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State revenue slide continues into sixth month; budget authors wary

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:06 GMT

For the sixth straight month, the state took in far less tax revenue than expected, continuing a trend of worrisome shortfalls that has policymakers watching carefully.According to information released by the state’s Department of Revenue late Thursday afternoon, the state fell about 2.1% short of its projected revenues, pulling in just $3.776 billion despite forecasts predicting nearly $3.9 billion in tax takings.“December collections decreased in non-withheld income tax, sales and use tax, corporate and business tax, and ‘all other’ tax in comparison to December 2022,” DoR Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder explained.“These decreases were partially offset by an increase in income tax withholding. The decrease in non-withheld income tax was driven primarily by lower income tax estimated and return payments and an unfavorable increase in income tax refunds,” he added. “The decrease in sales and use tax was mainly due to typical timing factors in collections. The decrease in ‘a...

New York City sues 17 bus companies for transporting migrants from Texas

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:06 GMT

Chris Sommerfeldt | New York Daily NewsMayor Adams’ administration filed a lawsuit Thursday charging that 17 charter bus companies owe New York City at least $708 million for transporting tens of thousands of migrants to the five boroughs from Texas as part of a controversial relocation program launched by the Lone Star State’s Republican governor.The suit, submitted in Manhattan Supreme Court, alleges that the companies, most of which are Texas-based, violated New York’s Social Services Law by contracting with Gov. Greg Abbott’s administration to transport more than 33,600 migrants to the Big Apple with little or no coordination with city officials since 2022.The state law holds that anyone who “knowingly” brings a person to New York “for the purpose of making him a public charge” is responsible to “support him at his own expense” — and the suit argues the bus operators should thereby be on the hook to reimburse the city for the $708 million it has so far spent on providing shelter...

FACT FOCUS: Images made to look like court records circulate online amid Epstein document release

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:06 GMT

By MELISSA GOLDIN (Associated Press)After dozens of previously sealed court documents related to financier Jeffrey Epstein were made public on Wednesday, social media users began spreading false accusations about major public figures whose names appeared in the release — and some who hadn’t been named at all.Two people singled out in viral false claims containing images made to look like snippets from court documents were late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, who died in 2018. In both cases, the images were used in an effort to tie the men to illicit activities involving Epstein.Here’s a closer look at the facts.CLAIM: Court documents connected to a lawsuit involving Epstein that were released this week include details about Hawking’s “proclivities” and accusations about a sexual encounter with Kimmel.THE FACTS: The images were fabricated to look like part of the court documents. They are not among the records tha...

Body found in freezer identified

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:06 GMT

SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Police Department has released new details regarding a suspicious death investigation after a body was found in a freezer last month.The incident occurred on Dec. 22, when a family visiting from out-of-town discovered a deceased person inside a chest freezer at a home on the 4900 block of Zion Avenue in Allied Gardens. Three suspects sought in felony hit-and-run Based on the unusual location of the body, SDPD's Homicide Unit was called in to investigate. While working with the San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office, detectives have now identified the body as Mary Margaret Haxby-Jones. Haxby-Jones, who would have been 81 years old, is believed to have lived at the residence at some point before her death, SDPD explained. Detectives also believe it is possible that the elderly woman may have been missing or dead for up to 9 years.  The cause of her death has not yet been determined and remains under investigation. However, authorities said there were ...

On-call teacher in Yukon is accused of possessing child pornography

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:06 GMT

WHITEHORSE — An on-call teacher in Yukon who worked at 10 different schools over five years has been charged with possession of child pornography. Yukon Education Minister Jeanie McLean says in a statement that the teacher had been working in Whitehorse-area schools, but that stopped on Oct. 24 when the department became aware of the allegations. The statement says the Department of Justice confirmed on Tuesday that a search warrant had been served and the teacher now faces the criminal charge. McLean says teachers on call are required to submit a clear vulnerable sector criminal record check every two years and the teacher complied during the five years of employment with the district. She says her department is reaching out to the 10 school communities where the teacher worked to ensure they are aware of available supports. Yukon RCMP were not immediately available to offer more details on the case, and McLean’s statement doesn’t say if any children at the schools were...

FACT FOCUS: Images made to look like court records circulate online amid Epstein document release

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:06 GMT

After dozens of previously sealed court documents related to financier Jeffrey Epstein were made public on Wednesday, social media users began spreading false accusations about major public figures whose names appeared in the release — and some who hadn’t been named at all.Two people singled out in viral false claims containing images made to look like snippets from court documents were late-night host Jimmy Kimmel and theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking, who died in 2018. In both cases, the images were used in an effort to tie the men to illicit activities involving Epstein.Here’s a closer look at the facts.CLAIM: Court documents connected to a lawsuit involving Epstein that were released this week include details about Hawking’s “proclivities” and accusations about a sexual encounter with Kimmel.THE FACTS: The images were fabricated to look like part of the court documents. They are not among the records that were released this week. In both cases, the images show what are alleg...

Attorney: Medical negligence caused death of former Texas US Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:06 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — The family of former U.S. Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson said Thursday that the trailblazing Texas congresswoman, who died over the weekend at age 89, passed away after getting an infection and accused a Dallas rehabilitation facility of neglect.Johnson, who was the first registered nurse elected to Congress, died on Dec. 31 at her Dallas home. Les Weisbrod, her family’s attorney and Johnson’s longtime friend, said at a news conference that her death was caused by an infection in her spine that developed after she was left in her own feces at Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation following back surgery.Weisbrod said he has given notice to Baylor Scott & White Health System and Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation that the family intends to file a lawsuit for medical negligence over her death. In a statement Thursday, Baylor Scott & White Health called Johnson “an inspiration to all,” and said they are committed to working with...

Kentucky governor backs longer list of conditions eligible for treatment under medical marijuana law

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:06 GMT

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Access to medical marijuana in Kentucky should expand to include a longer list of severe health conditions, Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday in advocating a change that would make hundreds of thousands more people eligible for treatment when the program begins next year.The measure passed by the GOP-led legislature in 2023 specified that the eligible conditions include cancer, multiple sclerosis, chronic pain, epilepsy, chronic nausea and post-traumatic stress disorder.The Democratic governor said the law is based on “providing relief to Kentuckians with severe medical conditions” and should therefore be expanded. He said the list of qualifying conditions should grow to include ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Chron’s disease, sickle cell anemia, cachexia or wasting syndrome, neuropathies, severe arthritis, hepatitis C, fibromyalgia, muscular dystrophy, Huntington’s disease, HIV, AIDS, glaucoma and terminal illness.“This is a crucial set,”...

'We’re going to keep it about us': A look ahead to the Bears season finale in Green Bay

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:06 GMT

CHICAGO — The Chicago Bears (7-9) travel to play the Green Bay Packers (8-8) at Lambeau Field Sunday in the conclusion of what has been a roller coaster ride of a season for the Bears and those who follow the team.Chicago started off the year 1-5, capitulated by a thumb injury on quarterback Justin Fields' throwing hand that held him out for four weeks. Plucky undrafted DII quarterback Tyson Bagent stepped in and guided the Bears to a 2-2 record in Fields' absence, before the team rode a new wave of momentum fueled by an evolution on the defensive side of the ball.General manager Ryan Poles swung a deal for star defensive end Montez Sweat from the Washington Commanders, sending a second round pick to Washington in exchange for a player that paid immediate dividends up front. Sweat's acquisition led to more sacks and turnovers on defense during the back half of the season, and fueled a 4-2 run toward the playoffs that came up just short, as they were mathematically eliminated from th...

Skilling: Cloudy, chilly weekend ahead with possible snow coming to Chicagoland

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:50:06 GMT

What a treat.  Though chilly today with a high temp of 35 at O'Hare (still 3-deg above the normal Jan 4th high), the SUN EMERGED!! Chicagoans were bathed in 95% of Jan 4's possible sunshine. And the fact we could see the sun as the day approached its close mean would could saver the 54 sec of additional daylight this day delivers.  Days continue to lengthen—all be is slowly. Tomorrow (Friday) will see nearly a minute of potential daylight tacked onto the---though sun will be less visible because we have a cloudier day ahead.We have an active winter weather pattern starting to come together. It could include some snow—enough to stick modestly commencing in the early hours of Saturday morning and continuing lightly into the day. It's the product of precip and cloudiness beneath the far northern flank of a storm system which is to move from New Mexico eastward through the Gulf States then turn northeastward and potentially turning into a big snow producer from the interi...