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Maplewood man gets 40-year prison term for killing girlfriend’s 17-month-old daughter

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

Ramsey County Judge Leonardo Castro had direct words for Terrance Leslie on Thursday before sentencing him to 40 years in prison for the October murder of Jamari Hne, a 17-month-old girl who was repeatedly assaulted and burned by hot water.Castro told Leslie that he committed “evil, devilish deeds” and the “most cowardly act imaginable to mankind: brutally taking the life of a precious and innocent child.”Terrance Valdez Leslie (Courtesy of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)The Maplewood toddler, who was the daughter of Leslie’s then-girlfriend, suffered burns to her face, bleeding in the brain, arm fractures and injuries consistent with sexual assault. She died of cardiac arrest.“May you seek forgiveness from higher powers, because I don’t believe you will find that today,” Castro told him. “May God have mercy on your soul.”Castro then handed down the 40-year term, which was the maximum Leslie could be given on a second-degree unintentional murder conviction. Las...

Former Minneapolis cop pleads guilty in 2021 squad car crash that killed St. Paul man

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

A former Minneapolis police officer pleaded guilty Thursday to criminal vehicular homicide in a 2021 traffic crash that killed a 40-year-old St. Paul man.Brian Cummings was pursuing a suspect in his MPD squad car on July 6, 2021, when he ran a red light and struck another vehicle at high speed, killing Leneal Lamont Frazier, according to the criminal complaint against Cummings.In exchange for his guilty plea, prosecutors dropped a charge of second-degree manslaughter, court documents say. Under the plea agreement, Cummings will be placed on probation and serve up to one year in the Hennepin County jail, according to the office of Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty.A sentencing hearing is scheduled for June 22.“My thoughts are with Leneal Frazier’s family as they process this admission of guilt and this step toward accountability,” Moriarty said in her office’s news release. “The reckless driving conduct admitted today is not representative of the many men and w...

On Crime Victims’ Rights Week, St. Paul man tells of his childhood sexual abuse to combat stigma

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

Photographs of Billy Dinkel show him as a second grader and a fifth grader — before the abuse started and when he was going through it.He went from a little boy with a big smile to “just trying to survive,” he said Thursday.During national Crime Victims’ Rights Week, Dinkel told his story of the childhood sexual abuse he suffered because he said he wants to help others share what happened to them or realize they’re not alone.“There’s a little boy inside of me that appreciates when people listen,” said Dinkel, of St. Paul. “Every victim has that wounded child that wants to be heard and believed. Empathy and compassion is how we should treat our victims and sometimes we don’t.”40th anniverary of passage of victims bill of rightsThis year marks the 40th anniversary of the passage of the Minnesota Crime Victim Bill of Rights.“These are rights that most people likely never think about and now are often taken for gran...

Downtown Mississippi River likely crested Wednesday, but flood precautions continue

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

Well, that was anticlimactic.The Mississippi River in downtown St. Paul had been predicted to crest on Thursday, but the National Weather Service now says this likely happened shortly before 1 p.m. Wednesday.The weather service reported a crest at 18.24 feet, or little more than a foot above major flood stage, at 12:50 p.m. Wednesday, with river levels dropping to 18 feet as of Thursday afternoon. The Mississippi at Harriet Island was still lapping recreational fields and seating areas well inland of the Harriet Island pavilion, a watery intruder into parking lots and pedestrian walkways.From the Watergate Marina to Pig’s Eye Lake, segments of eight streets and 17 parklands throughout the city remain closed.The river is expected to continue to gradually recede over the next week, though river levels are still forecast to exceed 15 feet, or moderate flood stage, into the morning of May 4. The river reached 14 feet, or minor flood stage in mid-April, and rose to moderate flood s...

Hochul to make announcement on NYS budget

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) -- Gov. Kathy Hochul is making an announcement regarding the 2024 New York State budget. The budget was due on April 1, but negotiations have been ongoing between the governor and the legislature. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The governor has signed five budget extenders to ensure state employees are paid and state operations to continue.You can watch the governor's announcement in the video player above.

Small business incubator breaks ground in Albany

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- After years of delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the new ACES Center in Albany broke ground on Thursday. The lot on Clinton Avenue will house the new small business incubator expansion. It's a $5 million project that will help train and assist local entrepreneurs. The building will have space for offices, training, daycare drop off, and small business mentoring. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "We want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to accomplish their hopes, their dreams to bring their entrepreneurial hopes to the market to succeed in their businesses because that is really what builds wealth and what builds sustainable wealth in a community," Albany Mayor Kathy Hochul said.The center has already fostered more than 50 businesses at their Orange Street location.

St. Peters to vote on resolution to update railway regulations on the transportation of hazardous materials

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

ST. PETERS, Mo. - The St. Peters Board of Aldermen is expected to vote Thursday night on a resolution that calls on the federal and state governments to update these regulations in light of the recent Ohio train derailment. This resolution calls on Congress, the U.S., and the Missouri Department of Transportation to upgrade regulations on the transportation of hazardous materials. They want regulations to require disclosure to the State of Missouri of hazardous materials being transported that could potentially cause environmental damage or pose a threat to wildlife or human life.  ‘Rudderless ship of chaos,’ judge says after Gardner’s court absence Sponsors of this resolution discussed these concerns at a previous meeting, discussing a previous resolution in 2015 about railroad speed limits, hazardous waste, oil, and other dangerous freight and materials transported through St. Peters. FOX 2 spoke with Mayor Len Pagano, one of the sponsors of the resolution, ahead of th...

Beep! Beep! St. Louis Loop Trolley is back in operation

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

ST. LOUIS - The Loop Trolley began service Thursday and will operate for the summer season until October.Bi-State Development's Loop Trolley seeks to transport passengers back into their city between the University City Public Library and the Missouri History Museum in Forest Park.“First day of operation this year, and of course we’re going to be operating Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and Sunday a limited run,” said Taulby Roach, CEO of the Bi-State Development. “We’re trying to bring vibrancy back to the Loop, and so far, so good.” Trending -- Fair St. Louis shrinks to only one day in 2023 Bi-State said it is hoping riding in a vintage trolley and seeing businesses and locations along the 2.2-mile route to spend more time at will help everyone along the route.“The really neat thing about trolley operations right now, it’s free of charge,” Roach said. “Get on and get off. Go to all those great events down in the Loop or the History Museum. We want to be part of the lifeblood of ...

St. Louis mayor stands firm against state control over police

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones stood firm Thursday, saying the state of Missouri needs to stay out of St. Louis city business.The mayor sat down for an in-depth interview to talk about her message and where she sees the city now and in the future.Just days after Jones delivered the State of the City address, she emphasized how she hears the frustrations of residents and said she is working daily to make the city stronger and safer.“We have seen some encouraging numbers so far after we hired our first outside police chief," Jones said. Chief Robert Tracy, who brings with us a fresh set of eyes on our law enforcement. Property crime is down, violent crime is down, all except the Kia and Hyundai thefts, which are wreaking havoc on our streets, and we are taking them to court for that." ‘Rudderless ship of chaos,’ judge says after Gardner’s court absence Jones is also against Missouri Attorney Andrew Bailey's attempt to remove St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner from of...

Colorado to allow DACA recipients to work as armed police officers

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:00 GMT

Colorado’s immigrants who came to the U.S. as children and have temporary legal status or those who have applied for asylum could soon work as armed police officers in the state.Gov. Jared Polis signed HB23-1143 into law on Thursday, allowing the state’s Peace Officers Standards and Training board to establish rules for people with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status and asylum seekers to become certified peace officers or reserve officers. That means police and sheriff’s departments can change their firearms policies to allow eligible immigrants employed as law enforcement officers to carry guns and allow those eligible to attend training academies.The new law, backed by Republicans and Democrats, is set to take effect 91 days after this year’s legislative session ends.“We have a number of areas of workforce shortage across our state,” Polis said at the signing. “There’s a number of ways that we’re stepping up t...