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Milwaukee bankruptcy avoidance plan clears Wisconsin Senate

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:37:52 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Senate on Wednesday passed a bipartisan plan to prevent Milwaukee from going bankrupt that also sends more state aid to every community in the state, a long-sought after funding increase agreed to by Republican lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Tony Evers.The measure is part of a larger deal struck by Evers and Republican legislative leaders after months of talks that also increases K-12 education funding by more than $1 billion. Once approved by the Assembly as expected later Wednesday, the bills would head to Evers, who is expected to sign them into law.Milwaukee leaders warned of dire consequences and catastrophic budget cuts as the city faces bankruptcy by 2025. Milwaukee is struggling with an underfunded pension system and not enough money to maintain essential police, fire and emergency services.“We cannot let our largest city fail,” said Democratic Sen. Mark Spreitzer before the Senate passed it on a bipartisan 21-12 vote.Evers, speaking Wednesd...

Trudeau learned of Paul Bernardo transfer the day it happened, before Mendicino knew

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:37:52 GMT

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s office says he learned about the prison transfer of Paul Bernardo the day it happened — a day earlier than Public Safety Minister Marco Mendicino. The confirmation came as Conservatives called for Mendicino’s ouster over his office’s handling of the information that the convicted killer and serial rapist was being moved out of maximum-security prison. While his office was informed about the possibility of the transfer to a medium-security institution nearly three months before it happened, Mendicino said he found out about it the day after Bernardo was moved.“As the minister said in question period, he should have been informed earlier and he has dealt with that,” Alison Murphy, a spokesperson for Trudeau, said in a statement.Murphy said a staffer in Trudeau’s office was alerted by the Privy Council Office in March that the transfer was a possibility, and “inquiries and requests for information were i...

University of Delaware agrees to settle class-action suit over COVID campus shutdown

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:37:52 GMT

DOVER, Del. (AP) — The University of Delaware has agreed to pay $6.3 million to settle a lawsuit over its campus shutdown in 2020 and the halting of in-person classes because of the coronavirus pandemic.According to court papers that were filed this month and signed by the plaintiffs and university president Dennis Assanis, some 21,000 current and former students could receive cash reimbursements. While agreeing to settle the case, the university continues to deny all allegations of wrongdoing. Court records indicate that the university reached an agreement in principle in late April, less than a month after a federal judge ruled that the case could proceed as a class action on behalf of thousands of students who were enrolled and paid tuition in the spring semester of 2020, when the campus was shut down.Under the settlement, which is awaiting final court approval, the university will pay $6.3 million into an escrow account overseen by a settlement administrator. Of that amount, pla...

Pickleball popularity continues to grow in Toronto

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:37:52 GMT

The City of Toronto is making more room for North America’s fastest-growing sport.City council confirmed on Wednesday it has added stand-alone pickleball courts to three new planned tennis court complexes, plus 30 new outdoor courts will be introduced that can be shared with other sports.Pickleball is an indoor or outdoor paddle sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and table tennis.In response to the rising demand and growing popularity of pickleball, the city has increased the number of outdoor courts from just one five years ago to 165 this year.More than 50 community recreation centres currently offer pickleball programming.“The city has quickly responded to the demand for pickleball, a highly engaging and accessible sport, by providing court opportunities for play across Toronto,” Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie said.“A big part of the attraction of this game is that it can easily be enjoyed by people of all skill levels and ages, and its cour...

Oregon’s 6-week GOP walkout over bills on abortion and guns could end soon

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:37:52 GMT

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — There was an optimistic mood in the Oregon state Capitol that a boycott by Republican senators, which has been underway for six weeks, could end soon as GOP and Democratic leaders met to negotiate compromises over bills on abortion, transgender health care and gun safety.The walkout, which began on May 3, is the longest in the 163-year history of the Oregon Legislature and reportedly the second-longest of any U.S. state, after Rhode Island. This year several statehouses around the nation, including Montana and Tennessee, have been ideological battlegrounds. Oregon — which pioneered decriminalizing marijuana, boosting recycling, and protecting immigrants — is often viewed as one of America’s most liberal states. But it also has deeply conservative rural areas.The talks in Oregon aimed at ending the impasse gained momentum when Republicans, led by Senate Minority Leader Sen. Tim Knopp, began late last week to negotiate on the contentious bills.“I don’t want to say a...

GOP presidential candidates struggle with response to Trump’s unprecedented legal troubles

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:37:52 GMT

BEDMINSTER, N.J. (AP) — Just last week, former Vice President Mike Pence said he hoped federal prosecutors would not bring charges against former President Donald Trump. On Wednesday, a day after Trump was arraigned on dozens of felony counts related to classified documents, Pence described the allegations as “a very serious matter.”“I cannot defend what is alleged,” Pence, who is now challenging Trump for the Republican presidential nomination, said on CNBC. Later in the day, the former vice president faced pointed questions from a conservative radio host after refusing to say whether he would pardon Trump if given the chance.Pence’s evolving message highlights the high-stakes dilemma for Trump’s Republican rivals, who are struggling to find a clear and consistent strategy to take on the frontrunner as Trump’s unprecedented legal troubles threaten to dominate all other issues in the 2024 presidential contest.Some Republican leaders this week have demonstrated a ne...

City Council holds hearing on pedestrian and traffic safety during NASCAR Street Race

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:37:52 GMT

CHICAGO — NASCAR's very first urban street race is hitting Chicago streets July 1 and 2, with the race expected to attract at least 100,000 ticket holders throughout an already busy weekend across the City.During Wednesday's City Council meeting, members of the Pedestrian and Traffic Safety Committee hosted a hearing to learn more about NASCAR and the City's plans to keep residents safe, while also managing traffic and crowd control."Safety and security of everyone attending the event, but also around the event, is our top priority," said Julie Griese, President of NASCAR's Chicago Street Race. "When you look at the event itself, everyone will see concrete barriers that are going into place around the 2.2 mile course." A Guide to NASCAR’s Chicago Street Race According to Griese, each barrier weighs more than 10,000 pounds and is four feet tall. On top of the concrete barriers, there will also be an eight-foot-tall fence encompassing the entire perimeter of the race course."From th...

Man faces several felon charges after hitting, critically injuring boy riding his bike in Batavia

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:37:52 GMT

BATAVIA, Ill. — An Aurora man is facing several charges after Batavia police said he struck and critically injured a teenage boy riding his bike last month.On Wednesday, Batavia police said Cesar Gandarilla, 38, is charged with three counts of Aggravated DUI/great bodily harm, three counts of aggravated DUI/ no valid driver's license, DUI combination drugs, aggravated use of communications device great bodily harm, unlawful use of cannabis/ driver and numerous traffic violations. Man arrested after hitting boy riding bike in Batavia On May 31, police said Gandarilla struck the boy while he was riding his bike near Union Avenue and South Batavia Avenue. The boy was taken to a hospital in critical condition.The Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team assisted the Batavia Police Department with the investigation.

Obama Foundation CEO talks Chicago's new mayor, Obama Center updates

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:37:52 GMT

CHICAGO — After serving as a top advisor in the Barack Obama administration, Valerie Jarrett is now the chief executive of the Obama Foundation.In her new role with the Obama Foundation, Jarrett recently sat down with Chicago's new mayor, Brandon Johnson."I think Mayor Johnson is a mayor that cares deeply about Chicago. His roots are vested deeply in education making sure that every Chicagoan has the best education possible," Jarrett said. "He’s building an inclusive team. He made a point of mentioning to me knowing that I was a part of the Washington/Sawyer/Daley administration that he’s recruited people from mayors all of his predecessors all working together under a big tent."Johnson campaigned as an uber-progressive promising to raise $800 million in revenue to pay for investments in social services. Conservative business leaders around Chicago balked at his plan at the time, and rallied around his opponent, Paul Vallas. What to know about Trump’s appearance in federal court i...

The end of 'The Last Dance': Remembering the 25th Anniversary of the Bulls' most recent championship

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 11:37:52 GMT

WGN News Now's Larry Hawley takes a look back at the 25th anniversary of the Bulls' last NBA championship in this edition of "Channel 9 Was There" - a tribute to 75 years of WGN-TV.CHICAGO - If the course of an 82-game regular season and four rounds of playoffs were "The Last Dance," then the final note was heard 25 years ago on Wednesday.It was in perfect tune, crafted by a skilled conductor, and executed by one of the greatest to ever create a symphony of basketball excellence. The moment was the fitting way to exit the floor, both figuratively at the Delta Center and more broadly into basketball lore. "The Last Dance" of "The Last Dance" is now 25 years old as of Wednesday - and memories of the last of the Bulls' championships of the 1990s remain strong as it reaches its silver anniversary.That was June 14, 1998 - a true moment in time in Chicago sports. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)It was the conclusion of a long and somewhat draining season for the Bulls, one in which the chatter ...