Latest news with #HomeBuildersAssociation
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
Jefferson Parish StormPrep 2025 event prepares residents for hurricane season
JEFFERSON PARISH, La. (WGNO) — The 2025 hurricane season officially begins on Sunday, June 1, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says you need to be prepared. Jefferson Parish is no stranger to hurricane season, with many residents experiencing the devastation that can follow a storm. 'We know we live in a vulnerable zone for hurricanes, and this really is a time of the year where everybody needs to start having discussions on your own family prep,' said Parish President Cythnia Lee Sheng. Jefferson Parish officials discuss 2025 hurricane preparations Forty local vendors came together to offer Jefferson Parish residents the opportunity to learn about the options available when a hurricane threatened the area. Home Builders Association of Greater New Orleans CEO Dan Mills understands the pain and anguish people can go through when a storm comes through. He says small actions like trimming the branches away from your home or clearing storm drains can make a big difference. 'Clear the storm drains. Always check those window openings and try to protect them. One thing we see a lot is the wind exposure on a garage door is vast, and if that garage door caves in, it can pressurize the home and cause a lot of damage,' said Mills. Sheng points out that every Category 5 storm formed in the United States was a tropical storm, or weaker, three days before. Remembering Hurricane Katrina through the eyes of Hurricane Hunter She emphasizes the importance of having an evacuation plan ready. 'We live in a very highly, you know, dense area. When we call for an emergency evacuation, everybody needs to leave. So it's critical that the planning happens beforehand so we can execute an evacuation order as smoothly as possible,' said Sheng. Water, food, prescriptions, flashlights and batteries are just a few necessities residents should have on hand. The owner of Craig's Electrical and Generator Service, Craig Jacomine, tells WGNO the worst mistake is waiting until hurricane season to check your generator 'Start it up once a month. That's the best way to do it. But we've had people that the day before hurricanes wanted to bring portable generators in for repairs. And unfortunately, we're in hurricane mode and we have a different set of standards that we have to follow to make sure our customers are properly taken care of,' said Jacomine. Officials say home insurance is another critical necessity as hurricane season beginsNASCAR legend Michael Waltrip teams up with Austin Peay for special beer Australian actor raising money to cryogenically preserve teen son Florida mother of dead 6-year-old was trying to 'exorcise demons': sheriff In Touch, Life & Style magazines, others, to end: THR Louisiana State Police welcomes 46 new Troopers to the force Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
12-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Dem Rep Nailed For Funneling Stolen Cash Into ‘Personal Psychic Services'
Seems like somebody's watching too much Long Island Medium. Massachusetts state Rep. Christopher Flanagan was busted Friday for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from a local trade association to pay his personal expenses—including 'personal psychic services.' In January 2023, Flanagan allegedly stole $10,000 to fund his campaign for state representative, posing as a person named 'Jeanne Louise.' When authorities tried to investigate, he told them Jeanne Louise was part of a conservative group that had endorsed him and sent out mailers to potential voters. Prosecuting U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said it was 'an appalling breach of public trust.' The Democratic lawmaker was indicted on five counts of wire fraud and one count of falsification of records, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). He used the stolen cash to pay mortgage bills and his own massive debt. He now faces up to 40 years in prison. 'In addition to stealing HBA funds via official checks and PayPal transfers, Flanagan also stole hundreds of dollars in HBA funds to pay for personal psychic services in July 2022, which Flanagan conducted via direct debit transactions from the HBA FCU account,' the indictment said. Gov. Maura Healy called for Flanagan to resign on Friday. Flanagan served as the executive officer of the Home Builders Association in Cape Cod, which paid him up to $81,600 per year from 2019 to 2024. He also got about $100,000 in both 2023 and 2024 from his position as a legislator. But his hefty salary still wasn't enough to pay off all he owed. Starting in October 2021, the lawmaker fell on hard times and ended up stealing $36,000 in Home Builders Association funds through bank wire transfers, according to the DOJ. From late 2021 to early 2023, Flanagan wired anywhere from $1,500 to $10,000 on separate occasions. Foley said Flanagan was 'facing personal financial difficulty, with thousands of dollars in outstanding credit card debt, missing mortgage payments and hundreds of dollars in bank overdraft fees.' The secret shoppers busted out the big bucks for items at Best Buy, Macy's, and Target. He claimed he was spending 'technology services' when, instead, he was getting a Bluetooth speaker and T-shirts for his political campaign. The indictment reads: 'Records of the actual purchases, however, showed that the $613.70 and $361.24 Best Buy purchases were for an electric dryer and an air condition, both delivered to Flanagan's home; the $1,050.30 Macy's purchase was for men's ties, dress shirts, slacks, and sports coats; and the $92.86 purchase at Target was to pay for children's clothes and toys.' Foley added in a Friday statement that 'Mr. Flanagan defrauded the very organization he was supposed to serve—allegedly funneling tens of thousands of dollars into his own pockets to pay off personal bills, buy luxury items, and bankroll his political campaign. He allegedly stole money and then went to extraordinary lengths to cover it up, going so far as fabricating fake personas to mislead those who questioned his conduct." Earlier this year, when state Republican Party leaders called for Flanagan to resign, he snapped at them. 'Especially on the eve of Jan. 6, I'm not going to engage in political mudslinging,' he said. 'I'm proud to represent everyone in my district, whether they are Democrats, Republicans, or unaffiliated.' The Daily Beast has reached out to Flanagan for comment.
Yahoo
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Democrat Massachusetts lawmaker arrested for fraud, used stolen funds to purchase 'psychic services': feds
A Democratic lawmaker in Massachusetts was arrested and charged after he allegedly stole tens of thousands of dollars from a local trade association to fund both personal and political expenses. Massachusetts state Rep. Christopher Flanagan, 37, was indicted on five counts of wire fraud and one count of falsification of records on Friday, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Flanagan served as the executive officer of the Home Builders Association in Cape Cod and received a salary and benefits ranging from $65,800 to $81,600 from 2019 to 2024, when he was working there. Flanagan also received $97,546 and $100,945 in 2023 and 2024, from his position as a legislator. Beginning around October 2021, Flanagan was facing financial trouble and stole $36,000 in Home Builders Association funds through bank wire transfers, according to the DOJ. Connecticut House Of Horrors Stepmom Denies Child Abuse Accusations That Came As 'Extreme Shock': Attorney From Nov. 18, 2021 and Jan. 28, 2023, Flanagan wired anywhere from $1,500 and $10,000 on several separate occasions. Read On The Fox News App The Justice Department said Flanagan used the funds to pay mortgage bills, pay down debt, and even used it to pay for personal psychic services. In an expense report, the DOJ said Flanagan claimed to have spent $159.36 on "technology services" at Best Buy and $537.26 on "Office Supplies" at 4Imprint, but records showed the money was used to buy a Bluetooth speaker and T-shirts for his political campaign. Judge Dismisses Charges In Alleged Campus Vigilante 'Catch A Predator' Sting Targeting Army Soldier Another expense report shows $3,784.84 was spent on office supplies. The DOJ, however, said that $2,118.10 was used for personal expenses at Best Buy, Macy's and Target. Federal authorities also alleged that Flanagan obstructed an investigation by the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance when he attributed the source of a campaign mailer to "Jeanne Louise," a false persona that he allegedly created. Flanagan faces up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud charge and up to 20 years for the falsification of records charge. READ THE INDICTMENT – App Users, Click Here: Fox News Digital reached out to Flanagan and his attorney for article source: Democrat Massachusetts lawmaker arrested for fraud, used stolen funds to purchase 'psychic services': feds
Fox News
11-04-2025
- Politics
- Fox News
Democrat Massachusetts lawmaker arrested for fraud, used stolen funds to purchase 'psychic services': feds
A Democratic lawmaker in Massachusetts was arrested and charged after he allegedly stole tens of thousands of dollars from a local trade association to fund both personal and political expenses. Massachusetts state Rep. Christopher Flanagan, 37, was indicted on five counts of wire fraud and one count of falsification of records on Friday, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ). Flanagan served as the executive officer of the Home Builders Association in Cape Cod and received a salary and benefits ranging from $65,800 to $81,600 from 2019 to 2024, when he was working there. Flanagan also received $97,546 and $100,945 in 2023 and 2024, from his position as a legislator. Beginning around October 2021, Flanagan was facing financial trouble and stole $36,000 in Home Builders Association funds through bank wire transfers, according to the DOJ. From Nov. 18, 2021 and Jan. 28, 2023, Flanagan wired anywhere from $1,500 and $10,000 on several separate occasions. The Justice Department said Flanagan used the funds to pay mortgage bills, pay down debt, and even used it to pay for personal psychic services. In an expense report, the DOJ said Flanagan claimed to have spent $159.36 on "technology services" at Best Buy and $537.26 on "Office Supplies" at 4Imprint, but records showed the money was used to buy a Bluetooth speaker and T-shirts for his political campaign. Another expense report shows $3,784.84 was spent on office supplies. The DOJ, however, said that $2,118.10 was used for personal expenses at Best Buy, Macy's and Target. Federal authorities also alleged that Flanagan obstructed an investigation by the Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance when he attributed the source of a campaign mailer to "Jeanne Louise," a false persona that he allegedly created. Flanagan faces up to 20 years in prison for the wire fraud charge and up to 20 years for the falsification of records charge. READ THE INDICTMENT – APP USERS, CLICK HERE: Fox News Digital reached out to Flanagan and his attorney for comment.
CBS News
11-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Massachusetts state representative charged with stealing $36,000 for personal use, including "psychic services"
Massachusetts State Representative Christopher Flanagan was arrested Friday and accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars "to fund personal and political expenses." Flanagan, 37, of Dennis, will be arraigned Friday afternoon in federal court in Boston. He was indicted on five counts of wire fraud and one count of falsification of records. In addition to his role as a state representative, Flanagan was also the executive officer of a Home Builders Association (HBA) on Cape Cod. According to the U.S. Attorney, that job paid him up to $81,600, as of last year, in addition to his state salary of $100,945. Despite the two jobs, U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said Flanagan was "facing personal financial difficulty, with thousands of dollars in outstanding credit card debt, missing mortgage payments and hundreds of dollars in bank overdraft fees." The indictment alleges that he stole a total of $36,000 from the HBA from November 2021 to January 2023 through five different wire transfers. "In one instance, in January 2023, Flanagan allegedly stole $10,000 from HBA in order to fund his campaign account for State Representative," Foley said. "Flanagan also stole hundreds of dollars via direct debit transactions from the association's bank account funds to pay for personal psychic services in July 2022." Investigators said Flanagan then logged into the HBA's bookkeeping software using someone else's account and listed the expenses as office supplies, travel and bank charges. He also allegedly created two fake expense reports. The Massachusetts Office of Campaign and Political Finance also investigated Flanagan's campaign. They claim Flanagan, a Democrat, made up a person named "Jeanne Louise" and told them she was part of a conservative group that was endorsing him. That "group" then sent out mailers to potential voters promoting his campaign. Foley called the charges against Flanagan "an appalling breach of public trust." "Mr. Flanagan defrauded the very organization he was supposed to serve - allegedly funneling tens of thousands of dollars into his own pockets to pay off personal bills, buy luxury items and bankroll his political campaign. He allegedly stole money and then went to extraordinary lengths to cover it up, going so far as fabricating fake personas to mislead those who questioned his conduct," Foley said in a statement Friday. Flanagan was first elected in 2022. He represents Dennis, Yarmouth and Brewster on Cape Cod. He has not commented yet on the charges.
