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Minnesota, Washington become trans refuges, shield abortions

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:27 GMT

By LISA BAUMANN and STEVE KARNOWSKI (Associated Press)SEATTLE (AP) — Washington and Minnesota won’t cooperate with attempts to prosecute out-of-state patients seeking reproductive or gender-affirming procedures and treatment, under new laws signed Thursday by the two states’ Democratic governors.They’re the latest liberal states to enact legal safeguards as Republican legislators across the country are rushing to block or limit transgender and abortion health care. More than a dozen states have effectively banned abortion outright in the year since the Supreme Court’s conservative majority overturned Roe v. Wade.“Freedom of choice is a health care issue. We are protecting access to health care,” said Gov. Jay Inslee, who wore a pink tie to the outdoor bill signing ceremony in Seattle. The laws block other states from using Washington- or Minnesota-run courts or judicial processes to enforce their bans — things like warrants, subpoenas,...

Minnesota State chancellor finalists make their case in public Q&A

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:27 GMT

The two finalists to lead the Minnesota State system of 26 colleges and seven universities delivered aspirational messages about higher education Thursday during back-to-back public forums.Tonja Johnson rejected the notion that college should simply be about workforce development.“I’m not interested in grooming students to just go into the workforce to push buttons,” she said. “We need to get students into our campuses so that they can be more than what people told them they can be.”Tonja Johnson, University of Alabama System senior vice chancellor for academic and student affairs (Courtesy of Minnesota State Colleges and Universities)Scott Olson spoke of the Minnesota Miracle of 1971, when lawmakers overhauled the way the state pays for education in order to reduce inequities while also cutting property taxes.Equity in education was “the right dream, it just hasn’t been fully fulfilled yet,” Olson said, pointing to persistent and wide achievement gaps among racial and ethnic groups...

Kirill Kaprizov confident he will ‘break through’ when Wild need him most, which is now

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:27 GMT

Kirill Kaprizov had never gone four straight games without a point in his NHL career. Until now.To say the Wild have struggled to get Kaprizov going in the first-round playoff series against the Dallas Stars would be putting it lightly. He scored via a redirection in Game 1 and has been held in check ever since, with no points in Game 2, Game 3, Game 4, or Game 5. Not the best time for his worst stretch to date.Simply put, with the Wild on the brink of elimination heading into Game 6 on Friday night at Xcel Energy Center, they need more from their recently turned 26-year-old star.“Obviously it’s a bit frustrating,” Kaprizov said. “I’m confident this next game I should break through.”He better. Otherwise the Wild could be going home.After looking like a candidate for the Hart Trophy during the regular season, recording 40 goals and 35 assists despite only playing 67 games, Kaprizov hasn’t looked like himself in this playoff series. Asked if h...

Loons will be challenged by Philadelphia Union in next round of U.S. Open Cup

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:27 GMT

Minnesota United will host Philadelphia Union in a U.S. Open Cup round of 32 match on May 9 or 10 at Allianz Field, per the draw released on Thursday.The Loons will have their hands full with a Union team that advanced to MLS Cup last season and currently is in the semifinals of the Concacaf Champions League against Los Angeles FC.Before the draw, Minnesota sought a home Open Cup match to avoid playing three straight road games. The Loons have MLS games at Vancouver on May 6 and at Sporting Kansas City on May 13.Manager Adrian Heath will tinker with lineups more than usual during this upcoming stretch.The Loons came back to beat USL Championship club Detroit City 3-1 in third round of the Open Cup in Michigan on Tuesday.If Minnesota wins again in Open Cup, their round of 16 opponent will be determined via another draw on May 11. That match would be played May 23 or 24.MLS clubs went 16-2 in the third round this week. The Seattle Sounders and Inter Miami were later winners in added e...

Suspect admits to stealing 32 firearms from gun store

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:27 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- On Thursday, Jonathon Combs pled guilty to two counts of theft of firearms, and using firearms during and in relation to a drug trafficking crime. Combs admitted to stealing from Calamity Jane's Firearms and Fine Shoes on two separate occasions. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! On the second occasion, Combs and a co-conspirator broke into the store with a sledgehammer and stole 31 semi-automatic pistols. They then exchanged most of the stolen firearms with another individual in return for cocaine.Combs faces at least five years and up to life in prison and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to 5 years. Two other defendants, Martin Taft, 48, and Kwahpreme Mitchell, 32, still face charges in this case.

The Orchestra Now performing at Fisher Center and Carnegie Hall

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:27 GMT

RED HOOK, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Orchestra Now (TŌN) will be putting on performances of "Before and After Soviet Communism" at The Fisher Center and Carnegie Hall. The program is dedicated to exploring rarely-heard masterpieces of Eastern European composers Karol Szymanowski, Boris Tishchenko and György Kurtág during the rise and fall of Soviet communism. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! TŌN, Bard College's graduate-level training orchestra, is a collection of 54 passionate young musicians from 13 different countries. Their mission is to make orchestral music relevant to 21st-century audiences by sharing their distinctive personal insights in a welcoming environment. The orchestra is conducted by music director, educator, and Bard College president Leon Botstein. The performances will feature several soloists including mezzo-soprano Sun-Ly Pierce, violinists Luosha Fang and Hiromi Kikuchi, as well as violists Ken Hakii and Ro...

Niskayuna adopts police bodycams

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:27 GMT

NISKAYUNA, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Niskayuna Police Department announced on April 27 that officers now wear body cameras. Their said their aim is enhancing transparency and accountability to foster public trust. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! “Our department members truly embraced these upgraded technologies to enhance transparency in their interactions with the community," said Niskayuna Police Chief Jordan Kochan. "This technology further provides the ability to capture video evidence during investigations and at crime scenes, as well as oversight of our officers for training purposes. We continue to receive positive feedback from our officers regarding the implementation of both the body worn cameras and integrated patrol vehicle cameras, which were upgraded during this project."Uniformed officers will wear the cameras and they will be activated during all law enforcement-related activities, including traffic stops, arrests...

'Rudderless ship of chaos,' judge says after Gardner's court absence

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:27 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A judge has ruled for "indirect criminal contempt" proceedings for St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner after she didn't show to a scheduled contempt of court hearing Thursday. Procedures for the "indirect contempt of court" hearing will be scheduled for May 23 at 9:30 a.m.Judge Michael Noble said that this next hearing is planned after Gardner failed to show up for two contempt of court hearings. Her deputy, Chris Desilets, has also been requested for the indirect contempt of court. Noble says, Gardner not showing to these hearing, proves sufficient evidence of disdain and disrespect for the judicial process that support a finding of indirect criminal contempt. He adds, "The Circuit Attorney's Office appears to be a rudderless ship of chaos." New Metro Transit cameras catches suspect in rape attempts Thursday was the second time in a week that Gardner faced the prospect of being held in contempt of court.Noble requested that Gardner appear in his courtroom Thursday...

Fair St. Louis shrinks to only one day in 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:27 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- The sprawling Fair St. Louis event that typically lasts the entire Fourth of July weekend will be a little different this year. The 2023 celebration will only occur on one day. It will include a parade in the morning and fireworks against the backdrop of the Arch that evening.The Fair St. Louis Foundation says that they had a lot of success in 2022. They had a lot of events and want to connect with the community to help grow the event. They are using this year to make plans for a city-wide celebration in the summer of 2024. Trending -- ‘Weirdest St. Louis thing?’ Funny comments from FOX 2 fans “While we are still early in the planning and development stage, we will usher in a new era for St. Louis entertainment next year, and we see a bright future for the Fair’s revamped offerings that include our area's civic, business, government and charitable organizations coming together to be a part of something new and exciting for our City,” states Tim Meers, general chairman...

California bill would increase teacher pay by 50% by 2030

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:25:27 GMT

In an effort to address the teacher workforce shortage, a new California bill seeks to raise teachers’ pay by 50% over the next seven years.California Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi, a Democrat from Torrance who introduced the bill, hopes it will attract younger people to teaching jobs while helping current teachers afford to live in the communities they work in. California bill aims to crack down on organized retail theft The bill, formally known as AB 938, would set yearly targets for California’s Local Control Funding Formula, which determines how much money is allocated to districts and charter schools, to reach a 50% increase by 2030, according to the bill’s text.The bill doesn’t require school districts to spend additional state funding on increasing salaries but strongly suggests that’s what the money should go toward.Muratsuchi, who is also the chairman of the Assembly Education Committee, unveiled his plan for the bill during a press conference Wednesday. Muratsuchi hopes t...