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Minnesota moving to fortify state status as abortion refuge

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota is moving to fortify its status as a refuge for patients from restrictive states who travel to the state to seek abortions — and to protect providers who serve them.The state House on Monday passed a bill by a 68-62 vote to prohibit enforcement in Minnesota of laws, subpoenas, judgements or extradition requests from other states against people who get, perform or assist with abortions in Minnesota. The Senate version passed its first committee test last week. The House lead author, Democratic Rep. Esther Agbaje, of Minneapolis, said at a news conference before the debate that a prime example of what supporters are worried about is a Texas law that deputizes individuals to enforce their state’s strict restrictions by allowing them to sue to anyone who helps a patient obtain an abortion elsewhere. Democratic House Majority Leader Jamie Long, of Minneapolis, said the bill is needed because Texas-style legislation has been introduced in several sta...

Missouri to restrict gender-affirming care for minors

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri’s Republican attorney general on Monday said he will limit access to gender-affirming care for minors, sidestepping the GOP-led Senate as it struggles to pass a law banning the practice completely. As hundreds of activists rallied at the Capitol to pressure lawmakers to act on the bill, Attorney General Andrew Bailey announced plans to file an emergency rule. The rule will require an 18-month waiting period, 15 hour-long therapy sessions and treatment of any mental illnesses before Missouri doctors can provide that kind of care to transgender children, according to Bailey’s office. The emergency rule also requires disclosure of information about puberty blocker drugs, including that they are experimental, not approved by the FDA and that the FDA has warned they can lead to brain swelling and blindness, Bailey said.While puberty blockers and hormones often prescribed in transgender treatment are not FDA approved for transgender care, they are...

CN Rail and Unifor reach tentative collective agreements

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

MONTREAL — CN Rail and Unifor say they have reached new tentative collective agreements for around 3,000 workers across Canada.The union said in a press release that the four collective agreements cover CN employees in several roles across the country.Details of the agreements will not be released until they have been ratified by the members. Negotiations broke down in February after several months of bargaining, with workers backing a strike in early March. Unifor national president Lana Payne said in a statement that the negotiations were fraught with challenges. She says the union was able to stand up to CN thanks to solid support from the workers. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 20, 2023.Companies in this story: (TSX:CNR)The Canadian Press

2nd officer in inmate’s fatal beating gets same 20-year term

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The second of three former correctional officers sentenced in the fatal beating of a state inmate received a 20-year prison term Monday, the same as a co-conspirator despite a judge’s declaration he could have stopped the attack as the senior officer.U.S. District Judge Sue Myerscough sentenced Todd Sheffler, a 54-year-old former correctional lieutenant, on two federal civil rights violations and various other counts for the attempted cover up of the brutal beating of Larry Earvin on May 17, 2018. The federal government had sought a life sentence. Sheffler’s lawyers had asked for 2 1/2 years for the beating of Earvin, 65, as the prisoner was being transferred to a segregation unit at Western Illinois Correctional Center in Mount Sterling. In an emotional statement in court, Sheffler fumbled with shackled hands and wiped tears from his eyes with a tissue. He said he accepted responsibility “for what I did or didn’t do” that caused EarvinR...

Supreme Court seems split in Navajo Nation water rights case

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court seemed split Monday as it weighed a dispute involving the federal government and the Navajo Nation’s quest for water from the drought-stricken Colorado River.States that draw water from the river — Arizona, Nevada and Colorado — and water districts in California that are also involved in the case urged the justices to rule against the tribe. Colorado says siding with the Navajo Nation will undermine existing agreements and disrupt the management of the river.But, arguing on behalf of the Navajo Nation, attorney Shay Dvoretzky told the justices that the tribe’s current water request is modest. The “relief that we are seeking here is an assessment of the nation’s needs and a plan to meet them,” he said.Arguing on behalf of the Biden administration, attorney Frederick Liu said that if the court were to side with the Navajo Nation, the federal government could face lawsuits from many other tribes. Four of the court’s justices, including its three libe...

Looking to avoid the Kennedy Expressway construction? Here's what you should know

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

CHICAGO — A major years-long construction project on the Kennedy Expressway in Chicago is expected to cause extensive delays.Starting on Monday night, the Illinois Department of Transportation will close the two left-hand inbound lanes of the Kennedy Expressway from the Edens Expressway to Ohio Street. FULL DETAILS: Kennedy Expressway construction project to last 3 years, cost $150M and begins in March It will take about a week for the full configuration to get into place.The express lanes will stay open to inbound traffic until this year’s repairs are done.If you're looking to avoid some frustration and getting stuck in the delays, there are some things you can do to try to avoid the delays. Kennedy Expressway construction project to begin Monday The Illinois Department of Transportation said drivers should consider traveling at off-peak times and avoid rush hour.IDOT also said motorists should consider taking public transportation.Some options include the Metra Union Pacific N...

Vernon Hills mother attempted to save neighbor before apartment fire death, family says

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

VERNON HILLS, Ill. -- An apartment fire in Vernon Hills Sunday claimed the lives of two, including a woman who has left a mother and son behind.Family members have identified 33-year-old Camille Lonzano as one of the victims who died at a Vernon Hills apartment building early Sunday morning."She was very strong, very smart and very loving. A very loving daughter and a very loving mother," Lonzano's mother Theresa Lujan said.Lozano's mother explains that Camille died as she lived, always putting others before her. Lujan said in her final moments, her daughter alerted neighbors of the fire."Instead of going downstairs which would've saved her," Lujan said. "She continued upstairs to help the neighbor that lived upstairs and that was another person that passed away."According to the Lake Count Coroner's Office, Lozano and 39-year-old Polly Jenson, of Vernon Hills, both died due to thermal and inhalational injuries. Looking to avoid the Kennedy Expressway construction? Here’s what you...

MedWatch Daily Digest: An increased cancer threat for military pilots and ground crews

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

For Monday, March 20, WGN’s Dina Bair has the latest on new medical information, including: More Coverage: WGN's Medical Watch A study of nearly 900,000 airmen and women who flew or worked on military planes between 1992 and 2017 had an 87% higher rate of melanoma than the general populationA new warning about fake pharmaceuticals in MexicoHow potentially toxic chemicals in everyday products are altering hormonal and metabolic pathways that impact human growth and development

Man attacked by mountain lion while sitting in hot tub: Colorado officials

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

CHAFFEE COUNTY, Colo. (KXRM) — A mountain lion attacked a Colorado man as he relaxed in a hot tub over the weekend, according to wildlife officials. The man said he was sitting with his wife in the in-ground hot tub at a rental property in Nathrop, roughly 100 miles west of Colorado Springs, Saturday night when the mountain lion attacked. While speaking with the Colorado Parks and Wildlife's (CPW) Southeast Region, the man explained he and his wife were sitting in the hot tub "when he felt something grab his head." The couple screamed and splashed water at the animal, which they were able to identify as a mountain lion when the victim's wife shined a flashlight on it. Two student-athletes charged after video shows woman’s wheelchair pushed down stairs The mountain lion backed up about 20 feet from the couple, and as they continued to scream at the animal, it moved up to the top of a hill where it crouched down and watched them.When the couple got inside the rental home, they clean...

Good deeds, grades turns into currency at Chicago high school student store

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 16:56:27 GMT

CHICAGO -- A west side high school is taking the old "student store" to a whole new level.Michele Clark Magnet High School students pack in a former storage closet to check out the goods now available in their new student store.But, what you won't find is a cash register. To get your hands on these items you need good grades or good deeds."We try to take a concept we've had around forever in education and think what can we do to make it tantalizing?" Charles Williams, Assistant Principal, Michele Clark Magnet High School, said. "This, if I were a student I'd want to figure out how to get some of these? So it's working."The store, which opened last week, runs on a point system. Where grades, attendance, and behavior translate into fresh market currency."If they want some new style shoes, they're gonna work hard in school, get all their grades in, and get up in here," Jacori Johnson, a student at Michele Clark Magnet High School, said.Principal Charles Anderson believe it's all part o...