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Vote restored to MN felons on supervised release

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:24:00 GMT

More than 50,000 people with felony convictions on supervised release in Minnesota are now eligible to vote under a new state law.To commemorate the new law taking effect, a group of newly enfranchised registered to vote Thursday at Arlington Hills Community Center in St. Paul. Secretary of State Steve Simon, the state’s top elections official, said it was Minnesota’s “largest single act of enfranchisement” since the voting age changed from 21 to 18 half a century ago.“Our democracy faces a lot of challenges and a lot of threats. We have to protect it,” Simon said in remarks ahead of the registrations. “And I think what has happened today is part of that protection of democracy.”Simon, a Democrat, and organizers with Restore the Vote, an activist group that pushed for years to end the ban on felon voting, say the next step is spreading the word that people on parole or probation for felonies can vote.The first to fill out registration paperwork was Jen Schroeder, a...

Review: Minnesota Orchestra presents works of unity and strength

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:24:00 GMT

A theme of friendship marks Minnesota Orchestra’s “Park and Ainomäe Play Brahms” concert at Orchestra Hall, featuring the orchestra’s first associate concertmaster Susie Park and associate principal cello Silver Ainomäe. In the concert, there are two works that have at their heart an homage to a composer’s good friend.First, the two soloists play Double Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra, which Johannes Brahms dedicated to his estranged friend, Joseph Joachim. The two had a breach in their relationship after Brahms took the side of Joachim’s wife, opera singer Amalie Marie Joachim, in their divorce. Writing the double concerto was a gesture of reconciliation. Joachim did perform the work, along with cellist Robert Hausmann, for whom it was also written.Ainomäe takes the first solo, performing a stern, intense line before being joined by Park in a gentle echo. They dive into virtuosic cadenza playing, then are joined again by the lively orchestra.The piece works much like a clo...

Transgender inmate to move to Minnesota women’s prison after settling lawsuit against DOC

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:24:00 GMT

Christina Lusk, a transgender woman who last year sued the Minnesota Department of Corrections over her treatment in a men’s prison, has reached a settlement that includes a move to the women’s prison in Shakopee and access to gender-affirming health care.Lusk, a 57-year-old serving a sentence for drug possession, had been fighting for those rights since she was incarcerated in 2019. She filed the lawsuit against the DOC in Ramsey County District Court in June 2022.Christina Lusk (Courtesy of Gender Justice)As part of the settlement finalized this week, Lusk will receive a $495,000 payout, which includes about $250,000 in legal fees and costs.Lusk was represented by Jess Braverman and Christy Hall of Gender Justice in St. Paul and Sharon Roberg-Perez and Rebecca Bact of the Robins Kaplan law firm in Minneapolis.“Thanks to Christina Lusk’s willingness to speak out, transgender people in custody will now have expanded access to the housing and health care they need, and th...

Billy’s on Grand liquor license hearing draws dozens of residents

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:24:00 GMT

A crowded meeting room on the third floor of St. Paul City Hall served as the backdrop for a liquor license hearing on Wednesday involving a bar that has operated on Grand Avenue for decades and came under new management during the pandemic.Wesley Spearman, proprietor of Billy’s on Grand, acknowledged to city staff that there had been “hiccups” since his group reopened the bar and restaurant in 2021. The bar, a frequent source of police calls, was fined $500 by the city about two years ago and then $1,000 in May 2022, leading the city’s Department of Safety and Inspections to seek an upward departure — a full license revocation — after a third alleged license violation.Spearman said those violations are technically attached to the old liquor licenses held by previous proprietor Randall Johnson, which his management group was utilizing under a lease. The DWD Group applied to the city for liquor licenses of its own, with the goal of starting fresh w...

U.S. Route 20 renamed in New York

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:24:00 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -U.S. Route 20 reaches from Massachusetts to Oregon, covering 3,365 miles. In 2017, a foundation out of Bend, Oregon led the drive to rename Route 20 to the Medal of Honor Highway. Montgomery County updates police dispatch center Governor Hochul signed a bill renaming New York’s portion of the highway in July of 2022. “This bill is a testament to New York State’s commitment to honoring the sacrifices made by our veterans and ensuring that their legacy lives on," said Senator of the 23rd District, Jessica Scarcella-Spanton. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! According to the Medal of Honor Society, 676 New York veterans have been given the honor. Strict guidelines are put in place to make sure members of the armed forces who truly deserve a medal earn one. “That distinguishes themselves by gallantry and intrepidly at the risk of their own life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in action aga...

Twin sisters named co-valedictorians at Madison High School

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:24:00 GMT

MADISON, Ill. – It’s double success for twin sisters in the Metro East. Ariana and Briana Straughter graduated from Madison High School, earning top honors for the class of 2023. It’s the first time in the district’s history with twin co-valedictorians.The twins spent four years motivating each other, and sharing this honor has always been their dream.“We have encouraged each other continuously, we have studied together, made sure our projects were good together, and we have always received feedback from our teachers,” said Ariana, who is the older sister by one minute.Briana and Ariana used their commencement address to deliver a message of hope to their fellow graduates.“To never give up and strive for greatness,” Briana said. ‘Drought alert’ declared in Missouri, some relief possibly on way for St. Louis Briana and Ariana’s teachers and grandfather said all of their hard work paid off.“They were normal, but everybody is normal until given the opportunity to be something differe...

Orange air quality alert days pose risk to those with lung conditions

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:24:00 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – Thursday’s bad air quality is due to high ozone content in the ground air, as well as a lot of pollutants and allergens in the air. Orange air quality alert days are unhealthy for people with lung conditions.“Mostly, the patients are preexisting patients that already have lung problems, are just feeling a lot more symptoms. A lot more coughing, a lot more wheezing, a lot more breathlessness,” said Dr. Shiraz Daud, a pulmonologist at Missouri Baptist Medical Center. “So, we’re getting lots of calls about that.”Daud says if the air quality if affecting you, stay indoors and use an air filter. If you have to be outside, there are things to consider.“Sometimes a mask can be helpful. Try to stay away from things that are really bad for the lungs, such as exhaust from cars, cigarette smoke, very polluted areas, grass, weeds, mold,” he said. “Those things just make it worse in this bad time.”Persistent exposure to bad air over time can pose serious health concerns.“...

After sixth straight loss, Rapids hit rock bottom in standings and must rebound to avoid embarrassing “trophy”

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:24:00 GMT

On the eve before one Kroenke Sports and Entertainment team was set to begin its quest for a first Larry O’Brien trophy, another team in the organization lost its sixth consecutive game to hit rock bottom of the Major League Soccer standings.After the Rapids 3-2 loss in Columbus Wednesday and results went final elsewhere, the team was first-place in a race no MLS team wants to compete for: The Wooden Spoon — “awarded” at the end of the season to the team’s supporters with the worst record in the league. The Nuggets are looking to win one of the most arduous trophies in all of sports. The Rapids, meanwhile, are looking to avoid one of the more humiliating ones at all costs.Despite the downturn in results, coaches and players alike were forthcoming Wednesday and here are takeaways from the loss, plus where the Rapids (2-8-6, 12 points) are at as a whole.Robin Fraser is going through itEven in the year-plus since Fraser signed a contract extension through ...

The Power of Human and AI Complementarity: H/AI C(x)

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:24:00 GMT

Dr. Martin TrevinoThe world is witnessing the pervasive integration of artificial intelligence, or AI, into a wide range of industries. We have reached a transformative stage where AI can soon become a symbiotic partner with humans—a stage reached partly because of our comprehension of the intricacies of human decision-making processes. In its current state, AI is emerging as a collaborative force, complementing human intellect in problem-solving, decision-making, and value generation. Our evolving comprehension of trust and the strategic employment of technology is crucial, experts say, in harnessing the symbiotic relationship between humans and rapidly advancing AI.With his background in cyberintelligence, Dr. Martin Trevino sits at the forefront of the interplay between data, analytics, and the human psyche. As a former cyberspy for the National Security Agency (NSA), Dr. Trevino led technical and analytical teams for the US government. Now serving as a scientist, tech executive,...

15 Book Coaches to Watch in 2023

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 09:24:00 GMT

Embarking on the journey of writing a book is an ambitious and often daunting task. Whether it’s fiction or nonfiction, the process requires dedication, skill, and a deep understanding of storytelling. However, many aspiring authors find themselves overwhelmed by the complexities of the writing process, unsure of where to start or how to navigate the challenges. This is where the invaluable role of a book coach comes into play.A book coach will help you by providing personalized support at every stage of the journey so you can achieve your book-writing goals. It’s all about finding the right fit! To help with that, here are the top 10 book coaches of 2023:Lauren EckhardtLauren Eckhardt is not only an award-winning and bestselling author but also a highly skilled book coach and ghostwriter. Lauren is the founder of Burning Soul Collective, a book coaching and publishing company that empowers aspiring authors to chase their book-writing dreams with confidence. With a focus on each wri...