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Jonathan Bernstein: Wisconsin judicial election is bad for democracy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:51:12 GMT

If you want a good summary of all that’s wrong with U.S. politics right now, you could do worse than “The most important U.S. election this year is the runoff for a seat on the Wisconsin State Supreme Court.”The April 4 run-off vote for a swing seat on the court would typically attract little notice. But Wisconsin, a fiercely divided state, is expected to be a battleground in the 2024 presidential contest, giving the seven justices enormous influence should the White House face a court challenge.The State Supreme Court also could wind up ruling on abortion rights and other hot-button topics that could reverberate nationally.That such a small election has taken on such import is fascinating for political observers. Yet it’s an election that shouldn’t be occurring in the first place. Judicial elections are a terrible idea — bad for voters who don’t have the specialized knowledge to evaluate the candidates and bad for the courts because it unde...

Jamelle Bouie: What the Republican push for ‘parents’ rights’ is really about

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:51:12 GMT

You may have heard the phrase “parents’ rights.”It sounds unobjectionable — of course parents should have rights — which is probably why it’s become the term of choice for the conservative effort to ban books, censor school curriculums and suppress politically undesirable forms of knowledge.When House Republicans introduced a bill that would require public schools to notify parents that they are entitled to access course material and lists of books kept in school libraries, they cited “parents’ rights” as the reason.“That’s what today is all about: It’s about every parent, mom and dad, but most importantly about the students in America,” Speaker Kevin McCarthy said. Several Republican-controlled states have either proposed or passed similar measures.The official name for Florida’s infamous “Don’t Say Gay” bill, prohibiting “classroom discussion about sexual orientation or gender identity,” is the Parental Rights in Education Act. And the state’s Stop WOKE Act — short for “Wrongs to ...

Feel the Force: Mark Hamill carries ‘Star Wars’ voice to Ukraine

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:51:12 GMT

By JOHN LEICESTER (Associated Press)KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — “Attention. Air raid alert,” the voice says with a Jedi knight’s gravitas. “Proceed to the nearest shelter.”It’s a surreal moment in an already surreal war: the grave but calming baritone of actor Mark Hamill, Luke Skywalker of “Star Wars,” urging people to take cover whenever Russia unleashes another aerial bombardment on Ukraine.The intrusion of Hollywood science-fiction fantasy into the grim daily realities of war in Ukraine is a consequence of Hamill’s decision to lend his famous voice to “Air Alert” — a downloadable app linked to Ukraine’s air defense system. When air raid sirens start howling, the app also warns Ukrainians that Russian missiles, bombs and deadly exploding drones may be incoming.“Don’t be careless,” Hamill’s voice advises. “Your overconfidence is your weakness.”The actor says he’s admired — from afar, in California — how Ukraine has “shown such resilience … under such terrible circumstances.” Its fight ag...

Defense Department awards local medical technology company

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:51:12 GMT

LATHAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A medical technology company that's headquartered in the Capital Region received recognition on Tuesday from the U.S. Department of Defense. AngioDynamics was given the Patriot Award.The award recognizes business leaders who provide direct support to members of the National Guard or National Guard reserves. Nominations must be submitted by service members. Company leaders said the nomination is just as meaningful as the award. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "I find inspiration and motivation from individuals that serve our country on a daily basis as well as that can find time to balance between their professional lives as well as the lives of them being able to serve their country or even their family," AngioDynamics Senior VP, General Manager Scott Centea said.AngioDynamics manufactures non-invasive products that help restore blood flow to and from the heart as well as expand cancer treatment opt...

New Walloomsac tavern features mini-museum

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:51:12 GMT

WALLOOMSAC, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Walloomsac Battlefield Tavern & Colonial Restaurant had its soft opening in Walloomsac, located near Hoosick Falls, on March 17. Owner Joe Hackett said the property was owned by his godmother for a while. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "This has been a longtime dream of mine," said Hackett. "My godmother ran this business for 45 years." The space used to be called Peggy's. Hackett said he's incorporated family recipes into the business manual for the Walloomsac Battlefield Tavern.After Peggy died, the restaurant was bought in 2000 by Hackett's friends Don and Theresa. They ran the restaurant as Theresa's Country Cuisine until 2011 or 2013. PDT Market opens in Saratoga Springs Hackett is retired from working in the environmental field at Norton Company in Watervliet. Although he's retired, he is now running the tavern.The tavern includes a mini-museum that includes memorabilia and art ...

Alpin Haus installing first pool of 2023 season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:51:12 GMT

(NEWS10) -- It doesn't feel like summer just yet, but one local company is already gearing up for warmer temperatures. The outdoor recreation retailer Alpin Haus broke ground Tuesday on its first swimming pool of the season. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! As customers continue to deal with higher prices of many items, the company is doing everything it can to make their pools affordable. "Trying to keep our costs down with the rising costs of material and labor and supplies," Alpin Haus Pool Division General Manager Jamie Georgelos said. "Trying to be more efficient and work smarter than we have been."Alpin Haus expects to install about 60 pools this year.

St. Louis County man admits impregnating girl in foster care

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:51:12 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A St. Louis County man appeared in federal court Tuesday and admitted to sexually abusing and impregnating a minor while she was in foster care.Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri said Edward Wiseman, 43, pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement of a minor, and solicitation of child pornography.Wiseman told the court he'd been sexually abusing the victim for years, and admitted to getting her pregnant when she was just 14. After she was placed in foster care, he'd send her naked photos of himself and requested pictures of her in return. He also met her to have sex when she was 16. Top Stories: Kim Gardner gets extra time to respond to A.G.’s lawsuit Prosecutors said Wiseman also lied to investigators when he was initially questioned about raping and impregnating the girl.The victim's younger sister told police Wiseman sexually abused her, too, though prosecutors note Wiseman denies those allegations.Investigators later disc...

Pharmacy store hours reduced due to shortage of workers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:51:12 GMT

ST. LOUIS - There are a multitude of reasons for the reduction in hours at your local pharmacy.“After the pandemic, pharmacists like other healthcare professionals retired,” said Nicole Gattas, director of experiential education and professor of pharmacy practice at the St. Louis College of Pharmacy at the University of Health Sciences and Pharmacy. “We stepped up to the plate during the pandemic, immunizing or providing medications. So many pharmacists did decide to leave community practice and go to other types of pharmacy. Or maybe go and retire.”FOX 2 reached out to Walgreens for a comment about the issue, and a spokesperson released the following statement:"We have hired hundreds of pharmacists and returned hundreds of stores to normal operating hours over the past few months. Staffing challenges have impacted retailers, healthcare entities, and countless other industries. We continue to proactively address staffing shortages through additional measures such as providing compet...

Colorado’s effort to mandate abortion coverage by insurance companies advances

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:51:12 GMT

A Colorado bill that would require commercial insurance providers to cover abortions for patients without copays advanced through a House committee on Tuesday.SB23-189 is one of a package of abortion bills that Colorado Democrats introduced this year to expand access and protections for abortion care.In addition to covering abortions, the bill would require coverage and no-cost sharing for sexually transmitted infections treatment and vasectomies; remove prior authorization requirements for HIV medication; and create family-planning services coverage for people who are undocumented through the state’s reproductive health program. It also removes language from state law about who can refer minors to get contraception, including references to clergy, and it codifies federal requirements for preventative services coverage such as HIV prevention in case they are reversed at the federal level.The bill does not change whether minors can access birth control on their own — they...

New Colorado plan envisions 2.1M electric cars on state roads by 2035

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:51:12 GMT

More than 2 million electric cars and SUVs on Colorado roads by 2035. About 1,700 public fast-charging ports and 5,800 Level 2 chargers installed or in the works by 2025. Zero-emission vehicles making up at least 30% of new sales of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by 2030.Those are just some of the mileposts in the new Colorado Electric Vehicle plan released Tuesday. The final draft builds on two previous plans and is intended as a map for electrifying the state’s transportation, the source of approximately a quarter of Colorado’s greenhouse gas emissions.While the new plan drew praise from some quarters, the trucking industry is questioning how realistic some of the goals are. The Colorado Motor Carriers Association has proposed an alternate plan that would phase in requirements, provide exemptions and encourage use of renewable natural gas and compressed natural gas as a bridge.Earlier plans envisioned 940,000 electric vehicles in Colorado by 2030 as part of efforts to...