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Montana judge keeps in place a ban on enforcement of law restricting drag shows, drag reading events

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:28:27 GMT

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A federal judge in Montana is continuing to block enforcement of a law that puts restrictions on drag shows and bans drag reading events in public schools and libraries, saying Friday that the law targets free speech and expression and that the text of the law and its legislative history “evince anti-LGBTQ+ animus.”The preliminary injunction, granted by U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris, prevents enforcement of the law while a lawsuit filed on July 6 moves through the court process. Morris heard arguments over the injunction on Aug. 28.In briefs, the state argued “the Legislature determined sexually oriented performances and drag reading events to be indecent and inappropriate for minors,” and potentially harmful. Protecting minors from divergent gender expression is not the same as protecting minors from obscene speech, attorney Constance Van Kley argued for the plaintiffs during the Aug. 28 hearing.Montana law already protects minors from exposure t...

Evanston mother, daughter being held hostage by Hamas

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:28:27 GMT

CHICAGO -- A mother and daughter from Evanston visiting family in Israel were reportedly taken hostage by Hamas, according to the family's rabbi.Judith Tai Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter Natali, a recent graduate of Deerfield High School, traveled to Nahal Oz, Israel, near the Gaza border, to celebrate a relative's 85th birthday and Jewish holidays on Monday, Sept. 2.The family’s rabbi told WGN-TV the Israeli government contacted Judith’s sister in Israel and Natalie’s dad in Illinois with confirmation the two were taken hostage by Hamas. It’s not known where they’re being held.The Hamas militant group attacked the community in Israel where they were staying nearly a week ago, the Israeli government confirmed. Palestinians flee northern Gaza after Israel orders 1 million to evacuate as ground attack looms Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza, launched attacks over the weekend against Israel, which prompted a counterattack from Israeli forces.Counterattacks from Israel...

McCarthy supports Jordan for Speaker: 'Jim was a great ally to me'

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:28:27 GMT

(The Hill) — Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said he supports House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) for Speaker, after Republicans nominated him on Friday before recessing for the weekend.“I support Jim Jordan fully, Jim was a great ally to me. He worked hard,” McCarthy told host John Catsimatidis in an interview on the "Cats and Cosby" radio show. “We came into Congress together.”The former Speaker referenced Friday’s secret ballot vote, calling it what the public “would think is the primary ... inside the conference.” The vote came one day after Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), who secured the nomination originally, dropped out after not receiving enough support from Republicans. Israel’s deadline for Gaza evacuation closes in: What to know As it stands, Jordan earned 152 votes, beating out Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) who entered a last-minute bid, but still falling short of the 217 needed to clinch the gavel.“We’ve got some people not there yet,” McCarthy said. “We j...

Indianapolis teacher goes missing in Puerto Rico

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:28:27 GMT

NAGUABO, Puerto Rico (WXIN) — An Indiana woman and local elementary teacher has gone missing while on vacation in Puerto Rico, according to family friends and local police.Friends of Amanda Webster, an Indianapolis resident and art teacher at Thompson Crossing Elementary School in Franklin Township, confirmed Friday that the 44-year-old has not returned from a vacation on the island. Local Police Commissioner Antonio Lopez Figueroa activated an "Ashanti Alert" on Friday asking Puerto Rican citizens to help search for Webster, who reportedly went missing earlier this week. Over 238,000 Ford Explorers recalled over rear axle bolt after US opens investigation "Amanda Lynn Webster was reported missing on Wednesday by the landlord of the place she is staying at, after realizing she failed to leave the home as agreed upon and left her belongings and a rented car on the property," an English translation of a post from local police reads. According to police, Webster is a 5'6," 147-pound...

River Grove man sentenced to over 5 years for bribery scheme with former Illinois lawmaker

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:28:27 GMT

CHICAGO -- A federal judge has sentenced the manager of a sweepstakes gaming company to five and a half years in prison for participating in a bribery scheme with an Illinois state lawmaker.James Weiss, 44, of River Grove, paid thousands of dollars in bribes to then-Illinois State Representative Luis Arroyo in 2018 and 2019, according to the FBI. PREVIOUS: Chicago businessman convicted of bribing two state lawmakers The bribes were paid from Weiss’s gaming company, Collage LLC, in the form of checks made payable to Spartacus 3 LLC, Arroyo’s private lobbying firm in Chicago. In exchange for the bribes, Arroyo promoted legislation in the Illinois General Assembly related to the sweepstakes industry and advised other state lawmakers to support the legislation. In August 2019, Arroyo offered to have bribe payments made to an Illinois State Senator in return for the Senator’s support of sweepstakes-related legislation.As part of the scheme, Weiss agreed to conceal the bribe p...

Kaitlin Armstrong: What the new charge means for defense

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:28:27 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Murder suspect Kaitlin Armstrong now faces a new charge after video shows her trying to escape from a medical facility.In video obtained from a witness, it shows an officer chasing after Armstrong, who attempts to scale a wall.Logan Campbell, a local defense attorney with Gergen, Hale and Campbell is not involved in this case, but he weighed in on the escape and how it could impact the defense. "This is already a very high profile case and on the eve of trial you are having a video that is being shown over all the news stations and for lack of better term going viral," Campbell said.Campbell said the new charges, escape/causing bodily injury, which is a second degree felony, as well as the video, could mean a difficult road for the defense."Running from custody can be used in the actual guilt innocence phase of trial," Campbell said. "It is not just a new criminal charge you're facing down the road. If you're facing a more serious charge, such as murder, it make...

High School Football: Two Rivers defense shines again as Warriors down Central for subdistrict crown

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:28:27 GMT

Max Mogelson said Two Rivers prides itself on zero. One yard given up by the Warriors is one too many in their eyes.“And we’ve got guys on guys that are just willing to give up everything they’ve got to hold them to zero yards and zero points, obviously, is the goal at the end of the game,” the senior defensive lineman said. “But it’s one play at a time — win that play, win that drive, get the offense the ball and go from there.”So with zero in mind, Friday was a success for Two Rivers, as the Warriors shut out the Minutemen 41-0 at Central High School to claim the Northstar-Twin Cities subdistrict title.It’s Two Rivers’ first subdistrict or conference title dating back more than 20 years. That means something to seniors like Mogelson, a UNLV commit who entered the Mendota Heights school three years ago with the goal of turning the football program around.Mission accomplished. Friday’s win moved the Warriors to 6-1 on the season with only a date Wednesday with Simley remaining in th...

Conley’s Corner: Timberwolves’ ‘Old Guy’ has still got game

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:28:27 GMT

EDITOR’S NOTE: Mike Conley is one of the best sources of information in the NBA. Entering his 17th NBA season, the 36-year-old Timberwolves point guard has seen it all, and has the knowledge and willingness to explain what’s taken place and what’s to come with the media and, thus, the fans. That breadth of insight and analysis extends from the on-court Xs and Os to team dynamics and development. Conley is just as good at explaining why two teammates came to blows in the middle of a timeout as he is on what the team needs to do to decode a switch-heavy defense.So who better to sit down with twice a month to tackle different topics ranging from the Timberwolves to the league at large to, well, Mike Conley, than Conley himself.Welcome to the first installment of Conley’s Corner.‘The Old Guy’ has still got gameMike Conley noted there is a “script” NBA players are supposed to follow. Once you hit a certain age, you must conform into a different mold of player.“You’re no longe...

US condemns Hamas, vows support to defeat terror group

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:28:27 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – United States officials are condemning Hamas and say the U.S. will help Israel defeat the terrorist organization -- stating innocent Israelis and innocent Palestinians are being terrorized by the group. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Israel Friday and said the U.S. will do everything it can to help Israel defeat Hamas.“The deliberate cruelty of Hamas vividly reminds me of Isis -- bloodthirsty, fanatic and hateful,” Secretary Austin said. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! “This viciousness goes on, and on, and on. You hear of new ones every day,” Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) added.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, “Hamas continues to use innocent civilians as human shields and is reportedly blocking roads to prevent Palestinians from moving to southern Gaza out of harms way.”In addition to helping Israel, officials say it's important to provide humanitarian aid to the Palestinian peop...

First of its kind quantum computer unveiled at RPI

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 12:28:27 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- All eyes were on RPI Friday night as the school unveiled a quantum computer. In the world of computers, it's the Holy Grail -- the IBM Quantum System One -- and RPI is the first university in the entire world to have one."This technology holds the promise of solving some of the most pressing problems that we have in the world of discovery -- scientific discovery of materials, for example, novel batteries for the future, better fertilizer, etc.," Senior VP IBM Research Daro Gil said. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! For RPI students in the Quantum Club, it's like being a kid in a candy store."They can do things that classical computers just can't, and so that's what excites me, that we're moving on to a new era of computing," student Michael Papadopoulos said.The quantum computer system will be fully operational in January. It's so advanced, they truly don't know what it's capable of or the breakthroughs i...