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5 things to know about Memorial Day including its controversies

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:26 GMT

By BEN FINLEY (Associated Press)NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Memorial Day is supposed to be about mourning the nation’s fallen service members, but it’s come to anchor the unofficial start of summer and a long weekend of discounts on anything from mattresses to lawn mowers.Auto club AAA said in a travel forecast that this holiday weekend could be “one for the record books, especially at airports,” with more than 42 million Americans projected to travel 50 miles (80 kilometers) or more. Federal officials said Friday that the number of air travelers had already hit a pandemic-era high.But for Manuel Castañeda Jr., 58, the day will be a quiet one in Durand, Illinois, outside Rockford. He lost his father, a U.S. Marine who served in Vietnam, in an accident in California while training other Marines in 1966.“Memorial Day is very personal,” said Castañeda, who also served in the Marines and Army National Guard, from which he knew men who died in ...

Aztecs eyeing Women's College World Series after beating Utah 4-3

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:26 GMT

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah -- The San Diego State University softball team has their eyes on the prize after beating out No. 15 overall seed Utah in game one of the NCAA Super Regionals in Salt Lake City Friday.The Aztecs secured a 4-3 victory after outhitting their opponent, despite Utah being the fourth-best hitting team in the country, according to NCAA stats. Matt Araiza joins NY Jets for a workout: ESPN This marks the first NCAA tournament road game win in SDSU's program history. Plus, this season's Aztecs is now the first team to win its debut NCAA Super Regional game since James Madison in 2016.Game highlightsSDSU's Elianna Reyes took position on first base after her teammate, Cali Decker, was walked by a Utah pitcher after three innings. With the score board showing 3-2 Aztecs down, Makena Brocki knocked a single to right-center field as Reyes sprinted to secure a stance at third base. SDSU sophomore AJ Murphy's bat connected with the softball in the top of the fourth inning fo...

McCarthy says negotiators are ‘closer to an agreement’ on debt crisis, but no deal yet

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:26 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Kevin McCarthy said Saturday that Republican negotiators were “closer to an agreement” that would resolve the looming debt crisis, but had not reached a deal with President Joe Biden.He said there was no firm timeline for a final compromise that would raise the nation’s borrowing limit and avoid a catastrophic default while also making spending cuts that House Republicans are demanding. House negotiators left the Capitol after 2 a.m. and returned hours later.“We’ll get it when it gets right,” McCarthy, R-Calif., said as he arrived on Capitol Hill.McCarthy’s comments echoed the latest assessment from Biden, who said Friday evening that bargainers were “very close.”Their optimism came as Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen told Congress that the United States could default on its debt obligations by June 5 — four days later than previously estimated — if lawmakers do not act in time to raise the federal debt ceiling. The extended “X-date” gives the tw...

Man who opened emergency door on South Korea flight told police he felt suffocated

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:26 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A passenger who opened an emergency exit door during a flight in South Korea told police that he felt suffocated and tried to get off the plane quickly as it approached landing, reports said Saturday.Twelve people were slightly injured when the man opened the door of the Asiana Airlines Airbus A321 on Friday, causing air to blast inside the cabin. The plane, which was flying to the city of Daegu from the southern island of Jeju, landed safely.The man was detained by police in Daegu for allegedly violating the aviation security law. If convicted, he could face up to 10 years in prison.The 33-year-old told police that he had wanted to get out of the plane because he was feeling suffocated, Yonhap news agency reported, citing police.Yonhap said the man told police he had suffered stress after losing his job recently.Other South Korean media carried similar stories on the man’s motive. The reports said Daegu police requested a warrant to formally arrest him.Cal...

Man charged with killing Indianapolis police officer seeking insanity defense

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:26 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A man charged with fatally shooting an Indianapolis police officer when she responded to a domestic violence call in 2020 is seeking an insanity defense as he seeks to avoid the death penalty.Attorneys for Elliahs Dorsey filed a motion with the court Wednesday saying a report prepared by a doctor states he was suffering from a mental illness when he fatally wounded Officer Breann Leath of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.Leath and three other officers were responding to a domestic violence call involving Dorsey when she was shot to death through the door of an Indianapolis apartment, police have said. She died of two gunshots to the head.Dorsey faces one count each of murder and criminal confinement, and four counts of attempted murder, one of which stems from his alleged shooting of a woman he had confined inside the apartment. His attorneys acknowledged they filed their motion for an insanity defense later than normal but blamed the delay in part...

Improving literacy with the help of dogs

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:26 GMT

'SitStayRead' is a non-profit organization that manages children's literacy skills with the help of dogs.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

UPDATES: Texas House taking up resolution to impeach Ken Paxton at 1 p.m.

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:26 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Following an investigation by the House General Investigating Committee, the conservative-leaning committee unanimously adopted a formal recommendation to impeach Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The committee laid out 20 articles of impeachment to the House members Thursday night. The 20 articles, or accusations, are the result of a two-month investigation that began after Paxton’s proposal emerged to use state funds to settle a $3.3 million whistleblower lawsuit filed by four former employees who accused him of wrongdoing.The House General Investigating Committee is calling up the articles enumerated in House Resolution 2377 on Saturday at 1 p.m. for the House’s consideration. The committee scheduled four hours for the impeachment debate – 40 minutes for opening arguments, 20 for closing and time evenly allocated for supporters and opponents of the impeachment for even debate, per a memo from the House General Investigating Committee. Follow statewide Capito...

How does the impeachment process work in Texas?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:26 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) –  Following an investigation by the House General Investigating Committee, the conservative-leaning committee unanimously adopted a formal recommendation to impeach Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. The committee laid out 20 articles of impeachment to the House members Thursday night. The 20 articles, or accusations, are the result of a two-month investigation that began after Paxton’s proposal emerged to use state funds to settle a $3.3 million whistleblower lawsuit filed by four former employees who accused him of wrongdoing. MORE: What we know about possible impeachment against Attorney General Ken Paxton The House General Investigating Committee is calling up the articles enumerated in House Resolution 2377 on Saturday at 1 p.m. for the House’s consideration. The committee scheduled four hours for the impeachment debate – 40 minutes for opening arguments, 20 for closing and time evenly allocated for supporters and opponents of the impeachment for even...

At this St. Paul exhibit, artists get paid even if they don’t sell

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:26 GMT

After teaching for 20 years, Barbara Bridges said she started the nonprofit Art to Change the World for a selfish reason: “I wanted to grow old with such great people.”Art to Change the World brings social and cultural issues to the forefront of its exhibitions and will be doing just that on June 1 in partnership with St. Paul’s Grand Hand Gallery to present its latest exhibition “Precious.”The inspiration for the project? Miley Cyrus’ latest hit song, “Flowers.”“Precious” is one of the nonprofit’s more traditional exhibits, Bridges said, where she and three other artists will showcase high-end art pieces created from recycled products, the “magic” of everyday objects. In doing so they call into question what society deems as precious.One of Bridges’ creations is a self-described over-the-top necklace made from an old chandelier. The title of the piece, “I Can Take Myself Dancing,” comes from a line in Cyrus’ song.New owners of the Grand Hand Gallery, Jim Jacobson and Rachael Hartzl...

Denver weather: Mostly sunny with a 20% chance for p.m. showers and storms

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:12:26 GMT

Scattered thunderstorms are expected this afternoon and evening across northeastern Colorado with a 20% chance for storms in Denver.A few storms on the Eastern Plains may be severe with large hail and strong winds as the main threat, according to the National Weather Service.In Denver this weekend, skies will be mostly sunny, with a 20% chance for precipitation Saturday and Sunday. High temps will be about 80 degrees and the overnight lows will be in the lower 50s.Another round of thunderstorms is likely Saturday afternoon, with a few being severe, particularly for the more rural areas of the plains. Hail with be the primary threat, with wind and localized flooding possible as well. #cowx pic.twitter.com/UB4r0ebQIR— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) May 27, 2023Sunday through Tuesday in northeastern Colorado scattered afternoon thunderstorms are expected, mainly in the mountains and northern foothills, the weather service said. Late in the day, storm coverage will decrease as the wea...