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'Pretrial Fairness Act' banning cash bail in Illinois going into effect Monday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:47 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Starting next Monday, Illinois will be the first state to eliminate cash-bail as a condition of pretrial release.Critics say cash bail policies are especially unfair to people of color. Studies show being in jail before trial can have a negative impact on the outcome of a person's case and life after the case is tried. Father of teen killed in crash wants more transparency from police "You're already being punished because you're being detained. It's the proper term they use. But you're also being punished twice because you're poor," Chicago local Nikuya Brooks expressed.Judges can still detain those considered to be a threat to people or seen as likely to run away before trial. They can also order electronic monitoring of those who receive pretrial release.

3rd Construction Career Expo taking place in St. An today

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:47 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - The third Construction Career Expo is happening Wednesday.It'll be at the Northwest Crossings Job Center in St. Ann from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. More than 20 organizations are offering work in construction and trade jobs. DeWitt: Missouri teams ‘all on the same page’ in new sports betting push There is free parking.

Gary Sinise Foundation providing help for officer battling cancer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:47 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - The Gary Sinise Foundation is raising money for a Manchester Police Department veteran officer.Sgt. Meredith Absolon is battling stage three breast cancer. Despite that, she's still shown up for work nearly every single day. Father of teen killed in crash wants more transparency from police The community started a GoFundMe for the 15-year veteran of the department. Manchester police officials and several businesses will join the foundation to help Sgt. Absolon.

Police responding to possible shooting at St. Louis County gas station

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:47 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - Police are responding to a possible shooting in St. Louis County.Our Nissan Rogue Runner reporter, Nic Lopez, was at the scene, located at the 'Phillips 66' gas station on Chambers Road, where officers and evidence technicians are going over the scene. DeWitt: Missouri teams ‘all on the same page’ in new sports betting push No further information has yet to be reported. FOX 2 will update this story with more information as it becomes available.

Police communication system possibly hacked

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:47 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Some local police departments may have used a hacked computer information network.FOX 2 was told that the 'REJIS' system went down Tuesday. A spokesperson for the computer information network confirmed that there was a security incident and told us the agency has worked to reduce any damage. They also say they are not aware of any sensitive information being taken or released. Police were told the system would be out for at least 24 hours, which could lead to the release of some suspected criminals. Father of teen killed in crash wants more transparency from police "The law requires a 24-hour maximum hold and if the REJIS system is not up and running, or they can't use another system, which is referred to as 'MULES,' then they would be unable to hold somebody and that person may in fact be wanted for something serious in another jurisdiction," criminal defense attorney Joel Schwartz explained.St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said he will call for more funding for cy...

Boulder-based Meati Foods, maker of plant-based meat alternatives, cutting 20% of its workforce

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:47 GMT

Following the launch of its products in Whole Foods stores nationwide, Meati Foods, which makes plant-based meat alternatives, is cutting about 20% of its positions to focus on becoming more profitable.The Boulder-based startup announced the cutbacks Tuesday. Scott Tassani, president and chief operating officer of Meati, said while about 60 positions will be eliminated, the actual number of layoffs could be roughly 30.“There’s some opportunity where we’re deploying folks into different roles within the organization,” Tassani said.The current workforce is about 300 people.Meati started selling its cutlets and steaks, made from mushroom root, in more than 500 Whole Foods in July. Tassani said the company’s products are available in about 1,200 stores across the country.“Our sales and our pipeline of customers that are interested are as robust as ever,” Tassani said.Tyler Huggins and Justin Whiteley founded Meati in 2016, working with Venture P...

CDC panel recommends new COVID booster

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:47 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel of experts recommended Tuesday that the updated COVID-19 vaccines be available to nearly all Americans to help combat the spread of the virus heading into fall. But don't rush to the pharmacy just yet. The CDC panel's decision comes a day after the Food and Drug Administration also chose to recommend the new formulation. However, there is one more key step that needs to happen before the vaccines can be administered. CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen still needs to give the green light, which could happen as soon as Tuesday evening, NBC News reported. RSV rising in one US region, CDC issues alert Once that happens, the updated vaccines will be available at local pharmacies and vaccination sites in as soon as 48 hours, according to CNN. One Pfizer official said his company expected to have doses available at some U.S. locations as early as Wednesday.Both Moderna and Pfizer have updated their vaccine formula to focus on the o...

USA Today is searching for a 'Taylor Swift reporter'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:47 GMT

(The Hill) - It's a job out of Swifties' wildest dreams: USA Today and The Tennesseean are searching for a "Taylor Swift reporter."As the job posting from their parent company Gannett details, the outlets are specifically seeking an "experienced, video-forward journalist to capture the music and cultural impact of Taylor Swift." "Swift's fanbase has grown to unprecedented heights, and so has the significance of her music and growing legacy," according to the posting. "Seeing both the facts and the fury, the Taylor Swift reporter will identify why the pop star’s influence only expands, what her fanbase stands for in pop culture, and the effect she has across the music and business worlds."Taylor Swift performs during "The Eras Tour," Friday, May 5, 2023, at Nissan Stadium in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV, File)Swift, 33, started her musical career in Nashville as a teenager and owns a home there.The Grammy-winning artist, one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, just...

Gov. Newsom says California will intervene in court case blocking San Francisco from clearing encampments

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:47 GMT

By KATHLEEN RONAYNE | Associated PressSACRAMENTO — California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Tuesday the state will intervene in an ongoing federal court case that’s barred San Francisco from cleaning up homeless encampments until more shelter beds are available, saying the judge has gone too far and is preventing the state from solving a critical problem.“I hope this goes to the Supreme Court,” Newsom said. “And that’s a hell of a statement coming from a progressive Democrat.”Newsom made his remarks during an interview with news outlet Politico in Sacramento. He previously blasted U.S. Magistrate Judge Donna Ryu in an interview with the San Francisco Chronicle but had not disclosed his administration’s plan to file an amicus brief supporting the city’s efforts to overturn the ruling.Ryu granted the injunction in December after homeless advocates argued the city had been violating the law by clearing homeless encampments without offering shelter and improperly throwing out peoples’ belongin...

Marin census data error prompts Bay Area population revision

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:39:47 GMT

The U.S. Census Bureau has corrected its Bay Area population data because of a mistake involving Marin County’s numbers, according to a Federal Register notice published Tuesday.The errors involved figures the bureau officially released in December, when it reported the population of the San Francisco-Oakland urban area as 3.2 million. The correction brings the figure to 3.5 million residents.The addition of about a quarter-million residents, as well as more than 100,000 homes, came from the San Rafael-Novato urban area, which had been counted separately by accident when it should have been deleted and merged with the San Francisco-Oakland urban area.Because of similar errors, the bureau also increased the populations of the Atlanta and New Orleans urban areas.The agency publishes a list of urban areas and their population and housing counts after every once-a-decade census.