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Lawmakers and activists call for ethics reform to SCOTUS

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:18:50 GMT

CHICAGO — Democratic lawmakers and activists coming together today saying enough is enough. They want to expand the Supreme Court and enforce a code of ethics."This is about bodily autonomy, DACA, gun reform this is life or death," Congresswoman Delia Ramirez said. Ramirez is voicing her support for the ‘Just Majority’ campaign, a bus tour pushing to expand the U.S. Supreme Court. Durbin slams Supreme Court’s response to ethics issues as ‘oblivious’    "While I know it’s been a controversial conversation, not if but when and doing it as urgently as possible," Ramirez said. The group also called for ethics reform on the high court in light of allegations surfacing involving Justice Clarence Thomas This comes as the state’s assault weapons ban passed this year following the Highland Park Fourth of July parade mass shooting remains in limbo. CPD to launch safety plan ahead of Cinco de Mayo weekend After a judge blocked enforcement of the ban Wednesday, a federal appeals court...

Bears rookie OT Wright ready to settle in, protect Fields

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:18:50 GMT

LAKE FOREST, Ill. (AP) — Darnell Wright was ready to slip into a more normal routine after a wild week and settle into his new job.The offensive tackle from Tennessee has an important task for the Chicago Bears in helping to protect quarterback Justin Fields after being drafted with the No. 10 overall pick last week. And the first rookie minicamp practice Friday was another step as he tries to settle into his new role.“Today has been a better day just mentally, just because I can just play football and do football,” Wright said. Bears select Tennessee offensive tackle Darnell Wright with 10th pick in the NFL Draft The Bears are banking on the 6-foot-5, 333-pound Wright to do quite a bit for them after the feisty blocker helped Tennessee re-establish itself as a national power. He was first-team, All-SEC as a right tackle last season after playing left tackle in 2021, and helped the Vols go 11-2 while finishing sixth in the final AP poll.Wright delivered a memorable performance whe...

See when 'Love to Serve' is offering free tennis clinic in May

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:18:50 GMT

CHICAGO — A three-decade tradition for one organization in Chicago continues in 2023 through the sport of tennis - with a focus on the youth in the city.Once again, Love to Serve will be offering up free lessons in the sport during two separate clinics in May, which is done in conjunction with the United States Tennis Association's National Tennis Month. The first of those is this weekend at the Kroc Center at 1250 W 119th Street in Chicago, as Love to Serve will host free instruction for 13-to-18-year-olds on Saturday, May 6 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. A second will be held at the Kroc Center on Saturday, May 13 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. for children in the same age range.These clinics continue an effort that was started in Chicago in 1992 by L. Lamont Bryant, who remains the CEO of the organization. Lori James serves as the executive director while Amir James serves as the lead coach. "It's a humbling feeling to know that I'm part of such a grassroots program that goes so deep in the comm...

Man accused of using 'small pickaxe' to hunt, kill 5-foot alligator

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:18:50 GMT

PASCO COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — Three Pinellas County, Florida, men were arrested after an anonymous caller reported the group using a "small pickaxe" to hunt an alligator in Holiday, Wednesday evening.According to an arrest report from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, the anonymous caller witnessed the three men harvesting an alligator measuring 5.5 feet. DeSantis signs bill to let board void Disney agreements After locating the individuals, authorities said the men admitted to the "illegal take" of the alligator. Two of the men accused the third of using a "weapon that appeared to be a small pickaxe to dispatch the alligator," the report added.The gator was seized as evidence.All three men were charged with the illegal killing, possessing, or capturing of alligators.In Florida, a license is required to hunt alligators. According to FWC, "the Statewide Alligator Hunt is a highly sought after limited entry hunt; there are often more than 15,000 applicants that wi...

12-year-old Tennessee boy accused of fleeing police in UTV

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:18:50 GMT

WILSON COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) — A 12-year-old boy in Tennessee was taken into custody Thursday after he tried to evade police using a utility task vehicle (UTV), police say.Nexstar's WKRN in Nashville obtained dash camera video from Lebanon Police showing the pursuit.Police were alerted that the boy had run away from a home in Murfreesboro and was allegedly off joyriding with his family's UTV. 2 accused of taking $1.1M in armored truck robbery tracked down using Apple AirTag Authorities said that when the boy entered Wilson County deputies tried to stop the juvenile driver, but the 12-year-old took off "in a reckless manner," according to a Lebanon Police Dept. news release. (Courtesy: Lebanon Police Department) Officers ultimately caught up to the UTV as the boy continued his joyride through the streets of Lebanon, blowing through stop signs and swerving in and out of his lane, police said.Officials said responding officers followed the vehicle at a distance with unmarked vehicles ...

Cedar Park police officer arrested, accused of sexual assault

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:18:50 GMT

CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) -- A Cedar Park police officer was arrested Friday by the Texas Rangers after being accused of sexual assault, according to a news release from the Cedar Park Police Department.The arrest stemmed from an allegation made to the department on Thursday, the release said.CPPD identified the officer accused as Keco Motton, who was with the department for 10 years, according to the release. Motton is no longer employed by the City, the release stated.After the victim came forward, CPPD immediately responded and contacted the Williamson County District Attorney's Office, as well as the Texas Rangers, to investigate the incident independently, the release said."We take allegations of sexual assault seriously and support all victims of crimes," CPPD Chief Mike Harmon said. "It is alarming when those allegations involve a law enforcement officer."CPPD said it expects its officers to set an example and uphold the agency's guiding values of "Community, Empathy, Accounta...

Texas lawmaker trying to make roads safer for people with disabilities

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:18:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – A bill filed by Texas House Rep. Armando Martinez, D- Weslaco, would update the transportation code to allow a Texan to indicate on their driver’s registration that they may be transporting a person with disabilities. Already, drivers with communication difficulties – those with conditions like autism or being hard of hearing – can disclose this through the Texas Law Enforcement Telecommunication System (TLETS), so an officer is aware of challenges before approaching the vehicle at a traffic stop. The same opportunity is not currently available for a person who might transport a person with a disability.  MORE: Mother of son with autism advocates for easier entry into crucial driving program “This is something that affects a lot of people,” Martinez told KXAN. “[it’s important] to be able to identify people with special needs that are in vehicles so that when a police officer does a traffic stop, they're aware that there may be an individual who is nonver...

Gophers golf: Simley grad Isabella McCauley confident, rolling heading into NCAA Regional

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:18:50 GMT

After a 41st-place finish at the Annika Invitational to kick off her collegiate career last the fall, University of Minnesota freshman Isabella McCauley went to the Gophers coaching staff and simply said, “I’ve got to be better.”Gophers coach Rhyll Brinsmead noted McCauley posted “some good numbers” in the fall, “but there was a little learning.” Learning about what it takes to be successful at the collegiate level, where McCauley — a former Minnesota high school state champion from Simley who qualified and competed in a U.S. Open as a high school junior — is again a small fish in a big pond.The courses are difficult, as is the competition. But the reality is McCauley is used to all of those things from past experiences, and more than capable of performing at the level necessary to succeed. She just maybe needed to remember that.“She’s not the longest player in college golf, but what she does well is what she’s got to keep doing well, which ...

Over-the-counter birth control pill faces FDA questions

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:18:50 GMT

By MATTHEW PERRONE (AP Health Writer)WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health regulators are weighing the first-ever request to make a birth control pill available without a prescription.But in an initial review posted Friday, the FDA raised numerous concerns about drugmaker Perrigo’s application to sell its decades-old pill over the counter.The FDA cited problems with the reliability of some of the company’s data on the drug, Opill, and questioned whether women with certain other medical conditions would correctly opt out of taking it. It also noted signs that study participants had trouble understanding the labeling instructions.Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration meet next week to review drugmaker Perrigo’s application to sell a decades-old pill over the counter. The two-day public meeting is one of the last steps before an FDA decision.If the FDA grants the company’s request, Opill would become the first contraceptive pill to be moved out from behind ...

Black faith leaders sue Minnesota Housing, Met Council over affordable housing segregation

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:18:50 GMT

When state organizations subsidize affordable housing, it tends to land in low-income communities of color, rather than wealthier white neighborhoods that can offer tenants more opportunities — a potential violation of equal protection rights under the Minnesota Constitution and the Minnesota Human Rights Act.That, in a nutshell, is the accusation laid forth in a new 24-page lawsuit filed by the Stairstep Foundation, a nonprofit led by a North Minneapolis-based coalition of Black faith leaders, against Minnesota Housing, the Metropolitan Council and the state of Minnesota.“Defendants … are knowingly causing and exacerbating residential racial segregation in the Twin Cities by excluding affordable housing from the Twin Cities’ white neighborhoods, which tend to be more affluent,” reads the lawsuit filed Thursday in Ramsey County District Court by the Washington, D.C.-based law firm of Orrick, Herrington and Sutcliffe.Municipal policies approved by state-affili...