-cluster display. Live Cockpit Professional, which is offered as a standalone extra or bundled in several options packages, upgrades the main screen to a 10.3-incher and the gauge cluster to a 12.3-inch panel. The former is home to iDrive 7, an infotainment system that is blazingly fast but a little clunky. It’s definitely not one of the easier systems to grasp, but once you do familiarize yourself it works well enough. If you don’t feel like learning a new system, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are both standard and, for added convenience, each smartphone-mirroring system can connect to the car wirelessly.

This M440i Convertible is ready for some fun in the sun.

Craig Cole/Roadshow

Other standard tech includes lane-departure warning with steering correction, forward collision warning, blind-spot monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. Excellent automatic high beams are also included at no extra charge. Unfortunately, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go capability and traffic jam assist as well as a 360-degree camera system and self-parking capability cost extra.

When it comes to dollars and cents, the 2021 BMW M440i Convertible starts around $65,000 including $995 in destination fees, which is about 11 grand richer than an entry-level 430i ragtop. With the $3,700 Executive Package, the $1,300 Dynamic Handling Package, an $875 Harman Kardon sound system and a few other ancillaries, this example checks out for $74,870.

With its silky six-cylinder engine, solid feel and crisp-yet-refined dynamics, the M440i is a good luxury car and an excellent convertible. Even though I still prefer enclosed vehicles, this droptop BMW puts a smile on my face nearly every time I drive it, a monumental achievement.

[dipulb3]

Texas landlord indicted for the murder of a tenant in 14-year cold case

New Post has been published on https://appradab.com/texas-landlord-indicted-for-the-murder-of-a-tenant-in-14-year-cold-case/

Texas landlord indicted for the murder of a tenant in 14-year cold case

Jimmy Wolfenbarger, 57, of Lubbock was indicted on May 3 on one count of murder in the death of Holly Simmons, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS).

Simmons was 46 when she was reported missing by her 17-year-old daughter in 2006. She was last seen alive when she dropped off her daughter at the school bus stop the previous morning, authorities said in a statement.

Following Simmons’ disappearance, her house was examined for evidence and neighbors, coworkers and associates were interviewed by investigators. The Llano County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Rangers worked this case for years but she was not found, the statement added.

Finally, in 2009, a recreational diver found a submerged aluminum boat at the bottom of a lake near Simmons’ home, the statement says. Her body was discovered at the bottom of the boat with concrete bags placed over her. The Texas Department of Public Safety Dive Team and the Llano County Sheriff’s Office jointly recovered the boat and Simmons’ remains, according to the statement.

The Travis County Medical Examiner’s Office identified Simmons from dental records and ruled the death a homicide, according to the Llano County Sheriff’s Office release.

In 2016, the Texas Rangers Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program began reviewing the case and named Wolfenbarger as a suspect following a five-year investigation, according to the DPS.

At the time of the alleged murder, Wolfenbarger was Simmons’ landlord and lived near her home in an RV park.

Wolfenbarger turned himself in to the Lubbock County Jail on Wednesday and was released after posting $2 million bond, according to the sheriff’s office. He has been ordered to surrender his passport, the sheriff’s office said. Appradab has been unable to confirm whether Wolfenbarger has an attorney.