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Savannah picks emancipated Black woman to replace name of slavery advocate on historic square

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:59 GMT

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Georgia’s oldest city, steeped in history predating the American Revolution, made a historic break with its slavery-era past Thursday as Savannah’s city council voted to rename a downtown square in honor of a Black woman who taught formerly enslaved people to read and write.Susie King Taylor is the first person of color whose name will adorn one of Savannah’s 23 squares. It’s the first time in 140 years that Savannah has approved a name change for one of the picturesque, park-like squares that are treasured features of the original plan for the city founded in 1733. “It’s one thing to make history. It’s something else to make sense. And in this case, we’re making both,” Savannah Mayor Van Johnson said. He noted that five Black women sit on the nine-member city council, something people of Taylor’s era “never would have fathomed.”Public spaces and monuments in the Southern city have long been dedicated almost exclusively to Georgia’s colon...

A retired Wyoming bishop cleared by Vatican of sexual abuse despite local findings has died at 91

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:59 GMT

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — A former U.S. bishop cleared by the Vatican of multiple allegations he sexually abused minors and teenagers, after a review board under his diocese in Wyoming found that allegations against him were credible, has died.Retired Wyoming Bishop Joseph Hart, of Cheyenne, died Wednesday, according to the Diocese of Cheyenne. He was 91.Hart long maintained his innocence, denying all allegations of misconduct. In 2021, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith cleared him of seven accusations of abuse and determined that five others couldn’t be proven with certainty.Two other cases involving boys who were 16 and 17 couldn’t be prosecuted because the Catholic Church didn’t consider them minors at the time of the alleged abuse. The Vatican decree didn’t address another alleged victim.Hart’s attorney, Thomas Jubin, at the time called some of the allegations “specious,” based on second- and third-hand information and some accuse...

Man dead, woman injured in Toronto west-end shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:59 GMT

Toronto police say a man is dead and a woman is in hospital following a double shooting in the city’s west end on Thursday night.Authorities were called to the Northcliffe Boulevard and St. Clair Avenue area around 7:30 p.m. for reports of gunshots.Police located two victims who had been shot — one was rushed to hospital via an emergency run, and a second victim was taken to a hospital with serious injuries.Officers later confirmed that one man had died from his injuries. A woman remains in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.A firearm was discovered at the scene, police said, noting a suspect had fled on foot.The homicide unit has taken over the investigation.The St. Clair Avenue West and Northcliffe intersection is shut down for the investigation.A heavy police presence is expected.

Twins rally past Rangers on Ryan Jeffers’ pinch-hit home run

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:59 GMT

The Twins flexed some muscle against the Texas Rangers on Thursday but for most of the game, it seemed as if it wouldn’t be enough against the American League West leaders.Playing from behind after Marcus Semien’s leadoff home run, the Twins finally caught up on Carlos Correa’s run-scoring double in the eighth inning and got over the hump on Ryan Jeffers’ two-run, two-out pinch-hit home run.Within minutes, Griffin Jax had closed out a 7-5 victory in front of an announced crowd of 23,333 at Target Field.The victory ended a two-game skid for Minnesota and extended their lead in the American League Central to five games over second-place Cleveland. The Rangers have lost seven in a row.Jeffers’ homer, the Twins’ fifth of the night, came on the first pitch from left-hander Will Smith, who had just induced a double-play grounder from Max Kepler. But Jeffers hit an 83.1 mph slider an estimated 427 feet into the second deck in left-center to complete a three-run eighth inning.Matt Wallner, ...

Jennings City Council sends ‘no confidence’ letter to mayor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:59 GMT

JENNINGS, Mo. – Multiple city councilmen have taken a vote of no confidence in Jennings Mayor Gary Johnson.The letter, obtained by the FOX Files late Thursday, claims that ever since April’s mayoral election, Johnson has been on a mission to pursue personal vendettas and dismantle city government.Five of the eight city councilmen signed the letter, including Allan Stichnote, Jane Brown, Terry Wilson, Jeannie Roberts, and Nadia Quit.Controversy has been brewing between Johnson and several ward representatives in recent weeks.Last week, an emergency city council meeting was held after multiple people said they resigned from their jobs at city hall.Johnson has denied allegations that he was to blame for a toxic work environment.“I inherited this. So, the false accusations are false,” Johnson said last week. “Ask the other employees if this is a hostile working environment.”During last week’s emergency city council meeting, some members of the public grew frustrated over some of the con...

Trump returns to Twitter, under its new moniker X

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:59 GMT

Former President Trump on Thursday posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, for the first time since January 2021 to share an image of his mugshot following his surrender in Atlanta on Thursday evening.It was the first time Trump posted on the social media platform since his account was suspended shortly after the Jan. 6 riots at the Capitol. Trump was known during his 2016 campaign and his first years in the White House for using Twitter prolifically to share everything from jabs at his political opponents to major decisions out of the White House.His account was reinstated this year after Elon Musk purchased the platform, but he had not posted since. He had earlier on Thursday already posted the mugshot on Truth Social, a platform that he has a financial stake in.DEVELOPING 

Kiszla: With injury to Jerry Jeudy, Broncos painfully short of playmakers to help Russell Wilson rediscover his mojo

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:59 GMT

Although Broncos coach Sean Payton is too much of a prickly cactus to believe a snake would ever dare bite him, there’s a big, old anaconda slowly squeezing the hope out of his football team before this NFL season even begins.No. 1 receiver Jerry Jeudy went down Thursday with a hamstring injury, and when he will be back, nobody knows for sure. But it’s nearly impossible to envision him taking the field to catch passes when Denver opens with a must-win game against Las Vegas in 16 days.“I don’t believe in being snake-bitten,” Payton said.Payton is all about building a culture where there’s no excuse for losing.But know what’s even more important to winning football games than culture?Playmakers. And I’m afraid the Broncos might not have enough to give them a real shot at ending their seven-year playoff drought.With receiver Tim Patrick already lost for the second straight year, this time to an Achilles tear, and running back Javonte Williams rounding into shape following knee surgery...

Crews battle large structure fire in South Los Angeles

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:59 GMT

Crews battled a large fire engulfing a commercial building in South Los Angeles on Thursday night.The fire ignited in a structure near the 7100 block of Avalon Boulevard around 5:40 p.m.Flames can be seen burning through the roof with nearby structures threatened, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department.Sky5 video shows heavy smoke covering the area as crews worked to extinguish the blaze. The building's roof also appeared to have been completely damaged or collapsed. The structure contained materials of some kind, but it's unclear what the contents consisted of.It's unclear what caused the flames to ignite. Details remain limited and this story will be updated.

California takes first step in acquiring trains for High-Speed Rail

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:59 GMT

The California High-Speed Rail took another important step toward becoming reality Thursday after the governing body's board of directors began the process of obtaining possible vendors for the state's most ambitious transit project in history.The High-Speed Rail Authority's Board approved the release of a Request for Qualifications, which clears the way for the Authority to obtain and screen vendors as well as establish a pool of possible manufacturers for the project's trainsets.Interested companies will need to submit a statement of qualification to the Authority to attest they can meet the demands of the project if ultimately selected as the winning bid. Statements of Qualification will be due by November and the total pool of vendors will be whittled down by the first quarter of 2024, the Authority said.“Our action today allows us to deliver on our commitment to meet our federal grant timelines to start testing,” said Board Chair Tom Richards. “This is an important milestone fo...

Judge denies injunction to give Montgomery Co. families ability to opt kids out of LGBTQ book readings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:59 GMT

Parents cannot opt their children out of Montgomery County Public Schools lessons involving books with LGBTQ characters for the time being, a federal judge ruled Thursday.Three families are suing the school board over its decision not to notify parents when such books would be read and not to allow them to opt their kids out of those lessons. The families say the no-opt-out policy violates their and their children’s rights under the First Amendment, the parents’ substantive due process rights under the 14th Amendment and Maryland law.As part of the suit, the families requested a preliminary injunction that would immediately require the school board to give them notice and an ability to opt out of the book readings as the suit plays out. A U.S. District Court judge in Maryland ruled Thursday the families did not meet the requirements for an injunction.“Because a constitutional violation is not likely or imminent, it follows that the plaintiffs are notlikely to suffe...