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Southwest suburban playground named one of the most inclusive nationwide

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:01:53 GMT

DOWNERS GROVE, Ill. —A playground in southwest suburban Downers Grove was named one of the most inclusive school playgrounds in the United States. Owen’s Playground for Kids of All Abilities at Hillcrest Elementary School in Downers Grove Grade School District 58 ranked third on the top-10 list.  The school and healthcare staffing company Soliant compiled the list. Several factors were considered, including inclusive design, quality and quantity of accessible play features and any unique stories behind the playground’s origin.    Downers Grove North shoots for history in IHSA Final Four The idea behind Owen's Playground came from an eighth-grade student whose brother struggled with mobility issues from cerebral palsy. “Owen’s Playground for Kids of All Abilities came to fruition thanks to the incredible generosity of the Hillcrest community and many local businesses and organizations,” said District 58 Superintendent Dr. Kevin Russell. “We appreciate their support very much! Distr...

Biden, Trudeau celebrate 'inseparable' US-Canada relations

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:01:53 GMT

OTTAWA, ONTARIO (AP) — President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday celebrated the close, “inseperable” U.S.-Canada relationship and declared their nations' shared values have never been more important for a world facing both tumult and possibility.Biden, making his first visit to Canada as president, said the U.S. is lucky to have Canada as its neighbor as both countries grapple with the rapidly changing global economy, climate change, war in Europe and more.On immigration, Biden and Trudeau used the visit to announce an agreement aiming to stem the flow of asylum seekers at unofficial border crossings from the U.S. to Canada.The accord eliminates a loophole under existing rules and will allow both countries to turn away asylum seekers at their borders At the same time, however, Canada announced that 15,000 migrants from the Western Hemisphere will be given official slots to apply to enter the country.Before their speeches before Parliament, the leaders sat down ...

Millions at risk of losing Medicaid coverage as pandemic provision ends

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:01:53 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – During the pandemic, states were prohibited from kicking people off Medicaid. But that provision is soon coming to an end and millions of Americans could lose healthcare coverage, including people who still qualify for Medicaid.On April 1, states will resume removing people from Medicaid who no longer qualify after a three-year pandemic pause.“Fourteen to 18 million people are expected to be disenrolled from Medicaid,” said Jennifer Tolbert of the Kaiser Family Foundation.This includes 6.8 million who could lose coverage even though they still qualify. However, many children will still qualify for Medicaid even if their parents don’t.“Maybe they don't get the renewal notice in the mail, maybe they get the notice, and they don't quite understand it,” Tolbert said.The Kaiser Family Foundation says many of those Americans who lose Medicaid will still qualify for other subsidized care like Obamacare because of their income levels. Moda Center will close during s...

Biden administration brainstorms how to help families 'stretch food dollars'

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:01:53 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — The Biden administration says it is rolling out new public-private initiatives to help Americans confronting high food prices."To make sure that everyone is fed and everyone is fed well," Secretary of Agriculture Tim Vilsack said.More than 34 million Americans, including 9 million children, are considered food insecure, according to the federal government. Administration officials met with anti-hunger groups at the White House Friday to talk about how to tackle the problem head-on."Figuring out ways in which we can help families stretch that food dollar. Looking for ways in which we can create what are called double-buck programs where basically every dollar you spend as a SNAP family gets matched by a nonprofit," Vilsack said.The Biden administration this month ended pandemic-era increases to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program food stamp benefits. Vilsack said that at the same time, his agency has ramped up resources for food banks, increased SNAP bene...

Florida principal resigns after parents complain about 'pornographic' Michelangelo statue

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:01:53 GMT

This story has been updated with additional commentary provided by Hillsdale College regarding its curriculum content.TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — The line between art and pornography is at the center of an education dispute after a Tallahassee charter school principal resigned, following accusations that middle school students were shown inappropriate adult content.At issue? Students in the school were shown images of a Renaissance period sculpture, the "David," leading to complaints that the children were shown pornographic material. ‘Toxic political ideology’: Florida English professor fired over racial justice unit blames DeSantis Tallahassee Classical School, a private institution focused on "training the minds and improving the hearts of young people through a content-rich classical education in the liberal arts and sciences, with instruction in the principles of moral character and civic virtue," gave its principal an ultimatum to quit or be fired after three parents complain...

Austin family in Paris amid protests of Macron's pension plan shift

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:01:53 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN/AP) -- More than a million people took to France's streets Thursday to protest a bill pushed through by President Emmanuel Macron that raised the retirement age from 62 to 64 without a vote in parliament, according to the Associated Press. Transportation, schools, restaurants, supermarkets, banks and trash collection are just some of the services being impacted by protests and strikes, the outlet reported. READ MORE: Violent French pension protests erupt as 1M demonstrate "We were out having dinner one evening and saw caravans of police vans going around town. That was our first introduction to that there was something going on," Austin-area woman Krista Wise said. She has been in Paris since last Thursday with friends and family for a holiday. Krista Wise and her friends and family are on vacation in Paris (courtesy of the family)Wise said the sight seeing they've wanted to do hasn't been impacted by protests so far, but Thursday, the largest demonstration seen in t...

Austin is experiencing a top 10 warmest start to the year

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:01:53 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Warmth has been no stranger to Central Texas so far in 2023.Through March 24, Austin (Camp Mabry) is experiencing its ninth-warmest start to the year on record. The average mean temperature, which accounts for the highs and lows of the day, is up to 59.2º year-to-date, which is over two degrees warmer than normal.Austin's weather statistics year-to-dateAustin's Camp Mabry has broken six heat records so far in 2023 but set no cold records.Camp Mabry heat recordsAustin-Bergstrom International Airport is also seeing heat records outnumber cold records this year.Austin-Bergstrom International Airport heat vs cold records We've also had two 90-degree+ days in Austin. We typically don't see our first 90º day of the year until April 3 on average.In-Depth: Heat records outpacing cold recordsWith data that goes back to the 1890s in Austin, you can see a clear trend for the last few decades thanks to Climate Central. New heat records are greatly outpacing cold records in Austi...

Jury convicts man in 2020 fatal stabbing

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:01:53 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Travis County jury convicted a man of manslaughter Feb. 28 in connection with the death of a 36-year-old man in southeast Austin in July 2020.Travis County records showed 37-year-old Vincent Serrato originally pleaded guilty to the original murder charge, but he was convicted on the lesser charge of manslaughter. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Suspect arrested in southeast Austin stabbing Court records showed a judge sentenced Serrato to serve 18 years in state prison for the death of 36-year-old Guadalupe Sanchez Jr., as well as pay court fees totaling $445.According to a past KXAN report, Austin police officers responded to a call in July 2020 for a man with stab wounds inside an apartment at the 6000 block of Fairway Street in southeast Austin.At the apartment, officers found Sanchez unresponsive and with obvious trauma to his body. He was later pronounced dead.

Who has the edge for the final Twins bullpen spot?

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:01:53 GMT

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Twins came into spring training with a relatively set roster and save for a couple injuries, not much has changed. But there does appear — at least publicly — to be at least one bullpen spot still up for grabs.Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Jorge López, Caleb Thielbar and Emilio Pagán are locks. Jorge Alcala and Jovani Moran are safe bets, as well, which would leave just one spot remaining. And while the Twins have not tipped their hands, manager Rocco Baldelli has expressed his interest in having a long reliever on the roster.“I think there are a lot of scenarios that play out in a way where we have someone that can do that on the roster. There will be periods of time where we won’t. Sometimes that’s going to be a day or two,” Baldelli said last week. “ … In our mind, that’s going to be an important spot in our bullpen that I think we would like to have more times than not. I’m hoping that one guy, at least, in our bullpen can kind of fulfill that role and do a go...

Queen + Adam Lambert will return to Xcel Energy Center for the third time in October

Published Fri, 07 Feb 2025 12:01:53 GMT

Queen and “American Idol” vet Adam Lambert will return to St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center Oct. 27.Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. March 31 through Ticketmaster. Neither the promoter nor the venue announced prices. According to the news release, “the band (is) collaborating with the venues’ ticketing partners to restrict the ability to transfer tickets for the Rhapsody Tour so that they may only be transferred between fans at the original price … using a face value ticket exchange, including the Ticketmaster Face Value Exchange, which is free to use for buyers and sellers.”After Queen’s vocalist Freddie Mercury died in 1991 from complications of AIDS, surviving members Brian May (guitar), Roger Taylor (drums) and John Deacon (bass) staged a memorial concert at London’s Wembley Stadium in front of a crowd of 72,000 fans.Deacon retired from the group soon after, but May and Taylor kept Queen going through various archival record releases and one-off concert appearances with gue...