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Democratic governor spars with Republican challenger over pandemic policies in Kentucky debate

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:25 GMT

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear defended his sweeping COVID-19 pandemic restrictions as he faced an onslaught of criticism from Republican challenger Daniel Cameron in a high-stakes debate Monday night, coming about two weeks before Kentucky’s closely watched gubernatorial election.In an hourlong debate from Lexington shown on Kentucky Educational Television, the bitter rivals sparred over the economy, education policies, abortion and transgender issues. They were pressed to drill down on many of their policy positions during the latest in a series of faceoffs before the Nov. 7 election.Some of their sharpest exchanges came when Beshear was asked to critique his policies during the height of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, while Cameron was pressed on what he would have done differently. The virus has killed more than 19,000 Kentuckians since early 2020.The pandemic dominated the first half of the governor’s term, and his restrictions on businesses and gatherings have come un...

Republican Tim Scott shifts presidential campaign staff from New Hampshire to go ‘all in on Iowa’

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:25 GMT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott’s presidential campaign announced Monday that the Republican was shifting staff and money from New Hampshire to Iowa in an effort to boost his standing in the leadoff caucus state with less than three months until the first votes of the 2024 election are cast. Scott planned to open a new state headquarters in suburban Des Moines and double his Iowa staff with the moves, though campaign aides did not say how many people would be moving from New Hampshire. “Tim Scott is all in on Iowa,” Scott’s campaign manager Jennifer DeCasper said in an emailed statement. Scott is routinely named by likely caucus participants as being among a handful of candidates under consideration. However, late-summer polls showed him receiving support in the single digits, far behind the Iowa front-runner, former President Donald Trump.Scott’s campaign team had said they had hoped the senator’s upbeat style and comfort quoting scripture while di...

2-year-old hospitalized after being shot in the hand on South Side

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:25 GMT

CHICAGO — A two-year-old girl was hospitalized on Monday evening after she was shot in the hand on the city's South Side.According to Chicago police, the shooting happened just after 7:40 p.m. in the 7900 block of South Phillips Avenue.Police say the two-year-old girl was inside an apartment in the area when she sustained the gunshot wound to her right hand. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlines Officers say the girl was then taken to the hospital in good condition.Currently, it is unclear what led to the shooting, but police say a gun was recovered from the scene and a person of interest is being questioned.This is a developing story, stay with WGN News for the latest updates.

Sainted & Tainted: Tamed weeds, fresh paint, ice-rink framing … it’s Santa’s elves at work

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:25 GMT

SaintedThe other morning I was walking around Edgcumbe Recreation Center, taking in the fall colors, when I noticed a group of about 10 St. Paul Parks and Recreation employees creating the framework for our neighborhood ice rink.As I reflected upon all the fun times that were had in this rink last winter, I thought about the song “We Are Santa’s Elves” from the 1960s holiday classic “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” When I crossed paths with the workers and made reference to that song, one of the “elves” smiled and started humming it!The grounds of this particular rec center have had a remarkable transformation in recent weeks: taming weeds, removing dead trees, fresh paint by the entrance, and the removal of weird debris that had piled up for a long time.Thank you SPPR staff, your efforts are noticed and appreciated.Susan Zoff, St. Paul TaintedTainted to the guy and his family in Calvary Cemetery on Tuesday evening, Oct. 10, walking his husky dog.Unless it is a service dog, no...

Ft. Snelling ceremony recognizes 40th anniversary of U.S. servicemen killed in Beirut

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:25 GMT

The 40th anniversary of the barracks bombing of in Beirut, Lebanon, that killed 240 U.S. servicemen was commemorated Monday at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, specifically honoring four Minnesota Marines killed and a fifth Marine who is believed to also be a casualty of that attack.Recent events in the Middle East were front of mind for some.“The same ideology that killed all those Marines on this day 40 years ago are still killing today,” said organizer Patricia Peerson at the ceremony. “So it’s very timely, this special ceremony tonight.”The four Minnesota Marines killed in the attack were Marine Cpl. John Olson of Sabin, Lance Cpls. Kevin Custard of Virginia, Thomas Lamb of Coon Rapids and John Tishmack of Minneapolis. The ceremony also recognized 1st Lt. John Downing of Minneapolis, who returned to the United States shortly before the bombing and died by suicide days after learning his fellow Marines had been killed.Wreaths were placed on the grave...

High school football: Section quarterfinal predictions

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:25 GMT

Teams are listed by their section seeds.CLASS 4ANo. 5 Como Park (4-4) at No. 4 Johnson (5-3), 3:30 p.m.Johnson’s young nucleus of weapons gets a taste of postseason action by hosting an intracity rival. Como Park enters the contest as a winner of four of its previous five games, but can the Cougars slow the Governors’ offense down? Our pick: Johnson 30, Como Park 21No. 6 South St. Paul (3-5) at No. 3 Simley (5-3), 6 p.m.The Spartans are the heavy favorites, but it’s never an easy task to take down your fierce rival twice in a season. Simley beat South St. Paul 35-12 in late September. The Spartans can’t look ahead to a potential showdown with second-seeded Chisago Lakes in a semifinal. Our pick: Simley 27, South St. Paul 14CLASS 5AHastings (2-6) at Two Rivers (7-1), 7 p.m.Hastings beat Two Rivers 9-7 in the early stages of the season, a major data point that likely prevented Two Rivers from garnering a higher seed.Since then, the Warriors have flourished. They finished with the No. ...

Maple Grove ‘Airbnb becomes machine gunBNB,’ sheriff’s office says after 11 guns found at teen’s birthday party

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:25 GMT

Stolen credit cards from Shoreview led Ramsey County sheriff’s deputies to a suspect who was celebrating his 17th birthday at a house party in Maple Grove, where deputies said they found 11 handguns hidden in the home.The Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office said it found 11 guns in a house being rented for a teen’s birthday party in Maple Grove on Oct. 21, 2023. (Courtesy of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office Live on Patrol)Seven of the guns had a “switch,” which is installed on a handgun to make it fully automatic, said Undersheriff Mike Martin on Monday. “… When you pull the trigger, it basically dumps out all the rounds that are in the gun and many of the guns had extended magazines, so for example, one of those guns could shoot 33 rounds in two seconds.”Deputies tracked the teen on Saturday night to what they called a “booze-filled” party at a house that had been rented through Airbnb.The sheriff’s office on its ...

Keeler: TNT’s Ernie Johnson on Nikola Jokic, Shaquille O’Neal, Deion Sanders and how Denver went from cowtown to NBA cool: “The ring validates a lot of things.”

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:25 GMT

Cowtown, schmowtown! Ernie, Kenny, Chuck and Shaq are throwing a party on Speer Tuesday, and Denver’s invited. We’ve made it, kids.“Oh yeah, (Denverites) are NBA cool, without question,” Ernie “E.J.” Johnson, the venerable broadcaster and straight man on the wildest, wackiest party in sports broadcasting, told me Monday en route the “NBA on TNT American Express Road Show.” “The ring validates a lot of things, man.”“Inside The NBA” is live from downtown Tuesday afternoon, when the best basketball team in the world hosts the No. 1 studio show on the planet. The “Road Show,” a pregame soiree with games, prizes and live bands, starts at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Tivoli Quad on the Auraria Campus — two-and-a-half hours before the Nuggets raise their title banner.“I think it’s always great when you can celebrate a new champion. And it’s so richly deserved,” Johnson said of the Nuggets, ...

Denver council members turn up heat on budget dispute with Mayor Johnston over rental assistance

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:25 GMT

Denver City Council members said Monday that they are ready to overrule Mayor Mike Johnston if he doesn’t put millions more dollars behind emergency rental assistance in next year’s budget.The legislative muscle flexing played out on the City and County Building steps ahead of a meeting at which the council held a public hearing focused on the city’s proposed $4 billion 2024 budget. There was significant support for increased rental assistance during that budget hearing.Backed by dozens of supporters and some of her council colleagues, Councilwoman Stacie Gilmore zeroed in on a $14.5 million gap between what 12 council members believe is an appropriate amount of rental assistance funding for Denver households next year and what the mayor so far has said he would commit to that program.In the weeks ahead, the council will have the opportunity to vote on amendments to Johnston’s proposed budget and the mayor will have the option to veto those amendments. A mayo...

Violent repeat offender considered armed and dangerous wanted in L.A. County

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:10:25 GMT

Police are searching for a 41-year-old man in connection with a violent stabbing in Claremont who is a repeat offender and should be considered armed and dangerous.  Officers with the Claremont Police Department responded to 200 West First Street, a Metrolink Station, at around 4 p.m. Sunday on reports of the stabbing, according to a CPD news release. The suspect, now identified as Phillip Borunda, had already fled the scene when police arrived.  Authorities located the victim in the grassy area near the Claremont Museum of Art and learned that he had been stabbed in the ribcage after an alleged argument with the Borunda. Paramedics with the Los Angeles County Fire Department took the victim, who was suffering from possibly life-threatening injuries to Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center.  “All l saw was cop cars, the ambulance,” Amal Najir, who works at the nearby Jax Bicycle Center said.  Claremont resident Melissa Larose, who owns the Method Lagree, a fitnes...