Month: August 2023

Former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Henry Ruggs was sentenced to 3 to 10 years in prison for a car crash that resulted in the death of a woman and her dog. Ruggs pleaded guilty back in May to one count of DUI resulting in death, and one count misdemeanor vehicular manslaughter in the 2021 crash. The sentencing Judge stated that this one of the most tragic cases she has seen.

Before sentencing Ruggs apologized to the family of the deceased. Henry Ruggs was driving 156 MPH right before crashing into the deceased Toyota SUV. Ruggs blood alcohol level was 0.161%, twice the legal limit in Nevada. Apart of the plea deal a few charges were dropped against Ruggs, including felony reckless driving.

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Deadly wildfires having been sweeping across Hawaii killing at least 36 people in Maui County. Most of the western Maui community has been destroyed causing hundreds of families there to be displaced. Over 270 structures have been impacted in Lahaina leaving homes and businesses wiped out. 3 helicopters from the US Coast Guard and US Navy were sent to search and rescue efforts along the west Maui coastline.

This disaster could takes days or weeks to even be able to repair networks and power. More than 11,000 customers on Maui are without power. More than 2,100 people are in 4 emergency shelters in Maui on Tuesday night. The governor told CNN that they only have enough shelter for a few days but there isn’t enough for long term stay.

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President of the United States, Joe Biden says that he plans to travel to Vietnam shortly as part of an effort to improve relationship with Hanoi and become partners. The US and Vietnam have increased close trade links, while both share concerns over China’s growing strength in the region. Friction has been increasing for years between Beijing and Southeast Asian nations, particularly Vietnam and the Philippines, over China’s sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea.

The United States and Hanoi pledged back in April to upgrade diplomatic ties. The South China Sea is seen as a powder keg, and many fear a miscalculation or accident could ignite a military issue. Analysts say Hanoi may be more reluctant to elevate relations with the US, wary of upsetting Beijing. The United States has also sought to improve relations with China in recent months, with Blinken visiting in June after a previous trip was canceled when an alleged Chinese spy balloon was shot down by a US warplane after traversing the country earlier this year.

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Rapper Tory Lanez was sentenced to ten years in prison on Tuesday after being convicted of assault for shooting Megan Thee Stallion back in 2020. Lanez was convicted last December for shooting rapper Megan Thee Stallion in the foot. Tory was originally supposed to be sentenced in January but the sentencing was delayed a few times due to Tory obtaining new lawyers and filing a motion for a new trial. The request for a new trial was denied in May.

Tory’s attorney Jose Baez told reporters that the sentencing was extreme and they plan to file an appeal. Jose said that Tory is feeling “down” and “sad” thinking about the time he will miss with his son while he serving his prison sentence. Tory’s defense team called several witnesses, including members of his family, to testify on Tory’s behalf during the hearing, which began on Monday and was extended through Tuesday. Tory’s father, Sonstar Peterson, issued an emotional appeal to the judge on his son’s behalf, describing the trauma Lanez experienced after his mother died at a young age and how music became his outlet.

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