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Pritzker contacts White House, local officials worried about migrant crisis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:22 GMT

CHICAGO — As Chicago's humanitarian crisis escalates, Governor JB Pritzker and Mayor Brandon Johnson warned the White House the situation is becoming untenable.According to Pritzker, he received correspondence from the White House Tuesday, 24 hours after delivering a message to the White House on the migrant situation in Chicago, where City officials are expecting as many as 25 busloads of asylum seekers to arrive each day."I have spoken to the White House since even over the weekend and the letter to make sure that they heard us and that they want to be responsive," Pritzker said. "And they’ve said that they want to be responsive to those things."Pritzker is asking for a point person to coordinate federal help for migrants, temporary protected status application fees to be waived, and employment authorization for Venezuelans. He said he is also seeking Medicaid waivers and housing vouchers for new arrivals in the City.As of Tuesday morning, 9,827 migrants were in Chicago shelters, ...

McCarthy won't run for Speaker again

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:22 GMT

Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) informed members of his conference Tuesday night that he will not run for Speaker again after the House voted to oust him from the post hours earlier, multiple lawmakers confirmed to The Hill.The House voted 216-210 to remove McCarthy as Speaker, a mutiny led by Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) and joined by seven Republicans and every Democrat.McCarthy delivered the news to his conference in a closed-door meeting to discuss next steps.“Everybody was kind of stunned,” Rep. Ralph Norman (R-SC) told reporters.The House is not expected to vote on a new Speaker this week.The GOP conference will have a candidate forum next Tuesday to select their pick for the job, with Speaker Pro Tem Patrick McHenry (R-N.C.) presiding."So between now and then there's gonna be a lot obviously a lot of work to be done to try to consider and vet and discuss and compare notes and see who can build a coalition for support and then we as a conference will hear from them and challenge th...

New law could mean fewer parks, less services as Austin continue to grow

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:22 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Over the next few years, Austin could see fewer and smaller parks as the city continues to grow."Up to 97% less park acreage," Robynne Heymans, with the City of Austin's Parks and Recreation Department, said.HB 1526 recently passed which requires Austin to make changes to the current parkland dedication ordinance.City rules used to require 9.4 acres of parkland in a development for every 1,000 residents."This new bill reduces that," Heymanns said.Now depending on where a development goes, it could be three acres or as low as 0.075 acres for every 1,000 people. Austin mayor: Zilker Park Vision Plan ‘shelved,’ future plans will focus on common goals The bill's language pointed to how some developers had a harder time moving forward with projects because of those limitations. The new law only impacts multifamily and hotel and motel developments."It is also likely that we will see our level of service decline," Heymanns said.That's because the fees Austin can impose on...

'Comfortable': Quinn Ewers enters Red River Rivalry different than last year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:22 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — It doesn't get bigger than Texas vs. Oklahoma for a native Texan who grew up watching the Red River Rivalry."I'd been to that game growing up," Longhorns sophomore quarterback Quinn Ewers said. "I was always in the stands. Being able to run out there was a pretty good experience. I wanted to soak it in because I know how long I wanted to be there in that position." Texas RB Jonathon Brooks honors father’s memory with every touchdown for No. 3 Longhorns Ewers grew up in Southlake, a suburb of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, and clearly was soaking in the moment playing in the game last season. He also played his best game of his redshirt freshman season going 21-31 through the air for 289 yards and four touchdowns."They got new people over there," Ewers said about this year's Oklahoma team. "They're obviously better at what they do than they were last year. Super excited for the opportunity."Ewers has seemed much more confident this fall. He missed a portion of the...

Texas RB Jonathon Brooks honors father's memory with every touchdown for No. 3 Longhorns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:22 GMT

AUSTIN (AP) — When Texas running back Jonathon Brooks gets to the end zone, he celebrates with a tap of his right forearm.It is a quick and subtle gesture that can be easy to miss, but it's a powerful one for Brooks. His arm is tattooed with the Roman numerals for 3-28-22, for March 28, 2022, the date his father James “Skip” Brooks died at age 49 after long struggles with kidney failure. ‘The best setting in college football’: Red River Rivalry week begins for No. 3 Texas, No. 12 Oklahoma “I really just miss, whenever I have success, the smile on his face,” Brooks said. “I think about that every time I score.”Brooks has been the breakout player for No. 3 Texas through the first five games of 2023. He leads the league in rushing with 597 yards and has scored five touchdowns for the Longhorns (5-0, 2-0 Big 12) heading into Saturday's showdown with No. 12 Oklahoma (5-0, 2-0). He has three scores of 37 yards or longer.In an offense full of big-play potential, coach...

The streak is over: Twins beat Blue Jays to win first postseason game since 2004

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:22 GMT

Pablo López showed up to the ballpark on Tuesday afternoon wearing a look of determination and the jersey of his boyhood hero. Nearly 7,000 days ago, that man, Johan Santana pitched the Twins to a postseason victory in Game 1 of the 2004 American League Division Series.Decades of playoff misery and disappointment followed as the Twins went on an 18-game postseason losing streak, the longest in North American professional sports, that spanned 19 years and 18 games.That all came to an end on Tuesday with the Twins putting behind an unfortunate narrative that has followed them around for years to rest. López, rookie Royce Lewis, who hit two home runs, and the Twins’ defense and bullpen made sure of it. Their efforts led the Twins to a 3-1 win on Tuesday afternoon in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series at Target Field, leaving them one win away from advancing to the ALDS.Fans line up to enter the stadium before Game 1 of an AL wild-card baseball playoff series between the Minnesota Twins and...

Double drowning confirmed in St. Croix River

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:22 GMT

The bodies of two men were pulled from the St. Croix River, just south of the Interstate 94 bridge, on Tuesday a few hours after a fishing boat was seen unoccupied and spinning in circles near Town of Troy, Wis., Beach.A boater called 911 at 9:35 a.m. Tuesday to report seeing “an unoccupied boat doing circles in the middle of the St. Croix River,” said St. Croix County, Wis., Sheriff Scott Knudson. “They also thought they saw a body next to the boat.”When deputies with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office arrived by boat, however, they could not locate anyone in the water, Knudson said. Members of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team found the body of the first man at 12:20 p.m.; the second man’s body was located shortly before 6 p.m. Their names were not immediately released pending positive identification and family notification.The men’s bodies were found about 650 yards from the Wisconsin shore; the St. Croix River is 30 to 40 feet deep at that point in...

Unhoused face new deadline to leave city hall encampment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:22 GMT

ST. LOUIS – The large homeless encampment outside of St. Louis City Hall has another deadline of 10 p.m. Tuesday to move out as the city tries to relocate everyone.This comes after numerous police and EMS calls to the camp for issues including overdoses, seizures, and other medical emergencies.A spokesperson for Mayor Tishaura Jones said they would begin disbanding the encampment Monday night, but that never happened.The mayor’s office postponed the shutdown so outreach workers with the Department of Human Services could try to get individuals into shelters and more permanent housing.The city will now enforce a curfew law that effectively closes the park between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

Police: Person in custody for Webster Groves shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:22 GMT

WEBSTER GROVES, Mo. - One person is in custody Tuesday after a Webster Groves woman was shot the night before while laying on her bed.The shooting happened around 9:30 p.m. Monday in the 300 block of Tuxedo Boulevard, according to Lt. Jillian McCoy, a spokeswoman for the Webster Groves Police Department.The victim was on her bed when she was shot in the arm. She was rushed to a hospital and treated. Her injuries were not life-threatening.Four shots were fired into the home, McCoy said.

Broncos RB Jaleel McLaughlin’s fiery attitude, displayed through touchdown celebration, has him in line for expanded role on offense

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:22 GMT

In the two times Broncos rookie running back Jaleel McLaughlin crossed the goal line for a touchdown, he marked his territory and showed that he belonged. He kicked his feet back like a raging bull before pointing to the heavens.McLaughlin’s celebration is simple, but the meaning represents who he is and his fiery attitude on the field.Standing at 5-foot-7 and weighing 187 pounds, McLaughlin, an undrafted rookie, was one of the smallest players during Sunday’s 31-28 win over the Chicago Bears. But his spirit and impact weighed heavy.He had 104 total yards and a receiving touchdown, while head coach Sean Payton expects the Youngstown State product to have an expanded role on offense.“Every time a bull goes out, they mark their territory,” McLaughlin said. “I try to bring that aspect of me being a bull (and) wanting to win.”McLaughlin, the NCAA’s all-time leading rusher across all divisions, started that touchdown celebration as a junior in college. He recalled boxer Errol Spence Jr. ...