Mexican morgue director fired

 

Mexican morgue director fired over stench of 157 corpses in truck

September 19, 2018 / 11:48 AM EDT / CBS/AP

MEXICO CITY — The governor of the western Mexico state of Jalisco has fired the director of the state morgue after a refrigerated truck carrying 157 unidentified bodies drew complaints from neighbors over the smell. Jalisco Gov. Aristoteles Sandoval said he had ordered the ouster of the director of the Jalisco Forensics Institute for what he called "indolence and negligence."

But the former director, Luis Octavio Cotero, told local media on Tuesday he had warned prosecutors two years ago that the state's overflowing morgue couldn't handle the number of bodies piling up amid Mexico's rising wave of homicides.

According to BBC News, laws in Mexico prevent bodies linked to violent crimes to be cremated until investigations are complete. Authorities said they were looking for a long term solution to storing bodies after the rise in violence.

The scandal arose over a truck that had shuttled around the outskirts of the city of Guadalajara with its macabre load in recent days, being chased out each time neighbors complained about the smell.

Cotero said prosecutors also had rented a second refrigerated truck after the first one filled up with unclaimed bodies, though it wasn't clear where that truck was located. While refrigeration can slow the decomposition of bodies, many of the corpses had been recovered from clandestine graves in the state and are already rotted.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/mexican-morgue-director-fired-over-handling-of-corpses-in-refrigerated-truck/

The Texas Lottery has faced a series of scandals

 The Texas Lottery has faced a series of scandals and controversy, primarily centered around two large jackpot wins and the involvement of lottery courier services. 

Here's a breakdown of the key issues:

• Bulk ticket purchases and the $95 million jackpot (2023):
  • An entity called Rook TX, reportedly linked to a London-based gambling syndicate, purchased nearly every possible combination of numbers (over 25 million tickets) for a $95 million Lotto Texas jackpot.
  • This "bulk buy" was deemed unfair but technically legal at the time.
  • However, investigations by the Texas Rangers and the Attorney General were initiated to determine if any laws were violated.
  • The Texas Lottery Commission (TLC) was criticized for its role in enabling this scheme, including assisting with the expedited delivery of extra lottery terminals to facilitate the mass printing of tickets.
  • This event has been called "the biggest theft from the people of Texas in the history of Texas" by Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick.
• The $83.5 million jackpot and courier services (2025):
  • A woman won an $83.5 million Lotto Texas jackpot after buying her ticket through Jackpocket, a third-party lottery courier service.
  • The TLC initially refused to pay out the prize due to investigations into the use of courier services, citing concerns about integrity and a lack of regulation.
  • The woman has since filed a lawsuit seeking her winnings, arguing that using a courier service was legal at the time of purchase.
  • The TLC subsequently moved to ban all courier services from operating in the state.
  • Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick raised questions about fairness and transparency, especially after discovering the store that sold the winning ticket was affiliated with the courier service and had numerous lottery terminals hidden from public view.
• The broader impact and investigations:
  • Both jackpots and the use of courier services prompted investigations by the Texas Rangers, the Attorney General, and legislative inquiries.
  • The incidents have raised concerns about the integrity and fairness of the Texas Lottery system.
  • The scandal led to the resignation of the Texas Lottery's Executive Director Ryan Mindell.
  • There were proposals in the Texas Legislature to dissolve the Texas Lottery Commission entirely, with one bill to that effect being signed by the Governor in June 2025. 

These events have caused a significant loss of faith among some Texans regarding the fairness and legitimacy of the state lottery system. 

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/19Ab8bSQEq/

Deadly shooting in Elkhart, IN

 

Elkhart Mayor Rod Roberson says 'city is heartbroken' by deadly mass shooting June 15

Andrew S. Hughes

South Bend Tribune

In a statement released Sunday afternoon, June 15, Elkhart Mayor Rod Roberson extended his condolences to families of the person killed and the 11 people wounded in a mass shooting that occurred early Sunday morning.

"My heart aches for our community," he said. "Once again, our beloved city has been tragically stricken by senseless gun violence."

In an earlier press release, the Elkhart Police Department said multiple people fired handguns in the West Garfield Avenue/Benham Avenue area of Elkhart early Sunday morning.

Police received a call of shots fired in the 300 block of West Garfield at about 1:11 a.m. June 15.

Twelve people were either taken to area hospitals or showed up on their own, said police, who were said to be processing evidence in a large area between the 200 and 400 blocks of West Garfield.

Some of the injured have already been treated and released, according to the first press release.

"The pain and ripple effects of this devastating event will undoubtedly be felt deeply across our entire community for a long time," Roberson said in his statement. "Our city is heartbroken, and I, personally, am devastated by this profound loss and trauma."

https://www.southbendtribune.com/story/news/local/2025/06/15/elkhart-mass-shooting-leaves-1-dead-and-11-wounded/84220296007/

From the Waycross Patch

 

📰 News we're reading

1. Prosecutor named in case against Felder (theblacksheartimes.com) — A prosecutor has been appointed in the ethics case against Waycross City Commissioner Katrena Felder. The case involves allegations of improper use of a city-issued credit card and attending a partisan event, with a hearing scheduled for June 16.
   

2. Announced D4 candidate facing charges (theblacksheartimes.com) — Tanner Farmer, a former police chief and candidate for the Waycross City Commission, faces charges related to a domestic dispute. Despite the charges, nothing in the city charter prevents him from running for the District 4 seat.
   

3. Varnadore to lead SGSC Rodeo Club (theblacksheartimes.com) — Danny Varnadore, a Waycross native and former professional bull rider, will lead South Georgia State College's new Rodeo Club. The club, centered around the Waycross campus, offers local students a chance to compete in collegiate rodeo events.
   

4. Six Georgia-based organizations awarded ACG Foundation grants (valdostatoday.com) — The Waycross Fire Department is among six Georgia organizations awarded grants by the Auto Club Group Foundation. These grants, totaling over $43,000, support projects in traffic safety, driver education, and financial literacy, benefiting local communities.
   

5. Georgia getting 11th area code (classiccitynews.com) — Waycross along with other cities in the 912 area, will receive a new area code, 565, starting in early 2028. This change is due to the depletion of available numbers in the current 912 area code.
   

 

Streak of violence: 6 shot, 2 killed in 3 unrelated shootings yesterday, JSO says

In a seven-hour period Wednesday, three unrelated shootings in Jacksonville left two men dead and four others wounded, according to police. The first shooting, which was deadly, was reported around 2 p.m. in the parking lot of Copeland's restaurant on the city's Southside. Police are looking for a vehicle in connection with that shooting.   The second shooting happened around 5:30 p.m. outside a home on Vernon Road in the Magnolia Gardens area. A man was wounded in the arm and pelvis by an unknown shooter, police said.   The third shooting, which was reported at 9 p.m. at the Vista Landing apartments on Cleveland Road, left an 18-year-old dead and three other young men injured.

Authorities: 2 men face charges after ambulance stolen in Effingham County, prompting chase

 

Authorities: 2 men face charges after ambulance stolen in Effingham County, prompting chase June 10, 3:58PM EDT Investigators say it is unclear whether the two men know each other, as they have been uncooperative in providing any information. More »

Supreme Court Lets DOGE View Social Security Data

 

Tom Brenner for The New York Times

Supreme Court Lets DOGE View Social Security Data

In a second ruling, the court said that the Department of Government Efficiency does not have to hand over internal records to a government watchdog group.

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