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Experts doubt Mexico’s pledge to protect endangered porpoise

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:45 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexico’s Environment Department announced a new program to protect the endangered vaquita marina porpoise Thursday, saying that has headed off trade sanctions by the international wildlife body CITES.The department said seven steps will be taken, including controlling illegal gillnet fishing that can trap and kill the vaquita, which is the world’s most endangered maine mammal. But experts had misgivings, saying Mexico has failed to live up to previous promises to protect the vaquita and even gone back on some. There are estimated to be as few as eight vaquitas left in the Gulf of California, also known as the Sea of Cortez, the only place it lives. The species cannot be captured, held or bred in captivity.In late March, CITES called on its 184 member countries to stop trade with Mexico for products linked to sensitive species, such as orchids, cactuses and skins from crocodiles and snakes, as punishment for continued fishing in the vaquita protection z...

15-year-old girl missing since February last seen in Garfield Ridge

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:45 GMT

CHICAGO — The whereabouts of a 15-year-old girl reported missing in February remain unknown. Leyla Brown was last seen near the 4500 block of S. Cicero on Feb. 20. SEE ALSO | 12-year-old girl reported missing in HermosaChicago police described the missing teen as 4-foot-11-inches, weighing 120 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes. Leyla Brown also has a tattoo of a cross on her right shoulder. She was last seen wearing a black sweater, black pants and black gym shoes. Anyone with information can call the police at (312) 747-8380.

Visitation services held for fallen Chicago firefighter

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:45 GMT

OAK LAWN, Ill. — Hours after a Chicago fire lieutenant was laid to rest, the community is getting ready to say a final farewell to another fallen member.Chicago firefighter Jermaine Pelt, 49, died last week while responding to a fire in the city's West Pullman neighborhood.Visitation services were held on Thursday in Oak Lawn.He lived a life of putting others first. "People like him, always positive, always someone I could depend on," CFD Battalion Chief Capt. Christopher Olszewski said. "Always someone everyone could depend on."He joined the department in 2005 and was also a registered nurse, a paramedic and an instructor at the fire academy. Those who knew him say smart, ambitious and kind-hearted only scratch the surface of the type of person he was."Pelt could cook," Olszewski said. "I don't think there was a pot he didn't use in the kitchen and luckily I was his officer so I didn't have to clean them."The veteran firefighter leaves behind a 6-year-old son and he recently celebr...

Man arrested after allegedly robbing 87-year-old man in Englewood

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:45 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago police have arrested a man who allegedly battered and robbed an 87-year-old man in January in Englewood.William Green, 23, was arrested Wednesday in the 700 block of East 111th Street in the city's Pullman neighborhood. School bus damaged by gunfire during attempted carjacking on West Side According to the Chicago Police Department, Green allegedly was one of the people who robbed and battered an 87-year-old man on Jan. 30 in the 5800 block of South Ashland Avenue.He was charged with three felonies: aggravated battery/great bodily harm on someone over 60, aggravated battery/public place, and robbery of someone who is handicapped or over 60, according to a release from police.Green is due in bond court on Friday.

China upholds death sentence for US citizen detained on drug charges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:45 GMT

(The Hill) – The U.S. State Department on Thursday said it’s “disappointed” by China’s decision to uphold the death penalty with a two-year suspended death sentence for “wrongfully detained” U.S. citizen Mark Swidan.“Today the People’s Republic of China’s Jiangmen Intermediate Court denied wrongfully detained U.S. national Mark Swidan’s appeal, and upheld his death penalty with a two-year suspended death sentence," State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel said in a statement. "We are disappointed by this decision and will continue to press for his immediate release and return to the United States."Patel said U.S. officials have “repeatedly expressed their concerns” to top China officials about Swidan’s treatment and medical care, as well as “his inability to send or receive mail in a timely manner.” Swidan, from Houston, has been imprisoned in China on drug-related charges for more than ten years, Reuters reports. He was sentenced to death in 2018, according to th...

NOAA issues El Niño watch: Here's where and when Illinois will feel the impact

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:45 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Move aside La Niña – it's almost time for El Niño to take over.National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center issued an "El Niño watch" Thursday morning, saying the climate pattern is expected to form sooner than previously anticipated. After La Niña ended last month, we entered "ENSO-neutral" conditions, which means neither La Niña nor El Niño is present. Those neutral conditions were expected to end at some point in the summer or early fall. But as of Thursday, it looks as though the timeline has moved up. Forecasters said there is a 62% chance El Niño will take over between May and July. The probability that El Niño will form by fall is even higher, between 80% and 90%. La Niña is officially over, NOAA announces: What does that mean? What would that mean for our weather? We usually feel the strongest effects of El Niño as we get closer to winter. An El Niño fall and winter would be the inverse of what we’ve seen the last ...

Texas House passes $12 billion property tax relief package, setting up fight over appraisal cap with Senate

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:45 GMT

(Texas Tribune) -- A $12 billion proposal aimed at giving property tax relief to Texas homeowners and businesses cleared a major hurdle Thursday in the Texas House, setting up a showdown with the Senate over their warring tax-cut packages.House Bill 2 — backed by House Speaker Dade Phelan and carried by state Rep. Morgan Meyer, both Republicans — passed the full House by a 140-9 vote. It still must come back before the chamber for a final vote.The bill proposes pumping $12 billion into Texas school districts so that they, in turn, can lower their property taxes on home and business owners. For the owner of a $350,000 home, the package would result in more than $1,000 in savings over two years, according to Phelan’s office.Cutting the state’s high property tax burden has been a top priority for Texas Republicans this legislative session. HB 2 is a key part of the House’s $17 billion proposed package for how the Legislature should go about doing it.But HB 2 contains a provision that h...

Man gets 20 years in 2021 Pflugerville murder

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:45 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man was convicted of murder April 4 and sentenced to serve 20 years in state prison.According to records, 28-year-old Erick Lovelace was convicted by a court after he pleaded guilty to first-degree murder by use of a firearm.Records showed Lovelace committed the offense in June of 2021 in the 2800 block of Halite Bend in Pflugerville. RELATED: Affidavit: Fight over girlfriend led to Pflugerville shooting death, suspect charged with murder Past KXAN reporting showed Lovelace was charged after what an affidavit said was a physical altercation turned deadly with a man dating his former girlfriend. He was then charged with the murder of 31-year-old Cornelius Ramon Moore.Before his plea, Lovelace was scheduled to have his trial by a jury Monday.

AJ Johnson, projected NBA lottery pick, decommits from Texas to join Australian NBL

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:45 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas men's basketball is hard at work trying to configure a roster for the 2023-24 season, and the work just got a little tougher for new head coach Rodney Terry. AJ Johnson, a five-star recruit out of Southern California Academy in Northridge, California, told ESPN that he's decommitting from Texas and joining the Australian National Basketball League.According to ESPN, the 6-foot-6 forward is a projected lottery pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. "This was a pretty tough decision. It is just so far and I really like Coach Terry, he's my guy and all of those people at Texas I really love them," Johnson told 247 Sports. This news comes a day after forward Dillon Mitchell announced that he will declare for this year's NBA Draft, while maintaining college eligibility. Johnson signed the deal with Illawarra Hawks, he will presumably use his time in Australia as a tune-up for a potential NBA career. An already busy recruiting time for Rodney Terry is even more intense these d...

Minneapolis to pay $8.9M over Chauvin’s actions before George Floyd

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:32:45 GMT

By JIM SALTER (Associated Press)The city of Minneapolis agreed Thursday to pay nearly $9 million to settle lawsuits filed by two people who said former police officer Derek Chauvin pressed his knee into their necks years before he used the same move to kill George Floyd.John Pope Jr. will receive $7.5 million and Zoya Code will receive $1.375 million. The settlements were announced during a meeting of the Minneapolis City Council.Both lawsuits stemmed from arrests in 2017 — three years before Chauvin killed Floyd during an arrest captured on video that sparked protests worldwide, prompted a national reckoning on racial injustice and compelled a Minneapolis Police Department overhaul.At a news conference Thursday, Mayor Jacob Frey apologized to all victims of Chauvin and said that if police supervisors “had done the right thing, George Floyd would not have been murdered.”“He should have been fired in 2017. He should have been held accountable in 2017,” Frey told reporters.Both lawsui...