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Manitoba opens access to death certificates of children at residential schools

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:06 GMT

WINNIPEG — The Manitoba government has signed an agreement to open access to death certificates of Indigenous children who died at residential schools. The agreement allows the National Centre for Truth and Reconciliation to request the documents from the provincial Vital Statistics Branch and build a fuller understanding of what happened at the schools.Stephanie Scoot, the centre’s executive director, says every bit of information about former students helps show the truth. Grand Chief Cathy Merrick of the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs says it’s important for people to learn and talk about the children who attended the schools. Government Services Minister James Teitsma says the memorandum responds to one of the calls to action in the report from the National Truth and Reconciliation Commission eight years ago. An estimated 150,000 Indigenous children were forced to attend residential schools over a century in Canada, and the commission’s report detailed that many experienced a...

Bears to sign linebacker T.J. Edwards, reports say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:06 GMT

LAKE FOREST - To start free agency, the Bears are adding to their defense with a player with local ties. Per numerous reports, the first from Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the Bears will sign former Eagles linebacker and Lake Villa native T.J. Edwards to a three-year, $19.5 million deal.The Bears were able to begin negotiating with players who will become unrestricted free agents on Monday morning but cannot officially sign the players until the start of the new league year on Wednesday. Edwards is expected to be a starter at middle linebacker as he takes a lead role on the defense and is the likely long-term replacement for Roquan Smith, who was traded to the Ravens last season. He could play alongside another Chicago area native who also played at Wisconsin - Lake Zurich's Jack Sanborn.A former standout at Lakes Community High School, Edwards just completed his fourth season in the NFL with the Eagles, helping the team to the NFC Championship this past season. In 61 career regu...

'Gender equity' across Chicago's city workforce

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:06 GMT

CHICAGO — Mayor Lori Lightfoot plans to announce changes for the city's employees at a Monday morning press conference.Details of the announcement have not been provided as of this article's writing. A press release from Lightfoot's office states "Mayor Lightfoot will join community and City leaders for announcements related to gender equity across the City workforce." Biden tells U.S. to have confidence in banks after collapse The event is scheduled to take place at 11 a.m. from the mayor's press briefing room.This story will be updated - check back later for additional details.

Chris Beard hired at Ole Miss 2 months after Texas firing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:06 GMT

Editor's Note: The above video is of Texas basketball's reaction to earning a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament.(KXAN) — Former Texas Longhorns basketball coach Chris Beard has a new head coaching job just two months after he was fired at Texas.Beard was officially named the head basketball coach at the University of Mississippi Monday morning, the school announced. SCHEDULE: How to watch/stream the NCAA Tournament Beard was fired by UT after he was arrested and accused of domestic violence in December.Beard was charged with assault by strangulation/suffocation – family violence, a third-degree felony, after being accused of choking and hitting his fiancée.UT initially suspended Beard while it conducted an investigation into the situation. On Jan. 5, the school announced it had fired Beard. The termination letter from UT claims Beard was fired “for cause.”In late December, Beard's fiancee Randi Trew released a statement through her attorney, stating she didn't want to pr...

Officials arrest 4 teens suspected of multiple crimes in Hays County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:06 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A joint investigation in Hays County led to the arrests of four teens suspected of multiple vehicle burglaries, vehicle thefts, thefts of firearms and credit/debit card abuse, according to a release.The Hays County Sheriff’s Office said its investigation with the Kyle Police Department began in December 2022 when several suspects from Austin traveled to the Kyle/Buda area in Hays County and committed multiple burglaries and thefts.Officials said approximately 21 unlocked vehicles were burglarized, where firearms and credit/debit cards were taken. Some of the vehicles were also stolen due to keys being left inside, but HCSO said the vehicles were later recovered in Austin.An HCSO report identified two of the teens arrested in connection to the burglary spree as 17-year-old Eduardo Steven Telule-Oviedo and 18-year-old Naomi Davis. The other two arrests were juveniles who were also charged but not identified.On Jan. 4, deputies with HCSO tried to stop a vehicle for spee...

Report: 5 ways to keep people with mental health disorders out of Travis County's jail

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:06 GMT

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- Travis County Commissioners could vote to move forward with recommendations from a forensic mental health project conducted by Dell Medical School next week. The project report -- which was released last week -- identified five "high priority" recommendations made at the end of the 10-month project, which looked at people in Travis County's jail with mental health and substance use disorders. The recommendations were: Make data sharing easier and update the county's "technology platform" Create a mental health diversion centerPilot housing programs and establish permanent housing solutionsIncrease the number of peer specialists where people would intersect with the mental health and criminal legal systemReinstate the counsel at first appearance program "These recommendations fill several critical gaps and remove existing barriers to optimal outcomes that, if implemented, will lead to a dramatic shift in how individuals with mental health disorders who ...

Travis County court documents detail information on woman practicing unlicensed midwifery

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:06 GMT

AUSTIN (KAMR/KCIT) — More information has been released as to why an Amarillo woman has been officially prohibited by a Travis County District Court Judge from practicing midwifery without a license.According to previous reports, a Travis County Judge signed a Temporary Restraining Order for Leah Hernandez, preventing her from practicing midwifery without a license and publicly representing herself as a midwife. According to documents obtained by MyHighPlains.com, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) filed a civil enforcement action in Travis County District Court on Feb. 23 regarding the matter surrounding Hernandez. In the "Original Petition and Application for Injunctive Relief" document, the TDLR claim that Hernandez operated and threatened to operate as a midwife "contrary to the requirements of state law," and failed to comply with state law and regulations "regarding her conduct as a midwife apart from her failure to maintain licensure." Citing the Texas Mi...

10 more charged in Feeding Our Future scandal, bringing total to 60

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:06 GMT

A woman who claimed she was serving enough meals in Pelican Rapids to feed every resident once a day is among 10 new people facing criminal charges in Minnesota’s child food program scandal.The new batch of cases brings the total number of defendants so far to 60, with more to come, said U.S. Attorney Andy Luger.“Our work is not done. We expect to bring more charges in the future,” he said at a news conference Monday.Like the initial defendants announced last fall, the new cases involve defrauding the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s food nutrition programs during the coronavirus pandemic, when regulations were temporarily loosened and a variety of businesses and nonprofits were allowed to participate because schools were closed.And, like the others, the new defendants allegedly spent the proceeds of the fraud on luxury vehicles, real estate and travel. The new cases also include a defendant who bought a laundromat and another who bought an aircraft to be delivered in Kenya, Luger s...

Gophers guard Jaden Henley plans to transfer out

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:06 GMT

Gophers men’s basketball player Jaden Henley said Monday he will enter the NCAA transfer portal. The true freshman from Ontario, Calif,, thanked the Gophers and its coaches for welcoming him to Minnesota.“After talking with my family, I have decided to enter my name in the transfer portal and find a new home to continue my academic and athletic career,” Henley wrote on Twitter. “I look forward to the next step in my journey.”Henley averaged 5.3 points and 2.2 rebounds across 31 games, including 18 starts. He is friends and former AAU teammates with Dennis Evans III, the four-star center from Riverside, Calif., who left the Gophers’ incoming recruiting class in February and committed to Louisville on Sunday.Related ArticlesCollege Sports | 3 huge questions on former Gophers signee Dennis Evans committing to Louisville College Sports | How will Gophers men’s basketball look next season? College Sports | Men’s basketball: Gop...

Kendall Qualls: More government, more picking winners and losers? Not the way to a better Minnesota

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:06 GMT

A lot has changed since my childhood. The freedoms I enjoy today were once a dream for which my parents and grandparents longed. Yet the values that made our families strong and state government even stronger have been sidelined for “my way or the highway” mentalities that hurt the people they’re meant to protect. As lawmakers debate tax-and-spend legislation worth billions, they need to remember this: For a better Minnesota, we need to go back to our fundamental values.Democrats are currently sitting on an $18 billion surplus – also known as our hard-earned tax dollars. At a time when eggs cost more than a gallon of gas, families are struggling to pay their bills and put food on the table, you’d assume Democrats would offer relief for Minnesota families. Instead, we’re debating how big they’ll grow the government and how much they’ll raise our taxes. If you’re waiting for a punchline, there isn’t one.It’s hard to fathom how much bigger the government can get, but Democr...