Court Case Falls Apart After Squatters Used Shake Shack Receipt in Effort to Prove Residency

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A pair of alleged squatters, who used a Shake Shack receipt to prove their residency to occupy a $930,000 home in Queens, New York, have abandoned suing the lawful owners after refusing to leave the property for months.

“It was discontinued. Discontinued by them,” attorney Rizpah Morrow said following the hearing in New York on Friday. “And it seemed to be that they did that because, apparently, their case was not very good. Their evidence was not very good.”

Morrow said that the conclusion of the Shake Shack squatter incident seemed like a “real abuse” of the court system.

“And it seems like a real abuse of this court process when there were so many tenants out there who need court intervention,” Morrow said. “And I think we would have preferred to have a little bit more court intervention than we got because the judge just let them discontinue the case without any terms or conditions.”

Top Nest Properties broker Ejona Bardhi Shyti first discovered two squatters, identified as Lance Hunt Jr. and Rondie L. Francis, in March residing in a Queens property that she manages for owners, Juliya Fulman, and her husband, Denis Kurlyand. (Read more from “Court Case Falls Apart After Squatters Used Shake Shack Receipt in Effort to Prove Residency” HERE)

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Country Musician in Critical Condition Following Arizona Show

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Country musician Colt Ford, born Jason Farris Brown, is currently in critical condition after suffering a heart attack following a performance in Gilbert, Arizona. Ford’s representative confirmed his condition, stating that he is currently in stable but critical condition in the ICU at Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, Arizona.

Ford, 54, had recently performed at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row before his health scare. He was scheduled to perform at the Star of the Desert Arena in Primm, Nevada, on Friday night.

Known for blending country and rap genres, Ford has several No. 1 hits to his name and is the original recording artist of Jason Aldean’s “Dirt Road Anthem,” which has amassed over 927 million worldwide streams.

Ford’s unique musical style has earned him recognition, including being the only artist to achieve a No. 1 album on both the Billboard Top Country Albums (“Declaration of Independence”) and Top Rap Albums (“Thanks for Listening”) charts.

Throughout his career, Ford has collaborated with notable artists such as Jake Owen, Jamey Johnson, Dillon Carmichael, and Brantley Gilbert.

The country music community and fans are sending their thoughts and well-wishes to Colt Ford for a speedy recovery during this challenging time.

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SEC Pauses ‘Extremist Climate Mandate’ After Challenge From Republican Attorneys General

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The Securities and Exchange Commission paused implementation of a climate rule requiring certain companies to disclose greenhouse gas emissions after a coalition of Republican-led states challenged the rule.

On Thursday, the SEC alerted the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals that it would hold off finalizing the climate rule while it faced a lawsuit from 25 states led by Iowa. The states argue that the SEC has overstepped its authority by attempting to put in place the climate rule without congressional approval.

“Today’s victory shuts down the most outrageous climate mandate for businesses since Biden took office,” said Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird. “The SEC’s job is to protect people from fraud. It has no business slapping companies with extremist climate mandates. We are making it clear that Biden has to follow the law like everyone else.”

“By halting this mandate, we are protecting business from costly red tape, securing our supply chain, and defending family farms,” she added. “Next, we are going to make this win permanent!” (Read more from “SEC Pauses ‘Extremist Climate Mandate’ After Challenge From Republican Attorneys General” HERE)

Rare 4.8 Magnitude Earthquake Rattles New York City Area

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A rare 4.8 magnitude earthquake centered near Whitehouse Station, New Jersey, rattled the greater New York City area on Friday morning.

The earthquake occurred at 10:23 a.m. EDT, according to the United States Geological Survey, and shook other Northeastern cities, including as far south as Philadelphia and as far north as Boston.

Gov. Kathy Hochul (D-NY) addressed the earthquake and said that the state is “assessing impacts” of the tremor.

“A 4.8 magnitude earthquake hit west of Manhattan and has been felt throughout New York,” Hochul said in a post on X. “My team is assessing impacts and any damage that may have occurred, and we will update the public throughout the day.”

Hochul said later at a press briefing that there were no reports of major damage to buildings, but agencies are in the early phases of evaluating the damage.

(Read more from “Rare 4.8 Magnitude Earthquake Rattles New York City Area” HERE)

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RFK Jr. Undercuts Democrats on January 6: ‘Little Evidence of a True Insurrection’

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Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. issued a statement on the January 6 prosecutions Friday, saying that while violent rioters deserved to be punished, many prosecutions of non-violent protesters were excessive.

Kennedy’s statement undercuts the Democratic Party’s effort to portray the 2024 election as a “defense of democracy” and a referendum on the so-called “insurrection,” which Democrats blame on former President Donald Trump.

Kennedy’s statement reads as follows:

January 6 is one of the most polarizing topics on the political landscape. I am listening to people of diverse viewpoints on it in order to make sense of the event and what followed. I want to hear every side.

It is quite clear that many of the January 6 protestors broke the law in what may have started as a protest but turned into a riot. Because it happened with the encouragement of President Trump, and in the context of his delusion that the election was stolen from him, many people see it not as a riot but as an insurrection.

I have not examined the evidence in detail, but reasonable people, including Trump opponents, tell me there is little evidence of a true insurrection. They observe that the protestors carried no weapons, had no plans or ability to seize the reins of government, and that Trump himself had urged them to protest “peacefully.”

(Read more from “RFK Jr. Undercuts Democrats on January 6: ‘Little Evidence of a True Insurrection’” HERE)

99 Cents Only Stores Closing All Locations, Cites Inflation

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All 371 locations of the 99 Cents Only stores are shutting down, with company executives blaming the “difficult” decision on such causes as “inflationary pressures.”

The company, which opened its first location in 1982, boasts of having the “lowest price guaranteed” on its website. That claim is soon to be no more, with the operators announcing Thursday that liquidation sales will begin Friday.

An official press release said an “orderly wind-down of its business operations” is starting after entering a plea agreement with Hilco Global “to, among other things, liquidate all merchandise owned by the Company and dispose of certain fixtures, furnishings, and equipment at the Company’s stores.”

The hundreds of stores will begin selling all of their remaining items and equipment before the real estate itself is sold by Hilco Real Estate.

The company’s locations span across Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas. (Read more from “99 Cents Only Stores Closing All Locations, Cites Inflation” HERE)

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4 Students Took Turns Forcibly Penetrating 3rd-Grade Girl in Restroom, Blocked Her Escape, Got 1-Day Suspensions: Lawsuit

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A lawsuit claims four students took turns forcibly penetrating a third-grade girl in a restroom stall, blocked her escape, and received one-day suspensions, OregonLive reported.

The lawsuit claims employees of both Portland Public Schools and a Multnomah County-sponsored after-school program operated by nonprofit Latino Network failed to protect the girl — who was 9 at the time — from being sexually assaulted, the outlet noted.

The girl’s family filed the lawsuit in Multnomah County Circuit Court last month; it seeks up to $9 million in damages on grounds including negligence, lack of oversight, and failure to protect a vulnerable person from abuse, OregonLive said.

The lawsuit alleges that when the student was in third grade at Scott Elementary in northeast Portland in 2022, one of her classmates touched her genitals over her clothing without her permission during a class a district educator was overseeing, the outlet said.

In a separate incident that same school year, the suit states that another student tried to kiss the girl without her permission, and she hit him to protect herself, OregonLive reported. (Read more from “4 Students Took Turns Forcibly Penetrating 3rd-Grade Girl in Restroom, Blocked Her Escape, Got 1-Day Suspensions: Lawsuit” HERE)

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Newspaper Owner Sues Small Kansas City, Police Department for Raiding His Home and Office: ‘Illegal as Hell’

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The owner of a small newspaper in Marion, Kansas, a city of fewer than 2,000 residents, is suing his city and local police department, among other defendants, after officers conducted a raid on his home and newspaper office last summer.

On Monday, Eric Meyer, owner of the Marion County Record, filed a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court in Kansas, claiming that various public figures, in their official and personal capacities, violated his First and Fourth Amendment rights when they searched his home and office in August 2023. During those raids, investigators apparently seized computers, servers, hard drives, and even personal cell phones belonging to reporters, as Blaze News previously reported.

The raids on Meyer’s home and office related to Kari Newell, a prominent Marion businesswoman who was seeking a liquor license for her restaurant. However, Meyer had received a tip that Newell had been illegally driving on a suspended license after a previous DUI conviction, information that likely would have put Newell’s liquor license request in jeopardy.

Though Meyer’s paper, the Marion County Record, never ran a story about Newell’s past, Meyer did contact then-Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody and Marion County Sheriff Jeff Soyez to say that he would investigate whether local law enforcement had knowingly permitted Newell to drive on a suspended license.

Newell, who had also recently asked Meyer and another Record reporter to leave her coffee shop during an event for a Republican congressman, later accused Meyer of obtaining her private information in an “illegal” manner. (Read more from “Newspaper Owner Sues Small Kansas City, Police Department for Raiding His Home and Office: ‘Illegal as Hell’” HERE)

Antony Blinken Confirms Ukraine Will Join NATO

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U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has reiterated NATO’s unwavering support for Ukraine’s aspirations to join the defensive alliance.

During a gathering of NATO member states in Brussels to mark the alliance’s 75th anniversary, Blinken emphasized the enduring determination to bolster the country during the Russia-Ukraine War. He declared, “Ukraine will become a member of NATO,” underscoring NATO’s commitment to supporting Ukraine’s defense capabilities and fostering closer ties with the alliance.

Blinken’s statement echoes sentiments expressed by U.S. President Biden and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg in previous years, affirming NATO’s stance on Ukraine’s eventual membership. However, Blinken’s remarks also underscore the complexities involved, including the need for Ukraine to meet the criteria for membership, such as not being occupied by a foreign power.

Despite these challenges, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba welcomed Blinken’s comments, revealing ongoing efforts within NATO to advance Ukraine’s membership aspirations. Kuleba expressed gratitude for the encouraging messages and highlighted NATO’s commitment to determining the next steps towards Ukraine’s membership.

While formal NATO membership for Ukraine may still be on the horizon, individual member states are forging closer ties through “NATO-lite” arrangements. These agreements, exemplified by recent treaties with Finland and other nations, offer further funding, support, and military aid to Ukraine, in an attempt to bolstering its defense capabilities.

Iran Asks U.S. to ‘Step Aside’ as Plans for Retaliation Mount, Iranian Official Says

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Iran asked the United States to not interfere in its plans for retaliation against Israel, an Iranian official alleged Friday.

Mohammad Jamshidi, Iran’s deputy chief of staff for political affairs, claimed in a tweet that this exchange occurred.

“In a written message, the Islamic Republic of Iran warned America not to fall into Netanyahu’s trap: step aside so you don’t get hit. In response, America asked Iran not to hit American targets,” Jamshidi tweeted.

The U.S. warned, as opposed to “asked,” Iran not to use this as a pretext to attack U.S. facilities and personnel, a State Dept. spokesperson told the Daily Caller. The spokesperson confirmed that the U.S. did receive a message from Iran but did not specify the message’s contents.

(Read more from “Iran Asks U.S. to ‘Step Aside’ as Plans for Retaliation Mount, Iranian Official Says” HERE)