In the news
■ Brian Beals, a 57-year-old Chicago man, said he was “ready to begin life again” after his conviction was vacated and murder charge dismissed after spending 35 years in prison for a crime he didn’t commit.
■ Henry Holterman, a Dutch businessman, said that he felt “these works belong in the museum” as a pair of small portraits by Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn went on display at the Netherlands’ national art and history museum after being in a private collection for almost 200 years.
■ Courtney Larson, senior director of marketing for Doritos, said “when one of the most innovative flavor leaders in the world reaches out to you, you take notice” as the snack chip teams up with Copenhagen-based Empirical Spirits to release nacho-cheese flavored liquor.
■ Indhu Rubasingham, currently operating the Kiln Theatre in north London, said that it was “a huge honor” as Britain’s National Theatre announced her as the latest artistic director of the premier public stage company.
■ Sergey Vladimirovich Ochigava, a Russian man, pleaded not guilty to being a stowaway on an aircraft after a complaint filed by the FBI said he flew on a plane from Denmark to Los Angeles in November without a passport or ticket and told U.S. authorities he didn’t remember how he got through European security.
■ Mandy Benn was sentenced to two consecutive 35-year prison sentences for causing the deaths of two Michigan bicyclists who had been hit while they were taking part in a charity ride in western Michigan.
■ Simon Paul and Travis John Branson were charged with shooting about 3,600 birds, including bald and golden eagles, as prosecutors said they “sold the eagles on the black market for significant sums of cash across the United States and elsewhere.”
■ Aislinn Maestas, spokeswoman for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, is hoping that an endangered Mexican wolf captured last weekend will “show interest in one [mate] or the other” as the agency houses them at a facility in central New Mexico.
■ Cait Corrain, a debut author with her book “Crown of Starlight,” admitted to making fake accounts to leave positive ratings on her forthcoming novel on the website Goodreads while using them to sabotage others as she said she “bombed the ratings of several fellow debut authors.”