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Illinois' cocktails to-go law extended 5 more years

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:05 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — It's one pandemic trend that many Illinoisians will be happy to see live on.Governor JB Pritzker signed into law a bill that extends cocktails-to-go for five additional years through Aug. 1, 2028. The bill went into effect in June 2020 and was set to expire on Jan. 3, 2024.VIDEO: One-on-One with Illinois Governor J.B. PritzkerOriginally introduced to help struggling businesses amid the pandemic, the measure allows restaurants and bars to provide carryout, curbside pickup, and the delivery of mixed drinks and single servings of wine for off-premises consumption. The law requires that cocktails, mixed drinks, and single servings of wine that are available to go:Read more: Latest Chicago news headlinesMay only be sold or delivered by an employee of the retail licensee who is at least 21 and has a valid Illinois Beverage Alcohol Sellers and Servers Education and Training (BASSET) license under Section 6-27.1 of the Illinois Liquor Control Act.May not be sold or deliv...

Republicans vote to cut University of Wisconsin System's budget by $32M in diversity programs spat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:05 GMT

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Republican lawmakers voted to cut the University of Wisconsin System's budget by $32 million on Thursday despite a projected record-high $7 billion state budget surplus, leaving the university nearly half a billion dollars short of what it requested.The cut comes in reaction to Republican anger over diversity, equity and inclusion, or DEI, programs on the system's 13 universities. Republican leaders have said the $32 million is what they estimated would be spent on those programs over the next two years.“They need to refocus their priorities on being partners on developing our workforce and the future of the state, and we’re hopeful that they’re going to be ready to do that as we move forward,” Republican state Rep. Mark Born, co-chair of the Legislature's budget-writing committee, said at a news conference.The university system could get the $32 million back at a later date if it shows how it would be spent on workforce development efforts, and not diversity, e...

Christian Clark, 2024 4-star running back out of Arizona, verbally commits to Texas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:05 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — One of Arizona's top high school football recruits said Wednesday that he's coming to Austin.Christian Clark, a 4-star running back according to the 247Sports composite rating system, posted on social media his intent to become a Texas Longhorn. Clark, from Mountain Pointe High School in the Ahwatukee area of southeast Phoenix, graduates in 2024. He tallied 1,105 total yards and scored 16 touchdowns for the Pride in his junior season.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/newsletters247Sports ranks Clark as the third-best recruit in Arizona and 23rd running back in the country in its composite rankings. Florida State, Oregon, Alabama and Arizona all showed interest in recruiting Clark, according to 247Sports.Clark told the Ahwatukee Foothills News that "the whole environment," drew him to Texas."I think outside of football, too, so the academics are top-notch," he said. ...

Victor Wembanyama selected No. 1 overall by San Antonio Spurs in 2023 NBA Draft

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:05 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Victor Wembanyama is the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, headed to San Antonio with enormous expectations to become basketball's newest sensation.The selection of the 19-year-old from France that had been a foregone conclusion for months was announced by NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on Thursday night at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, followed by chants of “Wemby! Wemby” from a group of Spurs fans waving signs from the first row of seats.Wembanyama arrives with far more height and hype than most No. 1 picks. Listed at 7-foot-4, he dominated his French league in his final season there, leading all players in scoring, rebounding and blocked shots.Now he makes the move to the NBA, perhaps as the best prospect since LeBron James came out of high school in 2003. Wembanyama brings a package of skills that seem perfect for the modern NBA and too vast for one player, with the size of a center and the shooting and ballhandling ability of a guard.“Hearing that sentence from Adam Sil...

New bill could put whole milk back in school cafeterias

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:05 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — A new political push could bring whole milk back to school lunches. Lawmakers are debating a bill that would change the current school nutrition rules.Right now, schools can only serve low fat or fat free milk. A bill sponsored by Republican Congressman Glenn Thompson would allow them to serve whole milk again."We've really ruined an entire generation of milk drinkers and we have, we really cheated them out of access to the most nutritional beverage,” Thompson said.The effort is bipartisan, with some Democrats joining in on the legislation. Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger is one of the Democrats supporting it.“It's a really straight forward way to ensure that kids are getting access to nutritious, healthy, and delicious milk in schools,” Spanberger said.She says it’s about expanding options."We're not mandating that all kids have to drink whole milk, we're simply removing the prohibition,” Spanberger said.Whol...

Murder charges: Man fatally shot in North St. Paul apartment appeared to be making parts for ghost guns

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:05 GMT

When North St. Paul police found a 24-year-old man fatally shot in an apartment this week, they discovered a 3D printer and it appeared he’d been making parts for “ghost guns” — firearms that are privately made and untraceable because they don’t have serial numbers, according to murder charges filed Thursday.At the murder scene, two gun safes were open and empty. Police soon found bags with 15 handguns discarded in the area.The Ramsey County attorney’s office charged a man and woman, both 19, on Thursday with aiding and abetting murder in the death of Anthony R. Rojas.Officers were sent to the 2100 block of North McKnight Road at 6:13 p.m. Monday on a report of a male with a handgun near an apartment. A woman banged on an apartment door and yelled, “He’s dead! He’s dead!” the criminal complaints said.Police went into the apartment and found a shotgun and bulletproof vest in the hallway leading to bedrooms. Down the hallway,...

Senators propose resolution threatening war with Russia if Putin uses nuclear weapons in Ukraine

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:05 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Russia's recent decision to send tactical nuclear weapons to neighboring Belarus is ramping up concerns they may use them against Ukraine. Now two senators are teaming up to pass a resolution to warn Russia if that happens it means war with the U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham and Democrat Senator Richard Blumenthal have introduced a resolution that if Russia uses nuclear weapons in Ukraine, it would be considered an attack on NATO. That would obligate the United States to go to war.  Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "The threat of a use of a nuclear device by Russia is real," Graham said. They say passing the resolution would send Russian President Vladimir Putin a message. "If you use a nuclear weapon as a effort to turn around this war, you're not going to turn around the war in Ukraine, you're going to get into a war with NATO," Graham said. "Harm to our NATO allies t...

Rockies crumbling as the season’s midway point nears

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:05 GMT

CINCINNATI — As their season nears the midway point, the Rockies are crumbling — physically, statistically and in the standings.Their hope is that an avalanche of losses and injuries won’t sweep away their competitive spirit or create divisions within the clubhouse.“We have to make sure that this doesn’t become the norm,” third baseman Ryan McMahon said after Colorado’s 5-3 loss to the Reds on Wednesday, the club’s eighth consecutive defeat. “You don’t want to just show up and have this be the expectation. So we have to show up and do a bit better job. I think everyone in the (clubhouse) feels the same way.”Manager Bud Black, whose job is to keep the team together during one of the rockiest stretches of his seven-year tenure, is glad to have an off day on Thursday, and another one on Monday, after playing 33 games in the past 34 days.“It comes at a good time,” Black said. “We’ve played a lot of games, and our guys have been playing hard and playing with a lot...

Tornado in Highlands Ranch, punishing hail at Red Rocks: Severe weather pounds metro Denver two days in a row

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:05 GMT

Severe weather walloped metro Denver over the last two days, with a tornado uprooting trees and damaging property across a 6-mile path through Highlands Ranch on Thursday — less than 24 hours after hail the size of golf balls pelted concertgoers at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, sending seven people to the hospital.Emergency responders in Douglas County said widespread tornado damage could be seen across Highlands Ranch and into Lone Tree late Thursday afternoon, and residents reported downed trees, torn-up fences, natural gas leaks and roof damage.South Metro Fire Rescue’s Eric Hurst said there were no reports of significant weather-related injuries, aside from some minimal hail-related injuries at the storm’s outset.Much of the damage was reported south of C-470 between Lucent Boulevard and South Quebec Street, according to South Metro Fire Rescue — whose own Station 17 sustained heavy tornado damage to its roof, according to an emergency alert.“The most dam...

Metro bus driver stabbed in Venice

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:05 GMT

At least one person is in custody after a Metro bus driver was stabbed Thursday in Venice, authorities announced.  Officers with the Los Angeles Police Department responded to calls of the stabbing in the 1700 block of Main Street at around 1:45 p.m.  It is unclear what led up to the violence, but police told KTLA that a man in his 60s was taken into custody.  Authorities also said that an ambulance was requested but did not provide any details on the condition of the bus driver or whether anyone else was injured during the incident. First responders on the scene in Venice after a Metro bus driver was stabbed on June 22, 2023 (Citizen app)This is the second Metro bus driver to be stabbed in just under a month. In May, a 61-year-old bus driver was stabbed by a teenager in Northridge. The driver suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital. The 17-year-old suspect repeatedly stabbed the driver in the chest, neck and back after a verbal argument ...