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4m4 minutes ago
JUST IN: Virginia lt. governor removed from leadership position in governors group after sexual assault claims
BOOOOOOOOM!
R. Kelly Judge Meets Him Halfway … Gets Studio Hours Extended
2/8/2019 11:37 AM PST
https://www.tmz.com/2019/02/07/r-kelly-chicago-studio-building-violations-late-hours-request/
2/8 11:33 AM PT – It seems as though Kelly has already complied with the court's demand to remove the bed.
2/8 – The judge agreed to meet him in the middle – he has extended the working hours for the first-floor studio space from 9 AM-9 PM.
Kelly's also been ordered to remove the mattress immediately.
R. Kelly's attorney, Melvin Sims, tells TMZ that they are pleased with the outcome, but still "concerned with the restriction and limitation of any recording artist's ability to create music and ply their trade in a private studio, to certain hours of the day, particularly through the use of local ordinances."
The case has been continued until May 2.
R. Kelly wants back in his studio, and he wants to work late-night hours – 'cause that's when his creative juices flow the best … according to new legal docs.
The singer filed paperwork in Chicago Thursday as part of his building code violations case asking a judge to give him access to his studio during the wee hours of the night. According to the docs – obtained by TMZ – Kelly wants access to the space between the hours of 8 PM to 7 AM.
Kelly says it's during those hours when he puts in the best work on his music, just like a lot of big artists in and around Chi-Town. He also lists this schedule as his employees' normal working hours.
In the docs, obtained by TMZ, R. Kelly doesn't spell it out specifically, but we've been told by sources close to the singer that he sometimes spends up to 15 hours in his studio … and needs a place to crash – hence the bed that was there as of Wednesday when city officials did a follow-up inspection to Thursday's hearing.
These are photos taken from inside R. Kelly's studio, and as you can tell … there's still a bed inside that hasn't been removed. City officials attached this photo as evidence that R. Kelly is using the space as a residence, even though he says he's removed most of his other belongings since the city's January raid
A city inspection showed a number of personal items were being stored inside the studio, including clothes, a massage table, couches, an entertainment set and other miscellaneous items. There was even a full bathroom that'd been installed, shower included.
The building's landlord was facing heavy fines for each of the violations – which ranged between $500 and $1,000 for each day the violation went unaddressed, adding up to staggering amounts in the tens of thousands. Sources close to R. Kelly tell us he helped the landlord pay off some of those fines.
R. Kelly had already been instructed that he could only use the studio for recording during business hours – 9 AM to 5 PM.
A judge continued the case and is expected to officially weigh in Friday.
Originally Published – 2/7/2019 11:44 AM PST
U.S. sues Lockheed, others for alleged kickbacks on nuclear site cleanup
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States has sued Lockheed Martin Corp, Lockheed Martin Services Inc, and Mission Support Alliance LLC, as well as a Lockheed executive for alleged false claims and kickbacks on a multibillion-dollar contract to clean up a nuclear site, the Justice Department said on Friday.
The complaint alleges Lockheed paid more than $1 million to Mission Support Alliance executives in order to win a $232 million subcontract for providing management and technology support at the Hanford, Washington site from 2010 through the middle of 2016 at inflated rates.
It also says the defendants lied about the amount of profit included in Lockheed’s billing rates.
A Lockheed Martin spokeswoman denied the allegations, saying the company “rejects the suggestion that the corporation or its executives engaged in any wrongdoing. Lockheed Martin will defend this matter vigorously.”
At the time, MSA was owned by Lockheed Martin Integrated Technology LLC, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., and Centerra Group. It awarded the subcontract to Lockheed’s technology group without competition, according to the Justice Department.
The large 586-square mile Hanford nuclear site in southern Washington, established during World War Two to produce plutonium, is considered the biggest environmental cleanup in U.S. history. It is administered by the Department of Energy, Environmental Protection Agency and the state of Washington.
Reporting by Lisa Lambert and Mike Stone; editing by Chris Reese
Our Standards:The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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12m12 minutes ago
McCabe accuses Trump of acting like a mob boss: He offered me protection in exchange for loyalty http://hill.cm/EDMo7CJ
Oh hell here we go