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Arwady on COVID public health emergency ending: 'It doesn't mean it's gone'

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:12 GMT

The COVID-19 public health emergency ends on Thursday. What does that mean for people battling the virus and staying healthy? Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady joined WGN Evening News to discuss the emergency's ends. Biden signs bill ending national COVID-19 emergency "I am the happiest person out there that COVID doesn't need to be the top of mind at this point," Arwady said. "It doesn't mean it's gone, it doesn't mean the health department is not continuing to work on monitoring and responding if necessary. But it does mean we are at a different point. We have vaccines and treatments that can really help keep people out of the hospital and keep people from dying."Arwady encouraged continued testing for COVID with the allergy season in full swing. "COVID is still more dangerous than a regular cold, especially if there are people who are older with underlying conditions. If you got a positive test, you should be staying home for those five days a...

Rep. Santos faces money laundering, fraud charges after turning himself in

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:12 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) -- New York Congressman George Santos is facing federal charges, including money laundering and fraud, after turning himself in and entering a not guilty plea in court.Santos is charged with theft of public funds for collecting pandemic unemployment insurance even though authorities say he had a job.“This is about innocent until proven guilty,” Santos said.Speaker of the House Kevin McCarthy says he won't immediately ask for Santos' resignation unless he's convicted.“If a person is indicted, they're not on committees, they have the right to vote, but they have to go to trial,” McCarthy said.Democrats say Santos should step down.“Hopefully he shows some humility, some dignity,” Rep. Jimmy Panetta (D-CA) said.Additionally, Republican Texas Congressman Tony Gonzalez wants the House to vote to expel Santos.However, Santos said he will not resign and plans to run for re-election.The U.S. House makes its own rules for how the chamber operates and there are no set rule...

Austin residents revolt against planned speed bumps, say could do more harm than good

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:12 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for May 10, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) – Residents in a northwest Austin neighborhood are banding together to stop the Austin Transportation Department from putting in several speedbumps on a busy street. The neighborhood is in a part of Austin that is at an elevated risk for wildfires, and Greystone Drive, where ATD plans to add the bumps, would be used as an evacuation route for some during a natural disaster event, neighbors told KXAN. To stop the project, nearly 650 neighbors from around 550 separate homes signed a petition. “What are you trying to do here? You know, if the goal is to reduce accidents, you can do that with neighborhood awareness,” Michelle Estrada, a resident in the neighborhood, said. “For the highest [fire] risk portion of the neighborhood, you would have to go through five speed bumps,” she continued. Where ATD was originally planning to place the 15 speed bumps on Greystone Drive (KX...

EMS plans pilot staging program near Rainey Street

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:12 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin-Travis County EMS (ATCEMS) plans to begin a pilot program this summer that will place medics in charge of the Rainey Street Historic District.This is in response to, in part, certain concerns about deaths in Lady Bird Lake. "Considerations for the pilot include staffing during peak periods of pedestrian traffic and using Special Response Units (SRUs) to facilitate access to patients," the memo reads. MAP: Tracking deaths near Lady Bird Lake in Austin During the course of the pilot period, EMS will collect data and determine the best response for a long term plan in the area.KXAN will update this after speaking further with ATCEMS about what this pilot program will look like. Prior Rainey Street safety measuresThe City of Austin upped safety measures on the Rainey Street Trailhead and Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail last month, following calls for improvement by family members of people who died or were injured in the area. According to city official...

Texas House passes bill that would require DFPS to give luggage to foster children

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:12 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Texas House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that would require the Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) to maintain a supply of transportation bags, like duffle bags and suitcases, for children in foster care. House Rep. John Bucy III (D-Austin) filed the bill – called Bags of Love – to ensure children being removed from their homes have something to transport items. The bill text states that the luggage becomes the child’s property once it is given to them and cannot be taken back from the department or a foster guardian. MORE: New senior leadership announced for Texas Dept. of Family and Protective Services "Texas foster kids deserve dignity and respect," Bucy said. "The least we can do is ensure that they have a bag to call their own. This bill helps prevent additional stress, trauma and stigma for already-vulnerable kids. I'm grateful to my colleagues for their support.”“Too many of Texas' foster kids are too often only given a ...

Texas forward Dillon Mitchell works out for Trail Blazers, invited to NBA Combine

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:12 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — While his college eligibility is still intact, Texas forward Dillon Mitchell is scheduled to work out for the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday, the team announced.Mitchell is one of six players the Blazers hosted Wednesday before the NBA Draft on June 22, and Mitchell will surely get more invitations for individual workouts with teams before it's time to make the picks. The Blazers are in the draft lottery and could have anywhere from the No. 1-14 pick this year. The ping pong balls that decide a franchise's future will be selected May 16.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersMitchell is also one of the players invited to the NBA Draft Combine. It's similar to the NFL Combine where potential draft picks go through multiple tests, drills and interviews with team personnel. The combine is set for May 15-21 in Chicago.Texas guard Tyrese Hunter, who also decla...

'Priority for my constituents:' Medical billing fix voted out of House

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:12 GMT

This report is an update to KXAN's "Medical Debt Lawsuits" investigation. Our team will continue to follow the bills during Texas' legislative session. AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Wednesday, the Texas House voted out an amended version of Senate Bill 490, which pushes for medical transparency to bills patients receive after being treated. State Rep. Caroline Harris, R-Round, explaining the itemized medical bill legislation on Wednesday, May 10, 2023.(Courtesy: Melva Gomez, Rep. Harris' Chief of Staff)The legislation — filed by Sen. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola – now heads back to the Senate for final review, which could be the final step before being sent to the governor.The legislation requires hospitals requesting payment from a patient to send a written itemized invoice after providing a service and before sending to collections. The majority of the House voted in favor of the legislation after adding an amendment ...

Appeals court upholds conviction of main defendant in 2017 Bloomington mosque bombing

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:12 GMT

A federal appeals court on Wednesday affirmed the conviction of the leader of an Illinois antigovernment militia who was sentenced to 53 years in prison for masterminding the 2017 bombing of a Twin Cities mosque, an attack that terrified the local Muslim community.A three-judge panel rejected all the legal arguments raised by Emily Claire Hari. Her attorneys argued that the key federal law involved — which pertains to damaging religious property and the free exercise of religion — was invalid because it exceeded Congress’ authority.The court also rejected Hari’s claim that prosecutors violated attorney-client privilege when authorities seized two pages of notes from Hari’s cell during a shakedown.Emily Claire HariNo one was hurt in the bombing of the Dar al-Farooq Islamic Center in Bloomington, but more than a dozen members of the mosque community gave victim impact statements about the trauma they felt. Judge Donovan Frank said at sentencing that the evidence clea...

Probe of care quality at Hastings domiciliary in veterans affairs funding bill

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:12 GMT

The veterans affairs budget bill heading to Gov. Tim Walz includes $190,000 to form a panel to probe how well Minnesota is caring for some of its most vulnerable veterans.The inquiry comes after caregivers at the Minnesota Veterans Home in Hastings spoke out about a pattern of bullying, intimidation and reprisals by superiors. Current and former caregivers said the toxic work atmosphere led to the departure of staff and resulted in substandard care for the veterans living there.In response to the allegations, Larry Herke, commissioner of veterans affairs, fired two top officials responsible for overseeing care at the Hastings domiciliary. The Minnesota Senate veterans committee said it would investigate workplace problems and the quality of care at the facility.The panel created by the Legislature will include state officials from the departments of health and veterans affairs; medical professionals; current and former domiciliary staff as well as members of the public.The group wil...

Former Minneapolis police officer pleads guilty to beating Jaleel Stallings in May 2020

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:12 GMT

A former Minneapolis police officer agreed to a plea deal that involves him admitting to assaulting a St. Paul man in the aftermath of the May 2020 police killing of George Floyd.In Wednesday’s agreement, Justin Stetson said he “crossed the line, went too far,” but the man he assaulted, Jaleel Stallings, said that’s not enough and submitted a formal objection to the deal in Hennepin County District Court.In the objection, Stallings said that Stetson wasn’t the only officer involved but was the only one prosecuted. He noted that his punishment as a result of the officers’ actions was worse than the punishment offered in the plea deal.“As the innocent victim in this case, I will have served more jail time as a result of this incident than all of those officers combined,” he wrote.At the very least, Stallings wrote, Stetson should be “convicted for the felony conduct that is captured on video.”Stetson and other officers were e...