Latest news with #Radice
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
DOJ Sues Coffee Shop for Allegedly Denying Service to Jewish Customers
On Monday, Attorney General Pam Bondi filed a civil rights lawsuit against an Oakland, California, coffee shop that allegedly denied service to two Jewish customers. While the suit focuses on allegations of obvious anti-Semitic discrimination, Bondi herself has highlighted the coffee shop's use of offensive drink names and controversial pro-Palestinian images—both of which are obviously protected speech. The suit claims that two different Jewish men were denied service at the coffee shop, called Jerusalem Coffee House, for wearing hats with the Star of David on them. The first man, Michael Radice, tried to go to the coffee shop in June 2024 to see if it could be a good location for a fundraising event for the organization he worked for. He was wearing a baseball cap with a Star of David on it, and the words "Am Yisraeli Chai," meaning "the people of Israel live." Radice walked up to the shop, and a man sitting at a table in front of the store—an employee, Radice later learned—asked him if he was a Jew and a Zionist and "began shouting numerous accusations at Mr. Radice, including that he was complicit in Israel's military actions in the Gaza Strip following the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks," according to the suit. Radice returned weeks later for the fundraising event, and "arrived early and entered the coffee shop to purchase a cookie, which he hoped would be seen as a sign of goodwill," according to the lawsuit. "Radice was not wearing the baseball cap he wore on his previous visit, nor anything else that would indicate his religious or political beliefs." The suit claims that the employee from the previous encounter told him, "You're the guy with the hat. You're the Jew. You're the Zionist. We don't want you in our coffee shop. Get out." The suit further claimed that Fathi Abdulrahim Harara, the shop's owner, and "two other employees followed Mr. Radice outside, yelling 'Jew' and 'Zionist' at him," even though Radice at no point said anything about his views on Israel. In a second incident, Jonathan Hirsch entered the shop in October 2024 with his five-year-old son. Hirsch was wearing a dark blue baseball cap with a white Star of David on it. The suit claims that, a few minutes after entering the shop, Harara "demanded to know whether Mr. Hirsch was a 'Zionist' and whether he was wearing a 'Jewish star,'" and "demanded that Mr. Hirsch and his son leave the premises." Hirsch refused to leave, and Harara called the police. When police arrived, Harara "repeatedly demanded that the officers remove Mr. Hirsch and arrest him for trespassing, at one point requesting that they physically restrain Mr. Hirsch face-down on the sidewalk in front of his young son." The suit adds that "Harara followed Mr. Hirsch and the officers outside and continued to spew insults and epithets at both Mr. Hirsch and his young son. These included repeatedly calling Mr. Hirsch a 'bitch,' a 'dog,' and a 'piece of shit.'" While the lawsuit alleges incidents of clear discrimination against Jews, it also bizarrely mentions the coffee shop's protected speech. The suit notes that, on the anniversary of the October 7 attacks against Israel, the coffee shop unveiled two new drinks "'Iced In Tea Fada,' an apparent reference to 'intifada,' and 'Sweet Sinwar,'" apparently named after Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar. The suit also notes that the shop has several inverted red triangles—a controversial pro-Palestinian symbol—painted on an exterior wall. Bondi herself stated that this speech motivated the lawsuit in a recent television interview, discussing the drink names before saying, "We've sued them and we're gonna stop this from happening. And anywhere in the country, if you do this, we're coming after you." While the suit does not claim that these speech acts are themselves illegal discrimination, their inclusion at all in the suit—and Bondi's remarks—will surely have a chilling effect on businesses looking to engage in controversial, though protected, pro-Palestinian speech. While the Justice Department should be going after illegal discrimination, they can achieve that aim without chilling protected speech. The post DOJ Sues Coffee Shop for Allegedly Denying Service to Jewish Customers appeared first on
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Five candidates run in High School District 218, but only two contested
While five candidates are seeking election to four 4-year seats on the High School District 218 Board on April 1, only two are unopposed. Incumbents Thomas Kosowski, Candice Cantelo and Steve Radice are seeking reelection to the seven-person board with Thomas McGinnis and Jennifer Bednarczyk challenging. District 218 holds elections based on seven subdistricts, so the seats sought by the candidates depend on where they live. The districts include Eisenhower High School in Blue Island, Richards High School in Oak Lawn and Shepard High School in Palos Heights. McGinnis, who lives in Crestwood, is challenging Kosowski, who lives in Alsip, according to Cook County filings. Bednarczyk, Cantelo and Radice are running unopposed. District 218 saw structural and leadership changes at the beginning of the school year under Superintendent Josh Barron. New principals at Richards and Shepard are part of Barron's plan of restructuring the district to build on academic improvements seen in recent years. McGinnis said Wednesday he works as a physical education teacher in Cook County District 130, a feeder school of District 218, and is running to continue improving students' lives. He also works directly with high school students as a coach and driver's education instructor. 'We're working together for a common goal — to make the kids' lives better, make the schools better, make the teachers want to be at the schools,' McGinnis said. 'I want District 218 to be a place that people brag about and people want to send their kids to.' McGinnis said he is an advocate for 'equality and inclusion.' 'I know that's a big buzz word,' McGinnis said. 'There's been a huge push now for social emotional learning, especially with the pandemic.' He said as a teacher, he noticed students struggling more with communication since the COVID-19 lockdowns and hopes to encourage programs that build those relational skills. Kosowski did not respond to requests for comment from the Daily Southtown. In the uncontested races, Radice, of Oak Lawn, was appointed to the board last spring. He said he didn't have any particular interest in school board leadership at the time, but has since grown fond his board colleagues and making decisions that support students and staff. 'I enjoy having my finger on the pulse of what's going on in the community, helping make sure things are done right, or at least for the right reasons,' Radice said Thursday. He is retired from the village of Oak Lawn, where he was director of economic development. Radice said he has effortlessly fallen in sync with the rest of the board, who he said are 'very in tune with things we should be doing or shouldn't be doing.' He said he's supportive of facilities projects underway at Shepard and Eisenhower and is excited to see them through completion. Fellow uncontested incumbent Cantelo said in a written statement to the Daily Southtown she teaches in District 130 and has worked at the Blue Island Park District for 20 years. She was first elected in 2021 with the motivation to 'provide our communities with an educator's view on pivotal decisions that directly affect our youth,' she said. Cantelo said she is proud of the district's financial management, and her approach to minimize taxpayer strife amid record high property taxes is to maximize the value of each dollar spent. 'This includes evaluating expenses, seeking alternative funding sources and engaging in transparent communication with the community regarding our financial decisions,' she said. 'I will also continue to support our fiscal responsibilities while making it a priority our staff is well paid for their hard work while continuing to grow state of the art facilities for our students.' Radice said he hasn't heard complaints about property taxes from constituents but similarly understands the importance of fiscal responsibility. 'Most of us are homeowners, so you can't make a decision based on just personal gains or losses,' Radice said. 'The better the school district, the more you can offer at the schools, and then the property values increase.' Bednarczyk also did not respond to requests for comment from The Daily Southtown. ostevens@
Chicago Tribune
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Five candidates run in High School District 218, but only two contested
While five candidates are seeking election to four 4-year seats on the High School District 218 Board on April 1, only two are unopposed. Incumbents Thomas Kosowski, Candice Cantelo and Steve Radice are seeking reelection to the seven-person board with Thomas McGinnis and Jennifer Bednarczyk challenging. District 218 holds elections based on seven subdistricts, so the seats sought by the candidates depend on where they live. The districts include Eisenhower High School in Blue Island, Richards High School in Oak Lawn and Shepard High School in Palos Heights. McGinnis, who lives in Crestwood, is challenging Kosowski, who lives in Alsip, according to Cook County filings. Bednarczyk, Cantelo and Radice are running unopposed. District 218 saw structural and leadership changes at the beginning of the school year under Superintendent Josh Barron. New principals at Richards and Shepard are part of Barron's plan of restructuring the district to build on academic improvements seen in recent years. McGinnis said Wednesday he works as a physical education teacher in Cook County District 130, a feeder school of District 218, and is running to continue improving students' lives. He also works directly with high school students as a coach and driver's education instructor. 'We're working together for a common goal — to make the kids' lives better, make the schools better, make the teachers want to be at the schools,' McGinnis said. 'I want District 218 to be a place that people brag about and people want to send their kids to.' McGinnis said he is an advocate for 'equality and inclusion.' 'I know that's a big buzz word,' McGinnis said. 'There's been a huge push now for social emotional learning, especially with the pandemic.' He said as a teacher, he noticed students struggling more with communication since the COVID-19 lockdowns and hopes to encourage programs that build those relational skills. Kosowski did not respond to requests for comment from the Daily Southtown. In the uncontested races, Radice, of Oak Lawn, was appointed to the board last spring. He said he didn't have any particular interest in school board leadership at the time, but has since grown fond his board colleagues and making decisions that support students and staff. 'I enjoy having my finger on the pulse of what's going on in the community, helping make sure things are done right, or at least for the right reasons,' Radice said Thursday. He is retired from the village of Oak Lawn, where he was director of economic development. Radice said he has effortlessly fallen in sync with the rest of the board, who he said are 'very in tune with things we should be doing or shouldn't be doing.' He said he's supportive of facilities projects underway at Shepard and Eisenhower and is excited to see them through completion. Fellow uncontested incumbent Cantelo said in a written statement to the Daily Southtown she teaches in District 130 and has worked at the Blue Island Park District for 20 years. She was first elected in 2021 with the motivation to 'provide our communities with an educator's view on pivotal decisions that directly affect our youth,' she said. Cantelo said she is proud of the district's financial management, and her approach to minimize taxpayer strife amid record high property taxes is to maximize the value of each dollar spent. 'This includes evaluating expenses, seeking alternative funding sources and engaging in transparent communication with the community regarding our financial decisions,' she said. 'I will also continue to support our fiscal responsibilities while making it a priority our staff is well paid for their hard work while continuing to grow state of the art facilities for our students.' Radice said he hasn't heard complaints about property taxes from constituents but similarly understands the importance of fiscal responsibility. 'Most of us are homeowners, so you can't make a decision based on just personal gains or losses,' Radice said. 'The better the school district, the more you can offer at the schools, and then the property values increase.' Bednarczyk also did not respond to requests for comment from The Daily Southtown.
Yahoo
21-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
NM Legislative Recap Feb. 20: Where the wild things are
Kiara, a wolf dog who lives at the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary in Ramah, visited the Roundhouse with Siena Radice, an animal care specialist and the program development coordinator for the sanctuary, on Feb. 20, 2025. (Photo by Austin Fisher / Source NM) The New Mexico Legislature receives many distinguished guests during the session, but Thursday's was arguably more special than the rest, and undoubtedly more furry. Kiara, a wolf dog, looked happy as she walked back and forth inside a cage built in the Rotunda, rubbing against the fence and getting pets from members of the public. Kiara is a mid-content wolf dog, meaning she is a dog with more than half of her DNA coming from a gray wolf, said Siena Radice, an animal care specialist and the program development coordinator with Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary. Being a mid-content wolf dog makes Kiara more social than some other wolf dogs, Radice said, which explains why she was licking the hands that reached through the fence to pet her. Kiara is 12 years old, the upper limit of a wolf dog's lifespan, Radice said. These animals in the wild usually only live to be about seven or eight years old, she said. 'There's no sanctuary for them, so there's disease, they get hit by cars, and there are a lot of hunters, a lot of people who want to kill them, which is very unfortunate,' Radice said. There are 83 wolves living at the Wild Spirit Wolf Sanctuary, Radice said, and 25 more are expected to join what she called the 'big pack' in the coming months. The sanctuary is located in Ramah, an unincorporated community in McKinley County in the northwestern part of the state, she said, hours away from most people, vehicle traffic and loud noises. Yes, you can visit. The staff care for the animals well enough to allow them to live nearly twice as long compared to those living in the wild, she said (George RR Martin narrated a video about the sanctuary some years ago that gives a feel for the environs). Kira's visit to the Roundhouse coincided with Land, Water and Wildlife day at the Legislature. Speaking of water, if you want to give input on the regional water boundaries or the plans for state water planning for later this year, submit this survey before midnight on Friday. Sens. Craig Brandt (R-Rio Rancho) and Carrie Hamblen (D-Las Cruces) harmonized to Bon Jovi's 'Living on a Prayer,' on the senate floor Thursday, marking that we are in fact 'halfway there' (the session ends at noon on March 22). Thursday was also the final day for either chamber to introduce legislation. Lawmakers have introduced more than 1,100 pieces of legislation with the Senate introducing 559 bills and the House putting forward 583 bills, along with memorials and resolutions. Senate Bill 16, a bill to allow independents to participate in major-party primaries without changing their registration, passed the Senate floor in a 27-11 vote Wednesday evening. On Thursday afternoon, the House of Representatives voted 56-2 on House Bill 193, which would allow the Legislative Education Study Committee to study early childhood education and higher education issues. The House voted 44-23 in favor of Senate Bill 3, one of the three bills that make up what is called the behavioral health package. The House voted 68-1 in favor of House Bill 10, which would allow the state's cannabis regulator to police bad actors in the cannabis industry. The Senate voted 26-14 to pass Senate Bill 36, which would prohibit state Department of Motor Vehicles employees from disclosing driver data to any entity that would use it to enforce federal civil immigration laws. The Senate unanimously voted in favor Senate Bill 135, which would allow lawmakers to be reimbursed with public funds for out-of-state travel even if they lost their election or haven't declared their candidacy, without the need for a three-quarter majority vote by the Legislative Council. The Senate is expected to vote on House Bill 8, known as the crime package, on Friday, said Senate Majority Leader Peter Wirth (D-Santa Fe). The House Rural Development, Land Grants And Cultural Affairs Committee unanimously endorsed a bill that would cap the liability on rural electrical cooperatives if they are proven in court to have caused a wildfire, and remove their liability so long as they can prove they followed fire mitigation measures they previously submitted to the state. The bill, which comes amid a lawsuit against PNM for the McBride Fire, now heads to the House Judiciary Committee. The Senate Indian, Rural and Cultural Affairs Committee advanced a bill mandating the creation of a Turquoise Alert to spread information about missing Native Americans, without recommendation after hearing from sponsors that law enforcement wanted to change some of the language. As of 5:30 p.m., the House Consumer and Public Affairs Committee was starting a hearing on House Bill 339, which would prohibit landlords across the state from rejecting prospective tenants based on their source of income, including Section 8 vouchers. Several New Mexico cities ban the practice, but a statewide measure has died in committee in recent years. Senate Bill 41, sponsored by Sens. Angel Charley (D-Acoma) and Cindy Nava (D-Bernalillo), moves now to Senate Tax, Business and Transportation. House Bill 392, which would ban single-use plastic bags statewide and require stores to charge a minimum $0.10 fee for paper bags, will have to go again before the House Energy and Natural Resources committee next wee, after members requested the sponsors to clean up the bill's fee section and a few other tweaks.
