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Weekend Gardening with Tim Joyce: Beware of the spotted lanternfly

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:12 GMT

If you see it, smash it then report it. That's the message from the U.S. Department of Agriculture about an invasive species that could be making its way to the Chicagoland area.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

CT governor hopes NHL team will relocate after trouble in home city: 'Great market for the NHL'

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:12 GMT

HARTFORD, Conn. (WTNH) – Could Arizona's loss be Connecticut's gain?Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont (D) will meet with National Hockey League Commissioner Gary Bettman to discuss relocating the Arizona Coyotes to Hartford, Nexstar's WTNH has learned.News of the governor's plan comes after voters in Tempe, Arizona, rejected a referendum to build a new arena for the Coyotes in their home city.Moving the Coyotes to Connecticut might still be a long shot, as the team wouldn't have a new, state-of-the-art arena in Hartford, either. The Hartford XL Center, however, has a capacity of over 16,000, whereas Mullet Arena in Tempe — the Coyotes' current home — holds around 5,000 fans.Connecticut was previously home to the NHL's Hartford Whalers until 1997, when the team relocated to North Carolina and became the Carolina Hurricanes. ‘Disturbing’: Son of former NHL player pushes woman’s wheelchair down flight of stairs "Governor Lamont has reached out to the NHL and requested a meeting with commi...

Gearing up for Mayfestiversary

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:12 GMT

CHICAGO — Dovetail Brewery and Begyle Brewing are gearing up for Mayfestiversary. It's an annual event that helps raise funds for The Friendship Center.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter. Learn more by watching this full story in the player above.

Interest rates on federal student loans to be highest in a decade

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:12 GMT

(NerdWallet) - College will cost more for students borrowing during the 2023-24 academic year as federal student loan interest rates climb to heights not seen in a decade or longer.As of July 1, undergraduates who take out new direct federal student loans will see interest rates rise to 5.50%, the Education Department’s Federal Student Aid office said Tuesday — up from 4.99% in the 2022-23 academic year and 3.73% in 2021-22.Interest rates on graduate direct loans, available to graduate and professional students, will rise to 7.05% from 6.54% the year prior. PLUS loans, which parents and grad students can use to fill in education funding gaps, will jump to 8.05% from 7.54%. Here are the higher 2023-24 rates for each type of federal student loan, compared with the 2022-23 academic year:2022-23 interest rate2023-24 interest rateUndergraduate direct loans4.99%.5.50%.Graduate direct loans6.54%.7.05%.PLUS loans7.54%.8.05%.Undergraduate direct student loan interest rates haven’t been this ...

1 dead after CapMetro train hits pedestrian in Austin

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:12 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — One person is dead after a train-pedestrian crash near Interstate 35 and Airport Boulevard. Austin Police said it responded to the crash at 9:45 a.m. APD is investigating the incident. One adult died at the scene, according to Austin-Travis County EMS.CapMetro said the pedestrian was in the Red Line tracks and not in a crosswalk. CapMetro said the tracks remain closed and to expect rail delays. The bus bridge will help customers between the Highland and Downtown stations. APD and the Texas Department of Transportation are helping with traffic in the area.

Earth could achieve an unwanted record

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:12 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Recent trends across the world show our climate continues to warm. The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) forecasts this warming pattern to continue. They suggest record heat between now and 2027, in part because of humans and, in part, due to the developing El Niño.Excessive summer heat in the Southwest U.S. Courtesy: Getty ImagesEarth's record for the hottest year happened in 2016. The average global temperature across lands and ocean surface areas was 1.69°F higher than the 20th-century average of 57°F. The WMO believes this number will be topped any year from 2023 to 2027. They are fairly confident that the five years ahead will be the warmest of any five-year period.The WMO's forecast went one step further in predicting that any year between now and 2027 has a 67% probability of a hotter average temperature by 2.7° versus that of the 19th-century average.The short- and long-term effects of this warming include dangerous heat waves and drought. Central T...

Last minute deal at the MN Legislature: $2.6 billion infrastructure package, more money for nursing homes

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:12 GMT

Minnesota lawmakers announced Saturday morning they have a $2.6 billion bipartisan deal on infrastructure projects that includes sending as much as $300 million to struggling nursing homes.Infrastructure is the one topic at the Legislature where bipartisan compromise is almost essential because super-majorities are needed in both chambers to borrow money. Until Saturday, Democrats in narrow control of both the House and Senate were unable to agree to a deal with Republicans and appeared determined to pass a cash-only infrastructure bill.Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party members faced mounting criticism from Republicans over the past few days that their nearly $72 billion two-year budget didn’t do enough for nursing homes that continue to struggle after the pandemic.DFLers also were knocked for cutting most projects in Republican districts out of their cash-only infrastructure bill after the larger borrowing measure, or bonding bill, failed to earn enough GOP votes to clear the Sen...

Police investigating Albany shooting

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:12 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Albany Police Department is investigating a shooting that happened on the morning of May 20. One man was left injured from the incident. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! At 9:40 a.m. on May 20, Albany Police responded to a report of a shooting on the 400 block of First Street, between Quail Street and North Lake Avenue. Police say they found a 46-year-old man there who had suffered a gunshot wound to his leg. The preliminary investigation has revealed that the man and two other men were having an argument outside, and that one of the two other men pulled out a firearm and shot the man in the leg. His injuries are not life threatening. Teen arrested in Crossgates swatting incident This investigation is ongoing. Follow along with NEWS10 for any further updates.

Man dies in single-motorcycle crash in Aurora

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:12 GMT

A motorcyclist has died after a crash in Aurora, police said.The single-motorcycle crash happened on East Centretech Parkway near South Airport Boulevard, the Aurora Police Department said in a 12:37 a.m. Saturday tweet.The motorcyclist, a man, apparently lost control and crashed in the roadway, police said. He was taken to a hospital were he died. The Arapahoe County Coroner’s Office will release his identity. An investigation into the crash is ongoing.#APDALERT Officers are responding to a single motorcycle crash on East Centretech Parkway, in front of the Raytheon building.It appears a male driver lost control of the bike, crashing it on the roadway.The condition of the driver is unclear at this time, along with his… pic.twitter.com/kTqCLEEjxQ— Aurora Police Dept (@AuroraPD) May 20, 2023 

Debt limit talks seem to make little headway as Biden, world leaders watch from afar for progress

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 20:56:12 GMT

By KEVIN FREKING (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — Debt limit talks between the White House and House Republicans stopped, started and stopped again heading into a weekend where President Joe Biden and world leaders watched from afar, hoping high-stakes negotiations would make progress on avoiding a potentially catastrophic federal default.In a sign of a renewed bargaining session, food was brought to the negotiating room at the Capitol on Saturday morning, only to be carted away hours later. No meeting was likely Saturday, according to a person familiar with the state of the talks who was not authorized to publicly discuss the situation and spoke on condition of anonymity.Biden’s administration is reaching for a deal with Republicans led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. The sides are up against a deadline as soon as June 1 to raise its borrowing limit, now at $31 trillion, so the government can keep paying the nation’s bills. Republicans are demanding s...