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Climate protestors arrested at State House after hours-long sit-in

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

A group of climate activists with Extinction Rebellion Boston were arrested at the State House Wednesday afternoon after they staged a sit-in in the House Gallery for over six hours.The group attempted to disrupt a brief joint session of the Constitutional Convention, a typically minutes-long affair the House and Senate hold every few months to consider amendments to the state Constitution. Lawmakers were already on their way out by the time the protestors tried to unfurl a banner in the chamber.Protestors gathered on the fourth floor public viewing gallery for the House chamber, saying they would not budge unless legislative leadership introduced bills placing a moratorium on new fossil fuel infrastructure projects currently being constructed or proposed.“The commonwealth has the ability to be a national leader during the rapid transition away from fossil fuels to green renewable energy,” the group said in a statement. “We should stop investing rate-payer money in fossil fuel infra...

After Arlington National Cemetery horse deaths, Army makes changes to improve their care

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Army announced changes Wednesday to the way it will care for the gray and black horses that carry service members’ flag-draped caskets to their final resting places in Arlington National Cemetery after the deaths of horses in the ceremonial unit exposed their poor living conditions. The horses are part of the caisson platoon of the 3rd Infantry Regiment, known as the Old Guard, which is best known for guarding the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at the cemetery, located just across the river from Washington. Two Old Guard platoon horses, Mickey and Tony, had to be euthanized within days of each other in February 2022. Both died from colon impaction, a “dry, firm mass of feed, or foreign material, such as dirt or sand,” and in Tony’s case, he had to be euthanized because the sand and gravel impaction was so extensive it could not be surgically removed, according to an Army investigation.After the deaths of the two horses, both in their 20s, veterinarians...

Hundreds ordered out of riverside mobile homes in flood-hit Cache Creek, B.C.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

CACHE CREEK, B.C. — Cache Creek Mayor John Ranta says flooding in the B.C. Interior town is already the worst he’s seen in 50 years, and he’s expecting even more trouble as blazing temperatures forecast this weekend hit the snowpack.He said over 100 mobile homes perched on the banks of the Bonaparte River are at risk in the community, 350 kilometres northeast of Vancouver. Ranta said the Sage and Sands Mobile Park had been evacuated of about 200 people, who had been sent to nearby Kamloops. “The Bonaparte River was flowing at 100-year level yesterday, and there is still an awful lot of snow up in the hills and we are expecting 34-degree temperatures over the next couple of days,” Ranta said in an interview on Wednesday. More evacuation orders will be issued in the days ahead, he said. The town is currently under a flood warning, with a state of local emergency extended until May 13.The Thompson-Nicola Regional District also added an alert for at least one pro...

Senate panel OKs rail-safety bill; railroad vows to help homeowners affected by Ohio derailment

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

A Senate committee on Wednesday approved a rail-safety bill introduced after the derailment of a freight train in East Palestine, Ohio, but its fate remains uncertain due to significant Republican opposition.The bill would increase inspections of trains carrying hazardous materials, require the use of technology to detect track defects, and sharply raise penalties on railroad companies for crashes.The Senate Commerce Committee advanced the bill one day after Norfolk Southern renewed a promise to create a fund for residents near the site of the Ohio train wreck to cover any decline in home values since the February derailment.Norfolk Southern Corp. CEO Alan Shaw said in a letter to committee members that the railroad expects to compensate homeowners within about 5 miles (8 kilometers) of the crash if they sell their homes for less than the property was appraised before the derailment. He said the railroad expects to start making payments within a year.On Feb. 3, 38 railcars derailed ...

A skin patch to treat peanut allergies? Study in toddlers shows promise

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — An experimental skin patch is showing promise to treat toddlers who are highly allergic to peanuts — training their bodies to handle an accidental bite.Peanut allergy is one of the most common and dangerous food allergies. Parents of allergic tots are constantly on guard against exposures that can turn birthday parties and play dates into emergency room visits.There is no cure. The only treatment is for children 4 and older who can consume a special peanut powder to protect against a severe reaction. The patch, named Viaskin, aims to deliver that kind of treatment through the skin instead. In a major test with youngsters ages 1 to 3, it helped those who couldn’t tolerate even a small fraction of a peanut to eventually safely eat a few, researchers reported Wednesday.If additional testing pans out, “this would fill a huge unmet need,” said Dr. Matthew Greenhawt, an allergist at Children’s Hospital Colorado who helped lead the study.About 2% of U.S. children are alle...

Mississippi ex-governor threatens to sue news site over welfare fraud comments

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Former Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant gave notice Wednesday that he will sue a news organization unless it apologizes for statements he said some of its employees made about him in connection to misspending of welfare money that was intended to help some of the poorest people in the U.S.A reporter for the nonprofit online publication, Mississippi Today, won a Pulitzer Prize this week for her coverage of the case.According to Bryant, Mississippi Today CEO Mary Margaret White made a “false and defamatory” statement about him when she spoke at a media conference in February. The letter also said Mississippi Today executive editor Adam Ganucheau and the reporter who won the Pulitzer Prize, Anna Wolfe, falsely claimed in a podcast that Mississippi Today employees “had never stated that former-Governor Bryant had committed a crime.”The state auditor announced in February 2020 that criminal charges were brought against six people, including a former Mississippi Departme...

4 teens charged with murder in slaying of Chicago police officer who was returning home from work

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Four teenagers have been charged in the fatal shooting of a Chicago police officer who was slain last weekend as she was heading home from work, authorities said Wednesday.Nineteen-year-olds Joseph Brooks and Trevell Breeland, Jakwon Buchanan, 18, and a 16-year-old boy face charges of first-degree murder and armed robbery in Saturday’s killing of Officer Aréanah Preston, 24.The Chicago Police Department said Preston was fatally shot about 1:40 a.m. Saturday during a robbery spree. All four were also charged with armed robbery, burglary, motor vehicle theft and other offenses in connection with incidents that occurred on Friday and Saturday, police said. The four were ordered held without bail Wednesday by Judge David Kelly, who said prosecutors had provided “a mountain of evidence“ that the suspects had “engaged in a very violent crime spree.”After the bond hearing, Preston’s mother, Dionne Mhoon, said she was “heartbroken” and “full of anger, rage, questi...

2nd Michigan school district bans backpacks after loaded gun found

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A second Michigan school district is banning backpacks on school premises due to concerns about gun violence, this time because a third-grade student was found with a loaded gun.Grand Rapids Public Schools said in a statement Wednesday that the weapon was discovered this morning at Stocking Elementary School and that it was the fourth time this year that the district has uncovered a student with a handgun — three of them in backpacks.District Superintendent Leadriane Roby said at a news conference Wednesday that the ban was “a drastic step” that was necessary. “We have averted at least two tragedies in the last two weeks. We don’t want to stand before you again,” said Larry Johnson, executive director of public safety and school security. Flint Community Schools banned backpacks beginning May 1, citing a nationwide “increase in threatening behavior and contraband, including weapons, being brought into schools at all levels.”Flint students are allowed to carry b...

Arwady on COVID public health emergency ending: 'It doesn't mean it's gone'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

The COVID-19 public health emergency ends on Thursday. What does that mean for people battling the virus and staying healthy? Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady joined WGN Evening News to discuss the emergency's ends. Biden signs bill ending national COVID-19 emergency "I am the happiest person out there that COVID doesn't need to be the top of mind at this point," Arwady said. "It doesn't mean it's gone, it doesn't mean the health department is not continuing to work on monitoring and responding if necessary. But it does mean we are at a different point. We have vaccines and treatments that can really help keep people out of the hospital and keep people from dying."Arwady encouraged continued testing for COVID with the allergy season in full swing. "COVID is still more dangerous than a regular cold, especially if there are people who are older with underlying conditions. If you got a positive test, you should be staying home for those five days a...

Rep. Santos faces money laundering, fraud charges after turning himself in

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:32:44 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) -- New York Congressman George Santos is facing federal charges, including money laundering and fraud, after turning himself in and entering a not guilty plea in court.Santos is charged with theft of public funds for collecting pandemic unemployment insurance even though authorities say he had a job.“This is about innocent until proven guilty,” Santos said.Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy says he won't immediately ask for Santos' resignation unless he's convicted.“If a person is indicted, they're not on committees, they have the right to vote, but they have to go to trial,” McCarthy said.Democrats say Santos should step down.“Hopefully he shows some humility, some dignity,” Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) said.Additionally, Republican Texas Congressman Tony Gonzalez wants the House to vote to expel Santos.However, Santos said he will not resign and plans to run for re-election.The U.S. House makes its own rules for how the chamber operates and there are no set rule...