Green Bay News

WAUWATOSA – Packers wide receiver Randall Cobb is hoping to inspire others off the football field by raising awareness of organ donation.

The Packers player was at Froedtert Hospital in Wauwatosa Tuesday.

As Cobb toured the hospital, he met with fans and also transplant patients who shared their success stories.

Although he may face injuries in the game, Cobb said it doesn’t compare to what some people go through in order to get new organs, “Obviously we are facing injury all the time but it’s not life threatening like this and to be able to meet someone that’s strong and would overcome as significant as this is unbelievable.”

One of the transplant patients Cobb met with, was a man who received a double-lung transplant, two years ago.

WAUSAUKEE – Family and friends said goodbye to a Wausaukee man who was shot and killed one week ago.

Fifty-nine-year-old Tom Christ was found dead near his house.

Police say he was shot by suspected bank robber, Steven Snyder.

After the incidents in Marinette County, police say Snyder drove to Fond du Lac.

He and Wisconsin State Trooper Trevor Casper were both killed in a shootout.

On Tuesday, a line formed outside the First Presbyterian Church in Wausaukee as people waited to say goodbye to Tom Christ.

“Tom was a great guy. He worked all the time and he’s just a great person, and it’s just sad that something like this had to happen, but we’re a small community and we’re here to support them in any way that we possibly can,” said Becky Whitton.

Among the crowd were members of the Wisconsin State Patrol and other law enforcement officers.

“Wausaukee is a small town – close knit community and really come together when something like this happens,” said Marinette County Sheriff Jerry Sauve.

Chuck Buechler, a retired logger, worked with Christ when he was young.

“He was a good worker,” said Buechler.

Hard-working and dedicated are just a few of the words used to describe the 59-year-old logging truck driver.

Christ’s obituary says he was an avid hunter, enjoyed gardening, farming, and watching the Green Bay Packers.

Those who knew him are still in shock.

“Can’t hardly believe it,” Buechler said.

“Especially in our little town,” said Rose Buechler.

Sheriff Sauve says Christ will be missed.

“We lost a fine citizen here in Wausaukee, a hard-working man on his way home from work and has a chance encounter with a, turns out to be, a homicidal lunatic and it’s so hard to understand what a fateful occurrence that took his life,” Sauve said.

Christ’s logging truck, still filled with the load he was supposed to deliver last week, led the procession as his family and friends headed to the cemetery for a private burial.

He leaves behind a wife, two sons, and two grandchildren.

APPLETON – A group of Catholics is making a difference for an Appleton area family.

Starting Tuesday, members of eight Appleton parishes will be building a Habitat for Humanity home.

By the end of the project, Jaime and Mayra Colchado will purchase the home from Habitat for a reduced price.

They also agree to work 500 hours alongside the parishioners.

Bill Devine of Catholic Build says, “This is something that we are called to do, in the Christian community to get out there and to help those in need. And this is a wonderful family who will benefit, and their kids and family will benefit greatly from this.”

Each parish raises money to help pay for the construction, which is expected to be complete around Memorial Day.

 

GREEN BAY — Tuesday brought another prestigious honor for Green Bay’s Keifer Sykes, who was named an honorable mention selection for the Associated Press 2014-15 All-America Team. The point guard joins Tony Bennett as the only players in program history to earn the distinction in two seasons.

Sykes’ laundry list of awards continues to grow. The Chicago native is a two-time Horizon League Player of the Year, a three-time All-Horizon League selection, a two-time USBWA All-Region honoree, a two-time NABC All-District selection, a 13-time Horizon League Player of the Week, a Bob Cousy Award Finalist, a member of the Wooden Award and Naismith Award Watch Lists, and now, a two-time Associated Press All-American Honorable Mention.

As a senior in 2014-15, Sykes averaged 18.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and four assists per game while helping the Phoenix to a 24-9 overall record.

In his standout Phoenix career, Sykes racked up 2,096 points, 526 assists, 467 rebounds and 155 steals. He ranks second on Green Bay’s all-time scoring list while also finishing his career ranked first in free throws made (557), tied for first in games started (125), third in assists (526), fourth in field goals made (708), tied for fourth in games played (127) and seventh in steals (155).

He finished his career ranked second in program history in scoring and as the only player in Horizon League history to accumulate 2,000-plus points, 500-plus assists and 400-plus rebounds.

On Thursday, Sykes will don his Green Bay jersey one last time when he competes in the State Farm College Slam Dunk Championship in Indianapolis at 6 p.m. CST. The dunk contest will be televised live nationally by ESPN.

Wisconsin forward Sam Dekker (15) shoots a 3-point basket against Arizona guard Gabe York (1) in the second half of a college basketball regional final in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 28, 2015, in Los Angeles. Wisconsin beat Arizona 85-78 to advance to the Final Four. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

MILWAUKEE — After Michigan State clinched a spot in the Final Four over the weekend, Wisconsin’s Sam Dekker wrote a short but pointed note on Twitter that packed as much of a punch as one of his slam dunks.

“The Big Ten had a down year right?” Dekker asked.

If anyone had that perception, it certainly isn’t the case anymore with two teams in the NCAA Tournament national semifinals – which is being held in the middle of Big Ten country in Indianapolis, no less.

So we’ve got two representatives left – I think that speaks for itself,” Wisconsin coach Bo Ryan said this week.

The Badgers play unbeaten Kentucky in one semifinal on Saturday night, with the Spartans facing Duke in the other. Both Big Ten squads might be considered underdogs going into their respective games.

It might be fitting given how things have played out this year in the league.

Commissioner Jim Delany sounded like a proud father when talking about the Big Ten’s success. He is realistic, too. He knows that Big Ten teams weren’t quite successful in non-conference play in November and December, although the league won this year’s challenge series with the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Some higher-profile Big Ten teams fell in the series, including Wisconsin’s loss to Duke in Madison.

The regular season title belonged to the Badgers, who set the tempo all year. There was a logjam through the middle of the 14-team league, with clubs beating up on each other.

In the end, only Maryland at No. 12 and Michigan State at No. 23 joined No. 3 Wisconsin in the AP Top 25 at the end of the regular season.

The AP poll at the end of the 2013-14 regular season had four Big Ten teams ranked, including three in the top 12. At one point in 2013-14, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Michigan State were all in the top five.

The previous season, four league teams finished in the top 10.

Wisconsin forward Sam Dekker, right, celebrates with teammates after beating Arizona 85-78 in a college basketball regional final in the NCAA Tournament, Saturday, March 28, 2015, in Los Angeles. Wisconsin will play in the Final Four in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

“It’s funny. The last year, or last two years, we had four teams in the top 10 or 12. We moved teams to the Final Four, we were regarded as the strongest conference in those years,” Delany said Tuesday in a phone interview.

“This year, we didn’t have as much success in November and December,” he added. “When I size up our league, I really didn’t think we were quite as good as we had been. I didn’t agree with the fact that we weren’t pretty good – but I didn’t think we were as good as we had been.”

As it turns out, they were even better this year come tournament time.

Wisconsin was the league’s sole representative in the Final Four last season. Now the Badgers have company in Michigan State, where coach Tom Izzo is practically a regular in the national semifinals.

“I did say all year, I tried to stick up for our league. Last year we were the best two, three, four teams, so that makes your conference better,” Izzo said. “Sometimes I think the conferences should be ranked on how teams 12, 11, 10 and 9 are. The depth of a conference makes it different because there (are) no nights off.”

It has been a banner year so far for the league beyond men’s basketball.

Maryland and Rutgers joined the conference this season as the Midwest-centric league expanded eastward. The Terps surprised the league in basketball after finishing 28-7 overall and 14-4 in conference play, two games behind Wisconsin.

In the women’s tournament, Maryland has advanced to a second straight Final Four.

Ohio State won the first college football playoff in January. The Big Ten also had a good showing in other high-profile games on New Year’s Day when Michigan State beat Baylor and Wisconsin defeated Auburn.

“We’re No. 1 in APR in football, basketball and women’s basketball,” said Delany, referring to the conference ranks in Academic Progress Rates. “We had a great January bowl season and national championship season. Taken together, I think everybody is feeling good and feeling prideful.”

Delany notes that the Big Ten regularly sends teams to the Final Four. The last time Michigan State and Wisconsin both advanced to the Final Four in the same year was 2000, also in Indianapolis.

Still, the commissioner understands why some observers may have lowered expectations earlier in the season.

“So when I look at our year, I would say maybe not a great November, December. A good conference year and very good postseason. And that’s how we look at it every year,” Delany said. “I don’t get upset with anybody if they say they can’t play. I think we’ve proved over time we can play.”

The Green Bay Packers have re-signed DT Letroy Guion and DT B.J. Raji.

Guion started all 16 games and both postseason contests for the Packers last season. He registered career highs with 62 tackles and 3½ sacks during the 2014 regular season while recording 12 tackles and a half-sack in the postseason.

Before joining Green Bay, Guion played six seasons for Minnesota after being selected by the Vikings in the fifth round (No. 152 overall) of the 2008 NFL Draft.

For his career, Guion has played in 84 regular season games with 47 starts and has registered 191 tackles (96 solo), 8½ sacks, four passes defensed, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. He has started all three postseason contests he has played in, recording 18 tackles and a half-sack.

Raji missed the entire 2014 season after suffering an injury during the third preseason game and was placed on injured reserve. Prior to last year he played in 14 or more games in each of his first five seasons (2009-13), including starting all 16 games three times.

Raji was originally selected as the first of two first-round picks by Green Bay in 2009 NFL Draft (No. 9 overall selection).

Raji has played in 76 regular season games with 63 starts and has registered 227 tackles (119 solo), 10½ sacks and seven passes defensed during his six seasons with the Packers. He has started eight of nine postseason contests, recording 26 tackles, one sack and one interception he returned for a touchdown. Raji was named to the Pro Bowl in 2011, becoming the first Green Bay defensive tackle to be selected to the all-star game since Bob Brown in 1972.

APPLETON — Early in a season you never know what to expect, especially when playing softball in the month of March.

Tuesday, Oconto Falls played Fox Valley Lutheran in cool and eventually wet conditions to open their seasons.

The game was called in the top of the seventh inning due to rain but by then the Panthers were in control and defeated the Foxes 6-1 as pitcher McKenna Kussolo kept the FVL bats quiet.

McKenna Kussolo, what a difference a year makes; she came in, didn’t put anyone on,” Falls coach Rochelle Otto said. “Last year, first couple games she was putting eight, nine runners on.”

Falls scored two runs each in the second and fourth innings, wrapping hits around walks and errors and that was enough, although Otto thought her team could’ve done more.

Defensively, they played sound,” Otto said. “Offensively, we have to play a little better.

I think it was very important to put pressure on them and stay disciplined at the plate. Getting a couple runs was huge early in the game. Unfortunately, we couldn’t take advantage and get some key hits with runners on.”

Oconto Falls’ Holly Virtues (10) gets picked off first base during a game Monday with Fox Valley Lutheran. (Doug Ritchay/WLUK)

The previous four seasons the Panthers were always Bay Conference title contenders because of pitcher McKenna Larsen, who graduated last year. However, last year, Larsen missed the regular season with a thumb injury so the Panthers know what it’s like competing without her.

With that in mind, can the Panthers compete for the top of the Bay?

“The Bay always produces top-level teams,” Otto said. “I’m expecting with the jumps McKenna’s making, I’m hoping to compete to be in the top half.”

Follow Doug Ritchay on Twitter @dougritchay

PLAINFIELD (WSAW-TV) – One man is in custody following an incident that closed Highway 73 for about an hour Tuesday afternoon.

The Waushara County Sheriff’s Department says they received reports about a man with a gun in a house at 12:44 p.m. It was reported there were three other people in the home and the man was not allowing anyone to leave.

When deputies arrived to the home, located in the 100 block of South Center Street, they secured the area around the house, including closing down a portion of Highway 73.

Deputies made contact with the man and eventually the man with the rifle came out of the house and surrendered without incident.

One of the occupants of the home was a 6-year-old child.

The highway reopened around 1:45 p.m.

The Sheboygan native has gone from WIAA state tournament hero to NCAA Tournament star as a Wisconsin Badger.

FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) – New England Patriots team owner Robert Kraft testified Tuesday that his former star tight end Aaron Hernandez told him he was innocent when asked if he was involved in a 2013 killing.

Kraft was called by the prosecution in Hernandez’s murder trial over the June 17, 2013, slaying of Odin Lloyd, who was dating the sister of Hernandez’s fiancee.

He at times seemed uncomfortable on the stand, even when he was asked where he worked. He first said 1 Patriot Place, the address of Gillette Stadium, where the Patriots play. When asked what he did at work, he replied, “Whatever they ask me to do.” Then, asked if he ran a business, he replied: “We’re a packaging and paper business and private equity, and we have two sports teams.” He first listed the New England Revolution soccer team, then the Patriots.

Kraft was asked about the events of June 19, two days after the killing. By then, Kraft said, there was a strong media presence at Gillette Stadium, including helicopters, which were covering the investigation.

Kraft said he found Hernandez in a weight room working out and pulled him into an adjacent office for a private talk.

“I understood there was an incident that had transpired, and I wanted to know whether he was involved, and if he was, any player that comes into our system, I consider part of our extended family, and I wanted to get him help,” he said.

“What did he say?” prosecutor William McCauley asked.

“He said he was not involved. That he was innocent and that he hoped that the time of the murder incident came out because he said he was in a club,” Kraft said.

Prosecutors have said Hernandez was at a bar earlier in the evening, then drove to Boston with two friends, picked up Lloyd and killed him in an industrial park.

Kraft said his conversation with Hernandez lasted five to 10 minutes.

Later, he saw him one last time at the stadium.

“He hugged and kissed me and thanked me for my concern,” Kraft said.

Hernandez signed a $40 million contract with the Patriots in 2012, but as defense lawyer Michael Fee questioned him, Kraft said he couldn’t remember whether it ran through the 2018 season.

“I don’t get into the details. I just knew we signed him,” he said, adding that Hernandez was signed because he was “a very good player.”

Hernandez watched closely during Kraft’s testimony, which lasted a little over 30 minutes.

Next to the stand was the Patriots’ director of security, Mark Briggs. He said he also had a conversation with Hernandez on June 19.

“I asked him why he’d lawyered up,” he said.

The judge struck the comment from the record and instructed the jury that citizens do not have any obligation to speak with police.

Briggs said Hernandez told him that he had been with Lloyd at a club and they went their separate ways, so Hernandez gave him keys to a vehicle. He told him those keys were found in Lloyd’s pocket, Briggs said.

Investigators did find keys to an SUV Hernandez rented in Lloyd’s pocket.

Briggs said he asked Hernandez if he was involved in Lloyd’s killing, and Hernandez replied no. He said he then looked in his eyes and asked if he was telling the truth.

“He swore on his baby’s life that he was telling the truth,” Briggs said.

Briggs said the following day, Hernandez showed up at Gillette Stadium, and Briggs asked him to leave, which Hernandez did.

“You asked him to leave the stadium because his presence there was bad for business?” Fee asked.

“That is correct,” Briggs replied.

Hernandez was arrested June 26 in Lloyd’s slaying. Less than two hours later, he was cut from the team.

Also Tuesday, lawyers said they expect to wrap up their cases next week. McCauley named for the judge just a handful of additional witnesses to call and said he expected to rest Thursday. He did not name any other members of the Patriots organization or anyone affiliated with the NFL. That likely means that Patriots coach Bill Belichick, Miami Dolphins player Mike Pouncey and others listed as potential witnesses will not be called.

Hernandez lawyer James Sultan asked the judge to hear arguments on some pending issues Friday and said he expected to put on witnesses and finish Monday. Both sides will also deliver closing arguments, then deliberations will begin.

BESSEMER, AL (WBMA-LD) – This viral post started with what happened at a theater during a Cinderella screening Friday in McCalla, Alabama.

Mother Kyesha Smith Wood posted on Facebook, “My son later told me, much to my humiliation and embarrassment, that my girls were rude and obnoxious during the movie. The woman I’m looking for addressed them and asked them to be quiet and they were disrespectful.”

So disrespectful Wood says the woman, Rebecca Boyd took it a step further.

“After the movie she approached my girls and told them that her husband had been laid off and this was the last movie she would be able to take her daughter to for a while,” Wood said.

Wood posted her story on the McAdory-McCalla community page. The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office shared it. Boyd took notice and messaged her.

“She’s the most gracious, and kind and forgiving woman. I am so humbled by that but I’ve been telling people the real hero of the story, I’ve been getting a lot of attention. The real hero is her. It is Miss Boyd. And the reason that I say that is because she took it upon herself to correct my girls and no one else around them did,” Wood said.

Thousands more feel the same. A few made job offers.

“My girls are so mortified. They are humiliated. And that’s okay though because I told them, ‘you know what, you’re not going to do this again,'” Wood said.

A tough lesson this mom teaches using her children’s tools.

“Mom broke the internet!” Wood laughs. “And I’m like you are never going to be able to do that. I’ve one-upped you. Cause you know they do Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and they master it all. I’m like, ‘you are never going to get 180,000 likes! So, just act right, use it responsibly, because obviously I am doing something better than you.'”

Wood also says her daughters will write an apology letter to Boyd and turn over some of their allowance to buy the family another trip to the movies.

 

APPLETON – Once again, Lawrence University has set a record for applications.

College leaders say they have received 2,969 applications so far – already surpassing last year’s record of 2,748. It’s the third year in a row the university has broken the record.

“We are reaching more students around the world and doing so earlier in the process than we ever have before,” Ken Anselment, the school’s dean of admissions and financial aid, said in a news release.

“They seem to be responding well to what Lawrence is offering in the way of a rigorous academic experience as preparation for success in a rapidly changing world.”

Anselment says applications from Wisconsin and Illinois students – which account for abour 40 percent of each year’s freshman class – are up. So are applications from the western U.S., especially California, as well as applications from outside the U.S.

Lawrence officials say although the application deadline is in January, they do accept some applications after that as enrollment space allows.

MAINE, Wis. (AP) – Officials in two Wisconsin towns are looking at their options if they end up incurring more than $3 million in debt of a neighboring village.

Daily Herald Media reports the towns of Texas and Maine could take on the village of Brokaw’s assets and debt if it decides to dissolve. A paper mill left Brokaw in 2011, and its water utility now costs much more to operate than it brings in from customers.

Texas and Maine officials held a joint meeting Monday that was attended by more than 200 people. Maine Chairman Tad Schult told residents to contact state lawmakers about allowing municipalities to declare bankruptcy, which currently isn’t an option for Brokaw or others in Wisconsin.

Consultants hired by Marathon County said Brokaw could also be consolidated with Wausau.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) – A wildlife expert says a Republican bill aimed at allowing Wisconsin residents to feed deer may have fatal implications for the animals.

The bill would allow counties with chronic wasting disease to resume baiting and feeding the animals after three years if no new cases turn up. Current state law prohibits baiting and feeding in counties where infected deer are found as well as in adjacent counties indefinitely. Thirty-five counties have bans.

Timothy Van Deelen, a University of Wisconsin-Madison wildlife professor, says baiting and feeding can spread chronic wasting disease and lifting the bans could be deadly for the herd.

But the bill’s author, Rep. Adam Jarchow, a Balsam Lake Republican, said his constituents in northwestern Wisconsin can’t enjoy feeding and watching deer under current statutes.

TIKRIT, Iraq (AP) — Iraqi forces battled Islamic State militants holed up in downtown Tikrit, going house to house Tuesday in search of snipers and booby traps, and the prime minister said security forces had reached the heart of the city.

In a statement on Twitter, Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi announced the “liberation of Tikrit” and congratulated Iraqi security forces on their “historic milestone.” But an official statement from his office said the troops “hoisted the Iraqi flag” over the Salahuddin provincial headquarters in Tikrit and are moving to control the entire city.

Abdul-Wahab al-Saadi, the commander of the Salahuddin operation, said his forces fighting from the west were still 300 meters (325 yards) from the center of Tikrit.

Extremists from the Islamic State group seized Saddam Hussein’s hometown last summer during its lightning advance across northern and western Iraq. The battle for Tikrit is seen as a key step toward eventually driving the militants out of Mosul, Iraq’s second-largest city that is farther north.

Street-by-street fighting raged into the afternoon, and estimates differed widely on how much of this strategic city on the banks of the Tigris River that Iraqi forces held. Army Lt. Gen. Talib Shaghati said at least 75 percent of Tikrit had been recaptured. Ammar Hikmat, deputy governor of Salahuddin province, said more than 40 percent was under Iraqi control.

“Our security forces are now pushing forward toward the presidential complex and have already entered parts of it,” Hikmat said. “I think the whole city will be retaken within the coming 24 hours.”

An Associated Press reporter embedded with Iraqi security forces saw soldiers surround the iconic presidential palace, and they also surrounded the provincial government headquarters. Soldiers worked to detonate bombs remotely, while federal police went house to house looking to arrest militants or identify booby traps that may slow the offensive.

Interior Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Saad Maan Ibrahim said at least 40 militants were killed Tuesday, and Iraqi forces dismantled 300 roadside bombs. He said the federal police, backed by allied militias, were able to clear the government compound, the Tikrit provincial council headquarters, its security headquarters and the presidential palace.

The leader of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units, a collaborative force made up mostly of Shiite militias, also said his fighters had rejoined the Tikrit operation, less than a week after announcing a boycott over U.S. involvement.

Abu Mahdi al-Mohandis told the AP that his fighters participated in the southern offensive and would be joining the offensive on the northern and western fronts shortly.

Iranian military advisers have been providing significant support since the offensive began March 2, arming and training the Iraqi Shiite militias, which have played a prominent role on the battlefield. Militiamen make up more than two-thirds of the force fighting in Tikrit against the Islamic State group, also known as ISIL or ISIS.

But the operation stalled until U.S. forces joined the offensive by launching airstrikes March 25. Since then, Iraqi allied forces have moved in on the city, although they have been slowed by snipers and hidden bombs. The Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve said coalition forces conducted seven airstrikes in Iraq since Monday morning, including one in Tikrit which hit multiple IS buildings.

The Iraqi military has struggled to recover from its collapse against the Islamic State group in June, when commanders disappeared in the face of the extremists’ advance. Pleas for more ammunition went unanswered, and in some cases, soldiers stripped off their uniforms and ran.

Recapturing Tikrit would be the biggest win so far for Baghdad’s Shiite-led government. The city is about 130 kilometers (80 miles) north of Baghdad and lies on the road connecting the capital to Mosul. Retaking it will help Iraqi forces have a major supply link for any future operation against Mosul.

U.S. military officials have said a coordinated mission to retake Mosul likely will begin in April or May and involve up to 25,000 Iraqi troops. But the Americans have cautioned that if the Iraqis are not ready, the offensive could be delayed.

“The focus remains to drive ISIL out of Iraq,” said Col. Wayne Marotto, spokesman for the Combined Joint Task Force.

“We have struck at ISIL’s command and control, supply lines, fighters and leaders, and military and economic infrastructure and resources,” he added. “We have debilitated ISIL’s oil producing, processing and transportation infrastructure. … It will take time, but we will succeed in our mission.”

___

Yacoub reported from Baghdad. Associated Press writer Vivian Salama contributed to this report from Baghdad.

 

NEW YORK (AP) – Fast-food labor organizers say they’re expanding the scope of their campaign for $15 an hour and unionization, this time with a day of actions including other low-wage workers and demonstrations on college campuses.

Kendall Fells, organizing director for Fight for $15, said Tuesday the protests will take place April 15 and are planned to include actions on about 170 college campuses, as well as cities around the country and abroad.

At an event announcing the actions in front of a McDonald’s in New York City’s Times Square, organizers said home health care aides, airport workers, adjunct professors, child care workers and Wal-Mart workers will be among those turning out in April.

Terrence Wise, a Burger King worker from Kansas City, Missouri, and a national leader for the Fight for $15 push, said more than 2,000 groups including Jobs With Justice and the Center for Popular Democracy will show their support as well.

“This will be the biggest mobilization America has seen in decades,” Wise said at the rally as pedestrians walked past on the busy street.

The plans are a continuation of a campaign that began in late 2012. The push is being spearheaded by the Service Employees International Union and has included demonstrations nationwide to build public support for raising pay for fast-food and other low-wage workers, although turnout has varied from city to city. Last May, the campaign reached the doorsteps of McDonald’s headquarters in Oak Brook, Illinois, where protesters were arrested after declining to leave the property ahead of the company’s annual meeting.

Fells, an SEIU employee, said April 15 was picked for the next day of actions because workers are fighting “for 15.”

“It’s a little play on words,” he said.

Fells noted that while the push began as a fast-food worker movement, it has morphed into a broader push for low-wage workers and is now shifting into a social justice movement with the involvement of “Black Lives Matter” activists joining in in the April protests. Still, he said McDonald’s Corp. remained a primary target.

“McDonald’s needs to come to the table because they could settle this issue,” he said.

In a statement, McDonald’s said it respects people’s right to peacefully protest, but added that the demonstrations over the past two years have been “organized rallies designed to garner media attention” and that “very few” McDonald’s workers have participated.

In addition to the ongoing demonstrations, organizers have been working on multiple fronts to make the legal case that McDonald’s Corp. should be held accountable for working conditions at its franchised restaurants. That finding is seen as critical in being able to negotiate with one entity on behalf of workers across the chain, rather than dealing with the thousands of franchisees who operate the majority of McDonald’s more than 14,000 U.S. restaurants.

McDonald’s and other fast-food chains have maintained that they’re not responsible for hiring and employment decisions at franchised locations.

One closely watched case addressing the matter began this week, when the National Labor Relations Board began hearings on complaints over alleged labor violations at McDonald’s restaurants. The board’s general counsel had said last year that McDonald’s could be named as a joint employer along with franchisees in the complaints.

The hearing is scheduled to resume May 26 and is set to be a lengthy legal battle. Whichever side loses is expected to appeal, with the possibility of the case eventually heading to the Supreme Court.

In a statement, McDonald’s has said the board’s decision to name McDonald’s as a joint employer “improperly strikes at the heart of the franchise system.”

“The SEIU put a target on McDonald’s back more than two years ago; the Board has now joined in taking aim, and has done so by managing the McDonald’s case in an unprecedented manner,” the statement said.

BOSTON (AP) – Lawyers for Boston Marathon bomber Dzkokhar Tsarnaev rested their case in his federal death penalty trial Tuesday after presenting a brief case aimed at showing his late older brother was the mastermind of the 2013 terror attack.

The defense admitted during opening statements that Tsarnaev participated in the bombings. But Tsarnaev’s lawyer said he was a troubled 19-year-old who had fallen under the influence of his radicalized brother, Tamerlan, 26.

Closing arguments will be held April 6.

The defense has made it clear from the beginning of the trial that its strategy is not to win an acquittal for Tsarnaev but to save him from the death penalty.

If the jury convicts Tsarnaev – an event that seems a foregone conclusion because of his admitted guilt – the same jury will be asked to decide whether he should be executed or spend the rest of his life in prison.

During its brief case, the defense called a cell site analyst who showed that Tsarnaev was at the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth when Tamerlan purchased components of the two bombs used in the 2013 attack, including pressure cookers and BBs.

Tsarnaev’s lawyer told jurors that it was Tamerlan who shot and killed MIT police Officer Sean Collier three days after the bombings. Tamerlan died after a gun battle with police hours after Collier’s slaying.

Prosecutors called more than 90 witnesses over 15 days of testimony, including bombing survivors who described losing limbs in the attack. Three people were killed and more than 260 were wounded when two pressure cooker bombs exploded near the marathon finish line on April 15, 2013.

Jurors saw gruesome autopsy photos of the three killed: 8-year-old Martin Richard, a Boston boy who had gone to the marathon with his family that day; 23-year-old Lingzi Lu, a graduate student from China who was studying at Boston University; and 29-year-old Krystle Campbell, a 29-year-old restaurant manager.

CINCINNATI (WKRC-TV) – Wednesday might be a little more comfortable, especially if you are on your feet all day.

In honor of National Walking Day, the American Heart Association is encouraging everyone to wear tennis shoes to work.

They are encouraging taking at least 30 minuets out of the day to get outside and get active.

Experts, like Kim Baker, say the more you move, the easier it is to keep and practice an active lifestyle, “Absolutely, our bodies were made to move and if we get into motion we stay into motion.”

The American Heart Association says walking and moving around can reduce your blood pressure and reduce weight, and reduce your risk for cancer.

 

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Google is releasing its cheapest Chromebook laptops yet, two versions priced at $149 aimed at undercutting Microsoft’s Windows franchise and gaining ground in even more classrooms.

Various PC manufacturers have been working with Google to design lightweight laptops running on the Chrome operating system since 2011. The newest versions are made by Hisense and Haier. Hisense’s Chromebook can be ordered beginning Tuesday at Walmart.com and Haier’s version can be bought at Amazon.com.

Their arrival coincides with Microsoft’s rollout of a lower-priced Surface tablet in an effort to reach students and budget-conscious families. Pre-orders for that device began Tuesday, too.

As the prices for tablets and smartphones have been declining, it has forced on PC makers to lower their prices, said International Data Corp. analyst Jay Chou. The success of the Chromebook line is intensifying the PC pricing pressure.

“It has been good news for consumers, but not so good for vendors,” Chou said.

The cheaper version of the Surface Pro 3 sells for $499, compared with $799 to $1,949 for the higher-end models. The discounted version has a slightly smaller screen — 10.8 inches rather than 12 — a slower processor, and less flexible kickstand — just three angles rather than unlimited positions.

The Chromebook has served a dual purpose for Google. Like the company’s Android software for mobile devices, the Chrome system is set up so users will automatically begin using Google’s search engine and other services, such as Gmail and YouTube. Google has used the Chromebooks as a prod to bring down the prices of all PCs, something the company wanted to do because it has more opportunities to show the digital ads that bring in most of its revenue when more people can afford to buy an Internet-connected device.

“We cannot be happier that Microsoft is helping drive down the prices of PCs,” said Caesar Sengupta, Google’s vice president of product management for Chromebooks. “If Microsoft is reacting to (Chromebook’s low prices), that’s fantastic. We love it.”

Unlike most computers, Chromebooks don’t have a hard drive. Instead, they function as terminals dependent on an Internet connection to get most work done.

Despite those limitations, Chromebooks have been steadily gaining in popularity, particularly in schools, as more applications and services made available over Internet connections — a phenomenon known as “cloud computing” that has reduced the need for hard drives.

About 6 million Chromebooks were sold worldwide last year, more than doubling from 2.7 million in 2013, according to IDC. In contrast, sales in the overall PC market slipped 2 percent last year, marking the third consecutive annual decline. IDC is projecting 8 million Chromebooks will be sold this year.

Besides the $149 laptops, Google also is attacking Microsoft on other fronts. Later this spring, Google and Asus are releasing a hybrid Chromebook that can use used as either a laptop or tablet with a 10-inch screen. Called the Chromebook Flip, it will sell for $249.

In the summer, Asus and Google will start selling a new Chrome device that will provide people a cheaper way to upgrade an old PC. The device, called the Chromebit, is a stick loaded with an entire operating system that can be plugged into any HDMI port. The Chromebit’s price hasn’t been set, Google says it will cost less than $100.

Here’s what you need to know about the cheaper Surface Pro 3 and new Chromebooks:

PROS AND CONS OF THE SURFACE

Graphic artists, engineers and finance professionals needing to run complex software might still want the company’s higher-end Pro 3, said Dennis Meinhardt, director of program management for Surface. But the Surface 3 should be good for everyday tasks, he said, and brings the Pro 3’s premium feel to a device that will be affordable to more people.

The new Surface model is thinner and lighter, partly because it gets rid of the fan — similar to Apple’s new MacBook laptop. At 214 pixels per inch, the screen resolution is comparable to the Pro 3’s.

Battery life is promised at 10 hours for video playback. The Surface 3 runs the regular version of Windows 8.1, just like the Pro 3. In the past, Microsoft has used a lightweight version called RT in its cheaper tablets. The Surface 3 also has a USB port, a feature that distinguishes the Surface line from most rival tablets.

SIZING UP THE CHROMEBOOKS

Both the Hisense and Haier models have 11.6 inch screens, 2 gigabits of memory and run on Rockchip processors. The Hisense machine promises up to 8.5 hours of battery power per charge while Haier is touting up to 10 hours of power per charge on a battery that can be removed for easier replacement.

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Jesdanun reported from New York.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) — Nuclear talks between Iran and six world powers could be extended past Tuesday’s deadline for the outline of an agreement if enough progress is made to justify it, the White House said.

Tuesday’s statement by White House press secretary Josh Earnest suggested that talks meant to produce an outline that would allow the sides to continue negotiations until the June 30 final deadline had not bridged all gaps — but that the sides were working to produce a text with few specifics, accompanied by documents outlining areas where further talks were needed.

“If it’s necessary — and, when I say if it’s necessary I mean if it’s midnight and a deal has not been reached but the conversations continue to be productive — we’ll be prepared to continue the talks into tomorrow,” said Earnest.

He said President Barack Obama had been updated on the latest status of the talks. He also said it was possible that Obama would be in touch with members of the negotiating team.

“If we are making progress toward the finish line, than we should keep going,” Earnest added.

Officials earlier said that they hoped to wrap up six days of marathon talks with a statement agreeing to continue negotiations in a new phase to control Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

They had set a deadline of Tuesday for a framework agreement, and later softened that wording to a framework understanding, between Iran and the so-called P5+1 nations — the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China.

After intense negotiations, obstacles remained on uranium enrichment, where stockpiles of enriched uranium should be stored, limits on Iran’s nuclear research and development and the timing and scope of sanctions relief among other issues. Senior Iranian negotiator Hamid Baeedinejad told reporters his side “can stay as long as necessary” to reach an agreement.

The aim has been a joint statement is to be accompanied by additional documents that outline more detailed understandings, allowing the sides to claim enough progress has been made to merit a new round, officials said. Iran has not yet signed off on the documents, one official said, meaning any understanding remains unclear.

The talks have already been extended twice as part of more than a decade of diplomatic attempts to curb Tehran’s nuclear advance.

All officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment on the talks on the record.

If the parties agree only to a broad framework that leaves key details unresolved, President Barack Obama could face stiff opposition from members of Congress who want to move forward with new Iran sanctions legislation. Lawmakers had agreed to hold off on such a measure through March while the parties negotiated.

Obama has warned that passing new sanctions during the talks could upend the sensitive discussions.

Renewing his criticism of the unfolding deal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said it would leave intact much of Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, including underground research facilities, a plutonium reactor and advanced centrifuges capable of enriching uranium.

The U.S. says any final deal will stretch the time Iran would need to make a nuclear weapon from several months to a year. But Netanyahu said Washington initially promised “years” to a breakout time.

“In our estimate, it will be reduced to perhaps a year, most likely much less than that,” he said.

The softening of the language from a framework “agreement” to a framework “understanding” appeared due in part to opposition to a two-stage agreement from Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Earlier this year, he demanded only one deal that nails down specifics and does not permit the other side to “make things difficult” by giving it wiggle room on interpretations.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who left Lausanne Monday, arrived back in the Swiss city by late afternoon, an indication that an end to the talks could be near. That brought the full complement of all six P5+1 foreign ministers to Lausanne, where Kerry has been negotiating for a week with Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif.

In Moscow, Lavrov told reporters: “Prospects for this round of negotiations were not bad, and I would even say good.”

Kerry and others said the sides have made some progress, with Iran considering demands for further cuts to its uranium enrichment program but pushing back on how long it must limit technology it could use to make atomic arms.

Officials in Lausanne said the sides were advancing on limits to aspects of Iran’s program to enrich uranium, which can be used to make the core of a nuclear warhead.

Uranium enrichment has been the chief concern for more than a decade. But Western officials say the main obstacles to a deal are no longer enrichment-related.

Tehran says it wants to enrich only for energy, science, industry and medicine. But many countries fear Iran could use the technology to make weapons-grade uranium.

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White House Correspondents Julie Pace and Darlene Superville contributed to this story.