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Sentencing awaits suburban man guilty of N95 mask price gouging

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:11 GMT

CHICAGO — A Winnetka businessman has been found guilty of buying thousands of N-95 masks early in the pandemic and selling the protective wear at significant markups.  Krikor Topouzian, 62, was convicted of buying nearly 80,000 masks through his health supply business in April of 2020.  Prosecutors say Topouzian bought the masks for about $5 each and resold them for $20  – a markup of approximately 185% to 367% per mask. Topouzian engaged in the price gouging despite repeated warnings, including from law enforcement, about the illegal nature of his conduct, even after the government labeled them "scarce materials" and friends told him his prices were too high.  Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesProsecutors also allege that Topouzian boasted about "making massive profits," stating in a text exchange that he was making $50-80,000 a day and about $1 million on some weeks.He could face up to a year in prison. Sentencing is set for Oct. 10.

Halfway through 2023, Austin ninth hottest to date

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:11 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- We’re now halfway through 2023 and it’s time for a weather status check. As you’ve probably noticed, it has been hotter than usual, especially in the month of June. Graphic shows rainfall amounts for the 1st half of the year (Jan. 1st-June 30th). Normal rainfall for Austin is 18.54" vs. the rain in 2023 is 14.32". Typically, in a normal January-June period we receive 18.54 inches of rain in Austin. For the first half of this year however, we have only accumulated 14.32 inches, more than 4” below the rainfall totals we should have by now. This rainfall deficit has allowed drought conditions to persist, especially for parts of the Hill Country. Rain is much needed for the majority of Central Texas. The hottest temperatures from January to June in Austin show 2017 is the hottest, however 2023 isn't far behind ranked at 9th place with an average temperature of 68.6 degrees.The first six months of 2023 have a mean average temperature of 68.6. This may not sound too ...

Dallas Keuchel gives another solid start, hopes to keep building with Saints

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:11 GMT

Dallas Keuchel will take it.The veteran left-hander, making his second start for the Saints on Saturday night at CHS Field, got himself into trouble a couple times against the Gwinnett Stripers, but he kept them off the scoreboard in four-plus innings of work in the Saints’ 10-6 victory.“I can’t nitpick,” he said. “Zeros are zeros. You’re not going to feel the exact same way every time out.”After going four innings in his first start for the Saints last week, Keuchel was looking to make it through five. He entered the fifth inning having thrown 75 pitches, and a leadoff walk — his fourth of the game — made it unlikely he would be able to stay in long enough to qualify for the win.Keuchel left with one out in the fifth, having allowed three singles. He threw 86 pitches.“I asked for eight to 10 pitches,” Keuchel said about going back out for the fifth. “I was in the mid-70s in pitches, so I knew I was at my end. But I definitely wanted to go up there for that fifth up.“I was actually ...

Minnesota’s new $71.5 billion budget is biggest jump in state history

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:11 GMT

At $71.5 billion, the two-year state budget that took effect July 1 marks the largest increase in government spending in modern Minnesota history.The roughly 37 percent jump in spending is driven largely by the historic $17.5 billion budget surplus lawmakers had on the books when the year began. And some of it is one-time spending, with the general fund expected to drop to around $65.2 billion by the following biennium.Even so, the surge in funding for government programs trumps even the “Minnesota Miracle” of the early 1970s, when lawmakers committed to more equitably funding public schools and other local governments that had relied heavily on property taxes.It will take scores of new state workers just to implement the new spending plan, and Minnesota Management and Budget acknowledged an “excess of 2,000” additional workers will need to be added to a state payroll that now totals about 50,000.Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party members, now in narrow control of...

Overwhelmed animal shelter seeking adoptions, donations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:11 GMT

BERKSHIRE, MASS. (NEWS10) – Many animal shelters are seeing an uptick in pets being surrendered and are seeking help from the public. Berkshire Humane Society says normally 120 animals are in the shelter but currently 168 animals are being housed and there’s a waiting list of people looking to surrender their pets.Executive Director John Perreault estimates about 30-40 people are waiting to bring in cats and a dozen or two want to turn in their dogs. Their small mammal population is double what it usually is.“We’re seeing numbers we haven’t seen in a long time,” Perreault said.He says he hasn’t seen the shelter this full since the 90s.“I think this is the new norm, especially with the volumes of phone calls coming in,” Perreault said.He attributes part of the problem to COVID because many people lost their jobs and homes.“The cost of things today has really made an impact on animals, as you can see our shelter’s very full today and not only today, we’ve been like this for a while no...

Royals score 5 in first inning off Dodgers’ Julio Urías before holding on for 6-4 win

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:11 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Royals rudely welcomed Dodgers pitcher Julio Urías back from the injured list by scoring five times in the first inning on Saturday night, and Kansas City held on for a rain-delayed 6-4 victory over Los Angeles.Daniel Lynch (2-3) nearly gave all his support back when he allowed three runs in the second. But the left-hander settled down, eventually throwing 108 pitches to get through five innings. He allowed five hits and three walks with four strikeouts, helping the Royals beat the Dodgers for just the second time in their last 10 meetings.The Dodgers left the bases loaded in the eighth when Yonny Hernandez struck out and Freddie Freeman grounded out, and Scott Barlow got the final four outs for his 10th save while capping four innings of one-run ball by the Kansas City bullpen.Drew Waters and Salvador Perez drove in runs, and Edward Oliveras and Samad Taylor had sacrifice flies, as Urías (5-5) scuffled through his first game since hurting his hamstring o...

Sporting KC cruises to 3-0 victory over Whitecaps

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:11 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Rémi Walter and Alan Pulido scored first-half goals and Sporting Kansas City breezed to a 3-0 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps on Saturday night.Walter found the net for the first time this season when he took a pass from Gadi Kinda in the 33rd minute and scored the only goal Kendall McIntosh and Sporting KC (6-10-6) would need. Pulido used assists from Walter and Tim Leibold in the second minute of stoppage time to put Sporting KC up 2-0 at halftime. Pulido has scored seven of his eight goals this season in his last six appearances. Erik Thommy scored unassisted in the 53rd minute to complete the scoring. It was Thommy’s third goal of the campaign.McIntosh stopped one shot to earn the clean sheet for Sporting KC. Yohei Takaoka had one save for Vancouver.Vancouver (6-6-7) was coming off a 2-0 road win over defending champion Los Angeles FC that snapped a 15-match winless run away from home. The Whitecaps have not won two in a row on the road since ...

Kelenic’s tiebreaking single leads Mariners over Rays 8-3

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:11 GMT

SEATTLE (AP) — Jarred Kelenic hit a tiebreaking single off Tyler Glasnow in the sixth inning, Teoscar Hernández added a two-run double in a three-run seventh and the Seattle Mariners beat the Tampa Bay Rays 8-3 on Saturday to stop a three-game losing streak.George Kirby (7-7) allowed two runs and two hits in seven innings with seven strikeouts, and the Mariners bats backed him with 13 hits as they evened the series at one game apiece. Paul Sewald pitched 1 2/3 innings for his 15th save in 18 chances, finishing a five-hitter.Seattle built a 2-0 lead on Mike Ford’s RBI single in the second and J.P Crawford home run in the third. Kirby no-hit the Rays through 5 1/3 innings, but Yandy Díaz doubled in the sixth for the Rays’ first hit and Luke Raley homered to tie the game at 2-2. “It was just a split. It was middle-middle,” Kirby said. “It didn’t move much. He was a little early on it, but he got enough barrel on it to take it out … I don’t regret throwing ...

Leal, Willis guide Nashville to 2-0 victory over DC United

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:11 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Randall Leal scored twice in the first half and Joe Willis made it stand up as Nashville SC defeated D.C. United 2-0 on Saturday night.Leal took a pass from Hany Mukhtar in the 18th minute and found the net and he followed with an unassisted goal in the 37th minute to put Nashville up 2-0 at halftime. Leal entered play with one goal on the season.Willis finished with two saves to earn the clean sheet for Nashville (11-5-5). Tyler Miller saved one shot for DC United (7-9-5).Nashville was coming off two straight shutout losses following a club-record 10-match unbeaten streak. The club has never lost three straight and has won all six times following two-match skids.Mukhtar has a goal contribution in seven straight home matches — eight goals, five assists. He has 32 goal contributions in 43 home matches since 2021. Nashville improves to 4-0-2 all-time versus DC United, including a 1-1 draw on the road earlier this season. Nashville is the only team DC United has...

Julio scores late to give Real Salt Lake 1-0 win over Toronto

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:35:11 GMT

TORONTO (AP) — Anderson Julio scored in the second minute of second-half stoppage time to rally Real Salt Lake to a 1-0 victory over Toronto FC on Saturday night.The victory extends Real Salt Lake’s club-record unbeaten streak on the road in all competitions to 10. It is the longest unbeaten road run since an 11-match streak by the Portland Timbers spanning the 2012-13 seasons.Real Salt Lake (8-7-6) improves to 2-5-3 all-time on the road against Toronto (3-8-10). Toronto falls to 3-2-6 at home this season. Toronto has surrendered only four goals in 10 home matches with RSL.Julio scored the winner unassisted. It was his second netter of the campaign.Zac MacMath saved three shots to earn the clean sheet for Real Salt Lake. Greg Ranjitsingh had five saves in his third start this season for Toronto. Toronto has dropped a league-high 17 points from winning positions this season.Toronto travels to play Orlando City on Tuesday. Real Salt Lake returns home to host Orlando City on Satu...