Latest news with #Axel
Yahoo
a day ago
- General
- Yahoo
Man pleads no contest to shooting Delano K-9
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) — A man pleaded no contest Wednesday to nine charges filed in connection with an incident on New Year's Day 2022 in which he allegedly shot a Delano police dog then pointed the gun at officers. Eduardo Figueroa, 41, faces 20 years and eight months in prison at sentencing in August. He pleaded no contest to harming a police dog, six counts of assault with a gun on a peace officer, possession of a gun by a felon and recklessly evading police. The dog, Axel, survived. Bullet fragments were found near his right shoulder and along the shoulder and neck area near the spinal column. According to court filings, Figueroa led McFarland police on a chase through the city, speeding and running stop signs, before stopping at East Sherwood Avenue and San Lucas Street. He refused to leave the car. A K-9 was requested from Delano police. Axel was released and 'apprehended Figueroa through the open driver's side door,' the filings say. Figueroa fired at least twice, the filings say. Then seven officers opened fire, wounding him. He dropped the gun and was taken to Kern Medical, where he recovered. He was booked into jail once medically cleared. Figueroa told a sheriff's investigator he shot the dog to avoid getting bit, then pointed the gun at officers. A detective asked if he expected to get shot. 'Of course I did,' Figueroa said according to the filings. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
27-05-2025
- General
- CBS News
Minnesota's International Wolf Center to debut 2 wolf pups
Some residents return to rubble as Minnesota wildfire evacuations end, and more headlines Some residents return to rubble as Minnesota wildfire evacuations end, and more headlines Some residents return to rubble as Minnesota wildfire evacuations end, and more headlines The International Wolf Center in Ely, Minnesota, will soon show off its two new wolf pups, and the public's help is needed to name the duo. The pups, both males, were born on April 22, about one year to the day the center lost its ambassador, an 8-year-old Arctic wolf named Axel, to severe kidney failure. The pups arrived in Ely on May 3, and beginning on June 3, the center will begin offering 15-minute viewing opportunities. "We strive to maintain a socially cohesive unit of wolves that act as ambassadors of their species," the center said. "The 2025 pup introduction is a significant investment in our pack's future." IWC Although the pups will make their debut next week, they won't officially join the exhibit pack until August. The center says they wait until pups are about 3 months old and about 30-plus lbs. You also have a chance to help name the pups online, with voting closing on June 6 and the final names revealed on June 9. The center, located in the Superior National Forest, says pup viewing opportunities are included with the cost of admission and will take place outdoors, weather permitting, at 9:45 a.m., 10:45 a.m., 12:45 p.m., 1:45 p.m., 2:45 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. The center is open daily between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from late May through mid-October. More information on tickets and the center's pup livestream can be found on its website. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says as of 2023, there are about 2,700 wild wolves in the state. Minnesota's northeast corner "once sheltered the last remaining wild wolves of the lower 48 states," the DNR says, before the Endangered Species Preservation Act passed in 1966.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Two York County women, including a sheriff deputy, charged with ill-treatment of animals: SLED
YORK COUNTY, S.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Two York County women have been arrested and charged with ill-treatment of animals. On May 16, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) charged Amari Anne Mitchell, 27, and Kaitlyn Johnson, 26, on two counts of ill-treatment of animals as well as burying a dead animal improperly and criminal conspiracy. Mitchell, who is a York County deputy, was arrested after animal control was called to her residence in regard to an animal complaint. According to arrest warrants, the Animal Control Officer witnessed a very malnourished Goldendoodle named Axel on the property. When the ACO talked to Mitchell on the phone, she told him that the dog had a vet appointment on May 12. The vet examined Axel and euthanized him. Part of the vet's report said, 'Axel's decline and starvation occurred over a long period of time (months) and he suffered a great deal. My clinical suspicion is high for long-term neglect. Unfortunately, given Axel's level of emaciation, dehydration, and shock, his prognosis was grave and he was humanely euthanized to end his suffering.' Warrants say that Johnson and Mitchell violated the South Carolina Code of Laws by failing to bury a deceased animal at least three feet underground. The animal carcass was found near the rear fence gate of her backyard during the execution of a search warrant on their home. Documents also show that the pair also had a small Maltese locked in a small hallway closet marked 'Dog Room' with no lighting, water or minimal air circulation. Officials say the temperature in the closet was warmer than 75 degrees. The backside of the door had significant scratch marks, indicating the dog's efforts to escape. Sandpaper was placed on the interior of the door, which Johnson states was intended to prevent the dog from scratching the door. Following Mitchell's arrest, she was placed on administrative leave without pay, pending an internal review of the incident. She had served as a deputy for two years. Mitchell and Johnson were booked into the York County Detention Center. Queen City News is tracking CRIME in your area 🚨 >> Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Japan Times
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Times
Low-income migrants fined up to $1.8 million by Trump administration
Wendy Ortiz was surprised to find out she was being fined by U.S. immigration authorities for being in the country illegally — but it was the amount that truly shocked her: $1.8 million. Ortiz, 32, who earns $13 an hour in her job at a meatpacking plant in Pennsylvania, has lived in the United States for a decade, after fleeing El Salvador to escape a violent ex-partner and gang threats, she said in an interview and in immigration paperwork. Her salary barely covers rent and expenses for her autistic 6-year-old U.S.-citizen son. "It's not fair,' she said. "Where is someone going to find that much money?' In the last few weeks, U.S. President Donald Trump has started to operationalize a plan to fine migrants who fail to leave the U.S. after a final deportation order, issuing notices to 4,500 migrants with penalties totaling more than $500 million, a senior Trump official said, requesting anonymity to share internal figures. Reuters spoke with eight immigration lawyers around the country who said their clients had been fined from several thousand dollars to just over $1.8 million. Wendy Ortiz plays with her son Axel at a park in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. | reuters The recipients of the notices were informed that they had 30 days to contest, in writing, under oath, and with evidence as to why the penalty should not be imposed. The steep fines are part of Trump's aggressive push to get immigrants in the U.S. illegally to leave the country voluntarily, or "self deport.' The Trump administration plan, details of which were first reported in April, include levying fines of $998 per day for migrants who failed to leave the U.S. after a deportation order. The administration planned to issue fines retroactively for up to five years. Under that framework, the maximum would be $1.8 million. The government would then consider seizing the property of immigrants who could not pay. It remains unclear exactly how the Trump administration would collect the fines and seize property. Immigration lawyers baffled The fines reviewed were issued by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, but a separate agency — Customs and Border Protection — has been asked to process them and handle potential forfeitures, it was reported in April. Wendy Ortiz speaks to her son Axel at their home in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. | reuters CBP is still working out the complicated logistics to conduct seizures, a CBP official said, requesting anonymity. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security did not respond to a request for comment. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in April that immigrants in the U.S. illegally should "self deport and leave the country now." The fines stem from a 1996 law that was enforced for the first time in 2018, during Trump's first term in office, and target the roughly 1.4 million migrants who have been ordered deported by an immigration judge. The Trump administration withdrew fines of hundreds of thousands of dollars against nine migrants who sought sanctuary in churches in his first term after a legal challenge, but proceeded with smaller penalties. Joe Biden's administration dropped the fines in 2021. Robert Scott, a New York City-based immigration lawyer, said he was baffled when one of his clients — a low-income Mexican woman who has lived in the U.S. for 25 years — also received a $1.8 million fine. "At first you look at something like this and think it's fake,' he said. "I've never seen a client receive anything like this.' Axel, son of Wendy Ortiz, waits to go to the park, at their home in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. | reuters Scott said the woman received a final deportation order in 2013 but was not aware of it at the time. The woman filed a motion last year to reopen the removal order, which is still pending, Scott said. "She hasn't been hiding,' he said. "I find it curious that they would pick on someone like that. I don't know if it's random, I don't know if she's low-hanging fruit. I don't know.' Seeking relief, then targeted After crossing the border in 2015, Ortiz was released to pursue her asylum claim when an officer found she had a credible fear of persecution, documents show. But she said she never received an immigration court hearing notice and was ordered deported after failing to show up to court in 2018. Ortiz's immigration lawyer requested humanitarian relief from the U.S. government on Jan. 8, saying she faced danger in El Salvador and that her son would not have access to services for autistic children. The petition asked for "prosecutorial discretion' and for the government to reopen and dismiss her case. Twelve days later, Trump took office and launched his wide-ranging immigration crackdown. Wendy Ortiz prepares coffee for breakfast at her home in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. | reuters Rosina Stambaugh, Ortiz's attorney, said she had requested a 30-day extension and was considering ways to fight the fine in court. "She is a mother of an autistic child, she has no criminal history, and they have all of her background information,' Stambaugh said. "I just think it's absolutely insane.' Lawyers said clients who received the notices also included spouses of U.S. citizens, who were actively trying to legalize their immigration status. Rosa, a U.S. citizen in New York, said her Honduran husband was fined $5,000. She said her husband wasn't able to leave the country after being granted voluntary departure in 2018 because she was diagnosed with uterine cancer. She hopes once she explains the situation, that the fine may be waived. If not, she said, he will have to work many extra hours to pay it. "It's one thing after the other,' she said. "This whole process has cost us so much money.'
Scotsman
02-05-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Ace Aquatec secures £10m investment to accelerate growth and expand its digital technologies internationally
Funding will create 15 jobs and accelerate development of data-driven solutions for fish farmers Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Ace Aquatec, the award-winning welfare-first aquaculture technology company, has announced the successful closing of its latest investment round. The funding will directly support the creation of 15 new jobs and accelerate the company's mission to empower fish farmers with advanced, data-driven insights that promote sustainable, ethical, and efficient operations. The round was led by Stolt Ventures, with participation from Scottish Enterprise and Aqua-Spark, and demonstrates strong confidence in Ace Aquatec's vision, team, and business model. This latest round was oversubscribed and incorporates a period post close to allow for further investors to participate. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The round, consisting of £7.5m in equity funding plus an additional £2.5m debt facility, will support the creation of 15 jobs at the company's offices in Dundee, Glasgow and Chile. The roles will focus on the continued development of AI and its role alongside advanced sensors, cameras, and machine learning algorithms. These developments will offer real-time insights that optimise welfare from cage operations through to harvest, enhancing sustainability, and improving profitability for fish farmers. Aquamarine - Impact Capital Partners, a specialist blue economy investment banking advisory acted as lead financial advisor to Ace Aquatec. Ace Aquatec team and Stolt Ventures at Tay Vision Warehouse, Dundee With a strong focus on user needs, Ace Aquatec provides customers with AI cameras able to accurately track fish weights, detect health issues (such as wounds or maturation), and track individuals in multiple species. It also produces unique humane slaughter systems for farmed and wild fish using electricity in water. New sea lice removal systems, utilising these same technologies, are being prepared for commercialisation. The newly secured capital will enable the development of cutting-edge data-driven tools that provide actionable insights to improve both fish welfare and operational performance for farmers across the globe. Wider changes will see Axel de Mégille joining the board as a non-exec director. Axel is Head of Stolt Ventures and brings a wealth of experience from board positions at software platform Signol, to Blockchain platform WaveBL. Stolt Ventures is the corporate investment vehicle from Stolt-Nielsen, a leader in bulk liquid logistics and land-based aquaculture, with a strategy focused on efficiency and decarbonisation of global supply chains. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Nathan Pyne-Carter, CEO of Ace Aquatec said: 'Our customer is at the heart of everything we do, and this investment allows us to meet the needs of farmers globally by expanding our portfolio, hiring top talent, and deepening our data capabilities. 'Having the backing of Stolt Ventures represents a pivotal moment in Ace Aquatec's mission to revolutionise the aquaculture industry through welfare-first innovation, while providing vital employment opportunities. Stolt Ventures represents the perfect strategic fit given Stolt-Nielsen's leading position in Stolt Sea Farm. This investment, alongside Scotland's national development agency Scottish Enterprise, will ensure strong local support for the team which has drive, innovation and ambition to be a global player. Our incoming investors complement our existing shareholder group, particularly Aqua-Spark, who continue to provide long-term support for the business'. Axel de Mégille, Head of Stolt Ventures said: 'This investment demonstrates our ongoing commitment to providing world-class innovative solutions to the aquaculture sector globally and we look forward to working together with the Ace Aquatec team in setting the highest welfare standards while responsibly meeting the changing needs of customers'. Derek Shaw, Director of Entrepreneurship and Investment at Scottish Enterprise, said: 'This investment highlights our dedication to supporting the growth of ambitious businesses in Scotland. By helping these companies scale, we aim to create high-quality, high-value jobs and empower them to compete and lead in global markets. Fostering the development of companies such as Ace Aquatec is key to sustaining their success and driving future growth.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
