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Illinois Comptroller sets aside millions more for a rainy day

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:25:00 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) - The state's savings account has hit another record high.Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza announced Wednesday morning her office paid another $150 million into the Illinois Rainy Day Fund, also called the Budget Stabilization Fund, for the first time this year. The account now stands at $1.22 billion.The comptroller has also scheduled three more payments before the end of the fiscal year. The transfers were approved by the Illinois legislature and signed off by the governor. Illinois pays off final part of pandemic unemployment debt "It’s important we resist spending all the forecast revenue surplus on new spending," Mendoza said. "We must instead put as much as we can into the state’s reserves to prepare for economic downturns.” Mendoza said putting money into the Budget Stabilization Fund has helped with credit upgrades. The state has received eight credit upgrades from the three main credit agencies in the past two years. Moo...

Missouri House defeats effort to boost pay for home health aides for people with disabilities

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:25:00 GMT

Advocates for increasing rates for home care workers fell just two votes short of adding $308 million to the Missouri budget on Tuesday as more than two dozen Republicans joined Democrats on a proposal intended to help dire staffing needs of local agencies.The amendment from Rep. Deb Lavender, D-Manchester, would have increased rates for direct care providers to allow an 8.7% pay raise for employees who help people with disabilities in their daily lives.“We have 200 people in hospitals where families don’t go pick up their kids because they can no longer care for them at home,” Lavender said.On the 71-73 vote, the unified Democratic majority was joined by 28 Republicans willing to buck House Budget Chairman Cody Smith, R-Carthage, who did not lose a vote on any amendment he opposed during Tuesday’s eight-hour budget debate.Many of the providers who would receive increased rates were given a boost in state payments last year, Smith told the House. He also opposed using funds that wou...

Missouri to begin Medicaid renewals, vowing as ‘seamless’ a process as possible

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:25:00 GMT

As a pandemic policy expires and Missouri begins rechecking eligibility of around 1.6 million people on Medicaid, social services department leadership pledged Tuesday to make the process “as seamless as possible for as many people as we can.”Over the last three years, states have stopped reverifying whether Medicaid recipients on their rolls are still eligible. That’s because of a federal emergency policy that gave states enhanced funding to provide continuous Medicaid coverage to those enrolled even if their income fluctuated to exceed the maximum threshold for benefits.In the meantime, Missouri’s Medicaid participation has swelled. When the public health emergency began in March 2020, there were around 900,000 enrollees. Now, there are around 1.6 million enrolled — which Todd Richardson, director of Missouri’s Medicaid program, on Tuesday called an “all-time historic high watermark.”That increase was a result of the federal continuous coverage rules during the pandemic, as w...

Maroon Bowl skiers in deadly avalanche were experienced, did a snowpack analysis the previous day

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:25:00 GMT

The trio of skiers involved in an avalanche in Maroon Bowl on March 19 that resulted in one death were experienced backcountry skiers who had skied in Maroon Bowl the previous day, according to the accident report from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center.The three, who were vacationing in Aspen, had skied in the backcountry regularly for the past 15 years. They had taken avalanche courses in Europe and followed avalanche conditions in Colorado by reading CAIC forecasts in the weeks before their trip, the report says. Each of them carried avalanche rescue equipment and practiced regularly with the gear.Gábor Házas, 54, of Budapest, Hungary, was killed in the slide.“They made an attempt to do snowpack analysis,” said Brian Lazar, deputy director of the CAIC and Central Mountains lead forecaster. But that was the previous day, Saturday, March 18, when they skied the bowl safely.Read more at our partner, the Aspen Times.Related ArticlesOutdoors | Colorado authorities is...

‘I just want him back’: Colorado avalanche survivor determined to find beloved dog, missing since slide

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:25:00 GMT

CARBONDALE, Colo. — As he recovers from being pummeled by an avalanche that killed his friend, a Colorado man is relentlessly searching for his adventure companion, a sweet but very tough dog fittingly named Ullr who appears to have survived the slide.On the morning of March 17, Jacob Dalbey, of Carbondale, and two friends headed out with a goal of scouting a place in the Rapid Creek drainage, southwest of Marble, for future adventures.All three had avalanche safety equipment and two of them — including Dalbey — had avalanche airbag backpacks, according to a report from the Colorado Avalanche Information Center. The trio was very experienced, with varying levels of advanced recreational or professional avalanche training.As usual, Dalbey brought his dog Ullr with him. Ullr, a 7-year-old border collie mix that is also part-wolf, came into Dalbey’s life as a puppy in March 2016. He grew into a 60- to 70-pound furry adventure companion.Read more at our partner, Denver7.Anybody wh...

Mammoth Mountain sees record snowfall after series of atmospheric rivers

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:25:00 GMT

Southern California has seen extraordinary precipitation this year, and while much of that has been rain, snowfall has also set records in some areas.Mammoth Mountain announced on Wednesday that it has received more snow this season than any other year on record.This year's measurement of 695 total inches of snow at the Main Lodge dwarfs the 260 inches received in the 2021-22 season, according to the resort. In fact, the Main Lodge hasn't topped 500 inches in a season since the 617.5 inches received in 2016-17. Southern California weather and radar The base depth of the snow at the Main Lodge was 275 inches on Wednesday, about 40% of what has been received this year.The mountain's peak — elevation 11,053 feet — has seen even more snow, receiving 870 inches and leaving a base depth of 336 inches as of Wednesday.All of this snow comes only a year after only 260 inches were received at the Main Lodge, and the difference has primarily been the months of January and March. During those...

Isaiah Williams Escalante Pronounced Dead after Bicycle Crash on East Speedway Boulevard [Tucson, AZ]

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:25:00 GMT

52-Year-Old Driver Arrested after Killing BicyclistTUCSON, AZ (March 29, 2023) – Tuesday night, a crash on East Speedway Boulevard claimed the life of Isaiah Williams Escalante.The incident happened on March 21st just before 10:00 at the intersection of East Speedway Boulevard and North County Club Road.According to the Tucson Police Department, a Nissan Frontier pickup failed to yield when it turned left and ended up in front of a Honda Accord traveling eastbound.Consequently, the impact of the collision sent the Honda into the bicycle lane where 20-year-old Escalante was traveling.Furthermore, the Honda struck Escalante which caused his death, the investigating officers said.Meanwhile, police identified 52-year-old Matthew Lee Taleck as the driver of the Nissan. Authorities then arrested Taleck and the Honda driver later on.They booked them into Pima County Jail charging them with manslaughter, property damage, and two counts of endangerment.Also, the identity of the Honda d...

Brian Fogel Hurt, Woman and Dog Killed in Single-Car Crash on Highway 49 [Nevada County, CA]

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:25:00 GMT

Passenger, Dog Killed in Fatal DUI Accident near McKnight WayNEVADA COUNTY, CA (March 29, 2023) – Saturday, Brian Fogel was hurt and a woman and a dog were killed in a single-car crash on Highway 49.Police responded to the scene around 3:15 p.m., on the southbound lanes of the freeway just north of McKnight Way on March 26th.Per reports, 26-year-old Fogel was driving a 1996 Subaru Legacy and veered off the west side of the roadway before striking a tree. Upon impact, the Subaru overturned.Medical personnel arrived and freed Fogel and another passenger from the vehicle. Due to the extent of injuries sustained, a female passenger was pronounced dead at the scene. In addition, crews pronounced a dog dead as well.Meanwhile, paramedics transported Brian Fogel to a nearby hospital for further treatment of major injuries. Authorities also took him into custody for DUI charges.At this time, no additional information was added by the authorities and an active investigation is still ong...

Presale Codes for Elvis Costello & The Imposters We’re All Going On A Summer Holiday Tour

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:25:00 GMT

If you spent all winter Watching the Detectives, you’re in for a treat. Elvis Costello & The Imposters are going on a big tour this summer with Nick Lowe & Los Straitjackets. Dubbed the “We’re All Going On A Summer Holiday” tour, the tour will hit 23 dates, starting June 7 in Vancouver, BC and wrapping July 14 in Philadelphia, PA, including a night here in Los Angeles at the Greek Theatre on June 16 — see below for all dates. Passwords and presale codes for the Elvis Costello & The Imposters We’re All Going On A Summer Holiday Tour tickets are as follows:Presale codes for Elvis Costello & The Imposters We’re All Going On A Summer Holiday TourPresale tickets for the Elvis Costello & The Imposters We’re All Going On A Summer Holiday Tour go on sale today, Wednesday, March 29 and we’ve been told the following presale codes and passwords may work. Details are subject to change, and vary by event date:Citi card presale code or...

San Jose: One-time city employee arrested on suspicion of sexual assault of minors

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:25:00 GMT

San Jose police said Wednesday that officers last week arrested a former city employee on suspicion of sexual assault of “numerous” minors from ages 6 to 13.On March 22, 2023, the San José Police Department’s Sexual Assault Investigations Unit (SAIU) arrested Gilberto Nevarez, 33, for multiple counts of sexual assault of numerous minors. (San Jose Police) San Jose resident Gilberto Nevarez, 33, was arrested March 22, just one day after a child survivor of his alleged assaults came forward to police with allegations against him, according to an SJPD news release. The survivor told authorities they had been assaulted by Nevarez for several years.After investigating, police determined there were multiple victims of Nevarez ranging from 6-13 years old. Authorities revealed very little about the case they had assembled against Nevarez, including when they believed the alleged crimes had occurred, how many alleged victims they had interviewed, or whether the allegations w...