Latest news with #American-Statesman
New York Post
2 days ago
- Politics
- New York Post
Pro-life Texas pol accused of affair with stripper and paying for abortions — as she shares torrid Chuck E. Cheese claim
A pro-life Texas state lawmaker accused of having a years-long affair with a former stripper — and paying for multiple abortions. The woman, Alex Grace, who came forward in a video posted on the Current Revolt Substack. She alleged that Republican state Rep. Giovanni Capriglione paid for 'meetups' with her along with 'several abortions for his own personal gain' starting when she was just 18. 'I know that Giovannie Capriglione has been having affairs since 2005 because it's me. I'm her. I'm not proud of it, in fact I'm ashamed of it. Hopefully, you can keep in mind that we all have a past and I wish I could say for him that that was the worst of it, but it's not,' Grace alleged in a TikTok. Advertisement She alleged that the relationship turned sour after he began playing out his 'foul' fantasies — while he worked to 'erode away at women's rights.' In one instance, he made her pick up cash near a dumpster behind a Chuck-E-Cheese, she says. 3 Texas Rep. Giovanni Capriglione has touted himself as a pro-lifer. Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images Advertisement Capriglione, 52, dropped his reelection bid for his seat in the suburbs north of Fort Wort just three days before Grace's video surfaced — then came clean about the affair. However, the pol — who hails from tony Southlake — denied paying for any abortions and vowed to pursue 'legal remedies' over her claims. 'Years ago, I selfishly had an affair. I'm not proud of this. Thank God my wife and family forgave me, and we moved past it and have the strong marriage we do today,' he said in a statement. 3 Alex Grace made the serious accusations in a video published just three days after he dropped his reelection bid. TikTok / @alaskaunicornco Advertisement 'I have never, nor would I ever, pay for an abortion,' he added. On his campaign website, Giovanni touts himself as 'a pro-life leader with a 100% pro-life voting record,' who 'voted to defund Planned Parenthood and authored and passed numerous pro-life bills, including the Pro-Life Abortion Trigger Ban bill.' The 'trigger ban' made performing abortions punishable by up to life in prison. Advertisement 3 Capriglione poses with his wife in a candy store. Facebook / Giovanni Capriglione Grace said she was working as an 18-year-old exotic dancer when she first met Capriglione, who came into her club in 2004 and appeared to be 'a very straight-laced businessman,' according to the Texas Tribune. Their relationship blossomed as Capriglione returned every few weeks, she said. 'We became close friends,' she said. 'He was magnetizing. He was outwardly genuine and kind. … He was the one who reminded me to keep my head up. He was the one that encouraged me. He pushed me to succeed more in life.' They would first meet up at his office, before moving to hotels and later his home while his family was away, Grace alleged. She claimed that Capriglione's wife even 'encouraged' the tryst. 'Stop feeling bad for his wife, she encouraged it. Quit assuming that every pregnancy that was terminated were mine, quit assuming I was the only one,' she said. She said that she eventually had to break off their relationship, claiming, 'It was when his fantasies were so foul and seeing the political moves that he was making were continuing to erode away at women's rights… that was the catalyst for me taking the step back.' Advertisement Capriglione gave Grace 'gifts' and cash over the course of their relationship, she said. Grace described one instance when Capriglione allegedly arranged to meet up at an address that turned out to be a Chuck E. Cheese, according to the Texas Tribune. 'He told me to go to the back of the building and next to the dumpster there would be a rubber mat. Look under it,' she recalls him telling her. 'And under this rubber mat was an envelope with money.' Grace said the relationship started to fizzle out in 2012, when he was elected to the state legislature, according to the Texas news outlet. Advertisement Sometime between 2019 and 2020 the two had a phone call, where Grace shared her outrage with the lawmaker's views, she said. She claimed that Capriglione hung up and the two never spoke again.
Time of India
10-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Texas flash flood victim's mother seeks help finding daughter's favorite stuffed animal after tragedy at Camp Mystic
A mother who lost her daughter to the devastating Texas floods, which left at least 120 dead and several others missing, is seeking help from people to locate her child's favorite stuffed animal. Her 8-year-old daughter was among the victims of the floodwaters that swept through Camp Mystic . In a post on Facebook, Stacy Stevens said that her daughter's full name, Mary Barrett Stevens, is written on a square sticker on the monkey, which is by the brand Jellycat. At least 27 campers and staff members from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian summer retreat on the banks of the river, were on the list of victims who lost their lives due to the catastrophic flood. Mary is among the campers and counselors who died at Camp Mystic in Kerr County, the region that witnessed the worst impact of the flood. At least 120 people have lost their lives in central Texas since the July 4 disaster. At least 173 people are still missing, according to officials. Those missing include five campers and one counselor from Camp Mystic. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Still Struggle To Reduce Eye Bags? You've Been Doing It Wrong Botanique Paris Learn More Undo "Looking for my daughter's monkey that she has had her whole life and took with her to camp," Stacy Stevens's Facebook post read. "We lost my daughter and would love to have it back, as it was her most prized possession," the post further read. Stacy Stevens said Mary was "fearless," "enthusiastic," and "full of joy" in a statement shared with the Austin American-Statesman. "Our world is shattered, but I have peace getting your letters and knowing you were having the time of your life at camp and had a dance party with all of your friends before the Lord decided to take you from us," Stacy wrote. "He has bigger plans for you." Live Events Friends and family of the Stevens family, in a GoFundMe organized for their daughter Mary, describe her as a child who touched the hearts of anyone she met. "Her laughter was infectious, her heart was generous, and her presence brought joy and comfort," according to the fundraiser. Mary Stevens attended Highland Park Elementary School in north-central Austin. She is survived by her parents, Stacy and Johnny, and her siblings, Graham and Lilly, who, according to the GoFundMe campaign, "are now navigating unimaginable grief."
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Texas A&M's nonconference game spending total has been revealed ahead of the 2025 season
Texas A&M's non-conference schedule for the 2025 football season will include UTSA to open the campaign, followed by Utah State in Week 2, Notre Dame on the road in Week 3, and a home matchup against Samford in Week 13 before facing the Texas Longhorns to conclude the 2025 regular season. Texas A&M's history against nonconference opponents, especially in Kyle Field, is highly successful, outside of last season's opening season loss to Notre Dame. In contrast, the 2022 home loss to Appalachian State is still regarded as the worst defeat in program history. Still, onward and upward, as coach Mike Elko is set to embark on his second season at the helm with his highly talented roster. From a monetary perspective, Austin American-Statesman Texas A&M beat writer Tony Catalina reported that Texas A&M will spend a combined $3.705 million in game guarantee payments for all four nonconference matchups, with the most expensive coming against Utah State with $1.65 million in guaranteed money. This practice is a solid deal for smaller programs, as it not only allows them to make a substantial amount of money but also provides an opportunity to pull off an upset that will yield further benefits down the road. As Catalina notes, the season-opener vs. UTSA will cost the Aggies $1.5 million, while Samford's visit to Kyle Field is the cheapest at $550,000. Texas A&M must dominate UTSA and Utah State before facing Notre Dame, especially on offense. Behind starting quarterback Marcel Reed, the revamped wide receiver room, loaded running back rotation, and all five 2024 starting offensive linemen back in the trenches, A&M's offense should be one of the top units in the SEC, but will need to prove it during the first two weeks. Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Cameron on X: @CameronOhnysty.
Canada News.Net
27-06-2025
- Automotive
- Canada News.Net
Max Verstappen admits George Russell incident 'not right'
(Photo credit: Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman / USA TODAY NETWORK) Max Verstappen admitted Monday that his controversial collision with George Russell in Sunday's Spanish Grand Prix was 'not right and shouldn't have happened.' Verstappen, the four-time defending Formula 1 champion, stopped short of apologizing for the incident that earned him a 10-second penalty and dropped him to 10th place in Barcelona. Late in the race, Verstappen initially objected to his Red Bull Racing team's order to allow Mercedes' Russell to swap positions after a tire change. After allowing Russell to pass, Verstappen accelerated heading into a turn and caused a collision. Race stewards deemed Verstappen was entirely at fault, penalized him 10 seconds and also added three penalty points to his super license. The 27-year-old Dutch driver now has 11 points, one short of the maximum allowed in a 12-month period before warranting an automatic one-race suspension. Russell agreed with the stewards' decision, calling Verstappen's move was 'very deliberate.' 'It's something that I've seen numerous times in sim racing and on iRacing. Never have I seen it in a Formula 1 race,' Russell told reporters post-race. Verstappen, who crossed the finish line fifth prior to receiving the penalty, issued his comments on Monday on Instagram. 'Some moves after the safety car restart fueled my frustration, leading to a move that was not right and shouldn't have happened,' he wrote. 'I always give everything out there for the team and emotions can run high. You win some together, you lose some together. See you in Montreal (the next race).' Oscar Piastri won Sunday's race with McLaren teammate Lando Norris finishing second and Ferrari's Charles Leclerc third.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Judge sides with city of Austin in lawsuit involving former American-Statesman site
A judge this week ruled in favor of the city of Austin in a case involving the former American-Statesman site just south of downtown along Lady Bird Lake. The ruling denied a motion for summary judgment in a lawsuit filed by the Save Our Springs Alliance, an environmental watchdog group. The lawsuit alleged that the Austin City Council violated key provisions of the Texas Open Meetings Act in 2022 when it approved a special type of zoning known as a planned unit development, or PUD, for the former Statesman site. The lawsuit sought to void the council's Dec. 2, 2022 vote to approve the PUD, based on the alleged open meetings violations. The Statesman moved several years ago from the site at 305 S. Congress Ave. to a new location near the airport. In arguing their case before District Judge Jan Soifer on May 15, Save Our Springs attorneys Bobby Levinski and Bill Bunch contended that the council granted the PUD zoning in violation of two key mandates of the Texas Open Meetings Act: proper public notice, and a reasonable opportunity for the public to speak before the vote was taken. Levinski said today that the Save Our Springs Alliance might appeal the ruling. "Given the importance of this case for governmental transparency and proper enforcement of the Texas Open Meetings Act, we'll be evaluating our options for appeal," Levinski said. "This case ultimately impacts the ability of residents to weigh in on important matters that affect their community, including the relocation of the Hike and Bike Trail and removal of the natural, tree-lined aesthetic of the Lady Bird Lake shoreline. Every case has its challenges, and we may need to work on it a little longer to ultimately prevail." More: Lawsuit seeks to halt planned redevelopment of former Statesman site on Lady Bird Lake Casey Dobson and Sara Wilder Clark represented the landowner, the Cox family of Atlanta, along with Austin-based Endeavor Real Estate Group. The Cox family hired Endeavor several years ago to create plans to redevelop the prime waterfront site. The site formerly housed the newspaper offices and printing plant. Cox sold the Statesman but retained ownership of the 18.9-acre site, a property many developers had long coveted and said was ripe for new development. Dobson did not immediately respond to an email for comment about the ruling and what it means for future plans to transform the property into a mixed-use project with high-rise buildings and other uses, which could include housing, office and retail development. Richard Suttle Jr., an Austin attorney and the spokesperson for the planned redevelopment, said he hasn't seen a final judgment yet in the case, so couldn't comment on what it might mean for the future planned redevelopment. Dan Richards represented the city in the lawsuit. Richards said Soifer's ruling, signed Monday, means "the trial court case is basically over." At last month's hearing, Richards told Soifer that voiding the PUD could jeopardize the developer's ability, in the current economic climate, to secure a new amendment offering the same level of community benefits — such as 6.5 acres of green space — at the site. At the same hearing, Dobson and Wilder Clark said the PUD zoning change was properly noticed, and the public was given sufficient opportunity to speak at nine different meetings. However, Levinski said that, while the PUD was listed on the council agenda as a zoning item, that posting was misleading because it failed to provide "full disclosure of the subjects to be discussed." The proposed PUD ordinance encompassed "numerous provisions that extend well beyond traditional zoning regulations," Levinski told Soifer. Those included "sweeping changes" to environmental protections and other city land-use codes, including a failure to disclose height limits, setbacks and the elimination of two restrictive covenants. "There are so many different parts of this (PUD) ordinance that are not zoning, yet it was sold to public as a rezoning," Levinski said. The zoning changes included modifications to the Lady Bird Lake shoreline; the relocation of the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail inland away from the lake; the removal of more than 90 mature trees; code waivers; and "amendments to almost every chapter of Austin's land development code," Levinski told Soifer. In arguing their case before Soifer, Leviniski and Bunch said that the Texas Open Meetings Act requires a public notice identifying these major changes to city standards and a public 'right to speak' on them before council granted the approvals. The Cox owners and Endeavor have the right to build high-rises — up to 725 feet tall — within 140 feet of Lady Bird Lake. The development would be "forever exempt from a plethora of water quality, parkland and lakeshore rules and regulations," according to the Save Our Springs Alliance. "The key here is the Statesman PUD went beyond zoning," Levinski said. "This didn't give sufficient notice to the public to say what is occurring with this zoning." Among other issues, he said the PUD included "non-zoning provisions, including items the council doesn't have authority over." There was a way the city could have described with greater detail what was occurring with the zoning case, "but they chose not to, and it's deceptive that they chose not to," Levinski said. The level of specificity "gets enhanced" when the issue involves matters of "significant public interest," Levinski said. "It's not enough to rely on the assumption that the general public may have knowledge of the subject matter." Dobson and Wilder Clark, however, told Soifer that the public notices complied with the Texas Open Meetings Act. The notices properly and adequately disclosed the subject of the PUD at various meetings on the council's printed public agenda, Dobson and Wilder Clark said. Moreover, all the details that Save Our Springs claims were lacking from the notice were available at "the click of a link" in backup materials on the council's online agenda, Wilder Clark said. "Not only did (the public) get to talk in meetings, but they got to submit written testimony," Wilder Clark said. She also noted that the council postponed meetings on the case. Showing slides of newspaper articles, Dobson said the proposed redevelopment of the Statesman site was front-page news. He said the case was "noticed out of the wazoo." "(Opponents) think this was done in the dark of night, with adequate notice to nobody," Dobson said. "In fact, the polar opposite happened." Dobson said no special notice was required, and opponents "didn't need it. They wrote letters, they spoke at length to (the city) Planning Commission and City Council. This did not take place under the shroud of secrecy," Dobson said. Countering the city's arguments, Bunch said the city "invented out of whole cloth" its position that it upheld the open meetings act, saying "there's no support for that in the entire body of open meetings cases." Early in the hearing, Dobson showed a photo of the current Statesman site "in all its glory," showing a low-slung building surrounded by a near vacant parking lot with lots of asphalt and concrete. Attorneys for the city and the developer stated that "virtually no one" opposes the proposed development, which may include condominiums, apartments, a hotel, office space and retail areas. Noting the site's popularity as a prime location for viewing the famed bat colony under the Ann Richards Congress Avenue Bridge, they emphasized the new development will enhance the bat viewing area. Additionally, they said the project has the support of bat conservation groups. Last year, the Save Our Springs Alliance won a lawsuit contesting the city's creation of a special financing district, a so-called tax increment reinvestment zone, to fund infrastructure improvements within the proposed Statesman redevelopment project. A judge ruled that financing method unlawful. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Judge rules for city in case involving former Statesman site
