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Business

American holidaymaker Theodora McCormick and husband fall victim to notorious Greek restaurant with huge bill

American holidaymaker Theodora McCormick and husband fall victim to notorious Greek restaurant with huge bill

Yet another tourist couple have been left horrified at the bill charged by a notorious restaurant on the Greek island of Mykonos.

American holidaymakers Theodora McCormick and her husband were taking in the sights of the stunning island when they dropped into the DK Oyster bar.

They ordered two beers, two cocktails and a dozen oysters — and were slapped with a $730 bill.

Then when they complained, Ms McCormick claims that “hulking” male waiters intimidated them into paying.

She said that they only dropped into the restaurant to call a taxi and ordered to be polite.

Theodora McCormick and her husband.
Camera IconTheodora McCormick and her husband. Credit: Facebook/Supplied

“I told my husband, ‘Oh, why don’t we call a taxi and grab a drink’,” she said. “That was my big mistake.”

Ms McCormick said that when she asked for a cocktail menu, the waiter instead rattled off a list of options.

They ordered two martinis and two beers — and were amazed at the size of the drinks.

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Entertainment

Convoy cafe arrives in Moonee Ponds right on time for spring days on the enormous deck

Convoy cafe arrives in Moonee Ponds right on time for spring days on the enormous deck

The team from popular Collingwood cafe Terror Twilight are bringing queue-worthy breakfasts further north with the opening today of their fourth venue, Convoy, opposite Queens Park in Moonee Ponds.

The spacious corner site is fronted by an L-shaped deck that catches the morning sun, with a takeaway window ready to fuel park- and pool-goers with coffee, sandwiches and snacks.

Serious cafe fanatics can order everything from sweet potato pancakes inspired by cinnamon scrolls to Turkish eggs with lemon yoghurt and black pudding or an English muffin packed with curried scrambled eggs, bacon and pickles. Later in the day, a prawn roll with crisp iceberg and celery beckons.

The cafe is surrounded by an outdoor deck and Queens Park and its swimming pool are across the road.

The cafe is surrounded by an outdoor deck and Queens Park and its swimming pool are across the road. Photo: My Friend Tom



Inside, the 100-year-old building with bullnose verandahs has been kitted out with houndstooth banquettes, spotted gum joinery and orange leather upholstery by Studio Esteta, whose other work includes Lune Croissanterie and Via Porta.

Despite the large footprint – 65 seats inside and 70 outside – the space feels warm, with intimate pockets created by shelves and screening.

The prize seat might be in the semi-private room with Mediterranean-inspired floor tiles and bifold doors that open onto the deck. Co-owner Kieran Spiteri says this will help with the many booking requests they get for birthday brunches and baby showers.

A prawn roll on a milk bun is one of the lunch-friendly dishes.

A prawn roll on a milk bun is one of the lunch-friendly dishes. Photo: My Friend Tom



He and his team say that Moonee Ponds has plenty of cafes, but few with a point of difference. They also chose the area because of personal connections: partner Ben Argentino grew up there while Spiteri’s first job was at the teahouse in Queens Park.

Open Mon-Sun 7am-4pm

109 Pascoe Vale Road, Moonee Ponds, convoymooneeponds.com.au

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Business

REIWA house price figures reveal Broome and Busselton top WA regional areas for increases

REIWA house price figures reveal Broome and Busselton top WA regional areas for increases

A record low rental vacancy rate is driving up property prices in Broome, with WA’s North West town becoming the top performing regional center for median house sale price growth in the most recent industry figures.

Real Estate Institute of WA data for the June quarter shows median house prices in the holiday hot spot increased by 4.7 per cent to $649,000 and shot up by 18 per cent in the 12 months to June.

The town was behind only Port Hedland which saw a 28.2 per cent growth in the same period.

Broome’s dire rental vacancy rate was recorded as zero by REIWA in March, appears to be forcing would-be tenants to buy instead.

Ray White Broome sales consultant Giles Tipping said real estate agents in the region could foresee the trend, even before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

“The supply of rental properties available for all the Government departments and the like to lease was drying up every year, so we got to a point, I think it was in about July 2019, where there was probably only about approximately 40 houses available to rent in the whole of Broome,” he revealed.

“With that low supply of rental housing obviously rentals were climbing higher and higher and there was less choice for tenants so more tenants were sort of filtering into the sales market and as rent were climbing as well, it was becoming better value to buy.”

The trent was further compounded by the pandemic, with closed borders exposing Broome to a new wave of buyers from across the country, as well as a lagging building industry placing further pressure on supply issues.

“Those influences are coming together and creating this pressure for the sales market,” Mr Tipping added.

In Busselton, which was the second highest regional performer for the June quarter with a 4.5 per cent growth in its median house sales price, the opportunity to work remotely is drawing in a new wave of Perth buyers looking for a lifestyle change.

Busselton Jetty.
Camera IconThe Busselton Jetty. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Busselton’s house median, which now sits at $610,000, is also being pushed up by interstate investors and buyers with the airport and direct flights to Melbourne a major drawcard.

First National Real Estate Busselton general manager Matthew Snaddon said these factors were fueling the market, with the popular coastal town bucking the national trend of increasing supply.

“We are having conversations with buyers and they’re making the comments that they’ve got the opportunity to work remotely so lifestyle following COVID is one of the primary factors that buyers are looking at when choosing property now,” he said.

Camels at sunset on Cable Beach, Broome. Picture: Tourism Australia
Camera IconBroome’s Cable Beach. Credit: Tourism Australia/TheWest

While Broome and Busselton were the standouts, the REIWA data showed a total of eight regional centers recorded median house sale price growth during the quarter.

Additionally, all nine regional centers experienced median house sale price growth on an annual basis.

Meanwhile, in Perth, the stock of properties listed for sale in July was 4.6 per cent higher than a year ago but new listings last month were down 15.7 per cent compared to June, according to the PropTrack Listings Report July 2022.

“The stock of properties listed for sale in Perth is still down around 15 per cent compared to the average over the past 10 years. While that means options are somewhat limited, it is an improvement compared to recent conditions and the stock of properties listed for sale is up 4.6 per cent compared to a year ago,” PropTrack Economist and report author Angus Moore said.

“Even so, buyers in Perth are facing fewer options than is the case for buyers in Melbourne, Sydney, and Canberra, where the total stock listed for sale is back around, or even above, the decade averages.

“By comparison, buyers in Adelaide and Brisbane have even fewer options, with the total number of properties listed for sale in both those cities down more than a third compared to the decade average.”

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Sports

AFL star Buddy Franklin and wife Jesinta with kids at Sydney playground amid Gold Coast move rumor

Jesinta with her daughter Tallulah at Parsley Bay in Vaucluse

AFL glamor couple Jesinta and Buddy Franklin have been spotted enjoying some family time amid rumors they’re moving to the Gold Coast so the busy mum-of-two can make her mark in the business world.

The doting parents were pictured playing with their daughter Tallulah, 2, and son Rocky, 1, at a playground in Parsley Bay in Sydney’s Vaucluse.

Make-up free Jesinta, 30, and barefoot Buddy, 35, were worlds away from the red carpet as the model rugged up in a puffer jacket while her AFL superstar husband wore a hoodie with many visible marks.

Jesinta with her daughter Tallulah at Parsley Bay in Vaucluse

Jesinta with her daughter Tallulah at Parsley Bay in Vaucluse

Jesinta keeps a close eye on her daughter

Jesinta keeps a close eye on her daughter

Her husband, Buddy, was also at the playground, and looked like he may have been doing some DIY before the trip

Her husband, Buddy, was also at the playground, and looked like he may have been doing some DIY before the trip

Jesinta and Buddy have officially ‘shut down’ any talk of their plans until the end of the current AFL season. But rumors are rife he won’t continue with the Sydney Swans beyond 2022 after he was asked to take a 50 per cent pay cut in 2023.

A move to the Gold Coast will allow Jesinta to finally ‘get serious’ about her next steps, say those close to her, whose parents Valerie and Andrew also live in the area.

It’s understood Jesinta has a number of business ideas on the go including a retail fashion venture, as well as plans to build on her position as a high-profile media personality.

Jesinta has made her media intentions known in recent years, speaking out on controversial issues including racism in sport and the Bali Nine executions which gained worldwide attention in 2015.

Back in 2015 she came to the support of Indigenous Sydney Swans player Adam Goodes after he was booed during a match.

‘Booing is a public form of bullying and Adam has come out and said it was affecting him so everyone needs to stop,’ she told the Today show.

Is it racist? Yes I think it is. And anyone who has never experienced racial vilification, racism is just a word to them.’

A move to the Gold Coast would give Jesinta an extra layer of support with her mum living there, and allow her to pursue her career interests

A move to the Gold Coast would give Jesinta an extra layer of support with her mum living there, and allow her to pursue her career interests

The couple are reportedly considering founding a local version of rapper Jay Z's management company Roc Nation, which represents some of the world's most elite athletes

The couple are reportedly considering founding a local version of rapper Jay Z’s management company Roc Nation, which represents some of the world’s most elite athletes

It's understood Jesinta has a number of business ideas on the go including a retail fashion venture, as well as plans to build on her position as a high-profile media personality

It’s understood Jesinta has a number of business ideas on the go including a retail fashion venture, as well as plans to build on her position as a high-profile media personality

Addressing the imminent executions of Bali heroin smugglers Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran, Jesinta sparked national debate after saying the doomed pair were aware of ‘the consequences’.

‘The past 10 years has been dedicated to Buddy’s AFL career in many respects and I think now Jesinta is seeing a window into a time when she can start to make some big moves of her own,’ said a source close to the model mum.

‘She has always been very ambitious…she is very well spoken. She aspires to a career in the media but obviously her priorities changed after having two children in a short space of time.

‘But a move to the Gold Coast would mean she has that extra layer of support with her parents nearby.’

'My original influencer' - Jesinta pays tribute to her mum Valerie who runs an acclaimed school on the Gold Coast

‘My original influencer’ – Jesinta pays tribute to her mum Valerie who runs an acclaimed school on the Gold Coast

Jesinta’s mother, Valerie, is a renowned educator on the Gold Coast where she founded the revolutionary Silkwood School in 1997 – a ‘non-traditional’ institution which focuses on students’ ‘interests and passions’ over regular curriculum.

Jesinta was one of the first students when the original classroom was formed in the family living room 23 years ago.

Nestled high in the Gold Coast hinterland, the school – which Jesinta has told friends she want to send her children – now boasts three campus’s and about 650 students.

Jesinta with parents Andrew and Valerie at a recent Swans match

Jesinta with parents Andrew and Valerie at a recent Swans match

The 30-year-old also recently completed an AFL Player’s Association agent course sparking speculation that she and her husband may join the talent management world.

The couple are reportedly considering founding a local version of rapper Jay Z’s management company Roc Nation, which represents some of the world’s most elite athletes.

It has been suggested a management firm run by the star couple would primarily represent Indigenous stars.

Meanwhile, any further speculation about Buddy’s playing future has been snuffed out via his rep Adam Finch who released a statement on Saturday on behalf of the Swans forward.

‘At this stage conversations have been paused around my contract so I can put all my focus on playing footy,’ the statement said.

‘No further comment will be made until the season is done and I have decided about my future.’

Rumors are rife the footy superstar will not continue with the Sydney Swans beyond 2022 after he was asked to take a 50 per cent pay cut in 2023

Rumors are rife the footy superstar will not continue with the Sydney Swans beyond 2022 after he was asked to take a 50 per cent pay cut in 2023

However rumors were again fueled on Wednesday when Buddy was a no-show at teammate Josh Kennedy’s emotional retirement announcement.

Video footage released by the club show teammates rallying around Kennedy as he was moved to tears describing his ‘incredible journey’ in footy, with many rushing to hug him after his heart-warming speech.

Franklin, however, was absent.

It came a day after Franklin was criticized by outspoken pundit Kane Cornes for his ‘me, me, me’ approach to contract negotiations.

Swans management are also said to be suspicious of two major leaks about their contract negotiations with Franklin who reportedly has also had quiet talks with the Brisbane Lions.

However Lions coach Chris Fagan has said that while he would welcome Franklin to the club, the talks were ‘news to him’.

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Australia

COVIDsafe app decommissioned, slammed as ‘wasteful and ineffective’ by Albanese Government

COVIDsafe app decommissioned, slammed as 'wasteful and ineffective' by Albanese Government

The Albanese Government has axed the “wasteful and ineffective” COVIDSafe app — saying it cost $21 million and identified only two positive virus cases.

Health Minister Mark Butler said the app, which was launched in April 2020, identified only 17 close contacts over the past two years that hadn’t already been found through manual contact tracing.

“This failed app was a colossal waste of more than $21 million of taxpayers’ money,” he said.

“The former prime minister said this app would be our ‘sunscreen’ against COVID-19 — all it did was burn through taxpayers’ money.

“This failed app only found two unique positive COVID cases at the cost of more than $10 million each.

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Sports

Cut the BS: Josh Kennedy and David Mundy were the perfect servants for West Coast and Fremantle respectively

Cut the BS: Josh Kennedy and David Mundy were the perfect servants for West Coast and Fremantle respectively

Two separate but intertwining careers began their journey to an end last week.

I was in primary school when David Mundy played his first game for Fremantle and high school when Josh Kennedy first stepped out on to Subiaco Oval for the West Coast Eagles.

You can measure the impact of a footballer in the wake of their leave, in the flowing tributes and flowery obituaries for their playing careers.

Your local paper, whenever you want it.

In Kennedy and Mundy, both West Coast and Fremantle fans are losing people who represented their teams with grace and brilliance, but also perfectly reflected the ethos supporters clung to.

The Eagles have prided themselves on their big name players and they have not had many bigger than the generational key forward with an iconic beard, who ended his career as a member of the 700-goal club.

Kennedy arrived as the consolation prize in the Chris Judd trade but as it turned out, the three-time All-Australian helped West Coast win an unwinnable trade.

West Coast Eagles v Adelaide Crows. Optus Stadium, Perth. Josh Kennedy's final game.
Camera IconWest Coast’s Josh Kennedy waves goodbye after his final game. Credit: simon santi/The West Australian

It is rare a club trades away a generational midfielder and winds up happier in the long-run but Kennedy, who kicked 429 goals between 2011 and 2017 and kicked three crucial majors in their 2018 grand final, became the Eagles’ greatest forward of all time .

Kennedy may not have actively sought out the limelight, but like so many bullet passes inside 50, fame found him as he became one of the AFL’s star forwards.

If West Coast are kings of the big game, Kennedy was football royalty and even among a plethora of fellow stars — Nic Naitanui, Luke Shuey, Jeremy McGovern — he stood and head and shoulders above them.

Throughout his spell at West Coast, the club have been driven by a pursuit of excellence and sustained success and no Eagle has personified those traits more than Kennedy.

His final bow was a fitting finale, an eight-goal avalanche showcasing his prodigious talents one final time to drag West Coast kicking and screaming into a close contest, his star shining brightest among the on-field mire that has plagued the side this season.

If Kennedy was the perfect West Coast servant — a loyal clubman with a star profile and elite ability in spades — the reliable and understated Munday was an equally excellent representative of Fremantle.

When Mundy had the ball, the sense of relief among Fremantle fans was palpable; the level of comfort was akin to settling on to the coach with a bucket of popcorn to watch your favorite film.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 06: David Mundy of the Dockers thanks fans as he leads the Dockers from the ground after winning the round 21 AFL match between the Western Bulldogs and the Fremantle Dockers at Marvel Stadium on August 06, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)
Camera IconDavid Mundy following Fremantle’s win over the Western Bulldogs. Daniel Pockett/Getty Images Credit: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

You could count on your hand the amount of times Mundy, the epitome of the savvy veteran, made the wrong decision and even when he did turn the ball over, the intent was right.

Part of the allure of Mundy for Fremantle fans was not just his dependability, but also how underrated he was around AFL circles.

Mundy won his lone All-Australian jersey in 2015 as a 30 year-old, but Fremantle fans had known how good and consistent Mundy was long before then.

He was understated around the league, never getting the headlines his more famous teammates Nat Fyfe and Matthew Pavlich earned, even though he was almost as deserving.

In many ways, Mundy reflected the Purple Haze, and Fremantle fans saw so many of the traits they revere and have bought into Mundy.

He has always been a hard-working, passionate battler who has gone about his work to the nth degree, despite perhaps not always getting the wider plaudits he has served.

The Dockers’ history book devotes many a page to their identity as an industrious outfit who may not always have been the star attraction in a footy-mad town, but will always be honest in their performance and Mundy fits the bill to a T.

For all of Pavlich’s goals and Fyfe’s game-breaking ability, Mundy’s steady hand and unerring consistency made him the Docker’s Docker, a player best equipped to embody the anchor.

In Kennedy and Mundy’s retirement, Perth has lost two icons who served their club to perfection not just on the field, but off it too.

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Categories
Australia

Murdoch University students uncover crucial detail to bring decades-old murder investigation to Australia

Murdoch University students uncover crucial detail to bring decades-old murder investigation to Australia

Murdoch University students have helped uncover a missing piece of the puzzle and an Australian twist in a decades-old European murder investigation.

As part of the International Cold Case Analysis Project, Murdoch students, alongside criminology and forensic science students from UK universities, dusted off a mysterious murder case known as “The Gentleman” which had sat unanswered for 28 years.

On July 11, 1994, a male body was found by police in the North Sea, west of the German island of Helgoland. The body showed signs of trauma and had been weighed down with cast iron cobbler’s feet, a shoemaker’s tool.

Your local paper, whenever you want it.
An artist's reconstruction of The Gentleman.
Camera IconAn artist’s reconstruction of The Gentleman. Credit: Murdoch University/Supplied

The body was brought to the city of Wilhelmshaven for a post mortem, but the man’s identity remained a mystery and he became known as ‘The Gentleman’ due to his apparent ‘middle-class’ clothing.

Initial investigations by German police in the 1990s suggested ‘The Gentleman’ was about 45 to 50 years old when he died and from an English-speaking country, but they were never able to confirm his identity or homeland.

The students, along with Germany’s Police Academy of Lower Saxony, recommended a range of further actions to be taken by local authorities which resulted in a surprising discovery — ‘The Gentleman’ likely spent most of his life in Australia.

This vital clue came from isotope ratio analyzes on a sample of bone. Isotopic compositions of food, water and dust differ across the globe due to variations in climate, bedrock, soil and human activity, and so do the isotopic compositions of the tissues of humans who ingest them.

A complete DNA profile was achieved in December last year, as well as photographic facial reconstruction.

Murdoch’s Cold Case Review group directors Brendan Chapman and Dr David Keatley are now using their local law enforcement connections to help German authorities progress the case in Australia, with hope it may lead to ‘The Gentleman’ finally being identified.

“It’s almost unbelievable,” Mr Chapman said.

Murdoch Cold Case Review group co-director Brendan Chapman.
Camera IconMurdoch Cold Case Review group co-director Brendan Chapman. Credit: Murdoch University/Supplied/Supplied

“What are the chances that from this small collection of universities working on this case, one would be from the country where the man originated?”

“We’ve built such a great relationship with ICCAP course leader Karsten Bettels over the years and we are really privileged to be afforded the trust by the German Police Academy to work on live cases with our students.”

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Categories
Entertainment

Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan, 82, is spotted in his homeless-ridden Venice neighborhood

Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan was seen last month running errands in his Venice, Los Angeles, neighborhood

Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan has been spotted out and about for the first time in over a year as he ran errands in his crime and homeless-ridden Los Angeles neighborhood.

The reclusive Australian-born actor wearing jeans and a denim shirt looked gaunt as he pumped gas and washed his windows last month in his Venice neighborhood that has been overrun by vagrants.

The last time Hogan, 82, was photographed in public was last May when he was thought to be pinning up an angry note to vagrants camped outside his $3.5million Venice mansion.

Hogan denied writing the sign that read, ‘THIS IS MY HOUSE NOT YOURS,’ despite being pictured holding a red marker near the note. He claimed he was carrying the red marker near the sign because he was leaving instructions for an electrician.

Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan was seen last month running errands in his Venice, Los Angeles, neighborhood

Crocodile Dundee star Paul Hogan was seen last month running errands in his Venice, Los Angeles, neighborhood

The 82-year-old wore a denim outfit as he pumped gas

The 82-year-old wore a denim outfit as he pumped gas

The 82-year-old wore an all-denim outfit as he pumped gas into his black SUV

The last time Hogan, 82, was photographed in public was last year when he was thought to be pinning up an angry note to vagrants camped outside his $3.5million Venice mansion

The last time Hogan, 82, was photographed in public was last year when he was thought to be pinning up an angry note to vagrants camped outside his $3.5million Venice mansion

Hogan denied writing the sign that read, 'THIS IS MY HOUSE NOT YOURS,' despite being pictured holding a red marker near the note

Hogan denied writing the sign that read, ‘THIS IS MY HOUSE NOT YOURS,’ despite being pictured holding a red marker near the note

Hogan is best know for depicting heartthrob adventurer Mick Dundee in the 1986 romantic adventure classic

Hogan is best know for depicting heartthrob adventurer Mick Dundee in the 1986 romantic adventure classic

Hogan is best known for depicting heartthrob adventurer Mick Dundee in the 1986 romantic adventure classic.

He moved to Los Angeles in 2005 with his then-love interest and former co-star Linda Kozlowski, who he met on the set of Crocodile Dundee.

He left his first wife Noelene to pursue a love affair with much-younger Linda, now 64, and they wed in 1990.

In 2014 she filed for divorce but they are said to still be on good terms and live in the same neighborhood while co-parenting their son Chance, 24.

In an interview with Sunrise last year, Hogan said he was ‘desperate’ to return to Australia and leave his life in America behind.

‘I am desperately homesick,’ he said.

Hogan moved to Los Angeles in 2005 with his then love interest and former co-star Linda Kozlowski

Hogan moved to Los Angeles in 2005 with his then love interest and former co-star Linda Kozlowski

Hogan wore dark black shades and black sneakers while he ran his errands on a Thursday afternoon

Hogan wore dark black shades and black sneakers while he ran his errands on a Thursday afternoon

Hogan wore dark black shades and black sneakers while he ran his errands on a Thursday afternoon

Despite yearning to come back to Australia, Paul said he would remain living in Venice to be apart of his son Chance's life. Pictured in December 2016. Chance is now 24

Despite yearning to come back to Australia, Paul said he would remain living in Venice to be apart of his son Chance’s life. Pictured in December 2016. Chance is now 24

His home is in the eleven-elite beachside suburb of Venice, where a vast increase in homelessness has been seen hundreds of tents line the beach’s famous boardwalk and a sharp increase in crime.

‘I’m living in LA County, which is 10 million people and half of them have got Covid. So am I homeick? You bet your life,’ Hogan complained.

When asked how he was coping with Los Angeles’ crime wave, Hogan simply said he ‘doesn’t go anywhere.’

‘[I’m] bored in lockdown, and the minute I can get on the plane without being locked in a hotel for two weeks, I’m back,’ he said in 2021.

Despite yearning to go back to Australia, Hogan said he would remain living in Venice to be a part of his son’s life.

‘Where Paul lives is hell on earth,’ Hogan’s neighbor Tyler Proctor, a local politician, said last year. ‘His house from him is like a fortress and it needs to be. I can see why [he] wants to move out.’

The actor lives in the eleven-elite beachside suburb of Venice, where an increase in homelessness has resulted in a terrifying crime wave

The actor lives in the eleven-elite beachside suburb of Venice, where an increase in homelessness has resulted in a terrifying crime wave

'Where Paul lives is hell on earth,' Hogan's neighbor Tyler Proctor, a local politician, said last year. 'His house from him is like a fortress and it needs to be. I can see why [he] wants to move out.' The outside of Hogan's home is pictured

‘Where Paul lives is hell on earth,’ Hogan’s neighbor Tyler Proctor, a local politician, said last year. ‘His house from him is like a fortress and it needs to be. I can see why [he] wants to move out.’ The outside of Hogan’s home is pictured

Hogan isn't the only Venice resident who is fed up with the homelessness. DailyMail.com revealed last month that Hunter Biden moved out of a $25,000-per-month rented canal-front home in Venice. Hunter's former home is pictured left

Hogan isn’t the only Venice resident who is fed up with the homelessness. DailyMail.com revealed last month that Hunter Biden moved out of a $25,000-per-month rented canal-front home in Venice. Hunter’s former home is pictured left

Photos show tents, umbrellas, trash bags, camping chairs, blankets and shopping carts piled up, filling the width of the sidewalk and stretching down the Venice street

Photos show tents, umbrellas, trash bags, camping chairs, blankets and shopping carts piled up, filling the width of the sidewalk and stretching down the Venice street

Hogan isn’t the only Venice resident who is fed up with the homelessness.

Hunter Biden's former neighbors in Venice, California, are outraged that their neighborhood has turned into a 'tent city' since he left

Hunter Biden’s former neighbors in Venice, California, are outraged that their neighborhood has turned into a ‘tent city’ since he left

DailyMail.com revealed last month that Hunter Biden moved out of a $25,000-per-month rented canal-front home in Venice.

The First Son’s trendy digs came with a 24-hour Secret Service protection, and mysteriously coincided with the disappearance of any homeless encampments from the street, neighbors said.

But since Hunter up and moved to Malibu, a ‘tent city’ of homeless people camping out on the sidewalk has sprung up again, prompting outrage among residents.

Tents, umbrellas, trash bags, camping chairs, blankets and shopping carts were seen piled up, filling the width of the sidewalk and stretching down the Venice street where Hunter’s former home sits.

His former neighbors are now incensed that their street has turned into a ‘tent city’ since he left – with no more Secret Service agents to move homeless people along.

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Categories
US

2 arrested in fatal shooting of off-duty officer in Downey

2 arrested in fatal shooting of off-duty officer in Downey

DA announces arrest, charges against two suspects who killed Monterey Park police officer

Two suspects have been arrested for fatally shooting a Monterey Park police officer in Downey. According to the DA’s office, Gardiel Solorio was killed during an attempted robbery.

THE ANGELS – Two people – including a 17-year-old – have been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting of an off-duty Monterey Park police officer who was gunned down outside an LA Fitness in Downey on Monday.

Gardiel Solorio, 26, was shot multiple times while sitting in his car outside the gym in a busy shopping center located in the 12000 block of Lakewood Boulevard Monday around 3:45 pm.

Officials said the suspect, Carlos Delcid, 20, approached Solorio as he was sitting inside his car and tried to rob him. Security footage shows Solorio’s car backing up and slamming into a parked van as he tried to get away. That’s when Delcid allegedly shot Solorio five times at close range, authorities said.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Off-duty Monterey Park police officer shot, killed in Downey identified

Delcid fled the scene in a car driven by a 17-year-old, LA County DA George Gascón announced Wednesday. He said his office will also be filing charges against the getaway driver.

Monterey Park police killing: 2 including juvenile arrested, charged

Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón announced charges against two people involved in the killing of off-duty Monterey Park Police officer Gardiel Solorio.

Delcid was arrested and charged with one count each of murder, attempted robbery and possession of a firearm by a felon with the special circumstance allegation that the murder was committed during a robbery.

Gascón said they will be seeking life without the possibility of parole for Delcid.

At this time authorities do not believe Solorio was targeted because he is a police officer.

“Senseless gun violence has once again taken someone who pledged to protect and serve others,” Gascón said.

Los Angeles County jail records show Delcid has been booked a half-dozen times in the past year — the most recent coming Tuesday, a day after Downey police arrested him. He is being held on $2 million bail.

RELATED: California cop killing suspect has violent rap sheet, domestic violence conviction in March

Solorio had joined the department as a recruit in January, but only graduated from the sheriff’s training academy on July 22, and began his field training on July 25.

Multiple arrests made in killing of off-duty Monterey Park police officer

Authorities tell FOX 11 they do not believe Gardiel Solorio was targeted because he was a police officer.

“We all knew from the moment we met him that he had the heart of service and was going to be a great officer,” MPPD Chief Kelly Gordon said. “And I could tell that from the moment he walked in and did our first introductions in my office. The family and department are grieving right now, and this is an especially difficult tragedy. It’s a senseless act of violence. He was only 26 years old. I don’t know about all of you, but I have children that age. So to me this is particularly difficult.”

Friends of Solorio said he dreamed of being a policeman since he was a child.

“He was living his dream. Why would someone kill him outside the gym?” a friend said.

Gardiel Solorio Death: Off-duty Monterey Park cop killed in Downey

We are learning more about the off-duty Monterey Park police officer killed in broad daylight in Downey.

A procession was held Monday night as Solorio’s body was transported from the crime scene to the LA County coroner’s office.

Solorio is survived by his parents, brothers, sisters and fiancée. His family of him has started a GoFundMe to help pay for funeral expenses

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Categories
US

Volodymyr Zhukovskyy found not guilty of killing 7 motorcyclists

Volodymyr Zhukovskyy found not guilty of killing 7 motorcyclists

A commercial truck driver who took drugs on the same day he was part of a grisly New Hampshire crash that killed seven motorcyclists was acquired Tuesday on all charges.

Driver Volodymyr Zhukovskyy told police at the time he caused the accident, but jurors in less than three hours found him not guilty of seven counts each of manslaughter and negligent homicide, as well as one count of reckless conduct.

Zhukovskyy, 26, had been in jail since the June 21, 2019 crash where he continuously swerved back and forth leading up to the head-on collision.

The Massachusetts resident cried as the verdict was read and pointed toward the sky as he left the Coos County courtroom.

“Our hearts go out to the victims and their families. Our trial team did an excellent job and we firmly believe that the State provided its case beyond a reasonable doubt,” New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella said in a statement.

The father of one of the victims was stunned by the verdict.

Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, of West Springfield, Mass., reacts to the not-guilty verdict at Coos County Superior Court in Lancaster, New Hampshire Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022.
Volodymyr Zhukovskyy, of West Springfield, Mass., reacts to the not-guilty verdict at Coos County Superior Court in Lancaster, New Hampshire on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022.
AP

“Killing seven people and he gets off. That is unbelievable,” said Albert Mazza whose son Albert “Woody” Mazza Jr. died in the crash.

“It doesn’t make much sense,” the heart-stricken dad added. “There are seven people dead. There are seven families affected. It’s strange that he didn’t get something.”

But the defense team actually pointed the finger at Mazza Jr., saying he was drunk at the time of the crash. Lawyers for Zhukovskyy also argued Mazza wasn’t looking when he lost control of his motorcycle and slid in front of the truck.

The judge previously tossed eight charges connected to whether Zhukovskyy was impaired at the time of the crash.

The family of Zhukonskyy, who was born in Ukraine, was grateful for the “honest and fair trial.”

“Our family expresses its deepest condolences to the family and friends affected by this tragedy,” they said, adding he was “very honest and kind man. He would never have done anything to hurt anyone.”

US Immigration and Customs Enforcement issued an immigration detainer on Zhukovskyy following the crash, which was executed after the verdict, said Coos County Corrections Department official.

He was served papers to appear before an immigration judge and will remain in ICE custody before the hearing, ICE said.

Zhukovskyy’s commercial driving license was supposed to be revoked in Massachusetts when the crash occurred because of a drunken driving arrest in Connecticut two months beforehand.

Volodymyr Zhukovskyy looks back at the gallery before closing statements started at his trial at Coos County Superior Court in Lancaster on Tuesday, Aug. 9, 2022.
Volodymyr Zhukovskyy looks back at the gallery before closing statements started at his trial.
AP

But it wasn’t suspended due to a backlog of cases.

The killed motorcyclists, part of the Jarheads Motorcycle Club, were from New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Massachusetts and ranged from ages of 42 to 62.

Victims Mazza, couple Edward and Jo-Ann Corr, Michael Ferazzi, Desma Oakes, Daniel Pereira, and Aaron Perry were traveling in a larger group at the time of the crash.

Defense attorney Jay Duguay argued authorities ignored their own accident reconstruction unit that contradicted the assertion that Zhukovskyy crossed into the oncoming lane. He also mentioned inconsistencies from witnesses.

Prosecutor Scott Chase acknowledged the inconsistencies but noted witnesses on the stand were talking about “some of the most unimaginable chaos, trauma, death and carnage that we can even imagine three years later.”

He also argued Zhukovskyy continued to swerve “until he killed people.”

With Post wires

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