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Larger welfare checks lead to healthier brains, study finds

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:24 GMT

(The Hill) -- Children in poverty tend to have healthier brains and fewer mental health problems if they live in states with more generous welfare programs, according to a new study supported by the National Institutes of Health. The findings, from researchers at Harvard and Washington University in St. Louis, suggest that well-funded anti-poverty measures can improve both brain development and mental health in children. Past research has shown an association between poverty and brain development. Specifically, children in low-income homes tend to have a smaller hippocampus, a brain structure associated with memory and learning. Impoverished children also suffer more frequent mental health symptoms.  Across the 17 states studied, impoverished children tended to have a smaller hippocampus than affluent children. But in states with robust welfare programs, the disparity was 34 percent narrower.  In mental health, the study found the disparity between affluent ...

White Sox make nearly a dozen roster moves after terrible April

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:24 GMT

CHICAGO - When a team is struggling, a few moves are necessary, and the White Sox are most certainly in a slump.So to begin May, perhaps because of that, they've announced nearly a dozen moves either due to necessity or underperformance at the major league level.A flurry of White Sox moves today..Tim Anderson & Hanser Alberto are back from IL..Alex Colome, Billy Hamilton among those called up from Triple-A..Romy Gonzalez to IL .Oscar Colas, Lenyn Sosa to Triple-A.Jake Diekman, Frank German DFA’d.@WGNNews pic.twitter.com/Bc82gQ7h8E— Larry Hawley (@HawleySports) May 2, 2023In a news release ahead of their series opener with the Twins at Guaranteed Rate Field, the White Sox announced 11 moves from the promotion of players to the demotion of others to the outright release of two pitchers. On a positive note, the White Sox have activated two-time All-Star Tim Anderson along with Hanser Alberto. The shortstop missed three weeks after suffering a sprained left knee against Minnes...

Court rules Wisconsin hospital can't be forced to give ivermectin to COVID patient

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:24 GMT

The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that a Wisconsin hospital cannot be forced to give ivermectin to a COVID-19 patient.The 6-1 ruling overturned a lower court order that required Aurora Health Care to administer ivermectin to John Zingsheim, a patient who was placed on a ventilator due to COVID-19 complications.Zingsheim’s nephew, Allen Gahl, was authorized to make his medical decisions and requested that the hospital treat his uncle with ivermectin. However, Aurora determined that "the use of ivermectin in the treatment of John Zingsheim's COVID-19 symptoms does not meet the standard of care for treatment." A Waukesha County Circuit Court initially ordered Aurora to administer the ivermectin, before altering its order to require Gahl to find an outside physician for Aurora to credential and provide the ivermectin. The Wisconsin Supreme court found that the circuit court erroneously exercised its discretion because it cited “no law in either its written orde...

Missouri woman misses transplant appointment after bus never arrives

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:24 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) – Tearia Meek’s suitcase is still packed and sitting in her living room. The Greyhound bus tag is still attached.“We were supposed to go from Kansas City to St. Louis,” said Meeks, who had been traveling with her mother.From St. Louis, multiple other buses would eventually take them to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, where Meek hoped to be approved for a double transplant of her kidneys and her lungs.She’s only 30, but she has been on dialysis for 13 years. She relies on a steady stream of medication and oxygen to stay alive. She was hopeful that the transplant would be her shot at a normal life.But she never made it to the Mayo Clinic. That’s because the Greyhound that was supposed to take her there never came. Instead, on Feb. 4, Meek and her mom found themselves stuck at the Greyhound station in St. Louis for more than 12 hours.   First Republic Bank collapse spurs fears for banking system, broader economy “The bus was supposed to leave at ...

Exemptions, values, protests: Property tax lingo, things to know

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Property tax appraisals are on their way to Central Texans. Texans' deadline to file a protest is coming soon on May 15, or no later than 30 days from the mail date of your appraisal, whichever is later. Austin property tax attorney Lorri Michel spoke with KXAN to share property tax insight as Central Texans navigate their appraisals. RELATED: How to protest your 2023 property appraisal in Central Texas Note: Answers were edited for length and clarity. What are the different property tax exemptions available? Lorri Michel: For most homeowners, there is one exemption for sure that they want to make sure that they get on their property: it's the homestead exemption. That will do two things. It will lower the taxable value—the value that they actually pay taxes on—and it will limit the increase that the property value can go to 10% per year. PREVIOUS: Texas House passes $12 billion property tax relief package, setting up fight over appraisal cap with Senate Then, ...

UT researchers create AI system to turn brain activity into text

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Can artificial intelligence read your mind? A new study from the University of Texas at Austin shows how this is possible. The new brain decoding study shows how AI can translate someone's brain activity into a stream of text while they listen to a story or imagine telling a story. The system used a functional MRI, or fMRI, to collect brain scans from outside the skull.(Nolan Zunk/University of Texas at Austin)Jerry Tang, a UT doctoral student who worked on the decoding system, said the study looked at language decoding, specifically how brain scans were used to predict the words a user was hearing or imagining. "We found that the decoder predictions could capture the gist of what the users were hearing," Tang said.The brain activity decoder aims to help people who are mentally conscious but cannot speak. "The ultimate goal of this field is to help restore communication to people who have lost the ability to speak due to injuries like strokes or diseases like ALS," T...

FAA sued over SpaceX launch damage to South Texas wildlife, ecosystems

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:24 GMT

BOCA CHICA BEACH, Texas (Border Report) -- Several environmental groups and the Carrizo/Comecrudo Nation of Texas on Monday sued the Federal Aviation Administration over the recent SpaceX launch of its Starship spacecraft, which sent debris throughout South Texas threatening sensitive wildlife areas.The Center for Biological Diversity, Save RGV, the American Bird Conservancy and the tribe allege the FAA failed "to fully analyze and mitigate the environmental harms resulting from the SpaceX Starship/Super Heavy launch program at Boca Chica," according to the lawsuit.The groups want the FAA to implement stricter oversight on SpaceX's sprawling Stargate operation, which has been built on the tip of South Texas about 23 miles outside Brownsville, and a mile from the Mexican border. SpaceX Starship launches, self-destructs over Gulf of Mexico The April 20 initial test flight of Starship, powered by 33 raptor rockets, resulted in the SpaceX launchpad exploding from 17 million pounds of ...

Co-defendants sentenced in Inver Grove Heights ‘erotic massage’ murder

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:24 GMT

A man and woman were sentenced to 30½ years in prison Tuesday for their roles in the September killing of an Inver Grove Heights man shot after refusing to pay for an erotic massage.Logan David Slack and Fotini Anest West, both of Minneapolis, had pleaded guilty to second-degree intentional murder-not premeditated in connection with the Sept. 24 killing of 43-year-old Michael Chang-Beom Lee at his home.Logan David Slack and Fotini Anest West (Courtesy of the Dakota County sheriff’s office)Plea agreements that Slack, 25, and West, 26, reached in February called for the 367-month prison terms that were handed down by Dakota County District Judge Richelle Wahi at sentencing.West entered a Norgaard plea, stating she could not remember the circumstances of the murder but that she reasonably believed the prosecution had sufficient evidence to obtain a conviction. She admitted in court to taking opiates and crack cocaine the night of the murder.According to the criminal complaints:Of...

Counties working on rural cell service solutions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:24 GMT

WASHINGTON COUNTY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Cell phone service in rural Upstate New York communities has been a longstanding issue, made even more critical following the death of Kaylin Gillis, who was shot as she and her friends were leaving a Hebron driveway. Poor signal made it impossible for her friends to call 911 immediately. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Back in 2015, Washington County commissioned a study of its poor cell service, but not long after that, New York’s "Broadband For All" program was rolled out, and internet connection took precedence."All of that funding comes from the federal government, that then devolves onto the states and largely through the FCC," explained Laura Oswald, Washington County Director of Economic Development, "so do you handle both at once? Do you focus on one or the other? Again, because the money was there, the focus was on the internet. That does not in any way lessen the importance or ...

I-55 closed again in Illinois after dust storm warning

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:18:24 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- Interstate 55 in southern Illinois is closed after a series of dust storm warnings Tuesday afternoon. The National Weather Service has issued a dust storm warning along US-51 at Pana, Illinois until 4:15 pm. There is also a dust storm warning along I-55 near Farmersville and I-55 near Waggoner until 4:30 p.m.The Illinois Department of Transportation has closed I-55 between the 72 and 80 mile markers. This is an area between Farmersville and Divernon where a chain reaction crash killed six people and injured dozens of others Monday.Drivers on central Illinois roads should use caution. The National Weather Service's dust storm warning near Pana is around 50 miles away from Divernon. The rural towns are located in a very windy part of the state and visibility may be limited when driving. Pana is on US-51 and drivers should use caution and slow down or pull over if there are any issues. 6 deaths in Illinois dust storm, police need help identifying 2 victims The Associat...