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‘They’re opposed to government. But now they are the government.’ One county’s hard-right shift

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:07 GMT

GALLATIN, Tenn. (AP) — Shortly after being sworn in last fall, the new majority of the Sumner County Commission in Tennessee acted to update one of its official documents. The new version said county operations would not only be orderly and efficient, but “most importantly reflective of the Judeo-Christian values inherent in the nation’s founding.”It was an important moment for the 14 commissioners who had campaigned under the banner of the Sumner County Constitutional Republicans. The group had waged a political war on fellow Republicans they viewed as insufficiently conservative in this fast-growing region north of Nashville during a bitter primary a few months before.Since taking control, that majority has halted plans for a new building, rejected federal grants and tried to give away a historical property, actions it said were in line with its commitment to fiscal responsibility, protecting property owners and managing growth. The group also has been involved in an escalating fe...

China tells tech manufacturers to stop using Micron chips, stepping up feud with United States

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:07 GMT

BEIJING (AP) — Stepping up a feud with Washington over technology and security, China’s government on Sunday told users of computer equipment deemed sensitive to stop buying products from the biggest U.S. memory chipmaker, Micron Technology Inc.Micron products have unspecified “serious network security risks” that pose hazards to China’s information infrastructure and affect national security, the Cyberspace Administration of China said on its website. Its six-sentence statement gave no details.“Operators of critical information infrastructure in China should stop purchasing products from Micron Co.,” the agency said.The United States, Europe and Japan are reducing Chinese access to advanced chipmaking and other technology they say might be used in weapons at a time when President Xi Jinping’s government has threatened to attack Taiwan and is increasingly assertive toward Japan and other neighbors.Chinese officials have warned of unspecified consequences but appear to be...

Civil rights groups warn tourists about Florida in wake of ‘hostile’ laws

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:07 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — The NAACP over the weekend issued a travel advisory for Florida, joining two other civil rights groups in warning potential tourists that recent laws and policies championed by Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida lawmakers are “openly hostile toward African Americans, people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals.”The NAACP, long an advocate for Black Americans, joined the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), a Latino civil rights organization, and Equality Florida, a gay rights advocacy group, in issuing travel advisories for the Sunshine State, where tourism is one of the state’s largest job sectors.The warning approved Saturday by the NAACP’s board of directors tells tourists that, before traveling to Florida, they should understand the state of Florida “devalues and marginalizes the contributions of, and the challenges faced by African Americans and other communities of color.” An email was sent Sunday morning to DeSantis’ office seek...

‘Fast X’ speeds to No. 1; knocks ‘Guardians 3’ to 2nd

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:07 GMT

The 10th installment of the “Fast and Furious” franchise was off to the races this weekend, knocking “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” out of first place and easily claiming the No. 1 spot at the box office. “Fast X” earned $67.5 million in ticket sales from 4,046 North American theaters, according to estimates from Universal Pictures on Sunday.It’s on the lower end of openings for the series which peaked with “Furious 7’s” $142.2 million launch, the sole movie in the series to surpass $100 million out of the gates. “Fast X’s” domestic debut only ranks above the first three. The last movie, “F9,” opened to $70 million in 2021. But this is also a series that has usually made the bulk of its money internationally. True to form, overseas it’s on turbo drive. “Fast X” opened in 84 markets internationally, playing in over 24,000 theaters, where it earned an estimated $251.4 million. The top market was China with $78.3 million, followed by Mexico with $16.7 million. And it adds up to a $31...

Two people killed, two injured in New Orleans shootings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:07 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — New Orleans police are investigating after apparently related shootings Saturday night left two people dead and two injured.Officers responded around 9 p.m. after getting calls about shootings at two locations in the city minutes apart, police said in a news release. Investigators believe the shootings were related, and they’re working to establish a motive and find the person or people responsible.Police said they believe it began with gunfire in the 6000 block of Beechcraft Street, where they found a 17-year-old boy who’d been shot and killed. He was pronounced dead at the scene.A few blocks away, they found a 31-year-old woman who had been shot inside her car. police said. The woman was taken to a hospital where she was pronounced dead. A two-month-old baby who was also in the car was taken to the hospital but was found to be uninjured, police said.Two other people who’d been shot — aged 13 and 20 — showed up at local hospitals. Police believe...

North Chicago man dead, 18-year-old injured in alleged targeted shooting: docs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:07 GMT

NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. — An 18-year-old man was injured and another man is dead after they were shot in an alleged targeted shooting, police say. According to police, officers responded to a report of shots fired in the 1400 block of Cypress Avenue around 7:35 p.m. Saturday. ‘I need you one time only and I pay nice:’ Bond set for woman attempting to send narcotic-soaked paper to boyfriend in Cook County Jail Officers transported a 42-year-old man of North Chicago to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The 18-year-old man was transported to another hospital in stable condition. Police said the shooters fled from the scene and police are still investigating the incident. The Lake County Coroner’s Office is scheduling an autopsy for the 42-year-old. 

Saturday Night Forecast: Clear & a bit chilly in the low 50s

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:07 GMT

Saturday Night:Mostly clear & a bit chilly. Lows near 50 in the city, upper 40s outlying areas. Sunday: Partly to mostly sunny & milder. ENE 5-10 mph. High: 77, lower 60s by the lake. Chicago Weather | Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center's Forecast (wgntv.com)Extended outlook calls for much more May sunshine ahead. High temps all week in the upper 70s and low 80s with temps still in the 60s by the lake. 

Senate Republican: 'I don't think Trump can win a general election'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:07 GMT

(The Hill) – Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) on Sunday said he does not believe former President Trump can win another general election as he campaigns for the GOP nomination in 2024.CNN’s “State of the Union” host Jake Tapper highlighted comments from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is expected to launch his own 2024 bid later this week, that only he, Trump and President Biden are "credible" candidates — but that only he and Biden have a chance of getting elected in the upcoming race. “I don't think Trump can win a general election,” Cassidy said. He added that the Florida governor’s remarks are “a nice way for him to diss people like Tim Scott who’s a pretty formidable candidate,” in reference to Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) who made his 2024 bid official last week.“So you just have to take this as a competitor trying to diss others,” Cassidy said of DeSantis’s comments. But the senator then highlighted that, during 2022 midterms, many of the candidates Trump endorsed for the U.S. Senate...

Survey reveals best 'secret beaches' in US

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:07 GMT

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH) — A recent survey asked families which hidden beaches they want to visit most this summer, and more than a dozen states made the list.Familydestinationguide.com surveyed 3,000 adults in the United States across ages, genders, and geography. It's no surprise that a Hawaii beach took the top spot – as well as two other spots in the top 10. Florida and California, with their massive coastlines, were also well represented. Surf’s up! Florida beach named nation’s best in annual ranking Further down the list, inland states were even recognized for their hidden spots. Oklahoma, Iowa, Vermont and Tennessee aren't exactly known as beach destinations, but – according to survey respondents – all have idyllic lakeside beaches worth a visit. The top 25 "secret beaches," according to the poll, are: Hawaii – Awahua BeachFlorida – Shell Key PreserveHawaii – Lanikai BeachHawaii – Kauapea BeachNew Jersey – Sedge IslandFlorida – Lovers Key State ParkCalifornia – Salt Creek B...

If SCOTUS blocks student debt relief, 1965 law could be 'Plan B'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:07 GMT

(NerdWallet) - The Supreme Court might strike down President Joe Biden’s sweeping student debt relief plan in the coming weeks — but the more than 40 million borrowers eligible for up to $20,000 in loan cancellation could still have hope if the White House pursues a “Plan B.”The Higher Education Act, or HEA, could unlock an alternate route for broad student debt cancellation. Signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965, the landmark legislation laid the foundation of the modern U.S. college funding system. It established and governs grants, federal loans and other programs to help students pay for school, and it empowers the secretary of education to “compromise, waive, or release” federal student loans.The HEA “has changed over time to reflect the needs of society,” says Twinette Johnson, a law professor and interim dean at the University of the District of Columbia School of Law. But even as the HEA has expanded, Johnson says, it must continue to serve its core purpose: “to make...