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Acclaimed director Miguel Gomes returns with a sumptuous, eccentric two-part tale centered on Aurora, shown first as an impulsive, cantankerous elderly woman in present-day Lisbon. When Aurora is hospitalized, she sends her neighbor, Pilar, to pass... Reported by Rotten Tomatoes 13 hours ago.

Group of Victims' Families Call for Nonprofits to Release Funds

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Group of Victims' Families Call for Nonprofits to Release Funds Patch Trumbull, CT --

 

A group of eight families of Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims have joined with family from other U.S. tragedies -- including 9/11 and shooting at Columbine, Virginia Tech, Aurora and Oak Creek -- to call for nonprofits to release the "unspecified funds" collected after the December tragedy to families, according to a release Tuesday. 

Simultaneously, the group proposed changes in the way donations are handled after such tragedies.

The release, subheaded "Stop re-victimizing the victims," cited "over 50 parents and family members directly affected by the worst mass shootings and tragedies in the U.S." The group called for non-profits to turn the funds over to Sandy Hook shooting victims and families, accusing them of a "disturbing pattern" of retaining or redistributing funds intended for victims after tragedies.

"The American public is incredibly giving when tragedy strikes," said the group of families in a prepared statement. "They donate generously to provide relief to the victims' families. Going back to Oklahoma City, we've seen families who have had to endure not only horrific loss but also the unimaginable task of wrestling with byzantine non-profit bureaucracies to access financial relief intended for them. It's time to stop the madness. We cannot watch this happen, yet again, in Sandy Hook."

The group also called for the federal government to establish a "National Compassion Fund" to provide a "centralized infrastructure" to manage funds for future disasters.

"We believe a National Compassion Fund will go a long way in restoring America's faith in giving so generously when our hearts are broken by such tragedies, a faith which has been tattered by the very nonprofits that profess to be helping us."

The largest fund to date, the United Way of Western Connecticut's Sandy Hook School Support Fund, has raised more than $10 million to date. In recent weeks, some family members have expressed frustration with the fund, specifically a donation process they see as slow and cumbersome.

In February, the United Way, working with the Newtown Rotary Club and the state's Office of Victim Services, launched a fund they said was specifically for immediate aid to victims' families. The fund is not drawn from the same pool as the Sandy Hook School Support Fund. Reported by Patch 2 hours ago.

Montgomery County Lawmakers Under Fire For Attempts to Weaken Weapons Ban

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Montgomery County Lawmakers Under Fire For Attempts to Weaken Weapons Ban Patch Bethesda, MD --

 

*(Updated 3:20 p.m.) *Two Montgomery County lawmakers are being criticized for efforts to weaken a proposed assault weapons ban.

In an editorial published Friday (see “Maryland’s shrinking assault-weapons ban”), The Washington Post criticized delegates Luiz R.S. Simmons (D-Dist. 17) and Kathleen M. Dumais (D-Dist. 15), both of Rockville, for suggesting the ban exempt AR-15s, semiautomatic weapons used by the Aurora, CO, shooter and in the Beltway sniper attacks.

The Post editorial said:



“…the reality is that the number of Marylanders with a legitimate need to own AR-15s is minuscule. By contrast, repeated, tragic and bloody experience in Maryland and elsewhere in the United States makes plain the overwhelming need for a comprehensive ban on assault weapons.”



The editorial is posted at WashingtonPost.com.

Political blog Maryland Juice put the news in its “JuiceBlender” on Tuesday and said that The Post’s recent coverage of the proposed assault weapons ban “indicates that Del. Kathleen Dumais has been swayed by extremely flimsy policy logic.”

The Juice post said the NRA “succeeded in scaring some lawmakers” and listed the office number and emails for Dumais and Simmons, urging readers to contact the “MoCo Delegates who are wavering on the assault weapons ban.”

Dumais responded in a lengthy letter to Maryland Juice on Tuesday accusing The Post and other media of focusing on one aspect of the proposed legislation and offered to tell “the rest of the story.” In exerpt, Dumais said:



“It is easy to jump on a National bandwagon and, no pun intended, take pot shots at legislators doing their jobs in order to advance a particular agenda.  But, I really wish someone on the Post Editorial Board had investigated beyond this single, oversimplified issue of an ‘assault weapon ban.’ Or, had even taken the time to understand the rest of the components of the pending legislation.”



The political blog also posted a letter Simmons sent to The Post on Sunday in which he claims the paper’s editorial mischaracterized his stance on assault weapons:



“I have always supported a general ban on assault weapons and have said nothing or done nothing to the contrary,” Simmons states in the letter. “Your editorial writer has evidently confused my position with the public position of my colleague Delagate Kathleen Dumais.”



Both letters are posted at Maryland Juice. 

*Where this is coming from*

In Annapolis, the assault weapons ban passed the Senate but is being bogged down in a House Judiciary Committee, of which Dumais is vice chair and Simmons is a member. Some of the changes being proposed would keep semiautomatic rifles legal in Maryland, according to The Post.

In a story published in The Baltimore Sun on Thursday, Dumais said gun owners use AR-15s for target shooting and hunting, and noted that gun-buyers in Maryland must go through a criminal background check.

"The AR-15 is not as scary as we once thought," Dumais told The Sun.

The local debate comes as The White House’s gun reform package lost a major provision—a ban on assault weapons, The Huffington Post reports.

"I'm not going to try to put something on the floor that won't succeed," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told HuffPo. "I think the worst of all worlds would be to bring something to the floor and it dies there."

*Opponents stage rally*

Such sentiments don’t seem to jibe with a recent poll that found most Marylanders favored stricter state gun laws—from bans on assault-style weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines to fingerprinting anyone who buys a gun, Patch reported earlier this month.

A group planned to rally Tuesday at the State House to advocate for an assault weapons ban and stricter gun laws in Maryland.

“As moms, we will remain focused on the safety of our children rather than be influenced or even intimidated by powerful gun industry lobby groups,” Shannon Watts, founder of the group Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, said in a press release.

“We will not wait for one more horrific mass shooting of our children for legislators to wake up and finally pass needed laws that we know will make a difference,” Watts said.

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*Editor's note: *This story has been updated since it was originally published to include delegates Luiz R.S. Simmons (D-Dist. 17) and Kathleen M. Dumais (D-Dist. 15) responses to a Washington Post editorial. Reported by Patch 7 hours ago.

Guns in Kingstowne: How Have Recent Tragedies Affected Your Opinion on Gun Laws?

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Patch Kingstowne-Rose Hill, VA --

With tragedies like the Aurora, Colo., shooting and the school shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Newton, Conn., the issue of gun control laws in America has become a hot button topic and everyone has something to say about it.

FCPD recently responded to a report of a gun sighting near Garfield Elementary in the Springfield area which turned out to be a false report. And in a recent weekly Patch Poll, 53 percent of readers said they would call the police if they saw someone with a handgun in public who made them uncomfortable.

Considering recent incidents, seeing guns in public will probably cause others to be afraid or uncomfortable. Patch reader Joe Brenchick commented on the poll saying, "Anytime you open carry a firearm, you draw extra attention to yourself. Thus one should be mindful of their actions so as to not be misinterpeted."

What would you do if you saw someone with a gun in public in the Kingstowne area? How has your opinion on gun laws changed? Join the conversation and take the Patch Poll here. Reported by Patch 7 hours ago.

Newtown 911 Call Center Director: 'I Hope My Town's As Proud As I Am'

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Newtown 911 Call Center Director: 'I Hope My Town's As Proud As I Am' Patch Newtown, CT --


Members of Newtown's Emergency Communications Center were honored last week with an award from NG9-1-1, a nonprofit that works with a congressional congress to promote emergency call center issues. Director Maureen Will traveled to Washington to accept the award, and while there, spoke with lawmakers about issues facing emergency dispatchers in the future.

This week, Will spoke with Patch about those issues, the challenges her staff faced in the aftermath of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting and the future of emergency dispatching in Newtown and the rest of Connecticut.

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*Patch: *Receiving the award must have been a great honor. Did you feel the trip accomplished what you hoped?

*Maureen Will:  *One of the main reasons we went was to speak to our congressmen regarding 911 services. And we were able to meet with all of Connecticut's congressmen, which was pretty amazing in and of itself. It was awesome to be able to go to Capitol Hill and be our champions for next-generation 911. And afterwards, we did get confirmation Rosa DeLauro has joined [the congressional caucus that works with 911 organizers.]

*Patch: *What will the "next generation" of 911 look like?

*Will: *It's going to be about meeting the expectations of the consumer. Some people are under the impression if they text 911 someone will be there to respond, and that's not the case ... Look at what the younger generation thinks -- "We can do that, can't we?" Well, no. But they're starting to test that in Vermont and a couple other agencies, and they've said they'll be ready for it by 2014. But we do need additional funding to make sure 911 here in Connecticut has enough money in the state budget to get the new system and keep it updated.

*Patch: *What was the ceremony itself like?

*Will: *Extremely humbling. It was about 500 people at Union Station. And to actually hear Blumenthal and Esty talk about December 14, and the things our center has done -- it really brought everything home. And then to have the warm reception from the audience -- people from Aurora, Lancaster and Columbine were there.

We're part of a special group -- a group that no one wants to belong to. And there was so much sadness that was part of it. But the support and the love we felt from them was absolutely phenomenal. To recieve a standing ovation and receive the kind words was, again, humbling. And I told them I was standing in front of a group of people who do the same thing we do every day. It could have been any one of them standing on that stage, receiving that award.

*Patch: *What was the atmosphere in that call center in the days after the shooting?

*Will: *On that day, there were two people working. [The call center has a total of nine communicators, with two on staff at a time.] I had run out for a moment, but when I came back in, I stayed.

We called in an additional dispatcher about two and a half hours later, and we had to get ahold of him while still handling phone calls. On Sunday night, I made the decision to bring more people in from around the area. Otherwise, it would have decimated my staff. But we still only had three stations. [The center can handle three positions at one time.] Then, on Monday, the regular phones broke.

During this time, we were averaging between 120 and 150 an hour -- and this is from Friday straight through to about two weeks afterward.

*Patch: *Has it been emotionally difficult for dispatchers at the center since then?

*Will: *There have been good days and bad days here. Although we were not at the school, Bob [Nute] and I are born and raised here. We know that school -- my daughter went there. And Jen [Barocsi] has worked here about six or seven years, too.

We weren't at the scene, but the scene was in our head. We dealt with the people that were coming in, the phone calls -- but then also all the wonderful cards and letters. It becomes overwhelming. But we're so greatful for people to remember us. So we have good days and bad days, and we just take it one day at a time. It's just what we do.

*Patch: *As community members, is it ever hard for dispatchers to stay removed from the situation while on the job?

*Will: *At the time, no. We don't think about it. We have a job to do. We have to be that consummate professional. We're the lifeline between the person on the phone and the responders.

Afterwards, just like everybody else, it's going to impact us. But that's our job -- we have to maintain that training and that professionalism. There are many stories of [dispatchers] who have answered a 911 call from a family member, and they have to dispatch an ambulance or police because someone's been hurt or killed. You never know who's on the other end of the phone.

*Patch: *Another concern you've mentioned is regionalization of emergency services. Is that an option Newtown could turn toward in the future?

*Will: *It might. It would depend on the Board of Selectmen. Obviously my responsibility is to provide them with facts, the benefits, the pros and cons ... Obviously, in this financial climate, if it's going to save taxpayer dollars, I believe it would be something I should pursue. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be. And the state is definitely pushing for it.

That's my job -- I look at what's good, what's not, and I make the presentation. But because I have such a vested interest in this community, I'm not going to hurt Newtown. I'll give them the facts. But onething I do know is regionalization will not take away from the quality of service our community expects from our staff.

*Closing thoughts from Maureen Will:*

I'm very proud of the young men and women here at the center. They do an exceptional job, and sometimes people do forget them. There's a large focus on fire, police and EMS -- as it should be. But my staff is the one that picks up that call. We try to comfort, we try to aid, and we try to get as much information as possible.

That's why that award hit me -- we had Sen. Blumenthal and Elizabeth Esty telling people what we're doing. It was nice to have someone speak so eloquently about what we did. It was inspiring. I am immensely proud of the men and women we have here, and I hope my town's as proud as I am. I know they are. Reported by Patch 5 hours ago.

Russian National Ballet coming to Park Theatre

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Russian National Ballet coming to Park Theatre Patch Cranston, RI --

The story of Princess Aurora in The Sleeping Beauty is adored around the world by children and adults alike.  Premiering in 1890, the ballet version of this beloved tale, performed in a prologue and three acts, is well-known for its outstanding choreography and Tchaikovsky’s classic score.  On Thursday, April 18, The Russian National Ballet Theatre will bring this classic fairytale to life on stage at the beautifully renovated historic Park Theatre in Cranston. 

Formed in Moscow during the late 1980’s, The Russian National Ballet Theatre began at a time of new-found freedom where traditional ballet was incorporated with new styles of dance from around the world.  Today, the Company is dedicated to preserving the timeless tradition of classical ballet while developing new talents around Russia.  A world-renowned Company, the Russian National Ballet Theatre now features 50 of its country’s greatest dancers and choreographers.  

The Russian National Ballet Theatre regularly performs the complete works of the famed Marius Petipa, including timeless classics such as Swan Lake, The Nutcracker, Don Quixote, and more. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see one of the world’s top ballet companies perform this enchanting tale of royalty, power, love and loyalty.

The Russian National Ballet Theatre will perform The Sleeping Beauty at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 18. Tickets are priced at $35, $45 and $55 and may be purchased by calling the Box Office at (401) 467-7275 or online through the Theatre’s secure website: www.ParkTheatreRI.com. *Discounts are available for groups, seniors, and students by calling the Box Office directly.* Reported by Patch 7 hours ago.

Letter: "Clean the House" and Vote for Judy Sollinger, Pam Parr and Ryan Kauffman

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Letter: Clean the House and Vote for Judy Sollinger, Pam Parr and Ryan Kauffman Patch Oswego, IL --

We are voting for Judy Sollinger, Pam Parr, and Ryan Kauffman for Oswego trustees who will energize Oswego’s economy by making decisions that will move us forward instead of stagnation.  

A couple of men running for re-election are costing us money and our future.  They malign Pam Parr for working with Trustee Gail Johnson in Face to Face Communications.  That rings as a winning combination to us, but is unfamiliar to the men’s one way communication – their way or the highway.  

We observed a couple years ago as over 100 businesses, school, park, and fire districts, library, township, and county members pled with them to set up a TIF for Alexander Lumber to no avail. Communities including Aurora, Montgomery, and Yorkville are building for the future by using TIFs, realizing TIF’s benefits that will ultimately increase their tax bases and lower property taxes.

These men perpetuated the myth that only the developer benefits from a TIF, and are accused of violating the open meetings act at the same time.  We need the development of destination shopping, dining, and parking to replace Alexander Lumber from the builders they chase away.

These men also disbanded the Economic Development Corporation, increasing the cost to taxpayers from $85,000 to $205,000 a year.  They discontinued needed committee meetings and reduced funding to popular events downtown.

Just gotta say, a couple of things that are good for Oswego came about as a result of former board leaders.  Because of their foresight we have the Oswego Senior Center evolved from the Senior Advisory Commission and Electronic Recycling and Extravaganzas from ECO (Environmentally Conscious Oswego).  These are the kinds of things we’re looking for and not getting from the current men who are trustees on the board.

Let’s clean house and vote for Judy Sollinger, Pam Parr, and Ryan Kauffman who have the knowledge and ability to work with our money, not keep it under a mattress.

*Phil and Judy Siedlecki*
*Oswego, Ill. * Reported by Patch 4 hours ago.

Alleged Arsonist May Have Targeted Wrong Homeowners: Report

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Alleged Arsonist May Have Targeted Wrong Homeowners: Report Patch Montgomery, IL --

The case of a Plainfield man who allegedly set fire to the same unincorporated Kendall County home at least twice was profiled in Tuesday’s Aurora Beacon News.

According to the Beacon report, Keenan Slagel may have been targeting the wrong people when he allegedly set fire to the home 38 Winding Creek Rd., near Yorkville, in 2007.

Fires occurred at the home on March 31, April 21 and Oct. 11. Slagel was charged in the first two fires, and the third fire remains under investigation, according to the Beacon report.

The Beacon also reported that Slagel may have been targeting his ex-girlfriend who once lived in the house not knowing new owners had taken possession.

Slagel was charged in October of 2012, and remains in the Kendall County Jail. He was set to appear in court on Tuesday, according to the Beacon.

Slagel also was arrested in May 2011 and charged with two counts of DUI by Naperville police. 

*Read the full Beacon report here.  * Reported by Patch 5 hours ago.

Drivers Charged with DUI: Montgomery Police Blotter

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Drivers Charged with DUI: Montgomery Police Blotter Patch Montgomery, IL --

*Car break-in*

A vehicle was broken into sometime between March 20 and 21 in the 2300 block of Patron Lane and a GPS was stolen, according to a Montgomery Police report.

*DUIs*

Bryan Hibben, 28, of the 2500 block of Deerpoint Road, Montgomery, was charged with driving under the influence at about 2:20 a.m. March 23 near Galena and Orchard roads, according to Montgomery Police reports. He was initially stopped for improper lane usage.

Tyler Perkins, 20, of the 1100 block of Long Grove, Aurora, was charged with driving under the influence at about 3 a.m. March 24 near Montgomery Road and Crown Street, according to Montgomery police reports. He was initially stopped for driving without lights when required, police said. Reported by Patch 5 hours ago.

Natixis Global Asset Management Launches Aurora Horizons Fund

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Natixis Global Asset Management Launches Aurora Horizons Fund BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Natixis Global Asset Management (NGAM) announced today the launch of the Aurora Horizons Fund (AHFAX), which is a multi-strategy mutual fund dynamically allocated across multiple hedge fund managers. The fund may help investors achieve additional risk diversification within a traditional long-only portfolio of stocks and bonds by providing diversified exposure to alternative strategies. The fund is managed by Aurora Investment Management L.L.C. (Aurora), which has specia Reported by Business Wire 3 hours ago.

High School Artists: Enter This Contest

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High School Artists: Enter This Contest Patch Batavia, IL --

Just one week remains for high school students within the 14^th Congressional District to enter U.S. Rep. Randy Hultgren’s Congressional Art competition, according to the Congressman’s website.

The local winner will have their art work hung in the U.S. Capitol for a year. The deadline for entries is Thursday, April 4.

"Our district has some fantastic young artists," said Hultgren on his website. "I always look forward to seeing the entries, and pointing out the winner to visiting constituents as they tour the Capitol.”

Last year’s winner was Carrie Sha of Aurora. Her winning piece is featured on Congressional Art Competition Website.

For more information on entering the contest, call Hultgren’s office at 630.232.7104.

For contest entry forms, visit the Congressional Art Competition Website. Reported by Patch 56 minutes ago.

Woman Dies After Fiery Crash on I-88

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Woman Dies After Fiery Crash on I-88 Patch Channahon-Minooka, IL --

A woman died Tuesday night after a semi truck lost control, crossed a grass median and struck the SUV she was driving. 

The accident took place around 7:15 p.m. on westbound I-88 near Aurora, near Illinois Route 56, according to the Chicago Tribune. The semi was headed east; the SUV was headed west. 

Both vehicles burst into flames. The semi driver was not injured.  Reported by Patch 32 minutes ago.

Copley Indians 2013 Track Schedule

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Copley Indians 2013 Track Schedule Patch Fairlawn-Bath, OH --

*Copley Indians 2013 Track Schedule*

*Date* *Opponent* *Location* *Time*

April 2

Nordonia

Nordonia

4:00 pm

April 6

Longstreth Invitational

WRA

TBA

April 9

Tallmadge

Copley

4:00 pm

April 11

Aurora/East

Copley

4:00 pm

April 16

Green

Copley

 4:00 pm

April 20

Tornado Relay

Dover

TBA 

April 23

Wadsworth

Copley

4:00 pm

April 25

Revere

Revere

4:00 pm

April 30

Cloverleaf

Copley

4:00 pm

May 7

Highland

Copley

4:00 pm

May 10

Lake Relays

Lake

TBA

May 11

Woodridge Invitational

Woodridge

TBA

May 16

Suburban League

4:00 pm

May 18

Suburban League

9:00 am Reported by Patch 14 hours ago.

Aurora theater shooting suspect James Holmes may plead guilty to avoid death penalty

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CENTENNIAL — Defense attorneys representing Aurora theater shooting suspect James Holmes have offered to have him plead guilty and spend the rest of his life in prison in Reported by Denver Post 21 hours ago.

AP: Aurora Massacre Suspect Offers Guilty Plea to Avoid Death Penalty

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AP: Aurora Massacre Suspect Offers Guilty Plea to Avoid Death Penalty Patch Rancho Bernardo, CA --

James Holmes, the former Westview High School student and alleged Aurora, CO, mass shooting suspect, is willing to plead guilty to avoid the death penalty, according to an Associated Press report Wednesday.

Holmes is accused in the July 2012 shooting at a movie theater in Colorado that injured scores of moviegoers and killed 12 people.

According to Wednesday's report, Holmes is willing to change his not guilty plea to avoid the death penalty and instead spend the rest of his life in prison. It's not yet clear if prosecutors will accept the plea.

See the Associated Press report here. Reported by Patch 16 hours ago.

Colorado legislators introduce HOA reform bills

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A group of Colorado legislators have introduced a slate of bills to reform homeowners associations, a legislative package they call a "Consumer Protection Package." The four bills cover topics like regulating community managers, fair debt collection practices, creation of an HOA information resource center and water conservation in common interest communities. The bills' sponsors — Rep. Angela Williams, D-Denver; Rep. Su Ryden, D-Aurora; Rep. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora; Sen. Morgan Carroll, D-Aurora;… Reported by bizjournals 17 hours ago.

Aurora man charged with threatening a judge

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An Aurora man was charged Wednesday with threatening a judge in a message to a public defender. Alexander Wood, 25, of the 900 block of Oakland Lane, was charged with one felony count of threatening a judge, according to the Cook County Sheriff’s office. Wood is accused of leaving a voicemail on a public defender’s courthouse phone indicating he wished for the “death and destruction” of the judge who presided over his case, police said. On the message, Wood allegedly said he wanted to take revenge on the judge, police said. The sheriff’s Judicial Security Unit learned the call came … Reported by Chicago S-T 12 hours ago.

Defense in Aurora Massacre Seeks Plea Deal

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Lawyers for James E. Holmes, charged in the Aurora theater massacre, signaled in court filings Wednesday they would let their client plead guilty if he was spared the death penalty. Reported by NYTimes.com 15 hours ago.

Aurora Man Charged with Threatening Judge

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Aurora Man Charged with Threatening Judge Patch Batavia, IL --

An Aurora man is facing a felony charge for threatening a Cook County Circuit Court Judge, the Cook County Sheriff’s office announced Wednesday.

Alexander Wood, 25, of the 900 block of Oakland Lane, was arrested after leaving a voicemail on a Cook County public defender’s phone March 7 that he wished “death and destruction” of the judge, the sheriff’s office said.

In investigating the call, Sheriff’s officers found the call came from a cell phone belonging to Wood. He was arrested while at work in Chicago.

This is not Wood’s first round of alleged telephone threats, the sheriff’s office said. He was sentenced in October 2011 to 18 months probation for making telephone threats to a corporation. Reported by Patch 13 hours ago.

James Holmes offers to plead guilty in Colorado massacre

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His attorneys reveal that they have made a standing offer for Holmes to plead guilty in the Aurora theater mass shooting if the prosecution does not seek the death penalty. Reported by L.A. Times 12 hours ago.
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