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Executions may return to South Carolina; shield law nears OK

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:00 GMT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A bill that would allow South Carolina to buy the drugs needed for lethal injection without revealing the name of the company who sells them will soon be heading for the governor’s desk.The state Senate on Thursday approved minor changes the House made in the shield law bill with almost no debate. The proposal also requires the names of members of the execution team be kept secret.South Carolina has had an unintended 12-year moratorium on the death penalty after its lethal injection drugs passed their expiration date and pharmacies refused to sell the state more.Several South Carolina death row inmates have run out of regular appeals but their executions are on hold because they can’t be carried out.Sixteen other states have carried out about 100 lethal injection executions in the past six years. Many have shield laws. Some do not.“It has worked in other states. Let’s see if it works here,” South Carolina Corrections Department Director Bryan ...

What seditious conspiracy means in Proud Boys’ Jan. 6 case

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The convictions on historically rare seditious conspiracy charges against leaders of the Proud Boys extremist group mark another major victory for the Justice Department in its massive prosecution of the attack on the U.S. Capitol. Jurors on Thursday found former Proud Boys national chairman Enrique Tarrio and three lieutenants guilty of the rarely used Civil War-era charge. It was the third seditious conspiracy trial stemming from the Jan. 6, 2021, riot that forced Congress to adjourn as lawmakers and staff hid from a violent mob. The founder of the Oath Keepers extremist group and several members have also been convicted of the charge.Here’s a look at the charge of seditious conspiracy and its history:___WHAT HAPPENED AT THE LATEST TRIAL?Prosecutors sought to prove Tarrio and four co-defendants plotted for weeks to use force to keep then-President Donald Trump in power. Tarrio wasn’t in Washington on Jan. 6 — he was arrested in a separate case two days earl...

Canadian Natural Resources reports Q1 profit down as oil prices slide

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:00 GMT

CALGARY — Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. saw its profits in the first quarter decline 41 per cent year-over-year as oil prices weakened.The Calgary-based company, which is Canada’s largest oil and gas producer by market capitalization and a darling of the financial analyst community for its history of strong performance, reported a first-quarter profit of $1.8 billion, down from $3.1 billion in the same quarter last year.The profit amounted to $1.62 per diluted share for the quarter ended March 31, down from a profit of $2.63 per diluted share a year earlier.Revenue for the quarter totaled $8.6 billion, down from nearly $10.7 billion in the first three months of 2022.The company’s financial results reflect the price of oil, which has come down significantly from the heights it reached in 2022 in the immediate aftermath of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.The benchmark West Texas Intermediate price remained strong in the first quarter of 2023, averaging US$76.11 per ba...

IDOT announces new construction project on Kennedy Expressway

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:00 GMT

CHICAGO — The Illinois Department of Transportation announced more construction work taking place soon on the Kennedy Expressway.Starting on Monday, IDOT said milling and resurfacing work will require overnight lane and some ramp closures in the outbound lanes between Madison and Ohio streets in Chicago. Looking to avoid the Kennedy Expressway construction? Here’s what you should know At least one outbound lane will remain open at all times, IDOT said. The closures, depending on the weather, are scheduled for the following times.10 p.m. to 5 a.m. Sunday-Thursday10 p.m. Friday to 8 a.m. Saturday10 p.m. Saturday to 10 a.m. SundayThe work is expected to be completed later in the summer.IDOT said this work is unrelated to the bridge rehabilitation work currently happening in the inbound lanes north of this construction area.That project is expected to last three years.

Boater finds missing man dead in Fox River in McHenry County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:00 GMT

MCHENRY, Ill. — Officials in McHenry County said a boater the body of a missing man Wednesday in the Fox River.In a press release, the McHenry Police Department said the boater found the body around 3:15 p.m. near the 2000 block of South Fernwood Lane. Chicago police: 4 people shot at Parkway Gardens, 1 critical Gustavo Guzman-Perez (McHenry Police Department/Provided)It's about five-and-a-half miles away from where Gustavo Guzman-Perez, 28, was last seen on April 22.On Thursday, the McHenry County Coroner's Office confirmed it was Guzman-Perez who was found in the river.Police previously said he was last seen around 2 a.m. on April 22 near a home in the 3000 block of Virginia Avenue. The next day, police said more than 60 search and rescue volunteers and emergency personnel searched about 665 acres for him. In a news release on April 24 and in Wednesday's release, police said there is not a threat to the public and foul play isn't suspected. Anyone with information is asked to ca...

If you use TurboTax you may be owed money. How settlement payments will work

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:00 GMT

NEW YORK (NEXSTAR/WETM) - Millions of taxpayers who used the popular Intuit filing software TurboTax in recent years will receive money from a 50-state, $141 million settlement accusing the company of charging people for services that should have been free.“Intuit cheated millions of low-income Americans out of free tax filing services they were entitled to,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James said in a statement Thursday. “For years, Intuit misled the most vulnerable among us to make a profit. Today, every state in the nation is holding Intuit accountable for scamming millions of taxpayers, and we’re putting millions of dollars back into the pockets of impacted Americans."The investigation into Intuit's business practices stemmed from two versions of TurboTax: one created through participation in the IRS Free File Program – designed for military members and those making less than $34,000 – and a second, "TurboTax Free Edition," which the company heavily marketed in a...

Federal Reserve announces interest rate hike as default looms

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:00 GMT

WASHINTON (Nexstar) -- The federal reserve announced another interest rate hike as part of ongoing efforts to lower inflation.The move comes as the government is quickly approaching a point in which it could default on its debts and obligations, which the Federal Reserve chairman warns would be unprecedented.“We have raised interest rates by five percentage points in a little less than a year,” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said. Powell announced another quarter point interest rate hike on Wednesday and says they have worked to cool down the housing and investment markets, which is helping to lower inflation."We are seeing other effects of our policies tightening on demand," Powell said.Inflation still hasn't decreased to the target two percent mark, but the bigger economic concern is quickly becoming whether the United States government could default on its loans and obligations.“We understand there is more work to do,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.In C...

Chicago police searching for 13-year-old girl missing from Little Village

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago police are asking for help finding a missing 13-year-old girl last seen Wednesday.Alexandra Juarez is described as being about 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing about 140 pounds, with brown eyes and black hair. IDOT announces new construction project on Kennedy Expressway According to the Chicago Police Department, Juarez was last seen in the 2800 block of West 23rd Place, which is in Little Village.She was last seen wearing a red hoodie with beige cargo pants.Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call 911 or SVU detectives at 312-746-8251.

RECALL: Advil sold at Family Dollar may have been improperly stored

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:00 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — Family Dollar is recalling several over-the-counter Advil products sold in its stores between the dates of June 1, 2022, and March 31, 2023, over concerns they may have been stored outside of required temperatures.Family Dollar says stores have been notified and are expected to quarantine and discontinue affected products immediately. Customers should stop using the items and can return products to the Family Dollar store of purchase, with or without a receipt. Tricked by TurboTax? How much your check could be The retailer says the recall affects the following products:UPC no.Product0901458Advil 200 mg tablets 100-count0901839Advil 200 mg caplets 24-count0902867Advil Dual Action caplets 36-count0913023Advil tablets 50-count0916071Advil Liqui-Gels 40-count0999259Advil tablets 6-count0999841Advil Liqui-Gels Minis 20-countOf the recalled products, the following batch numbers are affected for each product.UPC no./ProductBatch no.0901458/Advil 200 mg tablets 100-count3P8G, ...

Is it legal to garden in the nude in Illinois?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:35:00 GMT

ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO/WQRF) -- If you're taking part in World Naked Gardening Day, you might want to consider whether it is legal to do so in order to avoid a potential indecent exposure charge. World Naked Gardening Day is a day where gardeners tend to their plants and flowers while wearing no clothes or shoes. The goal is to connect to the origins of gardening and our natural relationship with Mother Nature.In 2023, the festivities will kick off on Saturday, May 6. Can I be arrested for not showing up for jury duty in Illinois? The event is described as, "an annual tradition that celebrates weeding, planting flowers and trimming hedges in the buff."A question some may ask is, can you be arrested for public indecency if you’re naked gardening on your own property? Or, if you’re naked gardening in your own house with the window open and a neighbor sees you?According to Illinois law, public indecency is always considered a sex crime, and there are two forms of public indecency that ...