Capitol Rioter Gets 8 Months, ‘Scarlet Letter’ + Bravo, Bartender

ACROSS AMERICA — The first of hundreds of defendants in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol siege was sentenced Monday after his attorney asked for leniency, arguing that regardless of the punishment, it “will pale in comparison to the scarlet letter” he’ll wear for the rest of his life.

Paul Allard Hodgkins, 38, of Tampa, Florida, will spend eight months in prison and 24 after that on supervised release. The sentence is far below federal sentencing guidelines calling for a prison sentence of 15 to 21 months; prosecutors recommended he spend 18 months behind bars.

His attorney, Patrick Leduc, argued that Hodgkins’ case “is the story of a man who for just one hour on one day lost his bearings, who made a fateful decision to follow the crowd.

“He got swept up like everybody else, got caught in the moment and followed the crowd." Read the full story on Tampa, Florida, Patch

Bravo For The Bartender

It was no secret that the drinks bartender T.J. Capobianco mixed at a popular Jersey City restaurant hit the right notes. Then a couple of his customers in an outdoor dining area recognized him as a tenor for the Metropolitan Opera and asked if he’d mind sharing his powerful voice.

He did. People at the restaurant and on the street craned their necks to see who was singing. Applause rang out, and Capobianco gave a bashful bow of appreciation.

"No one's ever stopped me like that or asked for my picture," Capobianco said. "It was really nice to be noticed in that way and know that people are still finding a way to appreciate the arts." Read the full story on Jersey City, New Jersey, Patch

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Quotable

"I wish these turtles would bite, as they're capable of doing."

— South Carolina United Turtle Enthusiasts on Facebook after receiving reports of people harassing, photographing and riding a turtle trying to lay her eggs, via Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, Patch

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