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Affordable Care Act provisions codified under Michigan law by Gov. Whitmer as a hedge against repeal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Federal law that prohibits insurers from denying healthcare based on preexisting conditions, or kicking dependents off their parent’s coverage until age 26, is now codified separately into Michigan law.Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation Thursday that attempts to duplicate the Affordable Care Act, known as “Obamacare,” into state law. The second-term governor said earlier this year that the proactive move was necessary to ensure Michigan residents “aren’t at risk of losing coverage,” due to future Supreme Court rulings.Under the package, insurers must provide no-cost essential services, including preventive, mental health and emergency services. They can’t deny or limit coverage based on gender identity or sexual orientation, or cap coverage in a given year or across a person’s lifetime. While “Obamacare” already includes those regulations, it has faced numerous legal challenges in its 13-year history, including several that have mad...

Baltimore to pay $48 million to 3 men wrongly imprisoned for decades in ‘Georgetown jacket’ killing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

Baltimore will pay $48 million to three Black men who each spent 36 years in prison for a high-profile killing they did not commit after police wrongly arrested them as teenagers, according to an agreement.The largest settlement in Maryland history was unanimously approved this week by the Baltimore City Board of Estimates, closing a federal lawsuit brought by the trio after their 2019 exoneration. The men alleged that detectives had a pattern of coercing witnesses, not just in their nearly 40-year-old case. The State’s Attorney for Baltimore City had found them innocent after a reinvestigation. Eyewitnesses renounced previous testimony that had contributed to the wrongful convictions.“These are men who went to jail as teens and came out as young grandfathers in their fifties,” Justin Conroy, the chief legal counsel for the Baltimore Police Department, told the board on Wednesday in a meeting shared on YouTube.Alfred Chestnut, Andrew Stewart and Ransom Watkins — known to...

Pro-Palestinian rally outside of Freeland’s office briefly shuts down section of Bloor Street

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

A pro-Palestinian rally outside the constituency office of Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland briefly blocked Bloor Street in both directions at Spadina on Friday.The protesters are calling on Freeland and the federal government to do more to help the people in Gaza.Just after 1 p.m. the protesters cleared and the lanes reopened. A second protest is reportedly being planned for 3 p.m. in the Yonge and Gould streets area.DEMONSTRATIONBloor Street West/Spadina– taken over the roadway– traffic blocked in all direction#GO2436061 ^vkhttps://t.co/ORS2Y3hd55— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) October 20, 2023Police say no arrests have been made.

15-year-old, man shot Friday morning in Niles

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

NILES, Ill. — A 15-year-old boy and a man were shot Friday morning in Niles.Officers responded to the area of Lyons and Woodland just before 10:35 a.m. on the report of shots fired.Police at the scene discovered a 15-year-old boy and a 33-year-old man suffering from gunshot wounds.The boy was transported to a local hospital with a wound to an upper extremity. The man was transported with multiple wounds to the torso.No conditions were provided and it's unknown if anyone is in custody.Anyone with information can call police at 847-588-6570.

Police union & city near deal on raises, new homicide teams

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

CHICAGO — Despite pre-election fears that Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson would “defund the police,” Chicago police officers would receive raises, retention bonuses and stipends for specialized training under a tentative deal reached with the police union and mediated by the Illinois Labor Board.Highlights of the agreement, per the union, include:16%-20% raises over four yearsRetention bonus for every officer of $2,500Stipends for officers with specialized crisis intervention, medical triage and bicycle unit training New Chicago police boss wants cops to be more aggressive Even police union president John Catanzara, who has criticized the Mayor's approach to crime, seemed pleased they’ve come to terms. “I want to thank the Johnson administration for their commitment to getting this deal done,” Catanzara told WGN Investigates. The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The City Council would also need to approve the agreement, which comes after an e...

Hamas says it is releasing two U.S hostages

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

JERUSALEM — Hamas said Friday it was releasing two American citizens they were holding captive in Gaza since their Oct. 7 raid on Israel.The Palestinian militant group said in a statement that in an agreement with the Qatari government it was freeing a mother and daughter for humanitarian reasons.U.S. and Israeli officials did not immediately comment on the statement.Israel says Hamas has taken 203 people from Israel into Gaza.More on this story as it develops.

Bridgeview school, mosque in high alert after threats to Muslim community

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Muslim institutions around the Chicagoland area have been in high alert in response to the increasing number of threats. A father attending morning prayers with his children confirmed to WGN that parents received a letter notifying them that Asqa school had received a threat.According to the Sun-Times, Aqsa school in Bridgeview had been on a soft lockdown all week and middle school students were given homework packets and highschoolers will be attending classes virtually. Oussama Jamal, from the Mosque Foundation, told WGN their community has not seen such threats since 9/11. Mosque Foundation in Bridgeview also received a threat that said, "All Muslims must leave Bridgeview by Friday, Oct. 20 or die," with Fridays being the busiest day for mosques. "The person who made this threat knows exactly what goes on in this area, Friday is our big day," Jamal said. FBI warning Chicago residents about growing threat of hate crimes This week a Lombard man was charged f...

Beverly woman with 'severe' mental health conditions missing: CPD

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

CHICAGO — A 23-year-old Chicago woman who suffers from multiple mental health conditions is missing, authorities said Friday. Francia Graham was last seen Sunday, Oct. 15, in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood in the 9500 Block of South Prospect Ave. Police said she wore a red jacket, blank pants and black Addidas gym shoes with white stripes. Graham suffers from 'severe bipolar disorder, depression and schizophrenia. She stands 5'8" and weighs 120, with brown eyes and black hair.Graham also has a flower tattoo around her waist and a queen tattoo on her chest. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines Anyone with information is asked to call police at (312) 747-8274.

Crews install iconic Zilker Holiday Tree with more than 3,000 lights

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Halloween may still be more than a week away, but the city of Austin is already getting ready for the Christmas season.Crews from Austin Energy installed the iconic Zilker Holiday Tree at Zilker Park Friday.The 155-foot 'tree' — one of Austin's original 31 moonlight towers — is decorated with 39 strings of LED lights, each containing 81 red, yellow, green and blue bulbs, according to Austin Energy. There are 3,309 lights on the tree in total. 59th annual Austin Trail of Lights returns Dec. 8-23 The yellow bulbs are strategically placed on each string to give the tree its "distinctive and dizzying swirl pattern," the city said in a press release.Austin Energy crews installing the Zilker Holiday Tree on Oct. 20, 2023. (KXAN Photo/Ed Zavala)Austin Energy crews installing the Zilker Holiday Tree on Oct. 20, 2023. (KXAN Photo/Ed Zavala)Austin Energy crews installing the Zilker Holiday Tree on Oct. 20, 2023. (KXAN Photo/Ed Zavala)Austin Energy crews installing the Zilker...

Texas posts strong job numbers, but report highlights heat's chilling effect

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas governor bragged Friday about the state's economy after the most recent jobs report included some impressive numbers, but a report released this week warns that increasingly hot summers may have a chilling effect on the business atmosphere. Gov. Greg Abbott's office put out a news release touting the state's employers adding 61,400 non-farm jobs in September, which they said makes Texas the leader in the nation for most jobs added, not only over the last month but also the last year. Abbott also noted Texas reached a new high of 14,049,400 total jobs in the state. Austin records hottest summer on record, driest in 113 years "Jobs are surging in Texas thanks to the best business climate and strongest workforce in the nation," Abbott wrote in a statement. However, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas released a new report Wednesday looking at how hotter summer days are possibly slowing down the state's growth. The four authors noted the heat may not have muc...