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At last, NFL Draft week has arrived for the Bears

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:49 GMT

Jacob Infante, Windy City Gridiron's lead NFL Draft analyst, joins "9 Good Minutes" on WGN News Now on April 24.LAKE FOREST — After months of speculation, a major trade of their top pick, and countless mock drafts, the moment has finally arrived for the Bears. This is NFL Draft week as the selections will get underway on Thursday at 7 p.m. central time in Kansas City with general manager Ryan Poles taking to the "war room" at Halas Hall to continue building the team back to respectability.Rounds 2 & 3 will be conducted on Friday starting at 6 p.m., central time, and then the final four start at 11 a.m. on Saturday.While every draft is important, this one takes on special meaning thanks to where the Bears are selecting.They have a draft pick in the Top 10 for the first time since 2018 along with four total picks in the first three rounds. Poles will start with ten selections with a few possibly on the move as he tries to fill a number of holes on the Bears' roster.Which direction...

President Biden expected to announce 2024 reelection campaign as early as Tuesday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:49 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s reelection campaign has been hiding in plain sight all along.The contours of the 2024 campaign that Biden will formally launch with a video as soon as this week will look a lot like his messaging and policy moves from the past few months: Play up accomplishments from his first two years, draw a sharp contrast with Republican policies he deems extreme, and brush off worries about his age.Biden, aides contend, has essentially been campaigning since Republicans took control of the House last year, focused on showing Americans how his administration is implementing massive new infrastructure, technology and climate laws, and portraying Republicans as in the grip of the far right at a time when Washington is nearing a crucial fight over raising the nation’s borrowing limit.While advisers say Biden’s activities and message in coming months will be largely indistinguishable from what he’s been doing over the last six months, the frame ...

Texas Athletics announces location, more details on new football practice facility

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:49 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A new Texas Longhorns football practice facility will begin construction next year, and fans can also expect a big change to Campbell-Williams Field at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium when the Longhorns officially join the Southeastern Conference.Renderings of the new facilities were shared on Twitter through the Texas Athletics account and will include both an indoor and outfield practice field, along with a three-lane sprint track, drill space for both offensive and defensive linemen, a hospitality area and parking. 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/newslettersThe facility will replace the Frank Denius Fields and "The Bubble," as the Longhorns' primary practice area. The facility's new location will be where UT's Steve Hicks School of Social Work currently is, along San Jacinto Boulevard and 20th Street adjacent to the Moody Center. According to 247Sports, the practice...

TCEQ moves forward in approval process for east Austin rock-crushing plant, despite pushback

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:49 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN)— A state agency is moving forward in the approval process for a rock-crushing plant, despite pushback from neighbors who feel it's way too close to homes.Neighbors are worried about air quality. Some who have lived in the area for generations, said they've been dealing with dusty air for years, just from temporary plants.The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality regulates permits for the plants."Sometimes, depending on the wind, it can be so thick, you can barely see through it," David Sides, a neighbor said.Christopher Lupone fears the prolonged exposure to dust could really make people sick."It's a big health risk," Lupone said.Sides and Lupone live on opposite sides of where the plant would go—less than a mile or so away from the site.Both are worried what will happen now that a company has applied for a permit to have a permanent rock-crushing plant."There are 250 homes within a mile less than a mile of this," Lupone said. "It's ridiculous to think that they wo...

Texas House passes sweeping school safety legislation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:49 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- Eleven months after the Robb Elementary mass shooting, The Texas House of Representatives on Monday initially passed broad, bipartisan legislation intending to make schools safer.House Bill 3 dedicates new funding for districts to improve physical barriers and security technology, requires every district to place an armed guard on every campus, and gives the state more oversight responsibility for safety protocol compliance. It passed the lower chamber 122-19. It now awaits a third and final vote in the House before heading to the Senate.Lubbock Republican Dustin Burrows shepherded the bill through with El Paso Democrat Joe Moody after the two led the House investigation of the Robb Elementary mass shooting."The state of Texas must make fundamental changes the way we protect our school communities," Burrows told members on the House floor Monday afternoon. "It is clear that we must not only beef up on campus security staffing, but also establish statewide standar...

MN House set to OK legal cannabis; Senate voting Friday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:49 GMT

Members of the Minnesota House on Monday night were poised to vote on a bill to legalize recreational marijuana use for adults.Legalization has passed in the Democratic-Farmer-Labor-controlled House before, but there’s a key difference this year: DFL lawmakers took control last November of the Senate, where a vote is now also scheduled for Friday.When Republicans controlled the Senate last year, pot bills didn’t get committee hearings. Now that’s no longer an obstacle, and DFL Gov. Tim Walz said he supports legalization and would sign a bill into law.“I do expect this is the year we get the job done,” said bill sponsor Rep. Zack Stephenson, DFL-Coon Rapids.Stephenson and other legalization advocates say pot prohibition has done more harm than good. They hope the more than 300-page bill will help the state right past wrongs — including drug law enforcement’s disproportionate effects on ethnic minorities.What’s in the bill?The bill slated for a Monday vote in the Hou...

Repairs underway on bridge dripping sticky substance

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:49 GMT

WEST COXSACKIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Repairs are underway on a rail bridge in West Coxsackie that's been dripping a messy substance on passing cars. Drivers told NEWS10 they have been unable to get the substance off their vehicles. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The mayor of Coxsackie said the bridge, which goes over Mansion Street, has been an issue his entire time in office, spanning almost 15 years. CSX Railroad company operates the bridge. They said the substance is made of mud that's seeped into the bridge.Repairs began on Monday and will continue on Tuesday. Mansion Street will be down to one lane from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. while repair work continues.

Whitehall proposes repurposing swimming pool after 2020 flooding

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:49 GMT

WHITEHALL, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Officials in Whitehall are planning to repurpose the swimming pool at the junior-senior high school. The pool suffered significant flood damage during a several storm in August 2020. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The board of education voted unanimously to repurpose the space for special education and social and emotional services. Officials said it would allow the school to serve more students and staff. They also said a new pool would not be eligible for state funding but repurposing the space is. The storm caused extensive damage throughout the village, including at the high school.“We had approximately eight to 10 inches of standing water touching all sides of our high school building. There was no location within my entire high school facility that was not flooded,” Superintendent Patrick Dee told NEWS10 at the time.The decision to repurpose the pool came during the board's regular meeting...

Program helps connect local students to healthcare jobs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:49 GMT

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Ellis Medicine launched a new partnership with local schools to help address ongoing worker shortages in healthcare. Ellis Promise helps connect students attending SUNY Schenectady and Schenectady High School with jobs within the hospital. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Recruiters and coaches will help guide students and other community members through the job search process with the goal of keeping them in the local area. "But what this does in the long-term, it gives opportunities for people to have good jobs, good careers in healthcare, and really give back to this community," Ellis Medicine Pres. and CEO Paul Milton said.Hospital leaders also hope the program will improve the diversity of its workforce.

Albany restaurant celebrates anniversary after pandemic struggles

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:50:49 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A local restaurant that offers something for everyone celebrated its official opening on Monday. El Rey Mexitalia serves both Mexican and Italian food. It's been open for about two years but held off on a ribbon cutting due to the pandemic.The owners have had to overcome changing pandemic restrictions and staff shortages. They've worked 60 to 80 hours a week themselves to keep the restaurant going. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "It's been tough. Also, not being with family sometimes because you want to spend time with your kids, your wife, but it's hard not being there the entire time. But that has been one of our most struggles," Jesus Vazquez Lopez said.The restaurant is now fully staffed. It's located on Lodge Street in the city of Albany.