Latest news with #condemnation
CTV News
3 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Controversial B.C. ‘fast-track' bills headed for vote
Vancouver Watch MLAs are set to vote on a pair of bills that have drawn widespread condemnation from First Nations leaders.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former Aspen Place residents make new allegations in lawsuit against ownership
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Former residents of Aspen Place are suing after the city condemned the apartment complex, giving residents 48 hours to move out. On Tuesday, May 6, the city condemned the 180 units due to 'significant safety concerns.' 700 residents impacted by Aspen Place Condemnation in Gardner, Kansas Aric Cooperwood, Anthony Fellows and Rachel Fellows filed the lawsuit on behalf of themselves and residents of Aspen Place, dating as far back as five years ago. They are suing the following companies: KDR AP, LLC KDR Realty, LLC Axiom Property Management, LLC Axiom Property Management II, LLC Axiom Equities Investments, LLC Axiom Family of Companies, LLC KDR is the current owner and manager of Aspen Place. Axiom sold Aspen Place to KDR in 2022, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit claims that KDR AP and KDR Realty comprise a family-run business; KDR's president, Puneet Gorawara, is married to KDR's vice president, Aabha Gorawara – and their daughter, Gauri, performs property-management services. Axiom is accused of potentially failing to disclose the ongoing issues and 'abject state' of Aspen Place before selling the property to KDR. The lawsuit claims that 700 residents were wrongfully evicted due to KDR's negligence and accuses ownership and management of failing to provide essential services, among other violations. 'The water lines at Aspen Place had presented significant long-term maintenance problems affecting the delivery of essential services to tenants (such as water) well before the condemnation,' the lawsuit reads. The lawsuit claims this was an avoidable disaster since ownership and management were aware of these long-running issues. Residents, however, were not made aware of what they were getting themselves into, the lawsuit argues. 'The systemic water-related problems at Aspen Place…were not disclosed to eventual residents before they entered their leases,' the lawsuit states. Despite KDR's claims that it planned to 'completely overhaul' Aspen Place's water system, the lawsuit argues that more evidence is needed to determine whether KDR could have actually afforded a complete overhaul. It accuses the company of secretly pushing off some of its maintenance costs to tenants by charging them monthly fees for 'liability landlord insurance' and an 'administrative fee.' 'It seems that KDR here unconscionably passed the cost of its own general liability policy(ies) onto its tenants,' the lawsuit states. The lawsuit claims that Cooperwood's lease agreement also contained other unfair, as well as unclear, terms and charges. 'KDR shamelessly nickel-and-dimed the Aspen Place tenants,' the lawsuit claims. According to the lawsuit, KDR began charging tenants for utilities, including water, via a lease addendum beginning in late 2023. The lawsuit says KDR claimed in the lease that it would not be responsible for water overflow/leakage, mold or utility interruption[s]. 'These terms…were unconscionable, if not overtly unlawful,' the lawsuit states. 'KDR charged tenants every month for its own liability insurance and required them to purchase outsized liability policies with KDR as an insured, while making it evident that water-related problems were a primary concern, and while requiring tenants to pay the actual utility bills…while also failing to reliably supply water.' The lawsuit claims KDR even began requiring tenants to pay a 'water-usage fee,' which was based on the number of people living in the complex, not the tenant's actual 'usage' of water. KDR is accused of taking part in some sort of 'insurance arbitrage scheme.' The lawsuit says KDR pushed off these costs onto residents through lease addendums that were sometimes added to lease agreements during lease terms. In the lawsuit, KDR's property management is called 'absurdly inadequate' and 'functionally nonexistent.' 'KDR was exceedingly slow to respond to burst pipes, while also leaving visible leaks unrepaired for months, which caused property damage,' the lawsuit states. 'KDR tactically used unconscionable insurance-related conditions and practices as a shield relative to its own property-management and ownership deficiencies.' The lawsuit argues that KDR may have profited from its insurance and utility-billing practices. 'Discovery is required into KDR's utility-related billing practices, including but not limited to inflation, manipulation, and/or misrepresentation of consumer water bills,' the lawsuit reads. According to the lawsuit, KDR demanded that the Fellowses sign a new utility addendum after a water outage during Christmas 2023, when residents dealt with persistent water outages for at least two weeks. The lawsuit says the Fellowses encountered substantial mold and mildew issues as a result of pipe bursts and leaks, as well as sewage backup. However, KDR never fixed the sewage drain that was malfunctioning just outside their unit, the lawsuit claims. The lawsuit also claims that KDR would mark maintenance requests 'complete' despite having done nothing – or leave requests dangling in 'contractor status' indefinitely. In January 2024, the lawsuit says KDR rejected the Fellowses' lease-renewal application 'because the Fellowses had left negative reviews about it online and Rachel Fellows had appeared in the news with respect to KDR's mismanagement.' In order to have the application accepted, 'KDR compelled Ms. Fellows to delete the negative reviews in its presence.' The property manager quit shortly after this incident, the lawsuit states. The former Aspen Place residents are demanding a jury trial for all issues so triable. This lawsuit was filed on May 16, 2025, in the United States District Court for the District of Kansas, Kansas City Division (Case No. 2:25-CV-2267).Community steps up to help after Gardner apartment condemned 700 residents impacted by Aspen Place Condemnation in Gardner, Kansas Gardner food pantry running out of goods in wake of condemned apartment Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Daily Mail
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Ilhan Omar addresses murder of Israeli Embassy staff
Rep. Ilhan Omar shockingly refused to acknowledge the deadly shooting at the Capital Jewish Museum overnight that left two Israeli Embassy staffers dead. The pro-Palestinian congresswoman when asked about the tragedy brushed-off the query despite widespread fury over the anti-Semitic murders – even from other pro-Palestinian members of Congress. 'Congresswoman Omar, can I get your reaction to the shooting that happened in DC last night?' a reporter asked outside the Capitol on Thursday morning. The progressive Minnesota representative responded nonchalantly as she was walking: 'I'm going to go for now.' She then briskly walked away from the cameras and reporters. A few hours later, and afte r mounting outrage over her lack of condemnation, Omar was forced to release a statement on X on the horrific murders. 'I am appalled by the deadly shooting at the Capital Jewish Museum last night,' she wrote. 'Absolutely nothing justifies the murder of innocents,' Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez wrote on X. 'I am devastated by the killing of two people outside an AJC Global event here in Washington. Our prayers are with the victims, families, and loved ones of all impacted.' 'As we await more details, we must be clear that hatred has no home here. Antisemitism is a threat to all we hold dear as a society. It must be confronted and rooted out everywhere,' the New York Democrat concluded. Meanwhile, Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) wrote on X early Thursday morning: 'The murder of two Israeli embassy staff outside an AJC Global event in DC is unconscionable and unacceptable.' 'Our freedoms and our destinies are truly tied. I'm praying for the victims, their loved ones, and everyone impacted,' she added. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, the only lawmaker of Palestinian descent, did not weigh-in on the shooting as of early Thursday afternoon. The shooting suspect identified as 30-year-old Elias Rodriguez was taken into custody and questioned overnight, the FBI said. He was caught on camera repeatedly shouting 'Free Palestine' as he was arrested. Omar, a Somali refugee, is one of the most outspoken on Capitol Hill in support of Palestinians amid the ingoing war with Israel. Since getting into office, Omar has faced widespread criticism for sharing anti-Israel sentiments and pushing tropes insulting to Jewish people. Back in 2019, Omar was forced to apologize for her a string of comments seen as insulting, insensitive and downright anti-Semitic. In a tweet at the time, the then-freshman congresswoman linked support for Israel to financial contributions by writing: 'It's all about the Benjamins.' She was accused of using the Puff Daddy song line to call up a harmful stereotype of Jewish Americans. After a phone call with Democratic leadership, Omar apologized for using old anti-Semitic tropes about Jews and money.
CBC
22-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
2 Israeli Embassy staff killed in D.C. shooting attack identified
May 22 11 minutes ago Chris Iorfida U.S. President Donald Trump led the condemnations for Wednesday night's shootings, which are coming in from around the world. "These horrible D.C. killings, based obviously on antisemitism, must end, NOW!" Trump posted on social media early Thursday. "Hatred and Radicalism have no place in the USA." British Foreign Minister David Lammy said he was "horrified" by the killing and that the U.K. government condemned "this appalling, antisemitic crime." Hungary's Prime Minister Viktor Orban, expressed his condolences in a statement to the families of the victims, the people of Israel and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a longtime ally, saying, "the Hungarian government rejects all forms of antisemitism." 46 minutes ago Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar says "incitement" from European countries led to the murder of the embassy staff members. "There is a direct line connecting antisemitic and anti-Israeli incitement to this murder," said Saar. "This incitement is also done by leaders and officials of many countries and international organisations, especially from Europe." In recent days, Britain, France and Canada have been among the countries urging Israel to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza and to reconsider expanding its military operation in the territory, but it's not clear if the alleged shooter in Washington on Wednesday night was following those statements. 1 hour ago The victims of Wednesday night's shooting in D.C. have been identified by Israel's foreign ministry as Yaron Lischinksy and Sarah Lynn Milgrim, two staff members of the Israeli Embassy in Washington. Lischinsky was a research assistant, and Milgrim organized visits and missions to Israel, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said. The two were shot and killed as they left an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Northwest, a part of downtown Washington that is about two kilometres from the White House.
Yahoo
07-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Community steps up to help after Gardner apartment condemned
GARDNER, Kan. — While residents at Aspen Place are scrambling after their complex was condemned on Tuesday, their community was also scrambling to get them some help. The complex was shut down due to safety concerns on Tuesday morning, leaving residents a mere 48 hours to vacate their homes. Downtown Kansas City business owners issuing a warning: 'This isn't a political issue—it's a safety issue' 'I can't imagine that,' said Melissa Prins. 'It's completely heartbreaking to think of all those families and they have all walks of life there. They have single parents; they have elderly families. It's just flabbergasting.' Prins is the director of the Hope Market, a food pantry in Gardner. She's leading the charge on helping residents, and getting resources together from other nonprofits and churches. 'We're going to try and get all of our eggs in one basket to see how we can best help everyone,' she said. Folks are eager to help. 'We've had people walking in off the street going, 'Hey, I heard that this is a need. How can we help?'' said Joey Lang, lead pastor of Grace Baptist Church. 'It makes you proud to be part of Gardner.' Community leaders along with city officials and law enforcement gathered at Grace Baptist Church, collaborating on what everyone could bring to the table. 'Whether that's moving boxes, whether that's help moving, where there's help getting here, we want to make sure that there is a just a steady flood of resources available to help these people land where they need to land,' Lang said. The parking lot was packed at the church before the 6:30 meeting on Tuesday. More than 100 people came to see how they could help their neighbors and come up with a game plan to present to residents on Wednesday evening. During the meeting, two organizations pledged $30,000 each to help put residents up at hotels for the next several days. Prins and Lang both say the generosity is just part of living in Gardner. 'That's the best thing about Gardner; is everybody just comes together here to help everyone,' Prins said. 'So, I know we can do something great for them.' Lang said that the community won't let them go through this by themselves. 'If you can find a highlight here in the tragedy, it is the love these people are going to feel from their community that's going to come together and just acknowledge them, see them, and not let them walk this road alone,' Lang said. While some in the meeting offered hotel rooms, vans, moving boxes and more, Nick Blessing with the Kansas Legal Service was offering legal help. 'This shouldn't have gotten to this point, and I think accountability is necessary here. All of them are being are being removed from this property,' Blessing said. 'And that's and I think there are claims that arise out of just that.' Kansas dispatcher commended for 'outstanding job' handling crash that killed 8 The Kansas Legal Service provides legal services free of charge to low-income clients. 'From what I understand, the water system there has not been compliant with code for a long time,' Blessing told FOX4. 'Anybody who started renting their wall, it was in this condition. Aspen Place failed to deliver possession of that rental units in compliance with the law, which means that arguably all or a portion of the rent that those tenants have paid while living there, while it's in that condition, they have a claim for that to be paid back.' Those looking to help residents at Aspen Place should reach out to Melissa at the Hope Market, or can donate through Hope Market here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports.
