Man Accused of Shooting Louisville Police Officers Pleads Not Guilty

Wildfires Taint West Coast Vineyards With Taste of Smoke

TURNER, Ore.—Smoke from the West Coast wildfires has tainted grapes in some of the nation’s most celebrated wine regions with an ashy flavor that could spell disaster for the 2020 vintage. Wineries in California, Oregon, and Washington have survived severe wildfires before, but the smoke from this year’s blazes has been especially bad—thick enough to obscure vineyards drooping with clusters of grapes almost ready for harvest. Day after day, some West Coast cities endured some of the worst air quality in the world. No one knows the extent of the smoke damage to the crop, and growers are trying to assess the severity. If tainted grapes are made into wine without steps to minimize the harm or weed out the damaged fruit, the result could be wine so bad that…

The man accused of shooting two police officers during rioting in Louisville this week pleaded not guilty during a court appearance on Friday.

Larynzo Johnson appeared in an orange jumpsuit Friday morning and only spoke when the judge asked if he understood the charges. He replied that he did.

Bond was set at $1 million.

The judge appointed a public defender to represent Johnson at his next court date set for Oct. 5.

Johnson, 26, was arrested several hours after he allegedly opened fire near South Brook and East College streets on Wednesday evening.

“Last night’s situation could have been so much worse for our officers and for the people who were protesting when the gunfire rang out,” Interim Police Chief Rob Schroeder said at a press briefing about the unrest in Louisville.

Police officers guard the location near where two officers were shot in Louisville, Ky., on Sept. 23, 2020. (Bryan Woolston/Reuters)

Major Aubrey Gregory, who was leading the police response on the ground, was treated and released from the hospital for a gunshot wound to his hip. Officer Robinson Desroches was struck in the abdomen and required surgery. He was in stable condition, officials said.

“We are extremely fortunate these two officers will recover,” Schroeder said.

On Thursday, officers applauded as Gregory walked into a roll call less than 24 hours after being shot. He is not back to full duty yet.

Johnson faces two counts of first-degree assault and 14 counts of wanton endangerment.

It’s possible more charges are added later.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

Focus News: Man Accused of Shooting Louisville Police Officers Pleads Not Guilty

DOJ: More Than 300 Charged With Crimes Committed Near or at Protests Since May

More than 300 people have been charged for committing crimes “adjacent to or under the guise of peaceful demonstrations since the end of May,” the Department of Justice announced Thursday. The crimes were committed in 29 states and Washington, authorities said. Assaulting a law enforcement officer, attempted murder, arson, and damaging federal property are among the charges filed. Approximately 80 people have been charged with offenses relating to arson and explosives; 15 have been charged with damaging federal property. Rioters inflicted millions of dollars of damage to city and federal property across the United States in recent months, including the Minneapolis Police Department’s Third Precinct, the Nashville City Hall in Tennessee, and the聽Mark O. Hatfield Courthouse, a federal building, in Portland, Oregon. Criminals have also targeted small and big businesses,…