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California lawmakers vote to fast-track low-income housing on churches’ lands

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:16:57 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California lawmakers are considering nearly 1,000 bills during the hectic final two weeks of the Legislative session. Here’s action taken by the California Legislature Thursday:AFFORDABLE HOUSING ON CHURCHES’ LANDSReligious institutions and nonprofit colleges in California could soon turn their parking lots and other properties into low-income housing to help combat the ongoing homeless crisis, lawmakers voted on Thursday.The legislation would rezone land owned by nonprofit colleges and religious institutions, such as churches, mosques, and synagogues, to allow for affordable housing. They would be able to bypass most local permitting and environmental review rules that can be costly and lengthy. California is home to 171,000 homeless people — about 30% of all homeless people in the U.S. The crisis has sparked a movement among religious institutions, dubbed “yes in God’s backyard,” or “YIGBY,” in cities across the state, with a number of projects alre...

Joliet church owes SEC $300K, asking community for donations to help pay off debt

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:16:57 GMT

JOLIET, Ill. -- Leaders of Messiah Lutheran Church in Joliet are praying for a miracle to keep the doors open after learning they owe the federal government hundreds of thousands of dollars by November.Messiah Lutheran Church has been around for more than 120 years and now are looking for help from the community to help raise $300,000 by Nov. 15. If they don't the church will be forced to close its doors.In 2019, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a lawsuit against a local business claiming the business defrauded numerous investors.As part of that litigation, a receiver for the SEC was appointed to recoup money the business paid others, which included more than $780,000 in donations to Messiah Lutheran Church over ten years.Messiah Lutheran Church’s senior pastor Kurt Hoover says the money was spent on salaries, ministry, and daily operations."As a church you don’t have much of a reserve fund," Pastor Hoover said. "You’re really spending as much as you can every year on y...

Skilling: Cloudy, cooler temps continue into the weekend

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:16:57 GMT

THE COOLING TREND CONTINUES—and temps have moved into a BELOW NORMAL phase which is to hold each of the coming 9 days.  A TASTE OF AUTUMN IS ON ITS WAYIn fact, the season's first LAKE EFFECT RAIN SHOWERS are possible overnight into Friday morning as "NNE" winds runs southward the length of Lake Michigan give them plenty of time to entrain lake moisture.Lake effect precip occurs when you have the full fetch winds I just mentioned---but ALSO when cool air sweeps over COMPARATIVELY WARM lake waters---precisely the set up taking shape tonight.  Water temps average out to 73-deg while temps later tonight will have dropped to 46 degrees just a mile above. That steep vertical drop in temps—what meteorologists refer to as a "steep adiabatic lapse rate"---encourages lake warmed air to become buoyant and to rise, cooling as it does. This sets the stage for cloud—and ultimately scattered shower development.  Later in the season, when temps grow cold, this is the type of meteorologica...

'Largest number of claims ever filed': 17M people validated to receive Facebook settlement payment

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:16:57 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – The number of claims filed in the $725 million Facebook privacy settlement may constitute the largest class in a lawsuit in U.S. history, lawyers said in a San Francisco court Thursday. The administrator in charge of vetting claims has received more than 28 million applications for a payment, said Lesley Weaver, co-lead counsel for the plaintiffs in the case. “As far as we can tell that's the largest number of claims ever filed in a class action in the United States," Weaver said. Of the 28 million filed, about 17 million have been preliminarily validated, meaning at least 17 million people will be getting a piece of the massive settlement if and when it's given final approval. Facebook’s $725M settlement is huge, but how much will you actually get? About 2 million claims were duplicates, 8 million were flagged as potentially fraudulent, and there were still about 1 million left to review, the lawyers explained. Once the total number of eligible people is finalized, w...

Justin Fields gets a major endorsement ahead of the 2023 season

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:16:57 GMT

LAKE FOREST, Ill. — The Bears' top quarterback has a major endorsement deal as he gets ready for his third season in the National Football League. On Thursday, Reebok announced a new partnership with Justin Fields ahead of the season opener against the Packers on Sunday at Soldier Field. As of Thursday, they've posted a number of products in a section designated for the signal caller on their website.It comes as the Boston-based company looks to break back into team sports a the end of 2023, looking to increase the number of athletes endorsing its products along with its presence in major leagues. “Reebok holds an incredible legacy in the sports world that has always inspired me,” said Fields in a news release from Reebok. “Not only have they launched iconic offerings with legends like Allen Iverson and Shaq that shaped sports culture in the ‘90’s, but they also have the attitude and energy to reshape the future of Sport once again. I’m excited to join Reebok and help kick off this ...

Ex-Trump adviser Peter Navarro convicted of contempt of Congress

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:16:57 GMT

Peter Navarro, a former Trump economic adviser, was found guilty Thursday of contempt of Congress following a jury deliberation that lasted nearly five hours.Navarro faced two counts of contempt of Congress for refusing to cooperate with a subpoena served by the House committee investigating the events of Jan. 6. The first charge pertained to his failure to produce documents and the second was for failing to appear for a deposition. The former Trump aide stood off to the side of the defense table as the verdict was read — the same posture he maintained throughout the day-long jury trial. His face and posture remained unchanged as the verdict was read. Just after the verdict was read, Navarro attorney Stan Woodward called for a mistrial, claiming the jurors went outside during their break were exposed to protestors toting Jan. 6-related signs. Government prosecutors said they did not see any protestors outside the exit the jurors purportedly used. U.S. District Judge A...

Jury hears final testimony before sentencing in Sixth Street mass shooting

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:16:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – ”Everything came crashing down,” Adriana Salazar said through tears while describing the Sixth Street mass shooting event June 12, 2021. Salazar was out with a friend in a different portion of Austin’s downtown. She told the court that she was passing through Sixth Street when she heard gunshots. “Next thing I know, I stopped moving. I just fell to the ground,” Salazar said. “It went through my whole right leg.” Police body camera footage showed her screaming in pain moments after being shot. Salazar’s femur shattered, and it took eight months before she could walk again. She told the court she has physically healed from her injuries but not emotionally. After a jury found De’Ondre White, 21, guilty Wednesday of the murder of Douglas Kantor in the Sixth Street mass shooting incident on June 12, 2021, the jury returned for the punishment portion of the trial. The jury will choose how long White must serve in prison—anywhere from five to 99 years. Whatev...

Austin Pets Alive! Mayor of Pawstin results in runoff between top 2 candidates

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:16:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — To celebrate Austin's 12th No Kill Anniversary, the Austin Pets Alive! (APA) election for the Mayor of Pawstin resulted in a runoff between two top candidates, according to APA.Top canine candidateAccording to APA, no candidate is more "battled-tested than Mindy, a wheelie dog. Mindy has overcome adversity her whole life, and brings charm and zest for life," a spokesperson for APA said.Mindy was showcased during her turn as an honorary mascot for an Austin FC, according to APA.Austin Pets Alive! is asking Austinites to vote for this year's Mayor of Pawstin | Courtesy APA!Top feline candidateGeneral Erasmus Dickinson has a "commanding presence," according to APA. General makes sure to reciprocate all the love he gets from humans and will quickly become a favorite at any event, according to APA.General is ready for the responsibility the mayor title would bring, the spokesperson for APA said.How to vote, when the results party isAPA said its candidates are both shelter...

Chauvin trial witness wanted in domestic abuse no-contact order case

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:16:57 GMT

An Eden Prairie man who witnessed George Floyd’s death — and later gave emotional testimony in the murder trial — is wanted by authorities in connection with violating a domestic abuse no-contact order.Donald Wynn Williams pleaded guilty to the Anoka County charge last month and was sentenced to 90 days in jail, with 80 of them stayed for one year, during which time he would be on probation. A judge ordered the 34-year-old to report to the jail on Sept. 1 to start serving the 10-day sentence on home electronic monitoring, but he failed to show up, a Wednesday arrest warrant shows.Court records show Williams was charged with the offense after a traffic stop in Coon Rapids on Jan. 4.An attorney who represented Williams in the case did not return a call Thursday for comment.Williams, wearing a black Northside Boxing Club sweatshirt, was among those who pleaded with Minneapolis police on May 25, 2020, as officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee on Floyd’s neck while three othe...

Expert weighs in on why extradition process was halted

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 14:16:57 GMT

RENSSELAER, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Despite having an extraditable warrant from February, Carlos Corrales-Ramirez never made it back to Maryland after being detained in New York in March. One legal expert sheds some light on why that extradition never happened. The 20-year-old suspect was arrested and arraigned in Troy in connection to a stabbing homicide on Saturday. New York lawmakers and Rensselaer County officials said that never should have happened with his criminal history and attributed his release to a “massive breakdown in communication”.Rensselaer County Executive Steve McLaughlin held a press conference on Wednesday and wanted one question answered.“Why was this criminal not extradited out of the state of New York back to Maryland? Because if he had done so, a person would be alive today,” said McLaughlin. News10 tracked the alleged criminal history and chain of custody for Corrales-Ramirez. The suspect was linked to an assault in Laurel, Maryland at a 7-Eleven on Febr...