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Semi-automatic rifle ban passes Washington state Legislature

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:12:02 GMT

BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — A ban on dozens of semi-automatic rifles cleared the Washington state Legislature on Wednesday and the governor is expected to sign it into law. The high-powered firearms — once banned nationwide — are now the weapon of choice among young men responsible for most of the country’s devastating mass shootings. The ban comes after multiple failed attempts in the state’s Legislature, and in a year that has seen the most mass shootings during the first 100 days of a calendar year since 2009.The Washington law would cover more than 50 gun models, including AR-15s, AK-47s and similar style rifles, which fire one bullet per trigger pull and automatically reload for a subsequent shot. The bill bans their future sale, distribution, manufacture and importation, although some exemptions are included for sales to law enforcement agencies and the military in Washington.The law would go into effect immediately once it’s signed by Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee, who ...

FBI: Search on for suspect who robbed bank in Chicago's Loop

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:12:02 GMT

CHICAGO — The FBI is investigating a bank robbery that occurred Tuesday afternoon at a Chase Bank in Chicago's Loop. According to authorities, the bank robbery occurred around 4:40 p.m. inside the bank on the first block of S. Dearborn Street. A man, believed to be 45-55 years of age, allegedly handed a note demanding funds to the bank clerk and displayed a gun. FBI: Armored truck robberies reported in Chicago area Police described the suspect as 5-foot-6-inches to 5-foot-7-inches in height, with a medium build. He was last seen wearing a baseball cap with a brown bill and city of Chicago logo, a brownish winter coat with a full hood, blue surgical gloves and a white N95 mask.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesAnyone with information is asked to call (312) 421-6700 or report details to tips.fbi.gov.

Teens charged with misdemeanor in stolen vehicle crash that killed 6-month-old

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:12:02 GMT

CHICAGO — Two teenagers are only facing misdemeanor charges after the crash of a stolen car resulted in the death of a 6-month-old infant.In an update Wednesday, Chicago police said two male juveniles, ages 17 and 14, each face one misdemeanor count of criminal trespassing, though charges could be upgraded pending the department's investigation. Boy, 15, charged after violent vehicle theft at gas station in Wicker Park Police said the crash happened around 5 p.m. Sunday in the 4400 block of West Washington. A stolen Hyundai was traveling westbound on Washington when it struck a pickup truck.A screenshot of surveillance video captures the moments before a stolen Hyundai slams into a pickup truck, causing fatal injuries to 6-month-old Cristian Uvidia.According to police, there were multiple hospitalizations in this crash — including a 6-month-old boy who died from his injuries. The medical examiner has identified the baby as Cristian Uvidia.Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesF...

Marijuana employees go on strike at Chicagoland dispensaries

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:12:02 GMT

CHICAGO -- Employees at three Chicagoland marijuana dispensaries went on strike Wednesday afternoon.Teamster members walked out of three RISE Dispensary locations in Niles and Joliet on Wednesday. RISE has 11 marijuana dispensaries around the state of Illinois, including six in the Chicagoland area.The Union said it's an open ended and unfair labor practice strike that demands RISE employees receive better pay and retirement contributions. 4/20: Origins of marijuana holiday explained On Wednesday, RISE employees walked out of the Niles dispensary located on the 9600 block of North Milwaukee Avenue, one Joliet dispensary located on the 2900 block of Colorado Avenue, and another Joliet dispensary located on the 1600 block of Rock Creek Boulevard.RISE Dispensaries parent company, Green Thumb Industries, plans on keeping the stores running and ensures it's customers and patients will continue to receive the products they need.For more information on RISE Dispensary, click here.

Tennessee father asks for help finding daughter's lost teddy bear with heartbeat recording from late mother

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:12:02 GMT

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — A Tennessee father is asking for help to find his daughter's missing teddy bear, which contains a recording of her late mother's heartbeat.Tylor Kennedy told Nexstar's WATE he is hoping to bring the bear back to his 4-year-old daughter after it was accidentally donated to a Goodwill Store in Tazewell, roughly 45 miles north of Knoxville."My daughter's mom passed away and her grandma made her bear with her mom's heartbeat in it," said Kennedy. The sound can be heard when the bear's hand is squeezed. ‘Gloriously gluttonous body’: Fat cat up for adoption weighs 40 pounds Kennedy said the bear, a tie-dyed rainbow teddy bear from Build-a-Bear, is the only thing the little 4-year-old girl has of her mother. The manager of the Goodwill said she believes the bear was bought by a local resident and may still be in the area."Please, if y'all find it or see anybody that has one, just check or turn it in and I believe that somebody will get a reward if they dropped ...

Democrats urge Justice Thomas to step down amid ethics concerns

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:12:02 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – Democratic lawmakers are calling for Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to step down after an investigation revealed he accepted lavish trips and was involved in real estate deals with a Republican megadonor.Justice Thomas said these actions were not improper or unethical, however lawmakers such as Rep. Hank Johnson say the justice abused his position on the high court. The ‘blessed, happy’ life of a 1987 Wednesday’s Child Congressman Johnson pointed to the investigations showing Thomas went on lavish vacations and yachts paid for by Republican megadonor Harlan Crow.“To live like an out-of-control billionaire baller…Justice Thomas has been brazenly corrupted and compromised by Republican dark money,” Rep. Hank Johnson (D-GA) said.Crow's firm also reportedly purchased properties from and for the Thomas family and Justice Thomas didn't disclose any of it.Democratic Illinois Senator Richard Durbin say he's exploring what action Congress can take to investiga...

FM 620 expansion project looks to ease congestion, but could it impact businesses

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:12:02 GMT

Austin (KXAN) – As Austin grows some of the most popular thoroughfares are seeing more traffic."It's clear that as the northern suburbs like Cedar Park continue to boom, you are going to have more and more strain put on that 620 corridor," said Cedar Park Mayor Jim Penniman-Morin.According to the RM 620 Feasibility Study, motorists traveling on 620 experience significant traffic-related delays during morning and evening peak times which impacts the safety and reduces mobility.Over the next several years TxDOT is looking to expand the busy thoroughfare to improve safety and congestion. The entire project would run from US 183 to Mansfield Dam, but this would take time."The environmental studies take a long time the design takes a long time," said Penniman-Morin.The project was broken up into different sections. RM 2222 and RM 620 bypass road opens Friday TxDOT does not have a set date for the north project from 183 to Mansfield expansion, but they will soon move forward with planni...

Alfred, Adeleke named to April's Bowerman watch list

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:12:02 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Two Texas Longhorn athletes are on the watch list for the most prestigious award in NCAA track and field.Julien Alfred and Rhasidat Adeleke are on April's watch list release for The Bowerman, an award recognizing the country's best men's and women's NCAA track and field athletes.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersAlfred, one of the best sprinters in the country, has been on all four list releases while Adeleke, also one of the best sprinters, is on the watch list for the second time this season.Alfred won the 100-meter and 200-meter dashes at the Tom Jones Memorial meet in Gainesville, Florida, to open her outdoor season, and she did so in record-breaking fashion. She ran the 200 meters in 21.91 seconds, the fastest time in the world so far this year, and she set a new UT record. Her winning time of 10.72 in the 100 meters, while wind-aided, is the fastest...

Justice for Yia Xiong ‘disturbed’ by 911 calls where officer shot 65-year-old

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:12:02 GMT

Relatives of Yia Xiong, who a St. Paul police officer fatally shot in February, released 911 transcripts Wednesday of calls that led police to the 65-year-old’s apartment building and said they were disturbed by them.One caller reported they were having a birthday party for their daughter at the building off West Seventh Street and a man “with a machete … keeps coming in and out” of a community room where the party was.Another caller reported all her grandchildren were in the community room, the man was “handing them money and they wouldn’t take it. And we tried to get rid of him.” She said the party was for her 1-year-old granddaughter.Snowdon Herr, founder of the Justice for Yia Xiong Coalition, said in a Wednesday statement that “it’s a part of our culture for elders to give money to children and pat their heads.”One of the callers told a 911 operator that her husband was armed, but had put his weapon down.“We were extre...

Watch Gov. Tim Walz’s State of the State address here at 7 p.m.

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:12:02 GMT

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz will give a “State of the State” address to a joint session of the Minnesota Legislature at 7 p.m. Wednesday.It’s the governor’s first address to a joint session of the Legislature since Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party members won a ‘trifecta’ of control of Minnesota government in November. Walz is expected to highlight his priorities for the next state budget and the historic $17.5 billion surplus.The address can be watched here: