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Gov. Moore signs abortion protections, transgender equity

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:07 GMT

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — At a time when Republican-led states are restricting or banning abortion and limiting gender-affirming care, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed measures into law on Wednesday to protect abortion rights and expand Medicaid coverage for gender-affirming treatment in the heavily Democratic state.Maryland voters will decide a constitutional amendment next year to enshrine abortion protections in the Maryland Constitution. While the right to abortion already is protected in the state’s law, supporters of the constitutional amendment say that will make it even harder for opponents to try to strip away abortion rights in the future.“In this moment of serious consequences for women and for all Marylanders, Maryland can and will lead on this issue of abortion access,” Moore said, adding that the state will “always be a safe haven for abortion access and abortion rights.”Here is a look at some of the legislation signed by Moore, a Democrat, on Wednesday:ABORTIONOne new...

Man arrested in deadly Jefferson County RV shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:07 GMT

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. (KDVR) — Police have arrested the person who allegedly shot and killed a man inside an RV in a parking lot off Highway 40 in Jefferson County.Donald Leroy Harris, 50, is facing charges of first-degree murder.On April 14, deputies with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office found an RV with its door open in the RTD Park-N-Ride lot near Interstate 70 and Morrison. When deputies checked the vehicle, they discovered 57-year-old Matthew Hire had been shot and killed. Man killed after altercation at Tesla charging station near Edgewater Public Market According to JCSO, investigators connected Harris to the shooting after they found documents belonging to him inside the RV. Harris was also the last person seen with Hire.Investigators said they collected items from Harris that connected him to the crime. Harris had the victim's cell phone and the keys to the RV, as well as Hire's blood on his clothing. Harris was also allegedly in possession of Hire's Jeep. JCSO sai...

1 hurt in shooting outside Park Lakes Elementary, school on lock down

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:07 GMT

A shooting in Lauderdale Lakes has ended with one person in the hospital and a nearby elementary school on lockdown. Deputies with the Broward Sheriff’s Office were on the scene near N State Road 7 and Northwest 38th Street, Wednesday afternoon. According to officials, a woman in her 70s was shot while in a vehicle. She was transported to Broward Health Medical Center. Her condition is currently unknown. Since the shooting occurred outside of Park Lakes Elementary, the school was placed on lockdown. State Road 7 is currently closed in both directions between NW 44th St and Oakland Park Blvd. https://twitter.com/browardsheriff/status/1653838711031734296Drivers are urged to avoid the area. Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.

Florida Republicans pass pronoun, diversity bills

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:07 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Republicans on Wednesday approved two bills that will restrict the use of preferred pronouns in schools and ban diversity programs in colleges, building on key priorities of Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis ahead of his expected White House candidacy.The proposals were given final passage by the Republican supermajorities in the House and Senate. The governor is expected to sign the bills into law.DeSantis, who is expected to announce a presidential campaign in the coming weeks, has driven a hardline conservative agenda as he seeks to bolster support of Republican primary voters ahead of his White House run.The state’s Legislative session, scheduled to end this week, has been dominated by divisive cultural issues, with Republican allies of DeSantis approving bills on sexual orientation, gender identity, race and education that are expected to aid the governor in his presidential bid.The Senate on Wednesday voted to expand the law critics call ...

1 dead, 4 hurt in shooting inside Atlanta medical facility

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:07 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — Police said a shooter opened fire inside the waiting room of an Atlanta medical facility, killing one woman and injuring four others Wednesday as authorities swarmed the city’s bustling midtown neighborhood in search of the 24-year-old suspect.Atlanta police said there had been no additional shots fired since the initial shooting unfolded inside a Northside Medical building on West Peachtree Street in a commercial area with many office towers and high-rise apartments.https://twitter.com/Atlanta_Police/status/1653800971384881155?s=20Atlanta police said the suspected shooter is believed to be Deion Patterson and that he was considered armed and dangerous.Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told reporters that a 39-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene. The four injured victims were also women, aged 25, 29, 56 and 71.The four injured women “are fighting for their lives at Grady Hospital,” Atl...

Moran, MacGregor Poised To Take Boston-Based House Seats

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:07 GMT

Democrats John Moran and Bill MacGregor are slated to represent parts of Boston on Beacon Hill following their special election primary wins Tuesday — in races that featured no Republican or independent candidates to fill two vacant House seats. Moran, who ran uncontested and with Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s endorsement, won the 9th Suffolk District seat with 1,751 votes — or nearly 86 percent of all ballots cast — according to unofficial election results on the city’s website. A South End resident and housing advocate, Moran ran to replace Jon Santiago, who resigned in February to become secretary of the Executive Office of Veterans’ Services. “I like to say I became an ‘accidental activist’ but deep down, it’s always been in my heart to serve and I look forward to being your champion on Beacon Hill,” Moran said in his victory speech, as he vowed to focus on the housing crisis, mental health and the addiction “e...

April Revenue Collapse Swings State Budget Into Red

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:07 GMT

State tax revenues collapsed well below expectations in April, shifting the year-to-date performance from about $870 million in the black to, by one measure, $703 million in the red.The Department of Revenue announced Wednesday it brought in $4.782 billion in April, typically the strongest month of the year for tax collections. That’s $2.163 billion less than in April 2022, a drop of 31.2 percent, and $1.435 billion or 23.1 percent below the most recent monthly benchmark projection.“That’s a pretty substantial shortfall, and it really does change the tax trajectory for the fiscal year,” said Evan Horowitz, executive director of the Center for State Policy Analysis at Tufts University. “I don’t think it imperils state spending or the solvency of the current fiscal year, but I do think it means there’s not going to be a lot of money to play around with at the end of the year. It really does tighten the rings of this fiscal year.”The deve...

Jets WR Garrett Wilson says everyone excited to go to work with Aaron Rodgers: ‘That’s a legend right there’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:07 GMT

Having Aaron Rodgers at the Jets facility has been an adjustment for everyone in the building.Not just for Rodgers himself after being with the Packers organization for 18 years, but also for the current players who grew up watching him play.“I ain’t going to lie to you, I was kind of star-struck at first,” Jets linebacker Quincy Williams said. “We warm up right next to each other, so I was like, ‘let me take a minute to take this in.’”Rodgers officially became a Jet last week after the long-awaited trade from the Packers became official. Following his introductory press conference with the media, Rodgers quickly got to work with his new teammates during OTAs.The next day, the Jets posted a video on social media of Rodgers throwing the ball to new Jets receiver Allen Lazard. Currently, on Twitter, that video has 1.8 million views.“Everyone has been going to work with a smile on their face, knowing there’s a lot of learning to do,...

‘Other People’s Children’ review: The delicate art of blending a family, French style

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:07 GMT

Michael Phillips | Chicago Tribune“Other People’s Children” treats its adults like adults, and the story’s central child like a human being, not a plot device. Those factors alone make it an exception to the usual movie rules.This French import, which is being distributed in the U.S. by Music Box Films, boasts charm as well as insight. If it cuts some corners and ducks some complexity, the actors make it more than merely agreeable.Writer-director Rebecca Zlotowski sees to that. We meet the story’s 40-ish Parisian schoolteacher Rachel, played with effortless, easy charm by Virginie Efira, not long after she has begun seeing a new man. He is car designer Ali, a bit older, portrayed by Roschdy Zem. Their mutual attraction preoccupies them both (lots of come-hither texting goes on, while Rachel’s in faculty meetings) and things develop nicely.At Ali’s apartment, she sees photos of his 4-year-old daughter, Leila (Callie Ferreira-Goncalves). It’s time we meet, Rachel tells Ali. From there...

As public education push heats up on Beacon Hill, advocates eye ‘adequate’ funding

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:38:07 GMT

Sophia Garcia, a Boston-area student, worked full time, took a full course load to maintain financial aid, and pulled out a loan so she could attend a local private university during the Spring 2021 semester.Arriving on campus — she declined to say which institution — in January 2021 felt “like the moment my life will begin,” she told a group of rally-goers in front of the State House Wednesday afternoon.“The university doesn’t know what they did by accepting me. I’m running through all their resources like a tomb raider. Sorry to anybody behind me, because I’m taking it all,” said Garcia, a Revere-raised daughter of immigrants from Ecuador and Puerto Rico.But by the time April rolled around, Garcia said she did not recognize herself in the mirror. Days were turning into a blur. She was barely sleeping for more than two hours. And she was living off energy drinks and fruit snacks.Difficulties were arising at work and she started to fall behind on her classes all because ...