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Hay River, N.W.T., residents allowed to return Thursday as wildfire burns

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:11 GMT

HAY RIVER, N.W.T. — Officials from the town of Hay River say residents will be allowed to return to the Northwest Territories community Thursday even as a wildfire continues to burn on the nearby K’atl’odeeche First Nation reserve.Around 3,500 residents from the town and reserve were forced to leave their homes on May 14. A post on the town’s Facebook page Wednesday said the evacuation order would be reduced to an evacuation alert. That means the general public will be allowed to return but residents should be prepared to leave again if conditions worsen. “Conditions are still not without risk, but the town recognizes the offsetting impact and risks to residents being away from their homes,” the post states. “The mayor and council appreciate residents’ sacrifices during this time.  Countless people have relentlessly worked to ensure there has been no damage to your homes or properties and are excited for you to return.”Glenn Smith, Hay River...

WATCH: Pritzker to speak on 2024 state budget negotiations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:11 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker will be speaking about the state budget negotiations Wednesday afternoon.You can watch the entire press conference live in the video player above.The President of the Illinois Senate Don Harmon (D) and the Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives Emanuel Welch (D) will be joining Gov. Pritzker during Wednesday's press conference.

Mayor Johnson presides over his first Chicago City Council meeting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:11 GMT

CHICAGO — Newly inaugurated Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson has presided over his first Chicago City Council meeting Wednesday; a meeting which had a packed agenda.In addition to officially organizing the councils many committees, to include chairperson appointments, a discussion took place on a $51 million aid package to assist migrants being moved into the city. If approved at a special meeting next week, the money will be used for staffing shelters, providing meals, and supporting the migrants in other ways such as with legal assistance. Retired Chicago officer shot while attempting to stop carjacking on West Side This story will be updated, check back later for details.

Man steals backhoe for 10-mile drive to Illinois airport to catch flight

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:11 GMT

MARION, Ill. (AP) — A southern Illinois man has been charged with theft for allegedly stealing a backhoe to drive about 10 miles (16 kilometers) to an airport to catch a flight, authorities said.Security camera footage shows a Carbondale man arriving at Veterans Airport of Southern Illinois atop a backhoe and leaving it in the airport parking lot Thursday, the Williamson County Sheriffs Office said. Video captures woman setting fire at Shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Des Plaines; charged with arson Footage captured the man walking across the street from the lot to the airport lobby, carrying a guitar case, the sheriff's office said.The owner of the backhoe arrived at the airport a short time later and identified the equipment as belonging to his company, the sheriff's office said. The owner said the machine, typically used to move large debris, had been parked at a job site.

Wisconsin bill creates felony for sexual misconduct in schools

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:11 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A bipartisan group of legislators wants teachers who sexually harass students go to prison and lose their licenses.Democratic state Reps. Tip McGuire and Tod Ohnstad along with Republican Sens. Jesse James and John Spiros released a bill Wednesday that would make school employees, contractors or volunteers who engage in sexual misconduct against a pupil guilty of a felony punishable by up to 3 1/2 years in prison. Employees would automatically lose their licenses for at least six years if convicted. Wisconsin man charged with hacking sports betting accounts The new bill defines sexual misconduct as sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or sexual contact that substantially affect a student’s academic performance or create a hostile or offensive school environment. Any police officer or county department that learns of such sexual misconduct must report the violations to the state Department of Public Instruction.Wisconsin already has extensive laws agains...

How Michael Kopech kept his recent success going in White Sox victory

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:11 GMT

CLEVELAND — There were many good storylines Wednesday afternoon at Progressive Field for the visitors - but the most encouraging concerned the pitcher on the mound. After a rough first month, Michael Kopech appears to be rounding into form for the White Sox. The starter followed the best performance of his career last Friday with another gem on Wednesday against the Guardians in Cleveland. The pitcher threw seven scoreless innings and had plenty o offensive support in a 6-0 White Sox victory that continues a strong month of May for Kopech. It marks the second-straight victory for the starter, who went a career-high eight shutout innings with ten strikeouts in a win over the Royals last Friday at Guaranteed Rate Field. That helped the White Sox to a third-straight series win as they improve to 21-30 on the season. After taking a perfect game into the seventh inning in his last start against Kansas City, Kopech did the same against the Guardians through five innings. While he did surr...

Republicans vie for measure blocking Biden's student loan forgiveness plan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:11 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – Congressional Republicans want to pass a measure on Wednesday to block President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan – however, the measure is unlikely to go anywhere in the Senate.House Republicans say they've been working to block student loan forgiveness since the day President Biden announced his plans.“This is a professional-class bail out,” Rep. Virginia Foxx (R-NC) said. “Student loan cancellation is regressive… it takes from those in the lower half and gives to the upper half. It redistributes wealth.”Representative Bob Good (R-VA) added, “student loan cancellation doesn't make the debt actually go away, it simply shifts the cost from the student loan borrower and transfers it to hard-working American taxpayers.”But Democrats say Republicans are misrepresenting the plan to forgive up to $10,000 in debt for some borrowers and up to $20,0000 for those who received Pell grants.California Democratic Representative Robert Garcia noted how the loan forgive...

PHOTOS: Remembering Tina Turner, 'Queen of Rock 'n' Roll'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:11 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Legendary rock and soul singer Tina Turner has died at the age of 83, her manager confirmed Wednesday.Turner died Tuesday, after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland, according to her manager. She became a Swiss citizen a decade ago.“With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model," her U.K. representative, Bernard Doherty, told Deadline in a statement.LATE NIGHT WITH DAVID LETTERMAN -- Episode 407 -- Pictured: (l-r) Musical guest Tina Turner during an interview with host David Letterman on May 31, 1984 -- (Photo by: R. M. Lewis jr./NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images via Getty Images)From left to right, singer Tina Turner, chat show host Terry Wogan and singer and pianist Elton John at the BBC Television Centre in Shepherd's Bush, London, 18th February 1985. Turner and John are appearing on the chat show 'Wogan'. (Photo by Steve Wood/Express/Hulton Archive/Getty Images)Tina Turner sings one of her hits at the 1985 Grammy Aw...

President Biden marks 1 year since Uvalde school shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:11 GMT

WASHINGTON (KXAN) — President Joe Biden delivered remarks Wednesday afternoon to mark one year since the mass shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers at a Uvalde elementary school. Biden spoke alongside First Lady Jill Biden about the tragedy at about 2:20 p.m., according to guidance shared by the White House. A Biden administration official told NBC News, "The President will remember those lost in Uvalde and reiterate his call for Republicans in Congress to act and help stop the epidemic of gun violence that has become the number one killer of kids in America." One year after Uvalde shooting, fight for transparency and accountability beats on The Texas governor ordered flags to fly at half-staff Wednesday in recognition of a year passing since the tragedy. In a statement, Gov. Greg Abbott explained why he also asked people to pause for a moment of silence for the victims. "As we lower Texas flags today in remembrance, I ask all Texans to join Cecilia and me in a moment ...

On Uvalde anniversary, 'dead suspect loophole' nears lawmaker agreement

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:11 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for May 24, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — On the one-year anniversary of the mass shooting in Uvalde that killed 19 children and two teachers, one of the only pieces of legislation connected to the tragedy still on a path to the governor's desk faced a last-minute road block supporters fear could harm open records decisions in the future.This week, the Senate passed an amended version of House Bill 30, which sought to close Texas' controversial "dead suspect loophole." A gap in the state's public records act gives police discretion to block the public from obtaining information in cases that haven't gone through the court process, such as when a suspect is killed during an arrest — a problem KXAN has investigated for six years.The Senate removed a section that would have allowed the public to see relevant personnel records "relating to a police officer's alleged misconduct." A key sticking point, according to a source close...