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Illinois legislators take another stab at Bears stadium legislation, with just a week to go in session

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

With one week remaining in the Illinois legislature’s spring session, a revised version of proposed legislation to aid the Chicago Bears’ move to Arlington Heights has surfaced in Springfield.Like the previous proposal, the new bill would freeze the property tax assessment on the former Arlington International Racecourse, where the Bears have proposed a new stadium as part of a $5 billion mixed-use development, and create a $3 admission tax to help pay off debt incurred to fund renovations of Soldier Field two decades ago.Among the changes in the new bill are a restructured oversight board that would approve incentive agreements with the Bears. The bill would make state lawmakers nonvoting members of the panel, and also removes language that would have given the board zoning authority over the site.The latest version also tweaks a proposal to share revenue generated on the site from state sales tax, hotel tax and liquor taxes and a new 3% surcharge on sports betting reve...

Mets Notebook: Max Scherzer throws bullpen, Justin Verlander set for Citi Field debut

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

WASHINGTON — Max Scherzer had what the Mets described as a “strenuous” workday Friday, which was a positive indicator for the right-hander and his management of neck spasms. The right-hander threw a 30-pitch bullpen at Nationals Park and is on track to start Sunday against the Washington Nationals.But while the neck spasms might be under control right now, the issue doesn’t appear to be a one-time thing. Scherzer has had to manage the issue throughout his career and will continue to in an effort to prevent them as best he can.“I can get these neck episodes from time to time and I felt like I was doing everything to prevent this,” Scherzer said Friday before the Mets opened a four-game series in Washington. “They can just come out of nowhere sometimes and that’s what happened.”Scherzer maintains that the spasms were somewhat random and continually emphasized that they can be.“I do a good amount of neck exercises, kind of som...

David Pastrnak a finalist for Hart Trophy

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

David Pastrnak was named one of the three finalists for the Hart Trophy, given to the NHL’s most valuable player as voted on by the Professional Hockey Writers Association. The Bruin right wing was already a finalist for the Ted Lindsay Award, given to the league’s most outstanding player as voted on by the players.The other Hart finalists are Edmonton’s Connor McDavid and Florida’s Matthew Tkachuk.Despite becoming the first Bruin to reach the 60-goal plateau since Phil Esposito last did it in 1974-75 and reaching the 100-point mark for the first time in his career (61-52-113 totals), Pastrnak is not the favorite for the award. McDavid, with his 64-89-153 totals, is the clear front-runner and some observers have speculated the Oiler could be the unanimous winner.As expected with their 65-win season, the Bruins will be well represented at the NHL Awards Show in Nashville on June 26. Patrice Bergeron (Selke), Jim Montgomery (Jack Adams) and Linus Ullmark (Vezin...

In El Paso, pastors offer waiting migrants shelter and counsel

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

By GIOVANNA DELL’ORTO (Associated Press)EL PASO, Texas (AP) — As changing policies, rampant misinformation and exasperated, fearful crowds converge in this desert city, faith leaders are striving to provide shelter and uplift.Along with prayers, they are counseling migrants about the daunting challenges that await them on U.S. soil, with enormous backlogs in asylum hearings and the Biden administration’s newly announced measures that many consider stricter than the existing ones known as Title 42.During Thursday morning Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, a few blocks from the border with Mexico, the Rev. Daniel Mora prayed for goodwill in welcoming the crowds of migrants expected to arrive in the city and at the church’s gym-turned-shelter when pandemic-era restrictions on asylum-seeking lifted overnight.“May the asylum promises of this country be renewed,” Mora noted in the Mass intentions. In an office next to the historic sanctuary, one of h...

Atlantic City casino can’t live without a beach, so it’s rebuilding one

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — What’s an ocean without a beach?One Atlantic City casino that takes its name from the sea doesn’t want to find out, and so it’s spending up to $700,000 of its own money to rebuild a badly eroded beach in front of it.The Ocean Casino Resort began the work Wednesday, and plans to have a new 110-foot-wide beach open for Memorial Day weekend. Chronic erosion near the casino has reduced the beach to just 5 to 8 feet (1.5 to 2.4 meters) wide in places.Bill Callahan, the casino’s general manager, said Ocean can’t wait for the next government-funded beach replenishment project, which could take another year or two.Callahan and several casino officials were on their daily coffee walk one day last fall when they looked out the window — and saw very little sand between the Boardwalk and the ocean.Callahan feared there soon would be no beach.“That would be a horrible guest experience. It’s like, ‘Come to an unbelievable $2.5 billion...

Texas woman killed by boyfriend after having an abortion, police say

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

DALLAS (AP) — A 26-year-old woman from Texas was shot and killed by her boyfriend after getting an abortion in another state, Dallas police said. He was jailed on a murder charge as of Friday.Texas banned abortions after roughly six weeks of pregnancy in September 2021. But nearly all abortions have been halted in Texas since Roe v. Wade was overturned last summer, except in cases of medical emergency.Gabriella Gonzalez was with her boyfriend, 22-year-old Harold Thompson, in a Dallas parking lot Wednesday when he tried to put her in a chokehold, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. She had returned from Colorado the night before.“It is believed that the suspect was the father of the child,” the affidavit said. “The suspect did not want (Gonzalez) to get an abortion.”Surveillance video from the parking lot shows Gonzalez “shrugs him off,” police said, and the two continue walking. Thompson then pulls out a gun and shoots Gonzalez in the head. She falls to the ground and Thompson...

Oregon GOP walkout threatens bills on abortion, trans care – and senators’ careers

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

SALEM, Ore. (AP) — A boycott by Republican state senators in Oregon threatens to derail hundreds of bills, including on gun control, gender-affirming care and abortion rights, as a deadline looms that could also upend the protesters’ political futures. Democrats control the Statehouse in Oregon. But the GOP is leveraging rules that require two-thirds of lawmakers be present to pass legislation, which means Democrats need a certain number of Republicans to be there too.Republican and Democratic legislative leaders met behind closed doors for a third day Friday to try to bridge the divide, as the boycott entered its ninth straight day. Lawmakers with 10 unexcused absences are barred from reelection under a constitutional amendment passed overwhelmingly last November by voters weary of repeated walkouts. To give time for negotiations — and keep boycotters with nine unexcused absences from hitting that 10-day tripwire — Senate President Rob Wagner agreed to cancel Senate sessions ...

Two northern spotted owls found dead in B.C. forest, in blow to release program

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

SPUZZUM, B.C. — Two northern spotted owls that had been released into a British Columbia forest last year have been found dead, potentially reducing the known wild population in the province to a single female.Spuzzum First Nation Chief James Hobart says in a joint statement issued with the government and Jasmine McCulligh, facility co-ordinator for the Northern Spotted Owl Breeding Program, that the two male birds’ remains were found with their GPS trackers in early May.Nathan Cullen, minister of water, land and resource stewardship, says the cause of the released birds’ death is unknown, but could include physical injury, predation, disease or starvation.Hobart calls the deaths “devastating,” and says efforts will be made to retrace the birds’ final days to work out what could have been done differently.A third male owl that had been released with the others last August was found injured near train tracks in October after potentially colliding with a ...

Vancouver Chinatown may be lit in neon again, with $2.2-million revitalization grant

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

Vancouver Chinatown’s once-iconic array of storefront neon lights may soon return, after B.C.’s government announced a one-time grant towards such revitalization projects.British Columbia Premier David Eby says the $2.2-million funding package will support renewal efforts in historic Chinatown, like the restoration of the neon that once dominated the neighbourhood.The funding will also support storefront renewals and upgrades to the Chinese Cultural Centre, but no further details have been released on what changes will be made.Eby says the new funding will help Chinatown “realize the clear plan that this community has to revitalize the neighbourhood for residents, for visitors and for businesses.”Vancouver Chinatown Foundation chair Carol Lee says the announcement is a “turning point” for the neighbourhood because it creates a catalyst for sustainable economic revitalization, signalling to visitors that Chinatown is once again “the place to ...

BC Hydro predicting record-breaking power usage as heat descends on the province

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:11:21 GMT

BC Hydro is expecting potentially record-breaking demand on the power system as British Columbia and Alberta enter what’s forecast to be a blistering heat wave.The company said if Monday’s forecast holds, peak hourly demand could go as high as 7,800 megawatt hours, about 1,300 more than is typical for May.In a statement Friday, it said historically the province hasn’t recorded anything above 7,500 megawatts in May.Environment Canada is forecasting daytime temperatures 10 to 15 degrees above normal in parts of both provinces over the next several days, with heat peaking Sunday through Tuesday in the high 20s to low 30s.The power company said its system can meet the additional demand which is only about two-thirds of what’s typically recorded on the coldest days of the year.During a cold snap last December, the highest ever peak hourly demand hit 10,900 megawatt hours between 5 and 6 p.m. one day.The highest demand recorded in the warmer months was during the s...