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North Carolina lawmakers nearing final Medicaid expansion OK

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:25:22 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — An agreement to expand Medicaid in North Carolina neared final legislative approval Wednesday as the House agreed to a bipartisan plan to ease or eliminate regulations that block the opening of new hospital beds or operating expensive equipment. Republican lawmakers had been skeptical for nearly a decade about accepting expansion, which originated from the 2010 federal Affordable Care Act. But the House voted 94-22 for legislation stemming from a deal between House and Senate GOP leaders, announced three weeks ago, that would direct state health officials to accept Medicaid coverage for potentially 600,000 low-income adults. Legislators also were convinced by an estimated extra $1.75 billion in cash over two years that Congress approved in a COVID-19 recovery law if North Carolina joined now.One more affirmative House vote is needed Thursday before it goes to the desk of Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper, a longtime expansion advocate, for his likely signature. The Sen...

AP sources: DA postpones Trump grand jury session

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:25:22 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Manhattan prosecutors postponed a scheduled grand jury session Wednesday in the investigation into Donald Trump over hush money payments during his 2016 presidential campaign, at least temporarily slowing a decision on whether to charge the ex-president.The postponement was confirmed by four people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press because they were not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation by name. The grand jurors were told to be on standby for Thursday, another day when the New York panel has been meeting in recent weeks.When the grand jurors next meet, they may hear from yet another witness, according to a person familiar with proceedings that appear to be nearing a decisive vote on whether or not to indict Trump.The panel has been probing Trump’s involvement in a $130,000 payment made in 2016 to porn actor Stormy Daniels to keep her from going public about a sexual encounter she said...

Harvey man sentenced in Will County after high-speed chase from Cook County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:25:22 GMT

WILL COUNTY, Ill. — 28-year-old Jordan Henry will spend at least a decade behind bars after being sentenced by a Will County judge related to a car theft and high-speed chase which began in Cook County.Henry was arrested on Feb. 23, 2022 following the pursuit across Chicago area expressways. He was charged, and ultimately found guilty of, the following 13 counts:Three counts of Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking (Class X Felony – Category A)Two counts of Armed Robbery (Class X Felony-Category A)Two counts of Attempt Aggravated Vehicular Hijacking (Class 1 Felony – Category A)Aggravated Unlawful Possession of Stolen Motor Vehicle (Class 1 Felony – Category A)Two counts of Theft (Class 2 Felony – Category A)Unlawful Possession of a Weapon by a Felon (Class 3 Felony – Category A)Aggravated Fleeing or Attempting to Elude a Peace Officer (Class 4 Felony – Category A)Striking a Police Animal (Class A Misdemeanor – Category B) AP sources: Trump probe grand jury not meeting for the day Will C...

What the Fed rate increase means for your credit card bill

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:25:22 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — The Federal Reserve raised its key rate by another quarter point Wednesday, bringing it to the highest level in 15 years as part of an ongoing effort to ease inflation by making borrowing more expensive.If you have money to save, you’ll probably earn a bit more interest on it, but the increase will make it even costlier to borrow for homes, autos and other purchases. The interest rate increase comes at a time when credit card debt is at record levels.Here's what the increase means for your credit card bill and what you can do if you're carrying debt:HOW DOES THE FED DECISION AFFECT CREDIT CARD DEBT?The Federal Reserve doesn't directly dictate how much interest you pay on your credit card debt. But the Fed's rate is the basis for your bank’s “prime rate." In combination with other factors, such as your credit score, the prime rate helps determine the Annual Percentage Rate, or APR, on your credit card. The latest increase will likely raise the APR on your credit card ...

90-year-old endangered turtle becomes a new dad at Houston Zoo

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:25:22 GMT

HOUSTON (KIAH) — Apparently, turtles can become fathers well into old age. That's what happened recently with a 90-year-old radiated tortoise at the Houston Zoo.Mr. Pickles has become the father of three hatchlings after a surprise egg-laying. A zoo resident for 36 years, Mr. Pickles is the oldest animal there and the newest dad.According to a statement from the zoo, a herpetology keeper happened upon Mrs. Pickles, the companion of Mr. Pickles, as she was laying eggs at closing time. Lollapalooza 2023 official lineup revealed Houston’s soil isn’t friendly to the Madagascar tortoises, so the zoo’s animal care team quickly uncovered the eggs and got them to safety."It’s unlikely the eggs would have hatched on their own if the keeper hadn’t been in the right place at the right time," the zoo said in a press release. Mr. and Mrs. Pickles have been together since the new mom's arrival in 1996, the zoo said. They have had only one other little Pickle, and that was in 1997. Dick Van ...

SCO Expands Jordan’s Principle To 7 More School Divisions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:25:22 GMT

UT basketball player cements Dunkin' NIL deal in latest student-athlete partnership

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:25:22 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for March 22, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — America runs on Dunkin' and so, too, does Dillon Mitchell, a University of Texas at Austin basketball player.Mitchell is one of 38 student-athletes collaborating with the national coffee chain via its Team Dunkin name, image and likeness (NIL) partnership. Dylan Disu peaking at the right time for Longhorns during March Madness run As part of the deal, Mitchell will participate in Dunkin's social media posts and debut Team Dunkin'-themed merch on and off the court. Mitchell's favorite Dunkin' drink will also be highlighted at a participating Dunkin' shop in Austin, per a Dunkin' news release.“College sports fans are as passionate about their teams as they are about Dunkin’. That’s why the brand is supporting college athletes on and off the field through Team Dunkin’,” Dunkin' field marketing manager Shannon Durkin said in the release.The coffee chain first began student-athlete p...

White Sox broadcaster Jason Benetti encourages audience to “inspire and have an impact”

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:25:22 GMT

Jason Benetti, a nationally recognized play-by-play sports announcer for Fox network and the Chicago White Sox, is a confident and familiar voice, peppered with wit.Benetti, 39, is also matter-of-fact, both personally and professionally, about his own medical journey of self-discovery and acceptance while sharing his life and career as an intertwined story.“I’m not normal and I wasn’t born normal,” said Benetti, the keynote speaker Tuesday before more than 200 guests in the auditorium on the Ivy Tech campus in Valparaiso.“Normal is boring. It’s like unsalted French fries.”Benetti spoke for 50 minutes and answered questions of an eager audience for 30 minutes, as part of the City of Valparaiso’s event marking Disability Awareness Month.Benetti has cerebral palsy, a factor for his balance and ability to walk. But as evidenced by the success of his on-air talent, he describes himself as “proof of not judging a book by its cover,R...

For 13 days, this Northern California teacher hiked nearly 2 miles through snow to get to school

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:25:22 GMT

The classic “old grumpy grandpa” saying goes something like this: “Back in my day, we walked 15 miles to school in the snow! Barefoot! Uphill! Both ways! And we liked it that way!”For Eagle Peak Middle School eighth grade science teacher Paula Abajian, there is some truth in that saying for her, as she spent 13 days hiking through snow and ice to get access to a vehicle, to then drive or be driven to school. Monday evening, March 13, was the first day she could finally drive the road to her home since the snowy weather started on Feb. 22.Eagle Peak teacher Paula Abajian hiking through snow to get to school.For Abajian, the logistics were as follows. She and her husband and two young children live at 2,500 feet above sea level in the mountains above Willits. The road to their home is on a north-facing slope, with several feet of snow accumulating on it from all the storms and not melting much due to the lack of sun on the north face. Midway through the series of storms, the snow melt...

Committee seeks to put St. Paul early learning grants on November ballot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:25:22 GMT

A city-driven committee composed of two dozen educators and community advocates has asked the St. Paul City Council to put a question on the November ballot that would cover the cost of childcare and early learning programs for low-income residents.Funding for the 10-year effort would be derived from city property taxes.The Early Learning Legislative Advisory Committee recommendations submitted to the council on Wednesday generally resemble those long-supported by SPARK, a broad-based coalition of education and civic leaders, with key differences. Among them, the committee recommended that St. Paul tap an existing city department or create a new one to administer childcare grants to St. Paul-based providers, rather than leave oversight to an independent nonprofit.The committee also recommended that childcare grants be available for children from birth to age 5, rather than targeted exclusively to kids age 4 and 5. Given the projected funding source, SPARK organizers have predicted t...