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Kansas lawmakers pass bill to help child sex abuse survivors

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:59 GMT

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators gave final approval Monday to a bill that would make it easier to pursue criminal charges or file lawsuits over childhood sexual abuse years after the abuse occurred.The House approved the measure, 120-0. It goes to Gov. Laura Kelly because the Senate approved it last week, 40-0. Abuse survivors and advocates have been pushing for changes in recent years in the wake of reports of abuse by clergy across the U.S. The bill would eliminate limits on how long prosecutors have to file charges against suspects for any of a dozen violent sexual offenses against children, including indecent liberties, aggravated human trafficking and internet trading in child pornography. For such crimes, other than rape and aggravated sodomy, prosecutors currently can file criminal charges until the victim turns 28 or up to a year after DNA evidence establishes a suspect, whichever is later. The deadline for filing a lawsuit seeking monetary damages would be when abuse...

Execution set for man convicted of stabbing woman 37 times

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:59 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — A man convicted of breaking into a woman’s Florida Panhandle apartment and fatally stabbing her 37 times in 1986 is set to be executed next month under a death warrant signed Monday by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis.Darryl B. Barwick’s execution is set for May 3 at 6 p.m. It’s the third execution scheduled in Florida this year after a break dating back to 2019. Donald Dillbeck was executed in February, and Louis Bernard Gaskin is set to be euthanized April 12.The execution would be only the fifth under DeSantis, a far slower pace than recent Florida governors — and ahead of his widely expected presidential campaign.According to court records, Rebecca Wendt, 24, was sunbathing at her Panama City apartment complex on March 31, 1986. When she eventually returned to her apartment, investigators said Barwick followed her inside and attacked her. Wendt’s sister, who also lived at the apartment, returned home later that night and found Wendt&#...

EagleCam shows heavy winds blow nest from tree; eaglet dies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:59 GMT

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Viewers of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources EagleCam were heartbroken over the weekend as they watched strong winds from a severe weather system whip a nest holding a newly hatched eaglet out of a tree. The nature livestream captured the moment the nest fell Sunday morning. A mother eagle crouched in the snow-filled nest as it swayed precariously in the wind. A branch snapped, and the nest collapsed as the mother flew backward. The young eagle was later found dead on the ground, the department said in a statement.“I was actually crying,” said Denise Chung, who said she and her kids watched the nest fall in real time. She told The Associated Press it hit her particularly hard because she knew the eagle lost its baby. “I don’t know if it would have hit me so hard if I weren’t a mom.” The nest weighed over 2,000 pounds (907 kilograms) and was over 20 years old, the statement said. The department said heavy snow that fell over the weekend — coupled with t...

Rahul Gandhi avoids prison as he appeals defamation verdict

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:59 GMT

NEW DELHI (AP) — A court on Monday suspended a two-year prison sentence for Indian opposition leader Rahul Gandhi as he appeals his criminal conviction for mocking the prime minister’s surname which resulted in his expulsion from Parliament, dealing a huge blow to his Congress party ahead of general elections next year.Gandhi, a fierce critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his main challenger in the 2024 polls, was ousted after a court sentenced him to two years in prison for defamation for a comment made in a 2019 election speech. The prosecution of Gandhi, the great-grandson of India’s first prime minister and scion of the dynastic Congress party, was widely condemned by opponents of Modi as the latest assault against democracy and free speech by a government seeking to crush dissent. The speed of his removal from Parliament shocked Indian politics. Gandhi appeared in a court in the western state of Gujarat on Monday to file an appeal and was granted bail for the durati...

Police payouts soaring in city of Chicago

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:59 GMT

CHICAGO — The city of Chicago has paid more than $578 million since 2016 in judgments, settlements and legal fees relating to claims of police misconduct.It is a staggering figure but observers say taxpayers aren’t done paying yet. They predict millions of dollars more will be spent as legal cases relating to a notorious former officer wind through the courts.There are now more than 170 pending lawsuits accusing the former officer Ronald Watts of misconduct. Watts and his team have been accused in court filings of framing dozens of people at the former Ida B. Wells public housing complex on the city’s South Side.Ultimately, Watts was criminally charged with shaking down an undercover FBI agent and sentenced to 22 months in prison. The case cost Watts his city pension. Previous Coverage: 19 more wrongful convictions tied to ex-CPD Sgt. Ronald Watts overturned But taxpayers aren’t done paying for his alleged deeds.“This is a problem that could exceed $100 million,” Chicago-based civ...

Who is running for Chicago City Council?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:59 GMT

CHICAGO -- Many Chicago residents will decide who will be their next Alderman on Tuesday.Following the results of the Feb. 28 elections, 14 wards are still looking for their next City Council representative during the April 4 runoff election.A handful of incumbents are fighting to keep their seats, but many newcomers are looking to win one of the positions left open by a number of retirements this year. Your Local Election Headquarters Here are the Chicago City Council runoff candidates for the April 4 Election:Ward 4NEW BOUNDARIES: This ward runs along the Lakefront from the Loop south to Hyde Park and Kenwood. It includes Grant Park, Museum Campus, Soldier Field, Northerly Island and McCormick Place.OPEN SEAT: Incumbent Ald. Sophia King opted to run for mayor instead of another term on City Council, leaving this seat open. 6 candidates ran for the seat in February, leading to a runoff on Tuesday. LAMONT ROBINSONLamont Robinson has been a State Representative since 2019, represe...

Ex-Trump aide jokes he'll have the 'most handsome mugshot of all time'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:59 GMT

An ex-Trump adviser joked that the former president will take "the most handsome mugshot of all time" after he was indicted last week for his alleged involvement in a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election. "We’ll have a mug shot. For the record, it will be the most manly, most masculine, most handsome mugshot of all time,” Hogan Gidley, who served as a Trump White House and campaign spokesperson, said in remarks to Time magazine. "I can say that definitely, before having even seen it."Former President Trump was indicted last Thursday for his involvement in a hush money payment to Daniels to cover up an alleged affair that he has repeatedly denied. Former President Trump.Trump traveled to Manhattan on Monday ahead of his arraignment on Tuesday, where he will hear the charges brought against him in his first court appearance. It is expected that the former president will take a mugshot, but it is unclear whether the photo will be released to the...

2023 Chicago Runoff and Illinois General Election results

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:59 GMT

CHICAGO (WGN) -- On Tuesday, April 4, Chicagoans once again will have the opportunity to vote in the Chicago runoff and Suburban general elections. On the ballot this time around are candidates for Chicago Mayor and City Council seats, as well as Suburban Mayor and Village Presidents races. Your Local Election Headquarters Polling locations across the Chicagoland will close Tuesday at 7 p.m.When the polls close Tuesday night WGNTV.com will began compiling the results. You can find all the results here or select specific election results from the links below.City of Chicago Election ResultsChicago Suburban Election ResultsAll April 4 Election ResultsResults will be posted throughout the night and WGNTV.com will update this story with new information if needed.

Further postponement pushes proposed Fairview-Sanford merger into summer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:59 GMT

Sanford Health and Fairview Health Services have given Minnesota officials assurances that any merger of the two — a possible union that has sparked concern — will not occur until at least late August at the earliest.The extension is in response to a request from Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, whose office is reviewing the potential merger, which would combine Sanford’s sprawling Sioux Falls, S.D-based health system with its Minneapolis counterpart.“In the interest of ongoing cooperation with the Office of the Minnesota Attorney General, we have extended the target closing date for our merger until after May 31st and agreed to their request for 90 days’ notice prior to closing at a future date,” the two health systems said in a joint statement released Monday.Earlier, at Ellison’s request, Sanford and Fairview agreed in February to push back the target date of the merger by two months to May 31.“We respect the thorough review underway by the Attorney General’s Office and ...

Tyler Mahle strong as Twins break out bats

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:13:59 GMT

MIAMI — The Twins had little opportunity to see what Tyler Mahle could do last season.In just his third start after being acquired at the trade deadline from Cincinnati, Mahle’s velocity dipped drastically and he exited with a shoulder issue. After a stint on the injured list, his comeback attempt was cut short and Mahle didn’t pitch again after Sept. 3.The Twins finally got their chance this spring and Mahle, manager Rocco Baldelli said, seemed to get stronger as he neared the end of camp. He took that into the season, giving up just a run in five innings in the Twins’ 11-1 win over the Marlins on Monday night at loanDepot Park in Miami.Leaning heavily on his four-seam fastball, which averaged 93.8 miles per hour and touched 95.4, and his revamped slider, Mahle struck out seven in a relatively low-stress outing.By the time he gave up a run, which came on a single from former teammate Luis Arraez and plated left fielder Bryan De La Cruz, the Twins had already built up an insurmounta...