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Voters in in small Iowa city decide not to give their City Council more control over library books

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:56 GMT

PELLA, Iowa (AP) — Voters in a small Iowa city narrowly decided not to support giving their City Council more power over their local library.Just over half the voters in Pella rejected an advisory vote on whether the City Council should have more power over how the library spends its money and whether it pulls certain books from shelves, the Des Moines Register reported Wednesday. Only 87 votes separated the two sides in the unofficial tally.The measure got on the ballot in the central Iowa town of about 10,000 people about two years after some community members tried to persuade the appointed library board to ban or restrict access to Maia Kobabe’s LGBTQ+ memoir “Gender Queer.” But the board decided to keep that book in the adult section of the library.Attempts to ban books have continued at a record pace nationwide, according to the American Library Association, especially in conservative states and communities like Pella, where former President Donald Trump won 68% of the vote in...

Skilling: Showers until Wednesday night, but sunshine through the weekend

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:56 GMT

The latest autumn weather disturbance—the 2nd to sweep the area this week---is centered in downstate Illinois and has managed to send a surge of 70-deg air as far north as Kankakee county.  Temps at late afternoon have reached 73 at Kankakee, 68 Hebron IN; 65 Joliet, 63 Romeoville, 64 Morris and 63 in Valparaiso, IN.  At the same time, Wed afternoon temps have only made it to 53 on the North Shore at Lake Forest and 50 at Wonder Lake.This weather system managed some snow in the Upper Midwest overnight—with 5" reported at Grand Marais in northeast Minnesota's Arrowhead region north of Duluth and a dusting of across sections of far Northern Wisconsin and Michigan's Upper Peninsula where Marquette report 0.8".Some showers are scattered across the area as the late Wednesday commute gets underway and a band of eastbound showers has included a few flashes of lightning from northwest and north central Illinois into southern Wisconsin—so sporadic rain showers will continue in...

Former CTA clerk sentenced to prison after stealing $356,000 in retirement plan funds

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:56 GMT

CHICAGO — A former clerk for the Chicago Transit Authority's (CTA) retirement plan has been sentenced to a year in federal prison after fraudulently obtaining more than $356,000 in plan funds, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in the Northern District of Illinois.United States District Judge Matthew F. Kennelly imposed a year-and-a-day sentence Tuesday on Ayanna Nesbitt, a 51-year-old woman from Chicago. Nesbitt pleaded guilty earlier this year to a wire fraud charge, which led to her sentencing earlier this week.Government officials said Nesbitt created and obtained approval for approximately 43 fraudulent requests from the CTA's retirement plan to issue various benefits payments and refunds of pension contributions, which upon approval, were sent to financial accounts controlled by Nesbitt, or paid to people who then transferred the money to her. Valparaiso University student dies after stabbing at Planet Fitness; Man in custody From 2019 to 2021, government officials said...

Chicago Amputee Soccer proving what it means to play for the love of the game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:56 GMT

CHICAGO — What started with just one player has grown to nearly an entire team in just months. It’s the first-ever soccer team in Chicago for players missing a limb.The Chicago Amputee Soccer isn't looking for your sympathy. They are out to prove what it means to play for the love of the game. The rules are field players give it everything they have with forearm crutches and one leg, while keepers defend the goal with one arm.MORE FROM ERIN MCELROY: After loss of baby, couple honors her memory with NICU little librariesMetal crutches clang as the players fiercely maneuver and tear down the field in a show of athleticism not meant to inspire but call others to compete."To play other regional teams across the country under the American Amputee Soccer Association and be able to compete at the highest level,” Michael Fiorante is the group’s Co-Founder.Last month, Andrew Paine joined the U.S. National Amputee Soccer Team as they squared off overseas against Poland, England...

10 Gambino members and associates arrested on racketeering charges: court documents

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:56 GMT

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (PIX11) --- Ten people associated with the Gambino crime family were arrested in New York on racketeering charges Wednesday morning, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.In a coordinated operation, Italian law enforcement also arrested six alleged organized crime members and associates for a total of 16 defendants. One person remains at large, officials said.A 16-count indictment was unsealed Wednesday in federal court in Brooklyn charging the 10 New York defendants with racketeering conspiracy, extortion, witness retaliation, and union-related crimes "in an attempt to dominate the New York carting and demolition industries," according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The ‘Secret Six’ who helped bring down Capone The defendants are:Joseph Lanni, also known as “Joe Brooklyn” and “Mommino,” an alleged captain in the Gambino organized crime familyDiego “Danny” Tantillo, an alleged Gambino soldierAngelo Gradilone, also known as “Fifi, alleged Gambino soldierJames LaFor...

2 Las Vegas casino dealers accused of cheating

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:56 GMT

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Gaming investigators suspect two Las Vegas baccarat dealers cheated with players, leading the guests to win thousands of dollars, according to court documents obtained by Nexstar's KLAS.Yuxuan Leng and an unnamed second person now face cheating charges, documents said.In May 2022, a representative from the Rampart Casino at the Resort at Summerlin contacted the Nevada Gaming Control Board alleging two baccarat dealers cheated with players, documents said.Staff at the casino met with gaming investigators, telling them that two baccarat players “have been frequent baccarat players” for years “and recently have been winning more than usual,” documents said. Have a $2 bill? It could be worth thousands Casino surveillance revealed two casino dealers “were revealing the gaming cards to [both players] prior to the conclusion of gameplay on six separate incidents spanning over the month of May,” documents said.“Once the dealers revealed the gaming cards to [the two play...

8 dead in South Texas following fiery crash involving suspected human smuggler

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:56 GMT

ZAVALA COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reported eight deaths Wednesday following a two-vehicle crash near Batesville, Texas — about 20 minutes south of Uvalde in south Texas.According to DPS, a preliminary investigation found a suspected human smuggler was driving from Houston on U.S. Highway 57 while evading the Zavala County Sheriff’s Office. Texas police: Migrants found ‘suffocating’ in train; 2 dead While evading, the suspect's vehicle caused a head-on collision with another vehicle, which was then engulfed in flames, killing its two occupants, DPS said.DPS said the driver in the suspected smuggler vehicle died, along with five passengers. Troopers confirmed several of the people dead were from Honduras.Officials said the investigation was ongoing as DPS investigates the fatal crash.

RESULTS: How did Texans vote on each of the 14 proposed constitutional amendments?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:56 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Thirteen of the 14 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution were passed by voters Tuesday.More than 2.5 million votes were cast statewide. With more than 17.7 million registered voters, turnout was around 14.41%, according to the Secretary of State's office. Click here for full election results Here's a look at the results for each proposition:Props 4 and 9 each passed with more than 80% of the vote in favor. Prop 4 will increase the homestead tax exemption and provide property tax relief, while Prop 9 will add billions of dollars to the Texas retired teachers pension fund.Prop 13, the only proposition to fail, would have raised the mandatory retirement age for judges in the state from 75 to 79.Travis County, home to Austin, was often an outlier. It was the only county to vote against Propositions 1, 3 and 7, which guarantee the right to farm and ranch, prohibit a net worth tax and create a state energy fund.Three of the propositions passed in all 254 counties...

RESULTS: This is the best KXAN viewer photo of October 2023, as voted by you

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:56 GMT

Editor's Note: The video above shows the latest forecast from the KXAN First Warning Weather team.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Here at KXAN, we get hundreds of photos sent to us each month by viewers just like you.We want to showcase some of the best pictures we receive, so we narrowed them down to our 10 favorites for the month.The winning photo will move on to represent October in the best viewer photos of the year once 2023 is said and done.#10. Solar Projection (1.5% of votes)Austin, Oct. 14. Courtesy Terrell Gilliland.An annular eclipse in Austin on Oct. 14, 2023, as seen through a solar projector. (Courtesy Terrell Gilliland)#9. Dark Side of the Sun (6.1% of votes)Austin, Oct. 14. Courtesy Geoffrey D. McLin.An annular eclipse seen from southeast Austin on Oct. 14, 2023. (Courtesy Geoffrey D. McLin)#8. Candy Corn Clouds (6.6% of votes)Georgetown, Oct. 27. Courtesy Martin Byhower.Clouds bubble up at sunset over Georgetown on Oct. 27, 2023. (Courtesy Martin Byhower)#7. Soaking in the Sun (7.3...

Public invited to Rice Park holiday tree lighting (and Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Kick-Off) on Friday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:51:56 GMT

It was Election Day, but it looked more like Christmas at Rice Park in downtown St. Paul on Tuesday.Bystanders craned their necks upward to watch a crew assemble a 40-foot artificial holiday tree for a lighting ceremony on Friday.It’s long been a tradition to light up the real trees of St. Paul’s historic park to celebrate the holidays and illuminate our winter, but this will only be the second year that the Salvation Army’s “Tree of Lights” will be the sparkly focal point in Rice Park.The event also represents the Red Kettle Kick-Off for the organization, a fund-raising effort involving the pealing of bells at kettles across the Twin Cities and beyond.But first, the tree must be assembled.“This is a 3-day process,” said Angel Fields Mitchell, divisional director of marketing for the Salvation Army Northern Division, from Rice Park on Tuesday. “Tomorrow, we will decorate the tree.”The ceremonyHundreds of people were on hand as th...