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Iowa’s Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds on Wednesday called a special legislative session to pursue new abortion restrictions after the state Supreme Court declined to reinstate a 2018 ban after about six weeks of pregnancy.The court was split 3-3 last month and did not issue a decision on the merits of the law, leaving open the possibility that the GOP-controlled Legislature would try to pass a similar ban. In the meantime, abortion remains legal in Iowa up to 20 weeks of pregnancy.Lawmakers will meet on July 11. Most Republican-led states have significantly curbed abortion access since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year. Separately, the Iowa Supreme Court in 2022 reversed an opinion that said the state constitution affirms a fundamental right to abortion. After those rulings, Reynolds declined to call a special session last year to enact new restrictions, instead choosing to work through the state courts to try to get the 2018 ban into effect. The law h...

UNESCO report on Wood Buffalo park shows urgency of problems, First Nation says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

An Alberta First Nation that first brought concerns about Canada’s largest national park to UNESCO says a report from the United Nations organization reveals a growing urgency to deal with those problems. Melody Lepine of the Mikisew Cree First Nation says the report reaffirms the threats that dams, climate change and oilsands development pose to Wood Buffalo National Park where her people practice treaty rights. Wood Buffalo is at risk not only from industrial development, but long-term effects from climate change and upstream dams that are shrinking water levels.Lepine says both the Alberta government and Ottawa have to bring in long-awaited measures such as a risk assessment for the oilsands tailings ponds, as well as continued funding for efforts to improve and increase water flows.The UNESCO report, released last week, says Wood Buffalo should keep its World Heritage status and that some of its attributes are improving.But it says half of the environmental objectives for ...

Philadelphia suspect left a will and was acting agitated days before shootings, prosecutors say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The man accused in the fatal shooting spree in Philadelphia that left five people dead and four others wounded Monday night left a will at his house, and according to a roommate had acted agitated and wore a tactical vest around his house in the days before the shooting, prosecutors said Wednesday.Kimbrady Carriker was arraigned Wednesday morning on five counts of murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault and weapons counts of possession without a license and carrying firearms in public, prosecutors said. The 40-year-old is accused of killing a man later found dead inside a house and then gunning down four others before surrendering to police.A 2-year-old boy and a 13-year-old youth were also wounded by gunfire and another 2-year-old boy and a woman were hit by shattered glass in the Monday night rampage that made the working-class area in southwest Philadelphia the site of the nation’s worst violence around the July Fourth holiday.Joanne Pescatore, supervisor...

Man who died after landslide in Quebec’s Saguenay—Lac-St-Jean region identified

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

MONTREAL — The Quebec coroner’s office has identified one of two people who died after a landslide in the province’s Saguenay—Lac-St-Jean region as Pascal Héon, 48.The identity of the second person has not yet been released.Police said Tuesday they found the bodies of the two people in the Éternité River.They said officers and volunteers had been searching around the town of Rivière-Éternité for a man and a woman in their 40s who were reported missing on Saturday after a storm triggered landslides and flooding.Meanwhile, town officials said today it was safe for residents of an evacuated area to return home.More than 50 residents were forced to leave their homes after Saturday’s storm.This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 5, 2023.The Canadian Press

Up to $50K reward for information in armed robbery of USPS carrier on Far South Side

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

CHICAGO — The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is offering a reward of up to $50,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of a man suspected in the armed robbery of a mail carrier. Authorities said the incident occurred around 2:15 p.m. on Friday, June 23 near the intersection of S. Seeley Avenue and W. 99th Street in Chicago's Beverly neighborhood. Illinois trooper fatally shoots man suspected in 2 shootings in Iowa The suspect, captured on area surveillance, was wearing dark clothing and a face covering. Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesAnyone with information is asked to contact the U.S. Postal Inspection Service at 1-877-876-2455 and say Reference Case No. 4062292. All information will be kept confidential.

Police: Woman tailgating causes deadly crash in Northwest Indiana

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

WINFIELD, Ind. — A woman tailgating caused a deadly crash Tuesday afternoon in Northwest Indiana.Just after 4:35 p.m., authorities responded to the 7000 block of East 117th Avenue on the report of a head-on crash.Witnesses told the Lake County Sheriff's Office a Subaru SUV, driven by a 44-year-old Crown Point woman, was tailgating a Jeep when the vehicle veered over the center line in an attempt to pass.As the Subaru crossed, it collided head-on with a Kia sedan, driven by Grace Norris, 19, of Demotte. Norris was pronounced dead at the scene and two 13-year-old passengers, both from Lowell, were rushed to a hospital in Chicago. Woman dead, children seriously injured in Elmhurst head-on crash One of the teens is the sister of Norris, police said.Police did not say if the 44-year-old Crown Point woman was injured.

Man sentenced to life in prison for raping, impregnating 10-year-old girl who traveled out of state for abortion

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) -- A man accused of raping and impregnating a 10-year-old girl will spend at least 25 years in prison for the crime.Gerson Fuentes, 28, pleaded to one count of rape of a child under 10 and one count of rape in Franklin County court Wednesday afternoon, a year after the girl’s out-of-state abortion made national headlines. Fuentes originally pleaded not guilty after being arrested last July. The prosecution and defense recommended a combined sentence of life in prison, with the possibility of parole after 25 years, Franklin County Prosecutor Dan Meyer said at the hearing. Fuentes will be a lifetime registered sex offender upon release.Despite her inclinations, Judge Julie Lynch sentenced Fuentes to the recommended sentence "without comment," per the child's family's wishes. Robbery suspect shot by concealed carry holder on North Side The story gained national attention when, in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organizat...

Illinois State Museum returns nearly 40 sacred wooden artifacts to Kenya

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The Illinois State Museum have returned nearly 40 sacred artifacts to Kenya so they can go back to their rightful owners. Museum officials said in a statement Wednesday that they have completed transferring 37 wooden statutes known as vigango to the National Museums of Kenya so they can be returned to Mijikenda communities. The statutes are considered sacred and are believed to carry the spirits of deceased male Mijikenda elders. The Illinois State Museum said the statutes were removed from Mijikenda villages and sacred sites in the 1980s, acquired by art collectors and later transferred to the museum as part of its African collection. Museum staff discovered in 2006 that one of the statutes had been stolen and returned it to its owner.The Illinois State Museum's curator of anthropology, Brooke Morgan, plans to visit Kenya this month and meet with Mijikenda elders to learn more about efforts to protect vigango statutes and restore them to their communities.

Search continues for missing Michigan toddler with $25K reward posted

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Searchers fanned out Wednesday near a major highway between Lansing and Detroit to look for a toddler who went missing late Sunday.The FBI posted a $25,000 reward for information about the disappearance of the 2-year-old, who was taken from her Lansing, Michigan home over the weekend.Her mother’s ex-boyfriend has been accused of kidnapping her, but Wynter Cole Smith wasn’t with him when he was arrested by police Monday, following a chase and crash in suburban Detroit. A statewide Amber Alert went out hours earlier.wynter-cole-smithDownloadThe 22-year-old mother is recovering from multiple stab wounds from the ex-boyfriend.“We speak for everyone, specifically the mother and the family, when we say we just want Wynter home safe,” said Lansing police Chief Ellery Sosebee, who added that divers, dogs, drones and helicopters have been involved in the search.The suspect drove east on Interstate 96 to the Detroit area. State police urged people with security or ring c...

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued for Cook, Lake County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:25:52 GMT

2:55 p.m. -- The National Weather Service in Chicago has issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for Cook and Lake County, Illinois until 3:30 p.m. Wednesday. Interactive Radar: Track showers and storm here Sunny start to Wednesday with hot and humid weather and building clouds. An Air Quality Alert is in place for Chicagoland. High near 90, 80s lakeside.Strong to severe thunderstorms are likely in the afternoon. The biggest threats look to be heavy downpours and strong winds in localized spots. SW 10-15 mph/gusty.Wednesday night will see scattered showers and thunderstorms tapering off overnight. Low 67Thursday will be mostly cloudy and a few showers with some afternoon clearing. High 74Full forecast details and more at the WGN Weather Center blog Extended outlook delivers more sunshine for Friday with highs getting to near 80. Pleasant on Saturday with highs near 80. Increasing late-day clouds and a chance of showers/t'storms late that last into some showers on Sunday.