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Laws banning semi-automatic weapons takes effect in Illinois

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:47 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — With the calendar-page turn to 2024 on Monday comes 320 new state laws that Illinois residents will need to navigate.Some will have a widespread effect, including a law banning semi-automatic rifles and another requiring paid time off. But others won't have an immediate or noticeable impact, including a law that lets county governments consider a potential contractor's participation in an approved apprenticeship program in determining the winning low bid for a project. One law that took effect in 2019 but is still impacting tens of thousands of workers is an increase in the minimum wage. It increases to $14 an hour on Jan. 1 for non-tipped workers and will reach $15 in a year.Here are some of the other major changes to Illinois state law as of New Year's Day: BAN ON SEMI-AUTOMATIC WEAPONSThe U.S. Supreme Court has failed to take up the case of Illinois' ban on the sale, possession or manufacture of automatic weapons like the type used in a mass shooting at a...

Mothers 2023 St. Louis area homicide victim vigil

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:47 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- The group Mothers Advocating for Safer Streets hosted its third annual candlelight vigil on New Year's Eve. It is for all those who lost their lives to violence in 2023. The names of homicide victims from both St. Louis City and county were read aloud.The event was held at the Williams Temple Church of God in Christ on Union Boulevard. St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones took part in the event.

Man rams two police cars in Fort Lupton in stolen truck, flees before arrest in Evans

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:47 GMT

A man faces three felonies after police say he stole a car, rammed two police cars and hit another in Fort Lupton while fleeing police.Larry Walker, 31, faces one charge each of first-degree attempted assault, vehicular eluding and second-degree motor vehicle theft stemming from the incident last month, according to an affidavit for his arrest.Just before 11 a.m., Dec. 18, police responded to a report of two suspicious vehicles — a white truck and a white van — parked on a property on Weld County Road 22.5 at U.S. Highway 85.Before arriving on scene, police say they saw the truck was reported stolen out of Erie. Once units arrived on scene, two marked police cars pinned the truck in. The police cars were touching the front and rear bumpers of the truck, according to the affidavit.Police say they began giving commands and Walker looked back toward them before putting the vehicle in drive and ramming the police car in front.He then reversed into the car parked behind him, pushin...

7.6 magnitude quake strikes off Japan, collapses buildings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:47 GMT

Japan dropped its highest-level tsunami alert, issued following a series of major earthquakes on Monday, but told residents of coastal areas not to return to their homes as deadly waves could still come.The quakes, the largest of which had a magnitude of 7.6, started a fire and collapsed buildings on the west coast of Japan’s main island, Honshu. It was unclear how many people might have been killed or hurt.The Japan Meteorological Agency reported more than a dozen quakes in the Japan Sea off the coast of Ishikawa and nearby prefectures shortly after 4 p.m.At least six homes were damaged by the quakes, with people trapped inside, government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi said. A fire broke out in Wajima city, Ishikawa Prefecture, and electricity was out for more than 30,000 households, he said. The agency initially issued a major tsunami warning for Ishikawa and lower-level tsunami warnings or advisories for the rest of the western coast of the island of Honshu, as well as the northern...

CBD and Tinnitus: A Look into Potential Interactions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:47 GMT

Read the original article about CBD Oil and Tinnitus at Real Tested CBD.Tinnitus, characterized by a persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears, is a condition that affects a significant portion of Americans. Among potential alternative therapies for managing this challenging symptom, Cannabidiol (CBD) has sparked considerable interest. Let’s take a closer look at current understanding of CBD’s potential role in tinnitus management.Understanding TinnitusFirst, a look at what tinnitus is.Tinnitus, a condition that manifests as a persistent ringing or buzzing in the ears, and it affects around 15% to 20% of the population. It’s not a condition in itself but moreover a symptom of an underlying condition like age-related hearing loss, ear injury, or a circulatory system disorder. Managing tinnitus can pose a significant challenge for many and there are limited treatments out there.Understanding CBDCannabidiol, better known as CBD, is one of over 100 compounds known as cannabi...

Beloved Berkeley restaurant that fed the needy will close today after 45 years

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:47 GMT

Earlier this year, Collin Doran came up with a radically simple plan to feed the homeless people he’d seen struggling outside Homemade Cafe, his popular Berkeley restaurant that’s operated in the neighborhood for 45 years. He began to serve them free breakfasts of two eggs with the works — no questions asked.Unfortunately, Doran won’t be able to keep his generous plan going, because he can no longer afford to operate his cafe, even with the good will and support of many loyal customers and after the cafe received national coverage this year from Today and the Washington Post.Today, New Year’s Day, is the Homemade Cafe’s final day in business. A fixture at the corner of Sacramento Street and Dwight Way, the restaurant will open at 9 a.m. and plans to serve customers until 3 p.m.“It is with great sadness and disappointment that we have to close,” Doran shared on Facebook. “It is just financially impossible to stay open. In today...

NFC playoff outlook: It’s a stress-free Week 18 for top seed 49ers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:47 GMT

So maybe the L.A. Rams-49ers game to close out the regular season won’t the kind of drama that seemed inevitable.Unless your idea of a Week 18 spectacle is watching Carson Wentz go toe-to-toe with Sam Darnold.The 49ers are in as the top seed after beating Washington 27-10 and getting help in the form of Arizona upsetting Philadelphia.The Rams are in as a wild card after winning six of their last seven games. So much for watching the 49ers crush the postseason dream for the Rams, or the Rams making the playoffs by knocking the 49ers out of the No. 1 seed.Instead, coaches Kyle Shanahan and Sean McVay will be devising ways to put their best players in bubble-wrap, with quarterbacks Brock Purdy and Matthew Stafford likely getting no more than cameo appearances, giving some reserve quarterbacks a chance for some regular season reps.Common sense says Christian McCaffrey, who gave way to Elijah Mitchell because of a calf strain against Washington, will get healthy throughout this wee...

Marin Republicans file dueling lawsuits amid party turmoil

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:47 GMT

A conflict over an office lease is at the center of two lawsuits involving current and former members of the Marin County Republican Central Committee.The group works to register Republican voters and promote party candidates. In September, suspended committee members Francis Drouillard and William McLaughlin filed a small claims suit in Marin County Superior Court naming their former organization as a defendant.Both accuse committee chair John Wilkinson of spending more than $8,700 in committee funds for the first year of a San Rafael office lease without the organization’s authorization in 2017, when he was treasurer, according to the suit. The suit also names former committee chair Kernan Jang as a defendant.The plaintiffs allege that Wilkinson defrauded the committee and are demanding that he pay it restitution.“We’re not in it for the money, we want the money returned,” Drouillard said.Joining them in the suit are former committee member John Turnacliff and former alternate mem...

Richardson Bay authority defeats lawsuit over ‘anchor-out’ boat removals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:47 GMT

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit arguing that the Richardson’s Bay Regional Authority does not have legal standing to police the water.The judge found no merit in an argument by plaintiff Robert Roark, an anchor-out who lives on the bay, that he has a constitutional right to anchor there.“To the extent Roark is alleging a stand-alone constitutional entitlement to anchor where he chooses, the United States’ constitution does not confer a blanket right to anchor in Richardson’s Bay,” wrote Judge William Orrick of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.Despite a law that prohibits boaters from anchoring in the bay for longer than 72 hours, many have lived on their vessels there for decades. The number of anchor-outs swelled to 240 in 2016. Today there are about 40.The agency enforces a 72-hour anchoring limit for new vessels, and plans to remove all anchor-outs from the bay by October 2024. A housing and vessel buyback program, as well as a permitting pr...

Bus driver from UC Santa Cruz crash dies from injuries

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:45:47 GMT

SANTA CRUZ — The Santa Cruz Metro bus driver who was injured in a crash at UC Santa Cruz earlier this month has died, his union and UCSC officials confirmed Sunday.Dan Stevenson, a long-time Santa Cruz Metro bus operator, died after he was injured while driving a UC Santa Cruz Loop Bus on Dec. 12, a representative from SMART Local 0023 told the Sentinel. SMART Local 0023 is the union that represents Santa Cruz Metro bus operators and paratransit operators.Stevenson “I had the honor of working alongside Dan; he was a genuinely kind-hearted person dedicated to serving his community,” said James Sandoval, who worked as the general chairperson for the union before recently becoming international vice president for SMART, in a statement posted to Facebook. “Dan also showed unwavering dedication to his union, advocating for the rights of himself and his colleagues. He played a pivotal role during our 37-day strike in 2005, consistently offering his support wherever it was needed. The...