A former employee of a Panda Express in Santa Clarita alleges she was required to strip down to her underwear and hug a partially clad co-worker during a “cult-like ritual” at a 2019 training seminar sponsored by the company as a prerequisite to promotion. The 23-year-old woman is suing Panda Restaurant Group, headquartered in Rosemead, and Alive Seminars and Coaching Academy in Pico Rivera for sexual battery, a hostile work environment and intentional infliction of emotional distress. She is seeking unspecified damages in the lawsuit filed last month in Los Angeles County Superior Court. Although the woman is named in court documents, the Southern California News Group does not identify suspected victims of  sexual assault. ‘Horrific psychological abuse’ “We are looking forward to present

via GoFundMeAs a group calling itself Free Idaho held a mask-burning outside the statehouse in Boise last weekend, the three Pugel sisters took turns visiting their COVID-19-stricken father in a hospital ICU across town. The mask burners were a bizarre mix of recklessness and caution as their kids joined in feeding protective face coverings to the flames in a steel barrel. “Not too fast, kids,” a grown-up called out. “Be careful. Watch the fire.” at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here ...read more Source:: The Daily Beast...

Summary List PlacementAfter nearly eight years on and off the market, one of New York City's most opulent homes is finally in contract to sell for nearly $60 million, Katherine Clarke reported for the Wall Street Journal. If the deal closes at that amount, it would be a roughly 47% discount from the home's original price. The 20,000-square-foot mansion with a panic room and a Versailles-inspired dining room was originally asking $114 million in 2013, making it the most expensive home listed in the city. But it has seen price chop after price chop and was most recently listed for $79 million. The home's billionaire owner, Vincent Viola, who owns the Florida Panthers, nearly sold the home once before. In 2017, a buyer was in contract to buy the home from Viola for $80 million, The Real De...

Aurora took a major step Monday toward eliminating the city’s sales tax on menstrual products, putting it in line to become only the second Colorado city to do so. The Aurora City Council voted unanimously to move the measure to a second and final vote later this month. Denver passed a similar measure in 2019. Together, the adjacent cities are home to more than half a million women. “This coming before the council on International Women’s Day does send a message that if you’re someone who lives in Aurora, this is something we see as an equity issue and you shouldn’t be taxed on what your body does naturally,” Aurora Councilwoman Allison Hiltz said in an interview before the vote. Aurora’s ordinance stipulates that tampons, panty liners, menstrual cups and sanitary napkins would be exempt ...

Sportscaster Mark Giangreco has worked in Chicago TV for 39 years, 27 of them at ABC7. | Ashlee Rezin Garcia/Sun-TimesSome people can say certain things others can’t. That’s reality. That’s our world. There are things you can say and things you can’t. Knowing the line that separates the two is critical for anybody in the media, even if that line shifts like a wind-blown sand dune. Actually, knowing the line is critical for anybody with a job, media or elsewhere. ‘‘Congress shall make no law . . . abridging freedom of speech or of the press,’’ the First Amendment says. But guess what? That’s our government, not regular, private-sector businesses and employers. All you chatty, opinionated working folks, take note. When popular Chicago sportscaster Mark Giangreco was suspended — with

A man was arrested after allegedly stealing a car March 5, 2021, in Joliet. | Joliet police Facebook photoLafayette Moore, 35, is charged with motor vehicle theft, Joliet police said in a statement.  A 35-year-old Chicago man was arrested last week after asking police for directions while allegedly driving a car he’d stolen minutes earlier. Lafayette Moore is charged with motor vehicle theft, Joliet police said in a statement. About 4:18 p.m. Friday, a vehicle was stolen from a BP Amoco gas station at 6 McDonough Street, police said. The owner left the vehicle running and unlocked while he went inside to buy something and it was gone when he left the store. An officer was investigating a crash in the area of Briggs Street and Spencer Road when Moore allegedly drove up in the stolen ve...

Than Pok accepting award at the 40th anniversary gala of United Cambodian Community in October, 2017. Courtesy photo. Than Pok (Courtesy photo) Sound The gallery will resume inseconds Than Pok with former Long Beach Councilwoman Tonia Reyes Uranga. Courtesy photo Than Pok is playfully held up by his sons and daughter at the 40th Anniversary gala of United Cambodians Communities in 2017. Courtesy photo Show Caption of Expand Than Pok, a legendary leader who helped thousands of Cambodian refugees settle in Southern California after they fled the brutal Khmer Rouge regime, has died. He was 77. Pok died from complications from Alzheimer’s disease and COVID-19 in Houston, where he had been living with his wife, Nanda, according to his son, Ravith. Pok was the fir...

Mel Kiper has the Broncos trading down out of pick No. 9 … which someone else then turns into a quarterback. Todd McShay? He pegs the Broncos to trade out of No. 9 … so that someone else can grab a quarterback there. Wait. What? Here’s an idea: If you’re Broncos general manager George Paton, why not just keep the pick and take that quarterback for yourself? Look. You’re in the top 10. You don’t want be there. John Elway doesn’t want to be there. Nobody does. But there you are. So why not leverage a top-10 pick to improve the single sketchiest offensive position group you have? Why do we have to complicate the obvious? In a league defined by quarterbacks and coaches, why do the Broncos still insist on settling at both spots? “I think (the Broncos) should get aggressive at upgrading at quart

The Avalanche’s Sam Girard is suddenly getting the attention as one of the NHL’s most productive defenseman and surprise scorer of the 2016 draft class. The 22-year-old French-Canadian became the 10th member of his draft class to reach 100 career points Saturday when he produced the first of his two assists in a 5-4 overtime loss to Anaheim. Girard, who logged a career-high 28:34 in Friday’s 3-2 OT win over the Ducks, led all Avs defensemen with 17 points (four goals) and 27.9 shifts per game entering Monday night’s game against Arizona at Ball Arena. Across the league, Girard was fourth among defensemen in points-per-game (.85), right behind teammate Cale Makar (.93). Reigning Norris Trophy winner Victor Hedman (1.04) of Tampa Bay led that statistic and Montreal’s Jeff Petry (.96) was sec

Firearms on display at Marengo Guns in Marengo in January. | Brian Rich/Sun-Times fileThe lawsuit alleges the state police “routinely” exceed the 90-day requirement to issue or deny a Concealed Carry License for applications with fingerprints and 120-day requirement for those without fingerprints. The Illinois State Police countered that it “is a time consuming and deliberate process.” SPRINGFIELD — The state’s top gun lobbying group filed a federal lawsuit on Monday, accusing the Illinois State Police of undermining a “fundamental right” by dragging their feet on approving licenses to allow people to carry concealed firearms — taking more than a year for some gun owners. The Illinois State Police countered that the paperwork and background checks for Concealed Carry Licenses “is a time c

Tom Williams/GettyRep. Dan Crenshaw (R-TX) did not buy or sell any stocks in his first 13 months as a congressman. That changed in March 2020, when he made half a dozen buys as the largest economic relief package in history was written and debated. Five of those purchases came in the three days between March 25 and 27, as the Senate and House voted on the CARES Act and former President Trump signed it into law. Crenshaw, who supported the bill, did not initially disclose the transactions, in violation of the STOCK Act, a law that requires members of Congress to tell the public when they engage in securities trades. Months later he amended his records to reflect the purchases. The trades, which are listed only in a range of values, add up to a maximum of $120,000, and do not compare in siz...