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A Philadelphia man sued the Springfield Diner in Delco, claiming he suffered from food poisoning as a result of his meal there. (Image via Google Maps)
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Did Delco’s Springfield Diner Make a Philly Man Horribly Sick?
I see lots and lots of lawsuits move through the local courts. It’s just part of the job. And I also see lots of complaints about food poisoning in the various social media food groups I’m in. But it’s not often I see a person file a lawsuit against a restaurant for food poisoning.
Philadelphia resident Roy Edwards did just that against the Springfield Diner in Delaware County. He it filed it last July. It’s been winding its way through the courts since then.
In his complaint against the Springfield Diner, Edwards said he ate there in July 2021 with his girlfriend. He ordered the salmon with a side of corn. It didn’t go so well, according to Edwards.
He claims the Springfield Diner negligently served him “pathogen-tainted” food. The lawsuit doesn’t say why Edwards thinks this, as opposed to him maybe just coming down with the stomach flu or perhaps getting sick from something he ate earlier in the day or the day before. But it does go into detail about the symptoms Edwards says he suffered. He claims he became violently ill with stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea, among other issues.
Proving a case of food poisoning can be incredibly difficult. Don’t get me wrong: Food poisoning does happen. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that one out of every six people in the United States gets sick from food poisoning each year. According to the CDC, 120,000 of those food-poisoned people wind up in the hospital. And something like 3,000 people die from food poisoning every year.
But establishing a direct line between the clams, chicken, salad or pizza you ate for dinner last night and you clutching the toilet at 2 a.m., promising God you’ll be a better person if the puking just stops — well, that’s an uphill battle, as Rutgers University professor and food safety expert Donald Schaffner has explained to us in the past.
If food poisoning is the culprit, symptoms could set in within moments of you eating a bite. Or you might not get sick for several hours, or a day or two. Sometimes, food-poisoning symptoms can take weeks to show up. And that food poisoning may have come from that piece of chicken that just didn’t taste right. But it could have also come from the croissant you enjoyed with your coffee. I’m 99 percent sure the Burger King cheesesteak-inspired burger I tasted on behalf of this very publication in 2018 led to me projectile-vomiting two hours later. But I don’t know that.
“Most people think they got it from the last thing they ate, but that’s not necessarily true,” Schaffner told us in an interview. “It’s rare that you’ll find any sort of ‘smoking gun’ evidence when it comes to this stuff.”
Of course, some cases of suspected food poisoning are a little more straightforward. Remember when 100 people said they got sick after eating at Chinatown staple Joy Tsin Lau in 2015?
If you think you got food poisoning from a given establishment, you can call your local health department to file a report. That’s what I did some years back when I foolishly ordered a chicken gyro from a Market Street food truck on a 100-degree day. I got very, very sick for an hour or so. And then I was fine. When the health inspector showed up in days that followed, they found some horrific conditions, as they noted in their report, and the food-truck operator voluntarily shut down.
As for Edwards and the Springfield Diner, the restaurant just settled the case out of court. The terms weren’t made public. But according to one Springfield Diner manager I spoke with, it’s perfectly safe to eat at the restaurant. “We didn’t admit we did anything wrong,” he insisted. “Sometimes the insurance companies just settle things rather than pay for the cost of litigation.”
The attorney representing Edwards didn’t return a call seeking comment.
John Fetterman Douses MSNBC with Zoom Confetti
Now that’s a headline I never expected to write. In a bit of accidental comic relief during these turbulent times, Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman released virtual confetti during a Zoom interview live on MSNBC this weekend.
John Fetterman and his Zoom confetti on MSNBC (image courtesy MSNBC)
Fetterman made air quotes with his fingers, and doing so apparently tells Zoom that you want to fill the screen with confetti.
Bucks Businessman Drops $9,000 on Donald Trump Sneakers
That’s for one pair of sneakers. Say hello to watch dealer Roman Sharf.
Local Talent
Back in the mid-to-late 2010s, Philly stand-up comedian Shane Gillis, a Mechanicsburg native, was rising through the ranks of the local comedy scene. Then, seemingly from out of nowhere, Saturday Night Live hired him as a cast member in 2019. But very soon after SNL made that announcement (actually, starting that same day), clips began to surface of Gillis using gay and ethnic slurs. Gillis tried to defend himself, basically by saying, Hey, it’s comedy. Alas, SNL producer Lorne Michaels wasn’t impressed and fired Gillis before he could grace the hallowed SNL stage.
But grace the stage he did on Saturday night’s episode. Nobody’s quite sure why, but SNL invited Gillis not just to make an appearance, but to host the whole damn episode. And, well, he bombed. In a huge way. So says most of the press in the free world. He was offensive. He was awkwardly unfunny. I know people of a certain age like to say that Saturday Night Live hasn’t been good in many years. As a parent of teens, I watch SNL every week with them on Sundays. (11:30 p.m. is past their bedtime.) And there are still many good segments and episodes these days. But I’m here to confirm that Gillis was the worst host we’ve seen in a long, long time.
Here’s hoping Sydney Sweeney from Euphoria, White Lotus and The Handmaid’s Tale can purge us of this foul Shane Gillis stench this coming Saturday.
By the Numbers
$100 million: Amount of federal COVID recovery funds New Jersey has designated to repair and improve boardwalks in 18 Jersey Shore towns. Atlantic City alone gets a huge $20 million slice of the pie.
5: Number of riders you can now pay for with your SEPTA Key card. Before today, you could only pay for one. Slowly but surely, SEPTA is joining the 21st century.
$1: Amount the victim of an alleged robbery attempt was carrying when the alleged robber allegedly attacked them with a hatchet near 8th and Market streets around 1 a.m. Monday. Allegedly. A suspect is in custody.
And From the Win-Some Sports Desk …
The Sixers were back — finally! — from the All-Star break Thursday night, playing the Knicks in our house. Our guys got off to a slow start and were down 32-21 at the end of first, and it got worse from there: a miserable 69-46 at the break. And Nic Batum already had four fouls. Kyle Lowry marked his Sixers debut by getting whacked in the forehead and heading to the locker room to get stitches. The Sixers fought back to within 10 at the end of the third, and Nick Nurse was getting very demonstrative on the sideline. They were down to six back early in the fourth, but everything went New York’s way after that, and the Knicks won 110-96. Bricken for Chicken, though!
In Friday night’s match-up with the Cavaliers, the Sixers had no Lowry for the night due to that head wound. But hey, De’Anthony Melton was back from his slow-healing back injury! The game stayed close in the first quarter, but the Cavs went cold toward its end, giving the Sixers a 27-25 lead. Oops, no, the refs took off a Cam Payne layup for a shot violation: game tied! We pulled out to a 53-50 lead at halftime, and after the break, we pushed that to nine before the Cavs crept back. The Sixers were on top 74-70 going into the final quarter, and it stayed close the rest of the way — too close. Sixers up by three with three minutes to go: Could they hold on? They could thanks to Tyrese Maxey, who had 14 of the team’s final 16 points.
And then there was Sunday afternoon’s bout with the Bucks, which started at an ungodly 1 p.m. Former Sixers coach and current Bucks coach Doc Rivers was in the house, natch, and he was roundly booed by his former home crowd. Look who else was here!
Nick Nurse started Harris, Hield, Maxey, Batum and Reed, and the game moved fast. Damien Lillard was making us suffer, and we were down 35-21 after one. They were killing us with treys, though — they had 13 in the first half, which ended with the Bucks up 69-48 after their 10-0 run. The Sixers cut it to 11 briefly at the end of the third, and Lowry got clobbered in the head again, but we need Embiid, dammit. Final: 119-98 Bucks. Sheesh.
Is It Spring Training Yet?
You bet! The Blue Jays got three runs in the first inning of the Phils’ initial pre-season game in Clearwater on Saturday, with starter Kolby Allard getting clobbered. But the Phils bounced back with four of their own in the second, countered by four more for the Jays in the third. Whiplash! But don’t despair, because the Phils scored 10 runs in the fifth — only to see Toronto get back half that much, giving us a 14-12 lead headed into the seventh. We nipped ’em in the end, 14-13. Real pitchers’ duel. Weston Wilson, Scott Kingery and Matt Kroon all hit homers for the Phils.
The boys faced the Yankees in Sunday’s game and jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in the second inning, which is as far as starter Aaron Nola went. They tacked on another in the fourth on Cristian Pache’s solo homer, and that’s right where it stayed. Guess the pitching staff regrouped overnight. They’ll play the Red Sox today at 1:07.
Any Doop News?
The Union had their season opener against Chicago at Subaru Park on Saturday night, with new Sixer Cam Payne banging the drum. Goalie Andre Blake was out with an injury, and everybody’s parkas were out, because it was chilly in the stands. Oliver Semmle took his first MLS turn in goal, and the Fire struck in the 38th minute. In the second half, Daniel Gazdag notched one for us early on, but the ref took a look and waved it off, to the home crowd’s dismay. Ha — Mikael Uhre got another one at 56 minutes.
Uhre levels the score and earns the first @MLS regular season goal for the Boys in Blue!
Julián Carranza just missed a bit later, and in the 80th, the Fire got another after Semmle couldn’t hold onto a shot. But the Union tied it again, on a tip-in by Nathan Harriel. Another goddamn video review … and again, offsides. Never fear: Gazdag came through early in the overage with a lovely header, and the Union kept the pressure on. One final corner, a last chance — and a tie game, 2-2. Exciting as hell, though. Doop!
And in College Hoops?
Another busy weekend. In the sole Thursday City Six game, Drexel’s Dragons dragged behind Hofstra but caught up to within one at the half, 33-32. Alas, Hofstra got hot and won in the end, 69-57. In Friday’s only outing, Penn dealt with Dartmouth on the road, 82-69, to break an eight-game skid. On Saturday, the Quakers were down 41-28 to Harvard at the half but stormed back to within two in the second half. They couldn’t quite get there, though: a 74-70 loss. Meantime, Villanova was hanging tight with top-ranked Connecticut in the early going but was down 31-21 at the half. They climbed back to within five, but the Huskies more than reasserted themselves. Final: 78-54.
In Sunday’s games, La Salle ran roughshod over the Rhode Island Rams, 84-61. St. Joe’s played at VCU and was winning 27-21 at the half but then hocked up nine straight points to give the Rams a 30-27 lead. The Hawks came within three points with under a minute left but couldn’t hang in there in the 73-69 loss.
As for Temple, it trailed the Wichita State Shockers 37-27 at the half in this season of Owls discontent, then fought back to tie it halfway through the second, refused to go away, tied it again with two minutes to go, tied again with 23 seconds … Overtime! The Owls crept into the lead by three thanks to Steve Settle III, then by four with 18 seconds to go with a timely rebound put-back by Shane Dezonie. And a 72-66 OT win — woo-hoo!!
Tonight: Drexel does Delaware, with a 6:30 p.m. tip.
The Flyers also played.
All Philly Today sports coverage is provided by Sandy Hingston.
Here’s something to think about: Bryce Harper hasn’t had a fully healthy season since 2021. That was the year he led all of the National League in doubles, slugging percentage, OPS and OPS+ en route to being named the National League’s Most Valuable Player for the second time in his career. Now, just three years later, Harper’s got a new position and a new lease on life. He enters 2024 as the Phillies’ full-time first baseman and the leader of a legitimate contender for the World Series. So, as Harper moves permanently to first base for the first time in his life after 10 seasons as an outfielder, what should we expect? Is another MVP award in the superstar’s near future?
Before we delve into MVP aspirations, there are a couple important things to note. One, Harper has been quietly excellent over the past two seasons–both of which have been riddled with strange injuries. In 2022, he made the All-Star team and hit .286/.364/.514 with 18 homers and 65 RBIs across 99 games, the middle of which were separated by a broken thumb after a wild fastball from Blake Snell. In 2023, after returning from Tommy John surgery in a record-setting time, he drove in 72 runs with 21 home runs and won the Silver Slugger at DH. Oh, and he’s been nothing short of excellent in the postseason.
To be clear, Harper doesn’t need to win an MVP to be labeled a success at first base. If he continues to perform offensively at the plate–both in the regular season and in October–and shows increased comfortability at his new position, all will be happy. The odds, as with nearly any player wishing to be crowned MVP, are against him. However, because this is Bryce Harper we’re talking about, we can’t rule it out. So, what would Harper have to do to win his third award?
At The Plate:
The last first baseman to be crowned MVP of any league, was the Cardinals’ Paul Goldschmidt in 2022. A seven-time All-Star with four Gold Glove and five silver slugger awards to his name, Goldschmidt is literally the Gold Standard for what a first baseman should be. In 2022, Goldschmidt put up a 7.8 WAR with 35 home runs and 115 RBIs with a .317 batting average. Like Harper in ‘21, Goldschmidt led the National League in slugging percentage, OPS and OPS+.
Moving to first base doesn’t necessarily make Harper’s quest for another MVP any easier. In 2021, Harper put up a WAR of 5.9. Last year, Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman put up a WAR of 6.5 across 161 games, swiping 23 bags and driving in 102 runs with an absurd slash line of .331/.410/.567. He finished third in MVP voting. Braves first baseman Matt Olson played in all 162 games and led the N.L. in home runs and RBI. He put up a WAR of 7.4 and finished 4th.
As gaudy as those numbers are, however, they are not completely out of the realm of what Harper can do. In 2015, Harper had his best statistical season, posting a 9.7 WAR with 44 home runs and 99 RBI en route to winning his first N.L. MVP. At just 31 years old, Harper is not past his physical prime. If he can stay healthy, there isn’t necessarily a ceiling on what he can do.
On The Field:
Defensively is where Harper has the most room for growth. Although no one expects him to win a Gold Glove, there is an expectation for him to be at least competent. Last year, he was just that–to a degree. In just 36 games at first, Harper ranked 8th in Outs Above Average, a range-based metric, tied with Freeman and Goldschmidt. In 303 innings he had just one error and totaled 1 Defensive Run Saved.
However, it wasn’t all peaches and cream. While Harper displayed his athleticism with some splashy plays, he also didn’t look completely comfortable at his position. There were instances where he would range too far for a ground ball, leaving the pitcher in a foot race with the batter to cover the bag. There were times when he wouldn’t cover the bunt correctly or place the wrong foot on the bag when receiving a throw from an infielder. Perhaps most significant were his struggles with fielding errant throws–an extremely difficult yet essential aspect of the position. A routine one-hop throw in the dirt from Trea Turner or Alec Bohm was not a guaranteed out, Harper often struggled with picking the ball cleanly whilst stretching out to receive the throw. It’s the hardest part of the position but also the most critical to getting your team off the field–players like Freeman or Goldschmidt do it with ease.
All in all, Harper’s success at first base won’t be judged by whether or not he wins another MVP. It will be defined by his ability to adapt to new circumstances and excel offensively amidst a positional change. Oh and winning a World Series wouldn’t hurt either.
(KTLA) – Authorities with the Los Angeles Police Department are asking for the public’s help in locating a woman wanted for an attempted kidnapping Sunday afternoon.
The incident occurred at a Target store located at 620 S. Virgil at around 12:30 p.m., according to an an LAPD Community Alert.
Police said the suspect — described as a Black adult female approximately 40 years old, standing around 5 feet 5 inches and weighing around 150 pounds — grabbed a 4-year-old boy from behind and “carried him outside of the store.”
A woman wanted in connection with an alleged attempted kidnapping is pictured on Feb. 25, 2024, in Los Angles. (LAPD)
The woman only put the child down when she confronted by the boy’s parent, police said. She then ran away.
The suspect was last seen wearing a brown jacket, black shirt, blue jeans and black and white shoes.
Anyone with information about this incident or who may recognize the woman is urged to contact officials at the Los Angeles Police Department.
U.S. Rep. Andy Kim says in a federal lawsuit that New Jersey’s primary ballot design unconstitutionally favors candidates who have the support of political party leaders and should be scrapped.
The representative, who’s locked in a primary contest for U.S. Senate against the state’s first lady Tammy Murphy, filed the lawsuit Monday.
The suit seeks to upend New Jersey’s unique primary ballot system in which candidates backed by political party leaders appear grouped together on the ballot, with challengers in separate columns. Kim and Murphy are seeking to succeed Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, who faces federal corruption charges and hasn’t announced his plans on reelection.
New Jersey’s primary ballot design unconstitutionally favors candidates who have the support of political party leaders and should be scrapped, U.S. Rep. Andy Kim, who’s locked in a primary contest for U.S. Senate against the state’s first lady Tammy Murphy, said in a federal lawsuit filed Monday.
The suit seeks to upend New Jersey’s unique primary ballot system in which candidates backed by political party leaders appear grouped together on the ballot, with challengers in separate columns, and takes aim at a system widely considered to be a crucial advantage in primary contests.
“New Jersey voters don’t want to be told who to vote for,” Kim wrote in a statement. “Jersey voters are tired of the broken politics that lets party leaders give their hand-picked candidates preferential placement on the ballot. This unfair process needs to end now. The people deserve a ballot like what every other state uses that is fair, democratic, and allows their voices to be the ones that determine who represents them.”
It comes as Kim and Murphy are facing off in a primary to succeed Democratic Sen. Bob Menendez, who faces federal corruption charges and hasn’t announced his plans on reelection. Murphy, whose spouse is Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, won the backing of county party leaders in the state’s biggest counties soon after she announced her candidacy. She has said she worked for those endorsements herself and didn’t seek her husband’s support.
Kim’s suit against county clerks who design the ballots seeks to implement the kind of ballot that much of the rest of the country uses, listing all candidates next to the office they’re seeking.
“When the choices of primary voters, who by law are the sole judges to determine a party’s nominee for the general election, are cynically manipulated by the Defendants, the result is anathema to fair elections,” the lawsuit says.
The issue has increasingly become a flashpoint, particularly among progressives, who have advocated for abolishing the so-called county line system.
Murphy spokesperson Alexandra Altman criticized Kim and called the lawsuit a “hypocritical stunt” aimed at furthering his career.
“Andy Kim doesn’t have a problem with the county line system, he has a problem with the idea of losing county lines — as he is perfectly happy to participate in the process when he wins,” Altman said in a text message.
A message seeking comment was left with the organization that represents county clerks.
After a disappointing loss at the Stadium Series game to the Devils the Flyers rebounded with a win over the struggling Blackhawks. On Friday Konecny left practice early in discomfort in what would later be diagnosed as an upper body injury. Konecny ended up missing both games this weekend. The Flyers did get Tyson Foerster back after missing the past 4 games after blocking a shot against Seattle.
The weekend started off with a home matchup agaisnt the red hot Rangers, winners of their past nine. Rookie forward Matt Rempe has been the talk of the league this past week. The 6’7″ 21 year old has more penalty minutes than ice time through his first 3 games. Rempe matched up with Nick Deslauriers early in the contest for one of the best fights of the year. In the end the Rangers ended up winning 2-1. The next day the Flyers were in Pittsburgh to face the Penguins. With Cal Petersen in net the Flyers lost 7-6. Tyson Foerster scored two goals and missed some time after blocking a shot. While Jamie Drysdale left the game early after taking a hit from Jansen Harkins. Drysdale missed most of last season with a shoulder injury.
Coming into this season no one expected the Flyers to be in their current situation two weeks before the trade deadline. Through 59 games the Flyers have 67 and are third in the Metropolitan Division. 5 points a head of the next team that can catch them, the Devils. It has been clear from the start that GM Danny Briere and President Keith Jones have a long term goal in mind for this organization. To rebuild the Flyers into a champion caliber team. With the short term success of the current team it begs the question of what upper management will be willing to do at the deadline. There have been rumors that teams are interested in Laughton, Konecny, Seeler, Walker, and Ristolainen to name a few. It is believed that either Seeler or Walker will be traded, it is unlikely that both would be moved. While Ristolainen’s name was in the mix either this season, but his current injury has deflated this trade value. Laughton and Konecny have been chosen as leaders of the team by being named alternate captains last week. It is once again unlikely that both of them will be moved. And if one of them are traded it would be from a healthy offer. Briere and Jones will be analyzing the long term future of the club at the approaching deadline.
The Federal Trade Commission sued to block a proposed merger between grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons, saying the $24.6 billion deal would eliminate competition and lead to higher prices for millions of Americans.
The FTC filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Oregon on Monday. It was joined in the suit by the attorneys general of eight states and the District of Columbia.
Kroger and Albertsons, two of the nation’s largest grocers, agreed to merge in October 2022. The companies said a merger would help them better compete with Walmart, Amazon, Costco and other big rivals. Together, Kroger and Albertsons would control around 13% of the U.S. grocery market; Walmart controls 22%, according to J.P. Morgan analyst Ken Goldman.
Kroger, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, operates 2,750 stores in 35 states and the District of Columbia, including brands like Ralphs, Smith’s and Harris Teeter. Albertsons, based in Boise, Idaho, operates 2,273 stores in 34 states, including brands like Safeway, Jewel Osco and Shaw’s. Together the companies employ around 700,000 people.
But the merger, announced at a time of high food-price inflation, was bound to get tough regulatory scrutiny. U.S. prices for food eaten at home typically rise 2.5% per year, but in 2022 they rose 11.4% and in 2023 they rose another 5%, according to government data. Inflation is cooling, but gradually.
“Kroger’s acquisition of Albertsons would lead to additional grocery price hikes for everyday goods, further exacerbating the financial strain consumers across the country face today,” Henry Liu, the director of the FTC’s Bureau of Competition, said in a statement.
The FTC, which said the proposed deal would be the largest grocery merger in U.S. history, said it would also erase competition for workers, threatening their ability to win higher wages, better benefits and improved working conditions.
The Biden administration has also shown a willingness to challenge big mergers in court. Last month, the Justice Department sued to block a proposed merger between JetBlue Airways and Spirit Airlines.
The action by the FTC and the states follows lawsuits filed earlier this year in Colorado and Washington to block the merger. The states that joined the FTC lawsuit Monday are Arizona, California, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Wyoming.
Kroger has promised to invest $500 million to lower prices as soon as the deal closes. It said it also invested in price reductions when it merged with Harris Teeter in 2014 and Roundy’s in 2016. Kroger also promised to invest $1.3 billion in store improvements at Albertsons as part of the deal.
Last year, C&S Wholesale Grocers agreed to purchase 413 stores and eight distribution centers that Kroger and Albertsons agreed to divest in markets where the two companies’ stores overlapped. C&S said it would honor all collective bargaining agreements with workers.
Still, the United Food and Commercial Workers union, which represents 835,000 grocery workers in the U.S. and Canada, voted last year to oppose the merger, saying Kroger and Albertsons had failed to be transparent about the potential impact of the merger on workers.
The union was also critical of a $4 billion payout to Albertsons shareholders that was announced as part of the merger deal. Several states, including Washington and California, tried unsuccessfully to block the payment in court, saying it would weaken Albertsons financially.
Kroger and Albertsons had hoped to close the deal early this year. But the two companies announced in January that it was more likely to close in the first half of Kroger’s fiscal year. Kroger’s fiscal second quarter ends Aug. 17.
Tokyo — The slow demise of a stray whale that spent its last days circling Osaka Bay not only saddened TV viewers across Japan, it also alarmed cetacean experts who called the whale the latest casualty of a warming planet.
“Whales used to lose their way every three years or so,” Yasunobu Nabeshima, a visiting researcher at the Osaka Museum of Natural History, told CBS News. “Until now it was a rare phenomenon. But these incidents have increased.”
A file photo shows a sperm whale swimming near the Ogasawara Islands, Tokyo Prefecture, Japan.
Getty
This month’s tragedy marked the second case in as many years.
Nabeshima said global warming has reduced the temperature differential between the Pacific Ocean and Osaka Bay, rendering the powerful Kuroshio Current “a warm-water conveyor belt” that propels whales from their usual deep ocean haunts into the shallow waters along the coast.
The most recent episode began in mid-January, when the sperm whale — one of the world’s heaviest animals — was first sighted off the coast of Nishinomiya City in Hyogo Prefecture. TV cameras and local authorities intently tracked the doomed whale as it swam futilely eastward toward Osaka.
Deprived of its primary food, giant squid, the whale’s spout grew noticeably listless.
Unlike Japan’s easy-to-navigate harbors like Kobe, Osaka Bay, which serves Japan’s third-largest city, is a maze of artificial islands and landfilled peninsulas, packed with theme parks and shopping malls as well as warehouses and industrial plants. It’s effectively a death trap for marine mammals, with numerous nooks and crannies and bounded by wharves and breakwaters that can make it impossible for the creatures to find their way back out to the blue water.
An aerial photo shows some of the inlets, wharves and reclaimed islands of Japan’s Osaka Bay.
Taro Hama/Getty
Another sperm whale died near the mouth of the Yodo River in Osaka in January 2023. Nabeshima, of the Osaka museum, told CBS News that a pod of short-beaked common dolphins ended up stuck in Osaka Bay last fall and they could be seen from Yumeshima, an artificial island and site for Expo 2025, which opens in April. Sea turtles have also become stranded in the area.
The severely emaciated body of the latest sperm whale casualty, a male that weighed over 30 metric tons and measured 50 feet in length, was recovered and temporarily buried after officials decided it would be cheaper than hauling the carcass out to sea. After two years, the skeleton will be recovered and donated to a local museum.
Stray whales can be a jumbo-sized headache for local governments. The cost to taxpayers of the offshore burial for last year’s stranded sperm whale was more than half a million dollars — 10 times the cost of a land burial, according to the Mainichi daily newspaper.
TV viewers watched in real time as the whale, lying on its side, its enormous jaws open in a “V,” was tethered to the wharf and then carefully placed in an enormous sling. In a delicate procedure lasting over an hour, an oceanside crane gingerly lifted the carcass and placed it onto a flatbed truck, which carried it to its temporary resting place.
A researcher told the local network MBS TV that the creature would first undergo a forensic analysis to determine its cause of death, age, history of injuries and illness and a DNA test to determine its origin. The whale that became trapped last year was 46 years old. Sperm whales have been recorded to live as long as 62.
Experts also planned to search the creature’s intestines for chunks of ambergris, an extremely rare and strange waxy substance produced in sperm whales from undigested pieces of squid and other cephalopods. Known as “floating gold” and found in only 1 to 5% of sperm whales, ambergris is used in French perfumes. In 2021 one chunk sold for $1.5 million.
Osaka bay, Japan.
Getty
Scientists have been calling for new measures to keep the mighty animals out of harm’s way, including sensor-activated “acoustic deterrent devices” placed at the Kii Strait, the entryway to the Inland Sea from the Pacific Ocean, to prevent the whales venturing near the coastline.
In what was a treacherous 2023 for raising capital, Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies CEO Dean Miller sees hope in the number of deals struck by Philadelphia’s youngest startups.
NFL free agency is just around the corner, and while the Philadelphia Eagles may not be strong candidates to go on a splashy shopping spree, they’ll have more ability to spend than they did a year ago, when players left in droves. Here are three free agents who make sense.
Kyle Dugger (27), S, Patriots (6’2, 222)
Around the trade deadline, I had heard from a few sources that the Eagles were sniffing around Panthers linebacker/safety hybrid Jeremy Chinn, but Chinn suffered a quad injury, thus ending the Eagles’ pursuit.
Dugger is a linebacker/safety hybrid in the same mold as Chinn, but he’s a better player. His stats the last three seasons:
Kyle Dugger
Tackles
INT
FF-FR
TD
2021
92
4
0-1
0
2022
78
3
1-1
3
2023
109
2
1-0
0
Two of those three INTs in 2022 were pick-sixes. Here’s one:
Aaaand the other:
He also nearly had a couple of pick-sixes in 2021. I guess we’ll show those, too.
And the other:
Dugger a ball hawk, and a physical run defender. He will likely be one of the top earning safeties on the open market.
If the Patriots franchise tag Dugger, it will cost them a little over $17 million, so that feels unlikely.
The Eagles feel like a certainty to sign some kind of safety, whether that’s a player in their prime coming off their rookie contract, or some veteran Band-Aid on the downside of his career.
From the Eagles’ perspective, the argument for the Band-Aid is if they feel that Reed Blankenship and Sydney Brown are the future of the position in Philly. Brown tore an ACL in the final regular season game against the Giants, and his health will be in question through 2024 training camp. Adding a 30+ year old guy like Eddie Jackson, for example, would in theory buy Brown some time to get right.
The argument for spending on a clearly good player in his prime is if you have any doubts as to whether Blankenship or Brown don’t become what the Eagles hope they will be. Both have shown promise, but neither has proven yet to be a good NFL starter. Realistically, it’s more likely than not that at least one of them will disappoint.
Should the Eagles add an already proven player like Dugger and all three of Dugger, Blankenship, and Brown pan out, then having three good safeties would be a good problem to have, even if that’s the reason not to sign an expensive free agent. With Dugger’s linebacker versatility, Vic Fangio could surely find plenty of playing time for all three guys.
The Eagles tried to add a top of the market safety in 2021, but they whiffed on guys like Marcus Williams and Justin Reid. Otherwise, the last time they splurged on a free agent safety was Rodney McLeod, which worked out. Here are the cheap safeties the Eagles have signed since McLeod:
Corey Graham
Andrew Sendejo
Johnathan Cyprien
Will Parks
Andrew Adams
Anthony Harris
Jaquiski Tartt
Justin Evans
Terrell Evans
If you go cheap at safety, there’s a good chance that guy is going to suck, so you may as well just pony up and make sure you fix the position.
Noah Brown (28), WR, Texans (6’2, 215)
Brown has been in the NFL for six seasons, and it took him a little while to become a productive receiver.
Noah Brown
Rec
Yards
YPC
TD
2017 – Cowboys
4
33
8.3
0
2018 – Cowboys
5
54
10.8
0
2019 (DNP – knee) – Cowboys
0
0
0
0
2020 – Cowboys
14
154
11.0
0
2021 – Cowboys
16
184
11.5
0
2022 – Cowboys
43
555
12.9
3
2023 – Texans
33
567
17.2
2
Of course, he and Kellen Moore were in Dallas together for six seasons.
But it was 2023 when Brown had something of a breakthrough season. He had 33 catches for 567 yards (a very good 17.2 YPC) and 2 TDs in just 10 games. He had two monster games in a pair of Texans shootout wins:
6 catches on 6 targets for 153 yards and a TD in a 39-37 win over the Bucs.
7 catches on 8 targets for 172 yards in a 30-27 win over the Bengals.
He has good size at 6’2, 215, and plays like it.
2023 season advanced metrics amongst 80 WRs w/ at least 50 targets:
-6th in yards per target -4th in yards per catch -12th in first down % -17th in QB rating when targeted -19th in avg depth of catch -20th in EPA per target -31st in yards per route run
As you can see in the bottom tweet above, he made the most of the opportunities that came his way, unlike Quez Watkins.
In 2023, Brown’s snaps were about 40:60 slot vs. outside, so, you know, he can do both. For the Eagles’ purposes, with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith also playing some in the slot, that’s a perfectly fine ratio.
Azeez Al-Shaair (26), LB, Titans (6’2, 228)
Al-Shaair was a 49ers undrafted free agent signing who started 48 games in San Francisco in his first four years. He left for Tennessee in free agency in 2023 and racked up 163 tackles, fifth-most in the NFL. He’s a run-and-hit WILL linebacker.
The Eagles need linebackers (#analysis), and Al-Shaair is an ascending player entering his prime.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Former Bachelor and North Carolina native Matt James was among the top 10 to finish in his first-ever runDisney event.
James joined thousands of runners from across the country during Disney’s Princess Half Marathon at Walt Disney World Resorts. He completed his run in 1 hour, 27 minutes and 32 seconds, placing 10th among male runners.
Sunday’s half marathon was the final race of the three-race weekend that included a 5K and a 10K, plus a Disney Fairytale Challenge where runners complete the 10K and the half marathon.
James said he enjoyed the race and will likely return to Florida for January’s Walt Disney World Marathon Weekend, where he plans to take on the Dopey Challenge, which consists of running the 5K, 10K, half marathon and full marathon on consecutive days for a total of 48.6 miles and six medals.
James made history on season 25 of “The Bachelor” as the first Black man to appear as the lead in the long-running show. He graduated from Sanderson High School before playing football for Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem.
As the leader of your business, ensure you focus on mission critical imperatives. Your company’s reputation and your personal reputation depend on it, writes guest columnist Stan Silverman.
(NEXSTAR) – Actress and comedian Amy Schumer is opening up about her health after facing online criticism over her appearance.
Earlier this month, the 42-year-old appeared on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” to promote Season 2 of “Life & Beth,” a Hulu series Schumer created and stars in.
After the interview aired, some social media users questioned why her face looked different. Schumer responded to the comments in an Instagram post on Feb. 15, writing: “Thank you so much for everyone’s input about my face!”
“I’ve enjoyed feedback and deliberation about my appearance, as all women do, for almost 20 years. And you’re right, it is puffier than normal right now,” she added.
Comedian and actress Amy Schumer appears on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on Tuesday, February 13, 2024. (Photo by Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images)
Schumer later revealed she has exogenous Cushing syndrome, “brought on by getting steroid injections in high doses,” in an interview published Feb. 23 in the News Not Noise newsletter.
Cushing syndrome occurs when your body produces too much cortisol, often called the “stress hormone,” according to the National Institutes of Health. The rare condition can cause weight gain, a round face, high blood pressure and other complications like heart attack and stroke.
“There are a few types of Cushing – some that can be fatal, require brain surgery or removal of adrenal glands,” Schumer told Jessica Yellen, journalist and founder of News Not Noise.
“While I was doing press on camera for my Hulu show, I was also in MRI machines four hours at a time, having my veins shut down from the amount of blood drawn and thinking I may not be around to see my son grow up. So finding out I have the kind of Cushing that will just work itself out and I’m healthy was the greatest news imaginable,” she continued.
Even though Schumer has called out critics for commenting on her appearance, she said “having the internet chime in” led her to seek treatment.
“Thank God for that. Because that’s how I realized something was wrong,” she told Yellen. “The internet is undefeated, as they say.”
Aside from Cushing syndrome, Schumer previously shared that she was diagnosed with endometriosis – a chronic inflammatory disease where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside of the uterus, according to the World Health Organization.
“It can cause severe pain in the pelvis and make it harder to get pregnant,” the organization noted on its website.
In September 2021, Schumer posted an Instagram video of herself in a hospital bed the morning after getting her uterus and appendix removed due to the disease.
Schumer said in her interview with Yellen that she’s publicly sharing information about her medical issues to “advocate for women’s health.”
“The shaming and criticism of our ever-changing bodies is something I have dealt with and witnessed for a long time,” she said. “I want so much for women to love themselves and be relentless when fighting for their own health in a system that usually doesn’t believe them.”
While inflation has shown signs of cooling, mortgage rates and home prices are still stubbornly high, making it challenging for many Americans to buy homes. Elise Preston reports.
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Mechanicsburg-native comedian Shane Gillis hosted the latest episode of “Saturday Night Live,” five years after he was hired and then abruptly fired for having made racist jokes in his stand-up acts.
During the Feb. 24 episode, which featured musical guest 21 Savage, Gillis briefly referred to his complicated history with the comedy show in his monologue.
“I’m here,” Gillis said during his monologue. “Most of you probably have no idea who I am. I was actually, I was fired from this show a while ago. But, you know, don’t look that up, please. If you don’t know who I am, please don’t Google that. It’s fine, don’t even worry about it. … I probably shouldn’t be up here, honestly.”
Gillis was hired as a full-time cast member in 2019, but was fired within days after clips surfaced of him using a slur referring to Chinese people, mimicking Chinese accents and making other offensive comments. Additional clips also showed Gillis making homophobic, Islamophobic and sexist remarks. Since his firing, Gillis has co-hosted the podcast “Matt and Shane’s Secret Podcast” and starred in the 2023 Netflix comedy special “Shane Gillis: Beautiful Dogs.”
In his monologue, Gillis went on to joke that his calling lies not in comedy, but elsewhere.
“Like, God molded me perfectly to be a high school football coach/ninth grade sex education teacher,” Gillis said.
Most of Gillis’ monologue consisted of jokes about his family. He poked fun at his father, who was in the audience, who works as a “volunteer assistant girls high school basketball coach.”
“I thought it was funny.” Gillis said, after the audience’s lukewarm response to his joke about his dad. “I thought it was great; never mind. I thought that was going to be a big hit here.”
He also reminisced on how he and his mother used to be super close when he was a young kid.
“Every little boy is just their mom’s gay best friend,” he said.
He then spoke about having relatives with Down syndrome, who he says are “the only ones having a good time pretty consistently.”
“I don’t know if you can tell by looking at me, but I do have family members with Down syndrome. It almost got me,” he said. “I dodged it, but it nicked me.”
Gillis grew uneasy after the crowd’s response.
“Look, I don’t have any material that can be on TV, all right? I’m trying my best. Also, this place is extremely well-lit. I can see everyone not enjoying it. This is the most nervous I’ve ever been.”
He also spoke about how his sister, who has a daughter with Down syndrome, is married to an Egyptian man and adopted three Black children. He compared visiting their house to “getting in the craziest Uber pool you’ve ever been in.” He also imagined a day in the future when “some white kid” at recess makes fun of his niece and “three Black kids come flying out of nowhere” and start “whaling” on the bully.
While viewers watching the broadcast could hear laughter and applause throughout much of the monologue, it was clear that Gillis felt uncomfortable with how his set was going based on his continuous remarks to that effect. At one point, he exclaimed, “I thought we were allowed to have fun here.”
Gillis’ monologue was met with mixed reactions online. On an Instagram post about the monologue, comments range from “First time I’ve laughed during SNL in about 5 years!” to “Is funny in the room with us?”
Early reviews of his hosting gig in the media are also mixed. NPR writer Eric Deggans described Gillis’ “uneasy opening monologue” but also called it an “ingenious response” to backlash that SNL received for bringing him on as host.
“Much of it felt like Gillis’ attempt to insulate himself from criticism and avoid any jokes that could revive the backlash,” Deggans wrote. “But since he also didn’t really explain or explore the controversy swirling around his appearance, it all took on the feel of an opportunity missed. Or a subject ducked.”
On Saturday’s episode, Gillis starred in sketches about Forrest Gump’s high school bully, an HR meeting gone awry, a family attending church on vacation, a unique betting app and a game show contestant who isn’t very knowledgeable on a certain topic. Gillis also showed off his Donald Trump impersonation during a sketch about the new branded sneakers that the former president announced during Sneaker Con in Philadelphia.
The comedian paid homage to his Pennsylvania roots by posing in SNL promotional photos wearing an Eagles hoodie and what appears to be a Ben Franklin costume.
The latest episode of SNL can be streamed now on Peacock. Next Saturday, actress Sydney Sweeney will host SNL alongside musical guest Kacey Musgraves.
Police in New Jersey are investigating after a shooting on Saturday night left three people wounded in a home in the Buckingham Park section of Willingboro Township.
According to police, the incident happened at about 8:15 p.m. on Saturday when officials were called to a home along the first block of Buttercup Lane in Willingboro Township.
Here, first responders found three men who were suffering from gunshot wounds, officials said.
All of the victims — who police officials have provided no further information on — were taken to a nearby hospital are are expected to survive, officials said.
No arrest have been made, but police officials said an investigation into the shooting is ongoing.
Anyone with information that might be helpful to detectives is asked to call the Willingboro Township Police Department’s tip line at 609-877-6958, or send an email to tips@co.burlington.nj.us.
LOS ANGELES — “Oppenheimer” continued to steamroll through Hollywood’s awards season on Saturday, winning the top prize, for outstanding cast, along with awards for Cillian Murphy and Robert Downey Jr., at the 30th Screen Actors Guild Awards.
As the Academy Awards draw closer, Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster biopic – already a winner at the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs – has increasingly looked like the run-away favorite. The SAG Awards, one of the most telling Oscar predictors, will only add to the momentum for “Oppenheimer,” the lead Academy Awards nominee with 13 nods.
The SAG Awards were streamed live on Netflix, a first for a major Hollywood award show. That made for some significant tweaks to the age-old traditions of such ceremonies. There were no ads. Profanity was permitted. (“Don’t say anything you wouldn’t say in front of Oprah,” said Idris Elba.) And winners were occasionally interviewed backstage by red-carpet co-host Tan France – sometimes awkwardly, sometimes charmingly.
The SAG Awards don’t always signify Oscar success. Two of the last five winners from the guild (“The Trial of the Chicago 7” and “Black Panther”) lost at the Academy Awards. But in the past two years, all five of the top SAG prizes – best ensemble and the four acting winners – have corresponded with the eventual Oscar winners, including the ensembles for “Everything Everywhere All at Once” and “CODA.”
That could mean the SAGs offered an Oscar preview in two of the closest contests: best actor and best actress.
The night’s most thrilling win went to Lily Gladstone for female actor in a leading role in Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon.” No category has been more hotly contested, with analysts evenly split between Gladstone and Emma Stone for “Poor Things.”
But Gladstone won Saturday and the crowd erupted. Stone, too, stood and vigorously applauded. More is riding on Gladstone than perhaps any other Oscar contender this year. Her win would be a first for Native Americans.
“We bring empathy into a world that so much needs it,” said Gladstone. “It’s so easy to distance ourselves. It’s so easy to close off, to stop feeling. And we all bravely keep feeling. And that humanizes people. That brings people out of the shadows. It brings visibility.”
Murphy and Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”) have also been seen as in a neck-and-neck contest. But Murphy has now won at the SAGs, the BAFTAs and Globes, suggesting he has the clear edge heading into the Academy Awards.
Downey Jr. and Da’Vine Joy Randolph each won for their supporting performances, likewise solidifying their status as Oscar favorites.
“Why me? Why now? Why do things seem to be going my way?” said Downey Jr., accepting his first SAG Award for a film performance. “Unlike my fellow nominees, I will never grow tired from the sound of my own voice.”
Randolph’s performance in Alexander Payne’s “The Holdovers” has been a breakthrough role for the 37-year-old actor. Now, she appears poised to win the Academy Award.
“To every actor out there still waiting in the wings for their chance, let me tell you: Your life can change in a day,” Randolph said. “It’s not a question of if but when. Keep going.”
After more than two decades airing on TNT and TBS to dwindling viewership, Netflix acquired telecast rights to the SAG Awards in early 2023. Netflix, a dominant force for years in awards season, turned host, too.
“Personally, I can’t wait to get home and have Netflix recommend this show to me based on all the other stuff that I watch myself in,” joked Idris Elba, the night’s de facto emcee.
The TV awards went largely to the same shows that have cleaned up at the Emmys and Golden Globes: “The Bear” (best comedy series ensemble, Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri ); “Beef” (Ali Wong, Steven Yeun); and the cast of “Succession.”
One exception was Pedro Pascal, who won best male actor in a drama series for “The Last of Us” over a trio of “Succession” stars.
“This is wrong for a number of reasons,” said a visibly stunned Pascal. “I’m a little bit drunk. I thought I could get drunk.”
This year’s SAG Awards follows a grueling months-long strike in which the SAG-AFTRA union fought a bitter battle over a number of issues. Much of the work stoppage was prompted over changes in the film and TV industry brought on by streaming and a sea change led by Netflix.
“Your solidarity ignited workers around the world, triggering what forever will be remember as ‘the hot labor summer,’” said Fran Drescher, president of SAG-AFTRA. “This was a seminal moment in our union’s history.”
The new streaming platform was sure to put even more of a spotlight on one of the most closely-watched predictors of the Academy Awards. Oscar voting wraps Tuesday.
Barbra Streisand held the audience in rapt attention while accepting a lifetime achievement award, presented by Jennifer Aniston and Bradley Cooper.
“I remember dreaming of being an actress as a teenager sitting in my bed in Brooklyn with a pint of coffee ice cream and a movie magazine,” said Streisand, who recalled being transfixed by “my first crush,” Marlon Brando.
Streisand also took a moment to celebrate the Jewish pioneers of Hollywood.
“Now I dream of a world where such prejudice is a thing of the past,” she said.
Saturday’s show was one of Netflix’s most significant forays yet into live streaming events. Netflix has previously hosted a live Chris Rock comedy special, a celebrity golf tournament and a live reunion “Love Is Blind” episode that was marred by technical difficulties. But Netflix is gearing up for more. On March 3, it will stream a live tennis event.
A Victory Parade Was Interrupted by Violence. Philly Know the Reality All Too Well.
The victory parade was all but complete in downtown Kansas City last Wednesday when gunfire erupted to the west of Union Station. Chiefs players turned their heads to the sound of multiple shots in the crowd.
When the chaos subsided, twenty-two people were shot, thirty-nine total injured, and one killed. The violence started when an argument in the crowd turned into violence. Two menhave been charged with second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon and two juveniles are also looking at gun-related and resisting arrest charges.
It’s a scenario that Philadelphia knows all too well.
Photo Courtesy of 6ABC
Five days before the Kansas City victory parade, and as a Temple Women’s basketball game was winding down not far away (a 59–55 victory over South Florida) gunfire erupted at Broad Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue around 5:00 P.M. near Temple’s Campus.
After the Kansas City incident, the Eagles offered support.
On Friday, the Eagles organization offered support to the Chiefs, releasing a statement “Our hearts ache for the victims, their families, the people of Kansas City, and the Chiefs organization,” said the statement. “We are grateful for law enforcement, first responders and all who acted swiftly in the face of danger to support others.”
No Building in America Had Seen More NCAA Basketball Games.
This March, you’ll see 64 screaming coaches, 768 college players, countless bands and cheerleaders, and over 67 games. When the NCAA tournament tips off nationally, Philadelphia’s Palestra will still hold the all-time record.
Located on the University of Pennsylvania Campus, right next to Hutchinson Auditorium, and the home of Philadelphia Big 5 Basketball, The Palestra is home to Penn Quaker’s Basketball, Volleyball, and Wrestling Teams.
The Palestra is the oldest college basketball arena still in use. The “Cathedral of Basketball” as it is known has played host to more games, more visiting teams, and more NCAA tournaments than any other basketball arena in college basketball in the United States.
Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons
Built in 1927 and named after an ancient greek term for gymnasium, The Palestra’s construction — which holds approximately 8,725 seats — was constructed of a steel-and-concrete “truss system” and is believed to be the first constructed without interior pillars blocking any view in the arena. World renowned for its close-to-the-court seating with the bleachers ending at the floor and with no barrier to separate the fans from the in-game action, The Palestra is one of the best places to see college basketball in the United States.
The “birthplace of American College Basketball” has hosted the East Regionals six times, the sub-regionals ten times, and 52 NCAA Tournament games.
During the 1996 PIAA Class AAAA State Eastern Final, the arena saw an amazing performance from one high schooler that led the game with 39 total points and would go on to help his team defeat Cathedral Prep in the State Championship Game.
Photo Courtesy of Wiki Commons
In the year 2000, The Palestra underwent a nearly $2 Million renovation that included some important historical architecture. The building now has a museum celebrating the history of Philadelphia basketball. As you enter the gymnasium — an honor to the St. Joseph’s Hawk mascot which has attended since 1956.
Between sections 210 and 211, a scoreboard honoring the 1971 Villanova and 1979 Penn exhilerating trips to the NCAA Final Four. Another highlights a listing of the Penn-Princeton rivalry.
That high school student who scored 39 points in the State Championship Game?
You may have heard of him. His name was Kobe Bryant.
On March 4, 2022, Kouri Richins says she found her husband, Eric Richins, unresponsive in their bed. First responders tried to save him, but it was too late for the father of three. Weeks later, police said Richins’ death was caused by an overdose of fentanyl. The grieving widow from Utah was arrested and charged with murder shortly after she wrote a children’s book to help their kids cope with grief.
In her first primetime interview, Kouri Richins’ mother, Lisa Darden, tells “48 Hours” contributor and “The Talk” co-host Natalie Morales that hours before Eric Richins was found unresponsive, the couple was celebrating a new house-flipping deal Kouri was working on. Kouri Richins told investigators she had made her husband a Moscow mule that night. But something didn’t sit right when the medical examiner ruled Eric Richins died from a lethal dose of fentanyl,according to his family’s spokesman, Greg Skordas.
“He wasn’t an opioid user … This doesn’t smell right,” says Skordas.
Kouri Richins was later arrested and charged with murder. Prosecutors allege she gave Eric Richins a lethal dose of fentanyl on the night of his death. Eric’s family suspects she placed the fentanyl in that Moscow mule.
“He told his family, ‘If I die, you need to take a look at her because I think she’s trying to kill me,’” Skordas tells Morales.
Kouri Richins maintains she’s innocent. Her attorney, Skye Lazaro, says prosecutors, “have to prove that she obtained drugs and gave them to her husband … And unless they can connect those dots, they’re gonna have a hard time proving murder in this case.”
A UTAH COUPLE’S CELEBRATION ENDS IN TRAGEDY
In the early morning hours of March 4, 2022, Lisa Darden was attempting to console her daughter, 31-year-old Kouri Richins.
Lisa Darden: She was spread out on the floor … just sobbing.
Kouri had just learned from emergency personnel that her husband Eric was dead.
Lisa Darden: She was tore up.
Her brothers Ronney and DJ were also there.
Ronney Darden: She is a complete wreck.
DJ: I just started crying.
According to Lisa, that night Kouri had poured Eric a drink to celebrate a new opportunity at her real estate business — the purchase of a mansion.
Lisa Darden: She told me she made him a Moscow mule.
That’s a drink made with vodka and ginger beer.
Lisa Darden: She said they went to bed about 9, 9:15, she went and laid with Ash. … Ashton, the 9-year-old has always had major nightmares. … And when she went back to get in her bed, he was cold. … she went to push on him, and he didn’t respond.
It was after 3 a.m., and Lisa says Kouri immediately called 911 and at the dispatcher’s instructions, performed CPR. When first responders arrived they started working on Eric – but it was too late.
Ronney Darden: It’s just unbelievable. You’re — you’re in shock that something like that, you know, could happen.
It was those first responders who initially suspected Eric had died of an aneurism. The father of three young sons was just 39.
Natalie Morales: How were the boys? Did the boys know what was happening?
Lisa Darden: They knew something was happening and … they could see the ambulances and cops coming in, very distraught.
Ronney Darden: They all just sat there … on the couch and just cried together.
The sad scene was a far cry from the happy family they once were.
Eric and Kouri Richins
Skye Lazaro
Kouri and Eric met in 2009 at a local Home Depot. Back then Kouri was a cashier. Eric worked in construction and was a frequent customer.
Ronney Darden: I heard that he wanted her number for a long time, is kind of afraid to go get it. So, he had to — have a friend run in and go get it from her.
Eric asked her out, and they hit it off.
Natalie Morales: When Kouri said I’m dating this guy, what did you think?
DJ: Uh, Kouri was terrified of me meeting him.
Natalie Morales: Oh, really?
DJ: Yeah.
Natalie Morales: Why?
DJ: Because I’m the big brother and —
Natalie Morales: Tough.
DJ: Yeah. Yeah.
But DJ and Ronney say Eric fit right in.
Ronney Darden: I thought he was a great guy.
In 2013, Kouri and Eric got married and had the boys – first Carter, then Ashton, and finally, Weston. Lisa says fatherhood came easily to Eric.
Lisa Darden: (He) taught those boys so much … They idolized their father, and he idolized the boys as well.
Kouri’s family got to know the Richins, including Eric’s two sisters Katie and Amy.
Ronney Darden: They’d come up, uh, for birthdays here and there. … We’re all very friendly.
Eventually Eric started a stone masonry business and Kouri started her own real estate company – buying houses, fixing them up, and selling them for profit. Greg Hall was her marketing director and good friend.
Greg Hall: Kouri had something that a lot of people don’t. A lot of times you find an individual that is intelligent, but no common sense or common sense and no intelligence. She had both. … She was a brilliant young lady.
Natalie Morales: How many houses would she have on average that she was working on or trying to flip
Lisa Darden: At one time?
Natalie Morales: Yeah.
Lisa Darden: I would say on average three.
Natalie Morales: So it was kind of a constant rotation —
Lisa Darden: Yes.
Natalie Morales: — of buying a home, fixing it up, selling it?
Lisa Darden: Yes.
And Eric’s business continued to flourish.
Lisa Darden: They both lived very well, and they both bought and spent what they wanted.
In their spare time, Eric loved to hunt, and together they traveled the world.
Natalie Morales: It sounds like on the surface, Eric and Kouri seem to have it all. Would you say that was so Lisa?
Lisa Darden: I would say that, yes.
Greg Skordas: I don’t know that I can even begin to overstate how close this family was … this was a huge loss
Greg Skordas is the spokesman for Eric’s family.
Greg Skordas: He was this beautiful son and — and brother … And to have that taken away from you, I — I can’t imagine much worse than that.
Eric Richins
Skye Lazaro
Not long after Eric’s funeral, an autopsy revealed the cause of his death. It wasn’t an aneurism — it was a lethal dose of fentanyl.
Greg Skordas: Fentanyl is many, many times more potent than oxys, and the other pain medications that we typically use. It’s a very dangerous drug.
But how did fentanyl get into Eric’s system? Kouri’s family believes his recreational drug use could be to blame. Nearly every day, they say, Eric would take a gummy with THC – the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana.
Ronney Darden: It was always just — just to relax at the end of the day.
And according to Ronney, Eric did not always get the gummies from reputable sources.
Ronney Darden: Just about every trip that I had been on with him, he’d buy just from someone off the street.
Lisa says Eric also sometimes took pain pills.
Lisa Darden: Hey, do you have any pain pills? Hey, can you call and get — or hook me up?
Greg Skordas: He certainly wasn’t an opioid or an illegal drug user.
Kouri’s family thinks Eric had taken something he didn’t know was laced with fentanyl, and that his death was a tragic accident. Eric’s family strongly disputes this claim.
Greg Skordas: He didn’t die of a self-inflicted drug overdose.
Eric’s family wondered if Kouri may have been involved.
Greg Skordas: They said … This doesn’t smell right. … No question the family thought that right from the beginning.
KOURI RICHINS CHARGED IN HER HUSBAND’S DEATH
In the months following her husband’s tragic passing, Kouri Richins struggled to find her footing on her own and to navigate life as a single mom.
Ronney Darden: Kouri was still completely distraught. … even now, she’s never had time to … grieve. … she’s doing her best to move on, she didn’t know of a way of doing that.
Kouri’s brother Ronney says it was also hard for the couples’ three young sons.
Ronney Darden: The boys, it’s so hard for them they lashed out a little bit because they couldn’t quite understand what was going on. … they needed some help and Kouri needed some help.
Eventually Kouri found a way to turn her grief into action.
In March 2023, one year after Eric’s death, Kouri came up with the idea to write that children’s book about coping with loss, ” Are You With Me?” She promoted it on a local TV show, “Good Things Utah.”
KOURI RICHINS | “Good Things Utah”: I just wanted some story to read to my kids at night … And so, you know, I was like, let’s just write one.
“Are You With Me?” by Kouri Richins
Amazon
The self-published book follows the story of a child who lost his father but is reminded his presence still exists all around.
In the book, Eric is portrayed as an angel who is always close by. “Yes, I am with you on Christmas,” Kouri writes, “You can’t see my smile but it’s there. I’m here, and we’re together.”
KOURI RICHINS | “Good Things Utah”: Like dad is still here, it’s just in a different way.
Kouri’s mother, Lisa, says writing the book was therapeutic.
Lisa Darden: I think the book was a great thing.
Natalie Morales: It helped them.
Lisa Darden: It helped them all.
Her family says it finally seemed as though Kouri and the boys would be able to move forward.
Ronney Darden: It seemed to make … the boys really happy.
While the family was working to get back on track, police had been investigating Eric’s death. And just weeks after Kouri’s appearance on TV to promote her book —
KUTV NEWS REPORT: New at 10. This has been a talker all day today … a Summit County woman who wrote a children’s book about coping with grief following her husband’s death … now accused of being the one that actually killed him.
On May 8, 2023, Kouri, the grieving wife, was now the prime suspect in her husband’s death.
Natalie Morales: You must have been in a panic
Lisa Darden: I was shocked. … She can’t be arrested.
Kouri was charged with aggravated murder and taken into custody. Court documents allege she “committed homicide” by the “administration of a poison.”
Greg Skordas, the spokesman for Eric’s family, suspects Kouri put a lethal dose of fentanyl in the drink she made Eric that night: the Moscow mule.
Greg Skordas: The dosage that he was given that night was of such a high level that no person could have survived it.
Skye Lazaro is her attorney.
Natalie Morales: Did police ever test the glass that she gave Eric this cocktail in?
Skye Lazaro: They seized a number of items from the home, uh, and there was no fentanyl that was found on any glassware.
Kouri’s family says they struggled to make sense of the charges. Kouri denies any involvement in her husband’s death.
Lisa Darden: For anybody who knows Kouri just knows … She could not have done this. … She’d never do this.
Eric and Kouri Richins
Skye Lazaro
Lisa says her daughter and son-in-law had a great relationship.
Lisa Darden: Nobody’s perfect, but they’re pretty close.
And like many couples that have disagreements, they were able to overcome their differences.
Lisa Darden: He didn’t want Kouri to work. He wanted her to be a stay-at-home mom and she’s very independent and that wasn’t going to happen.
Another issue, says Kouri’s brother Ronney, was the amount of time Eric spent away on hunting trips — sometimes four or five months a year.
Ronney Darden: It just kind of irked her. … because that … his biggest passion in life is hunting, and she might want him home a little bit more. And so, you know, they might get in a fight about that.
And then, according to Kouri’s mother Lisa, there was alleged infidelity on Eric’s part. She says she heard about it first from Kouri, and then from Eric.
Lisa Darden: It was a text about trust, how I trusted him as a son-in-law, as a father, as a husband. And how could he do this?
Kouri’s family says the couple went to counseling, determined to work through their issues. Skordas, who denies Eric ever cheated on Kouri, says Eric had a different reason for wanting to make his marriage work.
Greg Skordas: He was going to do whatever he could to make it work because he — he lived for those boys. He would have done anything for those boys. … let’s – let’s go to counseling. Let’s try to keep the family together.
Skordas says at one point Eric had considered divorce, but ultimately decided against it. He says to protect the boys in case the relationship didn’t work out, Eric put his estate into a secret trust — without telling Kouri — and named his sister Katie in charge. But in the months leading up to Eric’s death, Ronney says the couple seemed better than ever.
Natalie Morales: How were they doing as a couple, as a family?
Ronney Darden: Yeah, fantastic. They were, um, probably one of the best spots I’ve ever, seen them in in quite some time. … everyone is having fun, laughing, joking. You know, it’s — it seemed really great to me.
At the time of Eric’s death there were “at least six life insurance policies” on him, totaling nearly $3 million. Court documents allege that in January 2022, two months before Eric died, Kouri “forged Eric signature” to get yet another policy, worth an additional $100,000. Kouri is also accused in court documents of stealing from Eric’s personal accounts and “misappropriating monies distributed from Eric Richins’ business” dating back years.
According to Skordas, Kouri didn’t just want the money, she desperately needed it. Court documents allege her house flipping business was “drowning in nearly two million dollars of debt.”
Greg Skordas: She was in way over her head. … She needed some money in a hurry. … a significant amount of money.
Skordas says a premarital agreement stipulated Kouri had given up claim to Eric’s business assets “except that if Husband should die prior to Wife while the two are lawfully married.”
Greg Skordas: He was worth much more to her dead than divorced. … She felt … that there was easy money and fast money to be made by not having her husband around anymore.
Kouri Richins
Skye Lazaro
Kouri’s attorney Skye Lazaro strongly disputes any allegations her client forged Eric’s signature, mishandled finances or stole from Eric. As for the claim Kouri was in debt and needed the money, she says that’s simply not true.
Skye Lazaro: She was in the business of flipping houses … this is what they did.
Lazaro says taking on debt from lines of credit was part of how the business of flipping houses worked, and the money would be paid back when a home sold.
Skye Lazaro: It’s not as if she had all these conventional loans that she owed people money on it. … sure, it looks like a large number. But … We’re talking about business transactions with people who she … did business with.
Lisa Darden: Eric and Kouri sat down every month and did the bills together. At all times, Eric knew what was going in and what was coming out.
Lisa says Eric not only knew about the finances – but he was also very supportive of Kouri’s new business opportunities – like the purchase of the mansion they were celebrating the night he died.
Lisa Darden: Eric saying, “Let’s have a shot. Come on, let’s celebrate Kouri.”
It was that night, Skordas says, Eric’s family believes Kouri gave him the Moscow mule laced with fentanyl. And, he says, Eric’s family believes it wasn’t the first time Kouri had tried to poison her husband.
Greg Skordas: The time he died wasn’t the first time we believed that she tried to kill him.
ERIC RICHINS’ FAMILY CLAIMS KOURI TRIED TO POISON ERIC BEFORE
Just outside Salt Lake City, in the shadow of Utah’s Wasatch Mountains — home to famed ski resorts including Park City — is the property that Kouri Richins was planning on flipping. The deal she and Eric were celebrating the night he died, says her attorney, Skye Lazaro.
Skye Lazaro: It’s a decently good size home.
Lazaro showed “48 Hours” the nearly 10-acre estate.
Natalie Morales: Where are we? Give us a sense of why this is significant real estate.
Skye Lazaro: So this is the Heber Valley. Uh, right over the hill is Park City … all the major ski areas. Uh, and then to the right is Deer Creek reservoir. … So this really sits … between major recreational areas.
The Heber City, Utah, mansion.
CBS News
Natalie Morales: It looks ginormous.
Skye Lazaro: It’s massive.
The 20,000-square-foot mansion and its 4,000-square-foot guesthouse were originally built in 2017 but never finished. The project was abandoned for two years until Kouri discovered it.
Skye Lazaro: I think this … was kind of her dream when she got into this idea of flipping houses was to be able to do properties like this.
Lazaro says Kouri used financing from a group of investors to make an offer on the house for $3.9 million.
Skye Lazaro: The plan was to develop this, turn it into a recreational hotspot, given this is probably one of the most beautiful places in the world and … hopefully sell it at a profit.
Natalie Morales: How much did she think she could make off of this house?
Lisa Darden: Her and Eric sat down with an accountant one time, and he said, if you can get it done and stay under budget, you could walk away with $12 million.
Natalie Morales: Wow. … That’s a — that’s a big turn.
Lisa Darden: Yes.
Natalie Morales: From $3.9 to $12 million.
Lisa Darden: Yes.
Greg Hall worked with Kouri. He says it was a solid investment.
Greg Hall: There was a lot of excitement. I remember how excited she was. … it would’ve been a real easy flip. They wouldn’t have had to — to sit on that for long.
Natalie Morales: As far as you know, Eric was on board with this plan?
Lisa Darden: Oh, a hundred percent.
But that’s not what Eric’s family remembers, says their spokesman Greg Skordas.
Greg Skordas: I don’t think he was ever in favor of that … He was on board with supporting his wife. That doesn’t mean he agreed with it.
In fact, the house is mentioned in a legal filing, containing notes from an investigator who interviewed Eric’s family after his death. They said “Eric and his wife were arguing” about buying the property.
And that wasn’t all Eric’s family told investigators. According to that same filing, they made numerous allegations against Kouri, including that they suspected “his wife had something to do with his death. They advised he warned them that if anything happened to him… she was to blame.”
They also told investigators they believed Kouri had tried to poison Eric before, on two separate occasions.
According to the filing, Eric’s family said the first attempted poisoning was in 2019 when Eric and Kouri and six friends were on vacation in Greece. They said Eric became “violently ill” after Kouri “gave him a drink.” Ronney says he heard it was all a misunderstanding.
Ronney Darden: Eric was on medication and … that medication, you’re not allowed to drink on … he asked the waitress, uh, to bring a, a virgin drink, a drink without alcohol. … She didn’t do it and made him very, very sick. … Kouri called his doctor. Um, figured out what to do and … later that night he was back and — and fine. … everyone that was there will tell you the exact same thing.
According to that same filing, the second time Eric’s family said Kouri tried to poison Eric was the month before Eric died, on Valentine’s Day 2022. They said, “his wife brought him a sandwich, which after one bite Eric broke into hives and couldn’t breathe.” Kouri’s family denies she ever tried to poison him.
Ronney Darden: They ordered a sandwich, and the sandwich was bad.
Skye Lazaro: He went and took a nap and then went and coached one of his child’s games.
Skye Lazaro: Aside from an assertion … by the family, uh, there doesn’t seem to be anything else out there that supports that.
Eric’s family also called into question Kouri’s behavior following her husband’s death.
According to court documents, Eric’s family told investigators two days after Eric died, Kouri punched Eric’s sister Amy “in the neck and face” when Amy tried to stop her from opening a safe they said contained “between $125,000 and $165,000 cash.”
Ronney Darden: There was an argument that broke out. … and … Eric’s sister said that she owns the house. … everything is put into a trust, and she owns the house.
Remember, Eric had created that trust — and kept it secret from Kouri — when they were going through those marital problems. Until Eric’s death, Kouri knew nothing about the trust, according to court documents.
Ronney Darden: If Eric had any sort of documents, he’d have them in the safe … So, she went in to go, see what was in there. … Amy came after Kouri, and then, you know, Kouri defended herself.
DJ: The two of them started pushing and … I was standing in the middle of them. … All they did was push. Both of them were trying to swing over the top of me. … So the narrative that’s been pushed that it was — poor Amy got assaulted was nonsense.
The brothers say Amy stormed off and called the police. A month later Kouri was charged with assault and later pleaded no contest.
Skye Lazaro: Her husband’s just passed away, she’s highly emotional. Everybody is —
Natalie Morales: Mm-hmm.
Skye Lazaro: — highly emotional. … things got a little heated between them.
Two families. Two very different stories about what they believe happened to Eric. But with accusations flying back and forth, what did the evidence show?
Skye Lazaro: The state has to prove … that she did this, that she got the drugs and that she somehow gave them to him.
Greg Skordas: She had apparently … contacted a drug dealer, a known drug dealer in that area, and purchased fentanyl and had, uh — done it on more than one occasion.
KOURI RICHINS IN COURT: BAIL HEARING BRINGS FIRST LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE
In June 2023, Kouri Richins appeared in court before Judge Richard Mrazik for a bond hearing.
JUDGE RICHARD MRAZIK: The issue before the court is whether defendant Kouri Richins should continue to be held without bail during the pre-trial period.
It was the first time since Richins had been charged in her husband’s death that the public got to see her. And for the entire four-hour hearing, she sat in handcuffs next to her attorney, Skye Lazaro.
Skye Lazaro: I cannot imagine how difficult it was for Kouri to sit there and listen to everything that was talked about at that hearing.
Kouri Richins looks on during a bail hearing on June 12, 2023, in Park City, Utah.
AP Photo/Rick Bowmer
To convince the judge why Richins should not be released, prosecutors Patricia Cassell, Brad Bloodworth, and Joseph Hill presented evidence and called witnesses to make their case Richins had poisoned her husband. It had all the elements of a mini trial.
Skye Lazaro: In order for the judge to make a determination to detain someone at a bail hearing, the state has to prove substantial evidence.
Prosecutor Joseph Hill called to the stand cellphone expert Chris Kotodrimos.
He asked him about Google searches he says Richins made on her phone.
JOSEPH HILL (in court): Were you able to observe, uh, Internet searches on that phone?
CHRIS KOTODRIMOS: Yes.
Those searches – which were detailed in court documents – included:
Can deleted text messages be retrieved from an iPhone?
Can FBI find deleted messages?
What is a lethal dose of fentanyl?
Skye Lazaro: I don’t know that these searches mean as much when you look at the timing of when they’re done.
Lazaro says there’s an innocent explanation: those searches were conducted after Eric’s death.
Skye Lazaro: I think it’s more to answer questions relating to what she was being accused of.
The state also called to the stand the lead the investigator on the case Detective Jeff O’Driscoll.
DET. O’DRISCOLL (in court): I was assigned to be the lead — the lead detective in this case in April of this year.
Prosecutor Bloodworth questioned Detective O’Driscoll about where Richins may have gotten fentanyl. He specifically asked about an interview the detective conducted with Carmen Lauber, who said she worked for Richins. She’s referred to as C.L.
DET. O’DRISCOLL (in court): C.L. is an associate of the defendant. Uh, she cleaned houses for the defendant’s business, as well as her personal home at times.
Detective O’Driscoll said C.L had a criminal history with drugs. At the time of their interview she was on probation for multiple drug distribution charges, according to court records. She has not been charged in connection with Eric’s death.
DET. O’DRISCOLL (in court): in our interview C.L. told us that in early 2022, the defendant reached out to her either by phone call or text message requesting that she procure fentanyl for what the defendant reported was a investor who had a back injury.
Detective O’Driscoll testified that C.L. told him she purchased 15-30 fentanyl pills and then sold them to Richins.
DET. O’DRISCOLL (in court): C.L. told us that after purchasing the pills she returned home … she said that either later that night or the next day, the defendant met her … and did a hand-to-hand exchange of pills for cash.
That transaction, says Detective O’Driscoll, took place on Feb. 11, 2022 – three days before Valentine’s Day – when, according to court documents, Eric’s family said Richins had tried and failed to poison Eric with that sandwich. But there was more.
BRAD BLOODWORTH: (in court) We’re gonna now shift … to a second drug buy
Detective O’Driscoll said C.L. told him Richins contacted her again approximately a week later.
DET. O’DRISCOLL (in court): The defendant reached out to her again by text or, or call and said that she wanted some more fentanyl that was stronger than the previous batch.
This time, Detective O’Driscoll said, C.L. told him Richins paid by check.
DET. O’DRISCOLL (in court): The defendant came to the door and wrote her a check from her business, from the defendant’s business for $1,300 for the purchase of the fentanyl.
Just a week later, Eric was dead.
Skye Lazaro: We dispute all of those allegations.
In her cross-examination, Lazaro asked Detective O’Driscoll if there could have been another reason for that $1,300 check.
SKYE LAZARO (in court): It could very well be that Kouri was paying her for cleaning houses, correct?
DET. O’DRISCOLL: I don’t wanna speculate, but —
SKYE LAZARO: It could be.
DET. O’DRISCOLL: It’s possible.
SKYE LAZARO: Despite what C.L. said? Correct? OK.
Lazaro says because Carmen Lauber is a convicted felon she’s not credible.
Skye Lazaro: She … was on probation at the time. I think anytime you have an informant-type situation … it can call into question the veracity of their statements or the motive for what they’re saying.
In her cross-examination of Detective O’Driscoll, Lazaro attempted to show how C.L. might have felt pressure to tell investigators what they wanted to hear.
SKYE LAZARO (in court): You begin the interview by explaining to C.L. essentially how dire of a situation she’s in, correct?
DET. O’DRISCOLL: I don’t have the interview memorized, but I know we talked about that. Yes.
SKYE LAZARO: OK. Well, you told her that she was on probation to drug court for four first-degree felonies, correct?
DET. O’DRISCOLL: Correct.
SKYE LAZARO: You essentially tell her that she has the potential of doing a considerable amount of state and federal prison time, potentially.
DET. O’DRISCOLL: Yes. This is a common tactic in law enforcement to be able to leverage charges for information.
Lazaro also asked the detective what evidence there was to back up C.L.’s claims that she had sold fentanyl to Richins.
SKYE LAZARO (in court): Because C.L.’s working for the defendant there’s communication, correct?
DET. O’DRISCOLL: Correct.
But Detective O’Driscoll said he saw no text messages where Richins allegedly asks C.L. for drugs.
DET. O’DRISCOLL (in court): We didn’t find any.
SKYE LAZARO: Was anyone with her that could corroborate that she saw C.L. hand Kouri drugs?
DET. O’DRISCOLL: Not that I know of.
“48 Hours” attempted to contact C.L. for comment; we received no response.
Skye Lazaro: They have to prove that she obtained drugs and gave them to her husband.
Skye Lazaro: And unless they can connect those dots, they’re gonna have a hard time proving murder in this case.
BOMBSHELL LETTER FOUND IN KOURI RICHINS’ CELL
As Kouri Richins’ bond hearing came to a close, her attorney Skye Lazaro was hopeful her client would be granted bail.
Skye Lazaro: This is a case in which there doesn’t appear to be any smoking gun. These cases are generally more favorable to the defense.
The prosecution closed its case to deny Richins bail with a victim impact statement from Eric’s sister, Amy.
AMY RICHINS (in court): I’m here today to represent my brother, Eric Eugene Richins. … Eric is gone and I am brokenhearted. … None of our lives will ever be the same. Eric died under horrendous circumstances. I am tormented at the thought of what he endured … Please do not allow Kouri to hurt Eric’s memory, our family, friends, and community anymore. We have been through enough.
Judge Richard Mrazik spent very little time making his decision: Richins would remain in custody.
JUDGE RICHARD MRAZIK: The circumstances of this case weigh soundly against granting pre-trial release of any kind.
Richins’ family was disappointed. They say her time in jail while waiting for her trial has taken its toll.
Lisa Darden: I hear her on the phone. I hear her sobbing.
Kouri Richins appears in court for her bail hearing.
AP Newsroom
In September 2023, Richins’ family says, she had a medical emergency in custody while taking prescription medication and needed to be rushed to the hospital.
Natalie Morales: What did she say happened to her?
Lisa Darden: That they gave her the wrong medicine… and it caused a seizure.
Richins made a full recovery. But while she was away, jail officials say they found a handwritten letter in her cell that was never sent. The document, later filed in the court record, has become known for the words scrawled at the top of the page: “Walk the Dog.” Prosecutors say it’s from Richins to her mother.
Lisa Darden: I take care of her 16-year-old dog.
Natalie Morales: Mm-hmm.
Lisa Darden: And her thing is, be sure you walk Har. … She’s so worried about this dog.
The “Walk the Dog” letter found in Kouri Richins’ jail cell.
Summit County Court
In November 2023, prosecutors filed this motion asking the court for a no contact order to deny Richins access to her mother and brother. In the motion, they say the letter “is evidence of witness tampering.” They say Richins gives her mother instructions on what her brother, Ronney, should say in court.
“The letter instructs Lisa Darden to induce the Defendant’s brother, Ronald Darden … to testify falsely,” the motion states.
Greg Skordas: To me, this letter is an attempt to get a witness to testify to something that isn’t true by spoon feeding… the witness the testimony that he’s supposed to give.
In the letter, Richins writes that her defense will need to establish that Eric bought drugs while traveling abroad:
“We need some kind of connection … Here is what I’m thinking but you have to talk to Ronney. He would probably have to testify to this.”
Natalie Morales: In the letter, it appears that she’s laying out a little bit of her defense … for example … your name is brought up. Eric told Ronney he gets pain pills and fentanyl from Mexico.
Natalie Morales : … almost like she is laying out — a case —
Ronney Darden: Mm-hmm.
Natalie Morales: — saying tell Ronney.
Richins goes on to write:
“Ronney should have texts from Eric talking about getting high as well … reword this however he needs to, to make the point, just include it all. The connection has to be made with Mexico and drugs.”
Natalie Morales: Is she giving you instruction in this letter
Lisa Darden: I don’t know. I don’t know one way or another.
Ronney Darden: Um, most of that, unfortunately, I can’t speak about.
Lisa Darden: The things that are in the letter are true things and everybody who’s — who’s in her circle already knew this.
But Kouri has a different explanation. She says the letter is fiction. In separate phone calls from jail – that were recorded and later entered into the court record – she told her mother and Ronney that the letter was part of a book she’s been writing and that it’s private.
The judge denied the motion for no contact, saying the state had failed to prove witness tampering.
Skye Lazaro: It isn’t witness tampering, ’cause it didn’t go anywhere and it was never communicated to anyone.
As the families wait for the trial, they say their focus is on Eric and Kouri’s three sons.
Greg Skordas: The family is concerned about the boys.
Lisa Darden: That’s the main focus. The boys. That’s who’s important here right now.
Both families say they hope to gain custody. The boys are currently living with a member of Eric’s family. Lisa says they’re only allowed to speak to their mother twice a week on a video call.
Lisa Darden: It’s just heart-wrenching as to what they’re going through.
Lisa, Ronney and DJ have been denied private visits with the kids, but Lisa says she does what she can to support them, and attends all their sports practices.
Lisa Darden: And the reason I can do that, it’s a public place. … I can’t be stopped from going there. I still get to see them. I still get a hug and kiss, and that keeps me going.
Besides the criminal case, which could carry a sentence of 25 years to life, there are multiple ongoing civil cases regarding the fate of Eric’s estate. Both sides believe the other is after the money.
Natalie Morales: Both families are concerned about the boys.
Greg Skordas: You could say that. You could say that. I wouldn’t. … we believe that the defendant’s family’s concerned about the money that they can get.
Lisa Darden: Whoever ends up with the boys ends up with the money. … That’s all they want. It’s not right.
Until that’s resolved, both families are waiting for the trial to start, and are hoping for a verdict that delivers their version of justice.
Natalie Morales: What is the family doing to stay strong now?
Greg Skordas: You know, the family has the family, they have each other … they feel like the state has put together a good case and … they’re going to stay united and — and support each other no matter what happens in this case.
Ronney Darden: She’s innocent. She’s been thrown in jail over something that she hasn’t committed.
Natalie Morales: Are you both confident that Kouri will be found not guilty, Lisa?
Lisa Darden: I am, a hundred percent.
DJ: A hundred percent, she’ll be out.
Kouri Richins is expected to go on trial in 2025.
Produced by Betsy Shuller. Ryan Smith and Elena DiFiore are the development producers. Emma Steele is the field producer. Marcus Balsam Michael Vele and Phil Tangel are the editors. Anthony Batson is the senior producer. Nancy Kramer is the executive editor. Judy Tygard is the executive producer.
Natalie Morales is a CBS News correspondent and “48 Hours” contributor based in Los Angeles. An award-winning journalist and anchor, Morales is also a host of CBS’ Daytime Emmy-winning talk show “The Talk.”
(NEXSTAR) – Between the entertaining videos, the chance of a life hack-style discovery, and the confident delivery from self-described experts, finding advice on TikTok is both enjoyable and e fraught with risk, experts say.
“TikTok is filled with tax advice that has just enough truth to be dangerous and a lot of it seems to have to do with business tax deductions and credits,” tax attorney Adam Brewer with AB Tax Law told Nexstar.
Section 179
From new boats to luxury vehicles, you can find numerous TikTok videos describing how to write off high-dollar purchases under Section 179 of the IRS tax code.
“Section 179 of the tax code allows business taxpayers to deduct the cost of certain property as an expense when the property is first placed in service,” according to the IRS.
Unfortunately, it’s not quite as simple as some of the videos make it seem.
“The part that they all forget is that it has to be ordinary and necessary for your business,” Joshua Youngblood, a senior tax advisor with The Youngblood Group, told Nexstar. “Simply being an influencer, buying a G-Wagon to you know, drive around in, is not ordinary and necessary for a business.”
Despite not qualifying for IRS rules on expenses for trade or business (Code 162), Youngblood says he sees people set up LLCs and run their expenses through it “all the time.”
Hiring your children as employees?
Parents may be the boss at home, but they could run into trouble if they treat their children like actual employees come tax time.
“Another good example of just-enough-truth-to-be-dangerous videos is the idea of hiring your children as employees of your business and then paying them just enough so that they won’t be taxed while you get the tax deduction,” Brewer said. “It’s true you can hire your children to work for your business and there can even be tax savings and an opportunity to save money for your children. What the videos rarely, if ever, mention is that all business expenses must be ordinary and necessary.”
Plainly put, if someone’s 6-year-old and 8-year-old are making an amount that far exceeds what is “ordinary and necessary,” mom or dad risk an audit that could come with back taxes and penalties, plus interest.
Employee Retention Credit fallout
The pandemic-era Employee Retention Credit, which was crafted to help employers keep paying workers if COVID-19 had partially or fully shut down the business was quickly targeted by scammers.
“We are seeing the consequences in real time with Employee Retention Credit (ERC),” Brewer told Nexstar. “During the pandemic many businesses claimed the ERC based on videos they saw on social media. Now the IRS is auditing businesses and clawing back the funds for those businesses that weren’t eligible, but received funds.”
In many cases, crooks took advantage of the complex rules charging business owners money to file for a credit that they didn’t actually qualify for.
“The problem is so widespread the IRS even implemented a Voluntary Disclosure Program (ERC-VDP) to allow businesses to return 80% of the funds in exchange for not being audited or charged penalties and interest,” Brewer said.
The Augusta Rule
Not unlike trying to pad a tax refund with one’s children, the self-described tax experts on social media have another popular piece of advice – rent your home to your business to write it off.
“It’s true you can earn rental income from your home under the Augusta Rule – named after Augusta, Georgia, home of the Masters golf tournament,” Brewer said. “Yes, you can earn income tax free from renting your home up to 14 days per year.”
Following the theme, TikTok videos often mention a real rule, but suggest using it in a way that wouldn’t pass an audit.
“These videos take it a step further and have your own business paying you rent and then deducting it as a business expense,” Brewer said. “Again, if it is not ‘ordinary and necessary’ for your business to rent your home for up to 14 days, then you are at risk of an audit and paying back the tax, plus penalties and interest.”
To file a tax return that way, there would be some record of payment that could be used in an audit, Youngblood points out.
“It’s like this big thing of trying to look smart shifting numbers from here to there, but somewhere, some entity, even if he owns the entity, is going to have to declare it,” Youngblood said.
Youngblood added that he hopes the IRS eventually starts cracking down on unscrupulous tax advisors and social media misinformation.
“You shouldn’t be putting out some of this erroneous information on social media because the average person out there comes across this and they think they found something that they can rely on, because it comes from what they perceived to be a professional and then they do it,” Youngblood said. “And then you know, somewhere down the line, they get in trouble.
