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The US Supreme Court notched big conservative wins. It’s a key issue in Pennsylvania’s fall election

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:54 GMT

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court’s current conservative majority has delivered major victories for conservatives — and now liberal discontent over those rulings is playing a major role in Pennsylvania’s top-of-the-ballot election this fall.The Democrat running for an open seat on Pennsylvania’s Supreme Court has told audiences over and over that the nation’s highest court poses a threat to rights that Democrats have fought for, now with three appointees by President Donald Trump giving it a 6-3 conservative majority.Dan McCaffery, the Democrat, portrays his candidacy as a bulwark against a U.S. Supreme Court majority that he says is undoing federally protected rights and leaving it to states to fill the vacuum.“We couldn’t do anything about the appointments of a federal judge, but in Pennsylvania we fight back, and the reason we fight back and the way we fight back is by getting judges elected,” McCaffery told an online audience of the Rev....

Shooter attack in Belgium drives an EU push to toughen border and deportation laws

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:54 GMT

BRUSSELS (AP) — Abdesalem Lassoued had been denied residency in four European countries by the time he chased two Swedish men into a building in Brussels this week and gunned them down at close range with a semiautomatic rifle.The 45-year-old Tunisian arrived on the Italian island of Lampedusa in a smuggler’s boat in 2011. He spent jail time in Sweden and was refused entry to Norway. At one point Italy flagged him as a security threat. Two years ago, Belgium rejected his asylum claim and he disappeared off the map.Until Monday night, that is, when he killed the two Swedes, wounded a third and forced the lockdown of more than 35,000 people in a soccer stadium where they had gathered to watch Belgium play Sweden. In a video posted online, he claimed to be inspired by the Islamic State group.Within days he has become the new face of the European Union’s campaign to toughen border controls, rapidly deport people and allow the police and security agencies to exchange information more eff...

Teen mistakenly shot by Des Plaines police at music school to receive nearly $2M settlement

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:54 GMT

DES PLAINES, Ill. — A settlement has been reached between the city of Des Plaines and a teenager accidentally shot by an officer who was pursuing a bank robber in 2019.Just as jury selection was set to begin, the two sides agreed to the settlement, which is close to $2 million. It comes nearly three years after the shooting.Rylan Wilder was working as an intern at UpBeat Music and Arts School, located in the 4300 block of W. Irving Park Rd., on November 19, 2019 when he was shot.It stemmed from an alleged robbery in Des Plaines and subsequent police chase into Chicago. Police had chased the suspect, they said, had just robbed a bank and fired shots at police — grazing an officer in the head.Surveillance video obtained by WGN Investigates shows the suspect running through the music store. The Des Plaines officer ran after him and then opened fire with an assault rifle as the suspect reached the store’s back door. The suspect was killed.Wilder was wounded in the crossfire. Surgeo...

CPD: Man shot, killed by woman with CCL on West Side

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:54 GMT

CHICAGO — A man was shot and killed during a physical altercation with a woman on the West Side Wednesday night.The shooting happened just before 10:30 p.m. in the 4300 block of West Maypole.CPD said a 46-year-old old man involved in a physical altercation on the sidewalk with a woman.During the altercation, the woman, who police say has concealed carry license, produced a handgun and fired shots — striking the man multiple times to the body.He was pronounced dead at the scene.The woman was transported to a police station and circumstances around the incident are still being investigated, CPD said.

You can't trash or recycle them. So how do you safely get rid of disposable e-cigarettes?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:54 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — With the growing popularity of disposable e-cigarettes, communities across the U.S. are confronting a new vaping problem: how to safely get rid of millions of small, battery-powered devices that are considered hazardous waste.For years, the debate surrounding vaping largely centered on its risks for high school and middle school students enticed by flavors like gummy bear, lemonade and watermelon.But the recent shift toward e-cigarettes that can’t be refilled has created a new environmental dilemma. The devices, which contain nicotine, lithium and other metals, cannot be reused or recycled. Under federal environmental law, they also aren’t supposed to go in the trash.U.S. teens and adults are buying roughly 12 million disposable vapes per month. With little federal guidance, local officials are finding their own ways to dispose of e-cigarettes collected from schools, colleges, vape shops and other sites.“We are in a really weird regulatory place where there is no l...

LIVE: Texas House Democrats unveil new school finance plan

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:54 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Several Democratic members of the Texas House of Representatives will unveil what they're calling a "transformative school finance plan." They're set to hold a news conference Thursday morning to discuss the details of the Fully Fund Our Future Act, according to a news release. This is happening during the third special legislative session focused primarily on Gov. Greg Abbott's call to create an education savings account system in the state, which would allow families to use public dollars to pay for private schools. Gov. Abbott on ‘one yard line’ in fight for education savings accounts The proposal is opposed by Texas Democratic lawmakers as well as some rural Republican leaders in the House. It already passed the Texas Senate during this special session, and Abbott recently stated he "will not stop until we get ESAs passed in the state of Texas."Democrats remain in the minority in Texas government, so it's not likely they'll be able to get much momentum to pass...

Police searching for suspect in vehicle, package thefts at central Austin apartments

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:54 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin Police are asking for help identifying a woman they say was involved in "multiple crimes" at a central Austin apartment complex. According to police, the suspect entered the pool area at The Pearl Apartments, located on West Koenig Lane, with a 7-year-old child on Sept. 24. Police said she used the child as a decoy while scouting out the residents' belongings. The suspect stole a purse that included keys and several credit cards then left the area with the child. Police said the suspect returned later that night wearing different clothes with two other masked suspects. The group stole the victim's vehicle using the keys the woman took earlier, and they stole packages from the mailroom, according to APD. The suspect is described as:White femaleMid-30 years of ageMedium buildTattoo on the left ankle (attempted to conceal tattoo with a lavender-colored leg brace)She was last seen wearing a t-shirt with “Jessy and the Boys” on the front.Austin Police Department s...

Gophers football vs. Iowa: Keys to game, how to watch and who has edge

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:54 GMT

MINNESOTA at No. 24 IOWAWhen: 2:30 pm. SaturdayWhere: Kinnick StadiumTV: NBCRadio: KFAN, 100.3 FMWeather: 60 degrees, partly cloudy, 4 mph northwest windBetting spread: Iowa, -3.5Records: Iowa (6-1, 3-1 Big Ten) leads the Big Ten West Division after a 15-6 win over Wisconsin. Minnesota was idle last week after a 3-3 start, including 1-2 in conference play.History: The Gophers have lost eight straight to the Hawkeyes, including 10 consecutive in Iowa City since 1999. Minnesota is 2-17 at Kinnick Stadium in the last 40 years.Key matchup: QB Athan Kaliakmanis vs. Hawkeyes secondary. The redshirt sophomore threw two pick-sixes against Michigan and similar mistakes against Iowa could be catastrophic given Iowa’s anemic offense and its tougher defense.Who has the edge?Gophers offense vs. Iowa defense: The Hawkeyes are putting up more sterling stats this season, but are they as talented as years past? Iowa has gone 21 straight games without allowing 400 total yards, the longest streak in F...

Teen and young woman shot while in car

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:54 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Two young people, including a teenager, were shot overnight while in their car just north of downtown in the Columbus Square neighborhood.Authorities at police headquarters told FOX 2 that the two victims are a 17-year-old boy and a 21-year-old woman. It appears that they both should survive their injuries. The search for suspects is ongoing at this hour.There are two scenes connected with the case. This first scene is near 10th and O'Fallon. The police shared that that is where the actual shooting happened.Officers got the call just before 1:30 a.m. Police revealed that the 17-year-old boy was shot in the leg while the 21-year-old woman was hit in the arm. Authorities said the two were in their car when all of a sudden bullets started flying. At this point, police aren't sure if the bullets came from a passing vehicle or from somebody on foot. Sex offender banned from rec centers after FOX 2 tip The second scene was at 13th and Cass. Police added that the two victims ...

1 dead, 3 critical after wrong-way crash in downtown Los Angeles

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:02:54 GMT

A wrong-way crash on the 10 Freeway in downtown Los Angeles left one person dead and sent three more to the hospital in critical condition.The crash at the 10 and 60 freeways occurred at 4:40 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.According to the California Highway Patrol, the driver headed the wrong direction had two passengers, including a 5-year-old. All three of them were transported to local hospitals in critical condition.The driver, who may have been under the influence, crashed head-on into a Honda, killing the driver of that car.The crash impacted traffic on the 10 Freeway, and lane closures are expected to remain in place until at least 8 a.m.Patrick Kightlinger contributed to this report.