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CVPA: A year of questions and few answers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:21 GMT

ST. LOUIS - St. Louis police commanders were quick to tout the swift response of officers to a school shooting that happened one year ago, but the department still has left many questions unanswered.Jean Kuczka died on Oct. 24, 2022, when the health teacher used her body as a shield after the gunman shot his way into her classroom.Kuczka's son, Joe Kuczka, has gone through a cycle of emotions."Everything has changed for me," he said. "My mom was my biggest supporter in everything I did."Alexzandria Bell, 15, a sophomore at Central Visual Performing Arts High School (CVPA), was also killed.Several others were injured when the 19-year-old shooter, a CVPA graduate, stormed the school."She put herself in front of her students and that's all you can do. Someone has a gun, and you have a bunch of children, you have to protect them," Joe Kuczka said.Kuczka said after his mother was shot, she told her students to jump from the third-floor window to survive.Jean graduated from Lindbergh High...

Lemay Fire Department sees spike in suspicious fires

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:21 GMT

LEMAY, Mo. – The Lemay Fire Protection District hopes the public can help curb a recent spike in suspicious fires. The department reports responding to more than 20 suspicious fires this year and estimates that during previous years, the number would typically fall in the five to 10 range.Lemay Fire Captain Dominic Moll experienced a close call during one of those fires on Dammert Avenue last Friday. He began to fall through a hole in the floor. Moll suffered minor muscle strains. He underwent a medical evaluation and was able to return to work.Moll is grateful for the response from his fellow firefighters which prevented his injuries from becoming severe.“They were able to help me out of the hole, and we continued to knock down the fire and completed our search of the building,” he said.The home was vacant and appeared to be undergoing a rehab project. Moll said firefighters do not assume a property that appears vacant is empty. Missouri teacher accused of exchanging explicit vid...

Metal plates being installed at Famous Barr building to keep looters out

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:21 GMT

ST. LOUIS - The first metal plates are being installed at the beloved Railway Exchange Building in downtown St. Louis to stop looters and squatters from getting into the condemned building.Previous board-up efforts at the former home of the Famous Barr Department Store have failed.The place looks, feels, and even sounds more secure along the entire east side, where the metal plates have now been installed. The process will continue until the other three sides are covered.The 1.2 million sq. ft. building occupies an entire city block at 6th and Olive. It is 110 years old and is beloved for its terra-cotta exterior and its ornate Christmas displays. Macy’s closed the store in 2013.Nine months ago, we first showed you someone openly looting the building, dragging wire and other scrap metal across downtown with seemingly no fear of arrest or prosecution.Those days appear to be over. St. Louis police arrested an 18-year-old man and woman for allegedly “ripping down plywood” to get into t...

Alderwoman responds to complaints about speeders after FOX 2 report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:21 GMT

ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis alderwoman responds to Monday night’s You Paid For It concerning speeders on Gustine Avenue in south city.Resident Alex Arndt called Elliott Davis to complain about all the vehicles racing down Gustine, putting the lives of citizens at risk.Alex said he had complained to city hall time and again, but to no avail. He called his alderwoman but never heard back.Alderwoman Daniela Velazquez said in a statement, "Our office regularly hears concerns from our constituents regarding traffic calming and speed humps. We will work with Mr. Arndt regarding his ongoing request, one that began with former Alderwoman (now President) Megan Green for the 3700 block of Gustine in late May 2022.” ‘Basketball Wives’ star Brittish Cierrah Williams sentenced to prison We observed speeding vehicles while we were on Gustine. The posted speed limit for the area is 25 miles per hour, but some of the vehicles appeared to be traveling well above that limit.Alex Arndt said it’s dangero...

Victim's family, school admin reflects one year after CVPA tragedy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:21 GMT

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis community came together Tuesday for a day of remembrance and resilience to honor the lives lost in the mass shooting at Central Visual and Performing Arts High School one year ago. Candles sat by the front doors of the school to remember health teacher Jean Kuzcka and student Alexzandria Bell. "You are talking about a vibrant child... always kind, always generous," said Jay Mitchell, a spokesperson for the Bell family. Mitchell is a former student of Kuzcka's. He said more than 10 years after graduation, he still has memories of sitting in her classroom and her love for Snoopy.  ‘Basketball Wives’ star Brittish Cierrah Williams sentenced to prison "She loved her dogs. Which, of course, as you can see, they kind of reminder of Snoopy," he said.He never met Alexzandria Bell, but when tragedy struck, he reached out to her mom to help her try to heal and grieve the loss of her 15-year-old daughter."She's had her days. It's always an up-and...

Mikko Rantanen goal, four-point night helps Avalanche set NHL record, remain perfect to start season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:21 GMT

ELMONT, NY – If the Avs are more concerned with the process than the results, there will be plenty for them to dislike from their effort Tuesday night.But in typical fashion to this point in the season, Colorado’s talent and ability to score in spurts was enough to overcome a deficit and set an NHL record with its 15th consecutive regular-season road win. The Avalanche also improved to 6-0 to start this season with a 7-4 victory against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena.This was Alexandar Georgiev’s worst game of the young season, but he made a couple of big saves in the third period to preserve the lead and won for the sixth time. Colorado’s penalty kill yielded a goal early in the second period, but then negated New York’s next four extra-man chances.Anders Lee beat Georgiev with a long wrist shot at 4:40 of the third period to even the score at 4-4, but the Avalanche reclaimed the lead for the third time in this contest at 7:47. Tomas Tatar blocked a shot near the point i...

Woman arrested for assaulting deputy after Westminster apartment standoff

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:21 GMT

Westminster police arrested a 33-year-old woman on suspicion of first-degree assault on a peace officer after an hourslong standoff at an apartment complex on Friday.Officers responded to the 12100 block of Zuni Street on reports of a woman who had barricaded herself in her apartment, according to police.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Lafayette officers shoot suspect involved in alleged attempted murder Crime and Public Safety | Two killed in Aurora double stabbing on Monday Crime and Public Safety | 12-year-old charged with bias-motivated crime, attempted murder in Marie L. Greenwood school stabbing Crime and Public Safety | Three stabbed at Denver homeless shelter in Park Hill Crime and Public Safety | Student stabbed at Marie L. Greenwood school in Denver; police say another student is in custody According to Denver7, the woman stabbed an Adams County sheriff’s deputy who was serving an evi...

Nikola Jokic’s triple-double brings playoff magic back to Denver in Nuggets’ opening-night win over Lakers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:21 GMT

After the first, Nikola Jokic let out an emphatic cry directed toward the rafters and the fresh championship banner hanging there. Only one quarter and one 3-point attempt into Denver’s title defense, the stoic Joker’s emotions had reached an unexpected high.Yeah, this game mattered to the Nuggets.By the time Jokic made his third 3-pointer close to two hours later, the tension in Ball Arena felt not dissimilar to the atmosphere here during the Western Conference Finals in May. But Jokic’s reaction this time was more expressionless, more business-as-usual. He had come to save the Nuggets again, leading the way to a 119-107 opening-night win Tuesday over Los Angeles.Jokic finished with 29 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists, dominating the first half as a post scorer then salvaging Denver’s ring night and his own drought with fourth-quarter heroics. That 3-pointer, for a 97-90 lead to force a Darvin Ham timeout with 8:15 remaining, was the turning point. When Jo...

Police investigating soccer brawl caught on camera in Irvine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:21 GMT

The Irvine Police Department is investigating a brawl that broke out between two soccer teams that brought spectators, parents and family members onto the field and into the melee over the weekend.  The Saturday night, Oct. 21, fight at Great Park in Irvine reportedly came at the end of the game between Club Garrafones from South Los Angeles and Irvine Zeta FC II, both of whom are a part of the professional development United Premier Soccer League.  Bryan Wallace, head coach of Irvine Zeta, believes his lower-ranked and younger team’s upset victory over the undefeated Club Garrafones is what sparked tempers and led to a dispute between two players that turned into an out-and-out fight that cleared the bleachers.  “One of their players came up and punched my player, and that started the entire thing. Their team and their parents and a bunch of guys on their bench just started attacking,” Wallace said in an interview with The Los Angeles Times. “One of their coaches att...

Sharks battle Panthers, but season-opening woes reach historic proportions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:21 GMT

The San Jose Sharks’ woes to start the 2023-2024 season have now reached historic proportions.The Sharks allowed two second-period goals, including a power play marker to Sam Reinhart at the 15:23 mark, and were unable to recover in a 3-1 loss to the Florida Panthers on Tuesday at Amerant Bank Arena.Fabian Zetterlund scored a power-play goal at the 8:30 mark of the second period and goalie Mackenzie Blackwood finished with 32 saves as the Sharks fell to 0-5-1, marking the first time in the team’s 32-season history that they’ve started a year with six straight losses.Last season, the Sharks lost five straight games in regulation time before they beat the New York Rangers 3-2 in overtime at Madison Square Garden. The Sharks had gone winless in their first six games before, going 0-3-3 in 1995 and 0-4-2 in 1998, but that was in an era where games could end in ties.Panthers starting goalie and noted Sharks killer Anthony Stolarz made 27 saves Tuesday and improved to 9-1-0 in 12 career g...