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Draft report says Missouri's House speaker stymied ethics investigation into his spending

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Draft report says Missouri's House speaker stymied ethics investigation into his spending

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri ethics panel is at an impasse over reported misconduct by the powerful state House speaker, who allegedly used his office to stymie an investigation into his actions.

A draft of the Ethics Committee report recommended that the House formally denounce actions taken by Republican Speaker Dean Plocher that “substantially impair public confidence in the General Assembly.”

MISSOURI DEATH ROW INMATE WHO KILLED COUSIN AND HER HUSBAND IN 2006 IS EXECUTED

Committee members voted 6-2 against the report but made it publicly available Monday. Another Ethics Committee hearing is scheduled for Wednesday.

Plocher did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press on Tuesday.

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At issue are complaints that Plocher last year tried to use his influence as speaker to get the House to contract with a company for a new constituent services program called Fireside.

Fireside’s parent company, FiscalNote, had hired Bardgett and Associates lobbyists in an attempt to win a $776,000 two-year contract with the House, independent investigator Beth Boggs wrote in a March 1 report. Plocher worked as a lawyer at the Blitz, Bardgett and Deutsch law firm.

Plocher also faces allegations that he improperly requested taxpayer dollars to pay for a business-class ticket on a flight to Hawaii and expenses for several other work trips dating back to 2018.

Plocher admitted he accepted reimbursements for the travel expenses both from the state and from his political campaign, which is against Missouri law. He has since repaid the state about $4,000.

The Ethics Committee struggled to investigate claims about Plocher’s dealings with Fireside.

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Boggs in a March 1 letter to the committee said she hit a roadblock because witnesses, including Plocher, refused to speak to her.

“The level of fear expressed by a number of the potential witnesses is a daunting factor in completing this investigation,” Boggs wrote.

When the Ethics Committee sought approval from the speaker, Plocher, to force witnesses to testify through subpoenas, he refused, according to the report.

The draft report alleges that Plocher, as the speaker, has blocked payment of the independent investigator hired by the House to investigate him. In total, the investigation cost about $17,000 to complete.

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Contractors have not been paid, according to the draft report, because the speaker’s approval is necessary.

Missouri lawmakers have about a month left of the 2024 legislative session.

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Detroit, MI

Detroit ‘Sloppy Chops’ restaurateur\u00a0killed: What to know

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Detroit ‘Sloppy Chops’ restaurateur\u00a0killed: What to know


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Mourning continued and no suspects were in custody a week after the fatal shooting of Detroit restaurateur and nightlife figure Mikey “Mike B” Brown at the end of February.

Brown was the beloved figure behind the “Sloppy” brand of restaurants, and remembrances have been rolling in online since his death.

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Here’s what to know:

Shooting outside cocktail bar

“Mike B” Brown, 51, and two others were shot about 4:30 a.m. Feb. 28 in the area of 15789 Schaefer, police previously said.

The two others were found in front of the location, and Brown was found across the street, police said.

Police have asked those with information on the shooting to come forward.

There were no suspects in custody and no further updates in the case as of Monday, March 9, according to a statement from the Detroit Police Department.

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Updates on the conditions of the two other individuals shot were also not provided.

Who was Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?

Brown was a husband, a father of five and a restaurateur.

He opened Sloppy Chops Restaurant, a steakhouse, in 2020 on West McNichols off the Lodge Freeway and later opened a seafood restaurant called Sloppy Crab, which was renamed the Crab Sports Bar, on East Jefferson Avenue near the Renaissance Center. Brown previously had two clubs, as well.

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His downtown dining spot served as an answer to questions on offerings for Black diners in the city’s renaissance. His other “Sloppy” location showcased successful reach beyond downtown and into the city’s neighborhoods. Brown was also a cultural figure in not only the world of dining, but in the nightlife, the Free Press reported.

When are funeral services for Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown?

A family hour was set for 9 a.m. March 13 and a funeral was set for 10 a.m. March 13, both at Triumph Church –North Campus at 15600 J.L. Hudson Drive in Southfield.

What’s been the fallout since Mike ‘Mike B’ Brown’s death?

Outside of the community hurt, there’s also been calls for a crackdown on establishments that stay open into early morning hours in residential areas, ClickOnDetroit reports.

How to report tips on Mikey ‘Mike B’ Brown’s shooting

Those with information tied to the triple shooting can contact the Detroit Police Department’s homicide unit at 313-596-2260 or submit anonymous tips through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-Speak-Up or DetroitRewards.tv.

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Milwaukee, WI

Critically missing Milwaukee man; last seen near Teutonia and Good Hope

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Critically missing Milwaukee man; last seen near Teutonia and Good Hope


The Milwaukee Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a critically missing man, 33-year-old Nicolas Blakely.  

Missing man

What we know:

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Blakely was last seen around 9:45 p.m. on Monday, March 9 in the area of Teutonia and Good Hope. 

Blakely is described as a male, black, 6’1″ tall, 160 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.  He was last seen wearing a blue puffy jacket over a white hooded sweatshirt, with tan Nike sweatpants. 

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Police tips

What you can do:

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Anyone with information is asked to call the Milwaukee Police Department District 4 at 414-935-7242.  

The Source: The information in this post was provided by the Milwaukee Police Department. 

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Minneapolis, MN

North Loop restaurant sends urgent plea to customers to come back to downtown Minneapolis

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North Loop restaurant sends urgent plea to customers to come back to downtown Minneapolis


In a popular night spot like Minneapolis’ North Loop, it may come as a surprise to learn there are struggling restaurants there, but the owners of Dario said that is their new reality.

For two years, Dario has been serving up homemade pasta and cocktails.

“We’re not going to last much longer, nor are any of the other places you like to frequent, if we don’t get out here and try to experience these places,” said Stephen Rowe, Dario’s co-owner and beverage director.

Rowe and Executive Chef Joe Rolle recently sent a message to those on the restaurant’s e-mail list, writing that the recent U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement surge, combined with a challenging winter season, has caused a nosedive in reservations. They’re asking for customers to come back downtown.

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“Like everybody else who owns a business around here and in the city, it’s just kind of like a gut punch,” said Rowe.

Customers, in particular from the suburbs, haven’t been coming in as much, Rolle said.

“They see a lot of things online, they see things on TV,” said Rowe.

“No one thought that North Loop was really affected, but we were,” said Mary Binkley, president of the North Loop Neighborhood Association.

Binkley said the past few months have been tough for North Loop restaurants.

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“January and February were certainly heavy and that’s because people were spending their restaurant dollars elsewhere, in immigrant-owned restaurants, restaurants in neighborhoods where there was more ICE activity,” said Binkley.

Recently, foot traffic has been steadily improving in the neighborhood, Binkley said. With St. Patrick’s Day and Minnesota Twins games right around the corner, she said she is confident people will return.

“This is a place in a two-block radius where a lot of everyone’s favorite restaurants are,” said Binkley.

Dario’s owners said they have been forced to cut back on hours and shifts for employees. Meanwhile, they’ve launched lunch service on Thursdays and catering with the hopes of boosting business and saving the jobs of their 80 employees.

“A restaurant can take, you know, one or two bad weeks, but we’ve all had eight bad weeks in a row, so we’ve got a lot of digging out to do,” said Rolle.

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