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No April Fool: Retired Iowa mechanic wins $40M lotto jackpot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:53 GMT

CLIVE, Iowa (AP) — At first, the recent winner of a $40 million jackpot says he couldn’t believe he won the lottery — after all, he bought the ticket on April Fools’ Day.“I thought it was a joke,” said Earl Lape, a 61-year-old retired mechanic from Dubuque, Iowa. Only after confirming his Lotto America ticket with a convenience store clerk was he convinced he won the big prize, according to the Iowa Lottery.“I laughed. I thought it was April Fools,” Earl Lape said after claiming his prize at the Iowa Lottery headquarters in Clive. Lape opted to take his winnings in cash, which for the drawing was $21.28 million. The $40 million prize was for those who take their winnings in an annuity, paid over 29 years.Lotto America is played in 13 states and offers smaller prizes than the games Powerball and Mega Millions. But it also has much better odds — 1 in 26 million — of winning the jackpot.Lape said he intends to use the money to help his family and will also make donations to...

Vancouver’s homeless shelters are overwhelmed following heavy rainfall and decampment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:53 GMT

VANCOUVER — The president of the Union Gospel Mission says Vancouver’s forced shutdown of an encampment has added another layer of stress to its staff as they put mats in hallways for the overflow of those needing shelter. Dean Kurpjuweit said Monday their shelter has been at capacity for the last few months, but they had to go over the limit the last few nights to accommodate everyone.“We have got a number of rooms where we put people in bunk beds and then we have kind of a common space where we put down mats and then in the hallways that lead to the rooms, we put some mats down there,” said Kurpjuweit. Vancouver police and city staff moved into the Downtown Eastside encampment last Wednesday to dismantle and throw away belongings, tents and other structures that lined the sidewalks on Hastings Street. Mayor Ken Sim, along with the fire and police chiefs, said the fire danger and increased crime meant the encampment had to be dismantled. Kurpjuweit said they did all they coul...

2 children killed in latest NYC e-bike fire; 4 survive blaze

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:53 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — An electric bicycle powered by a lithium ion battery is being blamed for a fatal fire on Monday in New York City that killed two children, marking the latest in a string of e-bike-related fires in the city.FDNY Chief of Department John Hodgens said it took his firefighters only three minutes to arrive at the Astoria, Queens home. However, with the fast-moving nature of e-bike fires and the fact the bike was being charged near the front entrance of the multi-family building, the victims “didn’t have a chance to get out of the building” given the intense fire that quickly traveled up the stairs to a second-floor apartment.“So we got here very quickly. And if this was not a bike fire, most likely we would have been able to put this fire out without incident. But the way these fires occur, it’s like an explosion of fire,” he told reporters outside the burned home. “It’s an ongoing problem. We implore everybody to please be very careful and aware of the ...

Poll: Chicagoans support polices to address the root causes of crime

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:53 GMT

CHICAGO -- Many pundits framed the mayor runoff election as a choice between a candidate who promised to bolster law enforcement verses someone who is the past supported defunding the police. But Chicagoans voters looked deeper.In a city plagued by fears of crime, the progressive triumphed over the tough-on-crime candidate.Brandon Johnson’s win over Paul Vallas defied conventional wisdom but a closer examination of voters’ views offers clues about the upset election. Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson details plan heading into inauguration A survey conducted by GQR and Vera Action on the eve of the election found that Chicagoans overwhelming support polices to address the root causes of crime. Six in 10 voters chose prevention compared to four in 10 who back a tough on crime strategy."Voters have a very nuanced perception about public safety and about what gets us to public safety in every community across a city as complex as Chicago," ACLU of Illinois’ Communications Chief Ed Yohn...

Biden signs bill ending national COVID-19 emergency

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:53 GMT

(The Hill) - President Biden on Monday signed a GOP-led resolution bringing an end to the national emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic, the White House said.The resolution passed the House despite almost 200 House Democrats voting against it after the White House said it strongly opposed the measure, though it did not threaten to veto it if the bill passed.The bill later passed the Senate in a bipartisan 68-23 vote. Hair suddenly falling out in the shower? This might be why The White House had said it was already planning to wind down the national emergency and public health emergency around COVID-19 on May 11, giving states the go-ahead to begin winding down the measures enacted under the emergencies.Experts have said the end of the emergency will have a “limited impact,” despite the White House warning earlier this year it “would create wide-ranging chaos and uncertainty throughout the health care system.” Does your state allow teachers to carry a gun? The resolution will end...

Ousted Tennessee lawmaker reappointed to state House days after expulsion

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:53 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — He may have been expelled Thursday evening, but Justin Jones is back in the Tennessee House of Representatives.The ousted legislator was reappointed to his former seat in the 52nd District in Nashville by the Metro Council Monday afternoon, just a few days after he was officially expelled for breaking decorum rules on the House floor on March 30.Reps. Jones and Justin Pearson had approached the front of the House chamber with a bullhorn and participated in a chant after joining protesters calling for passage of gun-control measures in the wake of the mass shooting at the Covenant School.The Metro Council voted 36-0 Monday to appoint Jones as the interim representative for the district. Can Nashville and Memphis legally reappoint Justin Jones and Justin Pearson? Jones, a member of the so-called "Tennessee Three," faced expulsion along with fellow Democrats Gloria Johnson of Knoxville and Justin Pearson of Memphis. Johnson survived the expulsion vote by one...

Tom Skilling's explainer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:53 GMT

Steady warming over recent days and in the days ahead is to deliver Chicago its warmest weather to date in 2023. April 2023’s opening 10 days are running an impressive 7-degrees warmer than the same period a year ago.Chicago high temperatures have gone from 49 Friday to 62 Saturday, 68 Easter Sunday and may reach 71 today in the remaining hours of the afternoon. That’s a 22-degree increase in just 3 days.The week as a whole is likely to come in 14-degrees warmer than last week and an eye-catching 18-degrees above normal.Significantly, a tightening pressure gradient will lead to a well developed “SW” flow which will overcome lake cooling. "SW" winds will pick up each late morning and afternoon gusting at times as high as 31 mph Tuesday, 36 mph Wednesday and 25 mph Thursday according to current modeling.The sun will filter through some mixed clouds Tuesday. But, cloud coverage is to decrease Wednesday and Thursday, allowing the full intensity of the April sun to go to work on the air ...

Highest-rated Chinese restaurants in Chicago, according to Tripadvisor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:53 GMT

Chinese food consistently ranks at the top of favorite cuisines in the U.S. year after year (often neck and neck with Mexican food as the #1 favorite). In fact, there are more than 40,000 across all 50 states.However, most Chinese food you find in the U.S. is really American-Chinese food, and many of the most popular Chinese dishes were created in the U.S., including General Tso's chicken and chop suey.Stacker compiled a list of the highest-rated Chinese restaurants in Chicago on Tripadvisor. Tripadvisor rankings factor in the average rating and number of reviews. Read on to see the most popular Chinese restaurants in your area.#29. Chengdu Impression- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (22 reviews)- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.5/5)- Price: $$ - $$$- Address: 2545 N Halsted St, Chicago, IL 60614-2307- Read more on Tripadvisor#28. Potsticker House- Rating: 4.5 / 5 (35 reviews)- Detailed ratings: Food (4.5/5), Service (4.0/5), Value (4.0/5), Atmosphere (4.0/5...

Camp One Step: A place where kids battling cancer, can just be kids

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:53 GMT

CHICAGO — We all could use a break from routine at times, but for kids battling cancer, that need is even more critical.WGN's Erin Ivory had the opportunity to spend an afternoon with these campers and get a glimpse into what makes Camp One Step so special.Some travelled for days to come to the camp; a place where you don't have to explain to be understood."Cancer makes you feel different and that difference can really start defining you," said Jeff Infusino, the president of Camp One Step. "Camp gives you the opportunity to not feel different anymore."Robert Quintana remembers that feeling vividly when he was a camper fifteen years ago."I was just six years old when I was diagnosed with Leukemia," Quintana recalled. "Being here was one of the only things that made me feel normal." Chicago girls boxing program looks to change perceptions Of the 400-plus volunteers, one in four is a former camper and cancer survivor, like Quintana, here because they remember what camp meant for the...

How the Texas abortion pill ruling could affect FDA's authority

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 12:50:53 GMT

AMARILLO, Texas (Nexstar) — Nationwide usage of a pill commonly used for abortions is up in the air after a Texas federal judge ruled last Friday that the Food and Drug Administration improperly authorized the usage of mifepristone more than 20 years ago. If U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk's decision is upheld, it would restrict access to the abortion medication as soon as this Friday. The Department of Justice appealed the Amarillo judge's order on Monday, calling the decision “extraordinary and unprecedented.”“If allowed to take effect, the court’s order would thwart FDA’s scientific judgment and severely harm women, particularly those for whom mifepristone is a medical or practical necessity,” the Justice Department wrote. MORE: DOJ asks appeals court to pause ‘extraordinary’ Texas abortion pill ruling Denise Harle, senior counsel at the Alliance Defending Freedom — the conservative legal firm that brought the lawsuit — said the FDA did not follow its own protocol when ap...