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Disney sues DeSantis, calling park takeover 'retaliation'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Disney sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday over the Republican's takeover of its theme park district, alleging the governor waged a "targeted campaign of government retaliation" after the company opposed a law critics call “Don't Say Gay.”The suit, filed in Tallahassee, was filed minutes after a Disney World oversight board appointed by DeSantis voted to void a deal that placed theme park design and construction decisions in the company's hands. It's the latest conflict in an ongoing feud between DeSantis, a Republican expected to run for president, and Disney, a powerful political player and major tourism driver in Florida. The dispute with Disney has drawn significant criticism from the governor’s White House rivals and business leaders who view it as an extraordinary rejection of the small-government tenets of conservatism.The fight began last year after Disney, in the face of significant pressure, publicly opposed a state law that bans classroom ...

Woman charged in St. Louis County murder

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A 26-year-old St. Louis County woman is in custody for a March homicide, near Interstate 70 and North Hanley Road.According to Sgt. Tracy Panus, a police spokeswoman, the shooting happened around 7:15 p.m. at a residence in the 8800 block of Dragonwyck Drive. Police found the victim, identified as Aaron Harris, suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. Harris was pronounced dead at the scene. He was 27. Top Story: Mushroom hunter describes discovering body in the woods At some point, detectives with the department's Crimes Against Persons unit claim to have identified Asia Ladd as the shooter and took her into custody. Police did not specify when Ladd was arrested.Panus said Ladd allegedly used cleaning products to clear the crime scene of possible evidence, and removed the weapon.The St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office charged Ladd with second-degree murder, armed criminal action, and tampering with physical evidence. Ladd is being held on a $...

Tips on attracting and feeding hummingbirds in Kansas, Missouri

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - With it now spring, multiple types of birds are migrating back to the Midwest for the warmer weather. One of the more popular birds is the hummingbird. Of the 319 species, 15 are found in the United States and only the ruby-throated Hummingbird is common in Kansas and Missouri, according to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Missouri Department of Conservation. ‘Return of the Jedi’ returning to these Kansas City theaters for one week Ruby-throated hummingbirds are a mere 3 1/2 inches long and weigh only 4.5 grams. They can be seen in Kansas and Missouri from mid-April to October. Plants, especially Missouri native plants, should be an important part of your plan to attract hummingbirds, according to the MDC. Flowers supply hummingbirds with the nutrient-rich nectar that can provide up to 90% of their diet. Ruby-throated hummingbirds especially love red or orange tubular flowers, such as those found on trumpet creeper, native honeysuckles, and red buckeye. Ac...

Cahokia man sentenced on federal weapons charge

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

BENTON, Ill. - A U.S. District Court judge in Illinois sentenced a Cahokia man to nearly three years in prison on a federal weapons charge.Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Illinois said Tyrone James, 47, was arrested in July 2021 during an investigation into a shooting in East St. Louis.James was seen on surveillance video with a handgun. Local authorities ultimately determined James was not involved in the shooting. However, officers were given consent to search a motel room that James had been staying in and located a .22 caliber pistol. During an interview with police, James said he had a prior felony conviction and knew he was not allowed to have a gun.James pleaded guilty to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. He received a 33-month sentence, plus three additional years of supervised release.

Illinois auctions unclaimed collectibles online

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

Collectible coins, currency, fine silver and jewelry are among more than 200 unclaimed property items to be auctioned online May 1-5 by the State of Illinois. (State of Illinois)“We hold these auctions when we need additional space in our vault,” said Illinois State Treasurer Michael Frerichs, whose office oversees unclaimed property in Illinois. “We choose items that typically have not been touched in about 10 years and that would make an interesting gift.”Items to be auctioned include three graded Silver Eagle coins, a 14-karat rose gold woman’s hand‑designed ring, a 24-karat stamped yellow gold bangle bracelet, and an 18-karat white with black rhodium gold woman’s cast halo ring containing a jelly opal. Among the other available items are uncut sheets of U.S. $1 bills and $2 bills, a variety of international bank notes, an Elgin pocket watch with chain, and several ounces of .999 fine silver, including Englehard bars. (State of Illinois)To be eligible to participate in the a...

Gateway Arch to be unlit at night in May for bird migration season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

ST. LOUIS - The Gateway Arch will be unlit for the entire month of May. Due to the spring bird migration season, the National Park Service will not light up the Gateway Arch at night. The NPS started this tradition back in 2002 to protect migrating birds from the monument's exterior lights. This St. Louis restaurant has the best soul food in Missouri, food writers say During migration, birds can travel up to 16,000 miles with speeds up to 30 miles per hour.

Disney sues DeSantis, calling park takeover ‘retaliation’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

By ANTHONY IZAGUIRRE (Associated Press)TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Disney sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday over the Republican’s takeover of its theme park district, alleging the governor waged a “targeted campaign of government retaliation” after the company opposed a law critics call “Don’t Say Gay.”The suit, filed in Tallahassee, was filed minutes after a Disney World oversight board appointed by DeSantis voted to void a deal that placed theme park design and construction decisions in the company’s hands. It’s the latest conflict in an ongoing feud between DeSantis, a Republican expected to run for president, and Disney, a powerful political player and major tourism driver in Florida. The dispute with Disney has drawn significant criticism from the governor’s White House rivals and business leaders who view it as an extraordinary rejection of the small-government tenets of conservatism.The fight began last year a...

Local control arguments didn’t stop ax from falling on Colorado rent control bill

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

Colorado lawmakers killed a bill Tuesday night that would’ve let local governments enact rent control policies, dealing a blow to progressive housing advocates’ ongoing efforts to insulate renters from rising rents and housing instability.Avon Democratic Sen. Dylan Roberts joined with three Republican senators to sink HB23-1115, which passed the House in late February by a comfortable, if partisan, margin. The bill wouldn’t have enacted any rent control or stabilization policies; it instead would’ve ended a 42-year prohibition that prevents local governments from doing so themselves. That’s critical, advocates and renters say, as rents have surged in recent years and pandemic-era eviction protections expire.Dozens of renters and advocates testified for hours in favor of the bill during its initial House hearing in February, alongside property owners and industry officials who warned of rent control’s impact on development.Tuesday night’s tes...

Unprecedented gains in Colorado home values preview budget-busting property tax hikes next year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

Homeowners across the state will need to set aside more money to cover their property taxes next year — significantly more money — based on the higher property values that county assessors have calculated and will notify them about early next month.Nine county assessors along the Front Range on Wednesday morning revealed the median increases in residential properties, which are valued on a two-year cycle in Colorado. The two-year increases are unprecedented, ranging from 33% in Denver County to 47% in Douglas County.Adams County reported a median residential value gain of 38%, Araphaoe came in at 42%, Boulder was at 35%, Broomfield at 41%, Elbert at 35%, Jefferson at 36.5% and Larimer at 40%. And as robust as those gains were, increases were even higher in several resort areas of the state, in the 40% to 60% range.On the whole, the gains are above what forecasters advising the Colorado legislature had predicted.Those gains were measured from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 202...

Denver firefighters battle heavy blaze in storage building west of downtown

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:16 GMT

A storage building burned so intensely west of downtown, churning up plumes of black smoke, that Denver firefighters initially had to back off the fire before surrounding it and containing it Wednesday morning.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | One dead, two others hospitalized in Lakewood apartment fire Crime and Public Safety | Denver weather: How much snow will Denver get from snowstorm hitting city Friday, Saturday? Crime and Public Safety | Denver weather: Cool and breezy, afternoon clouds expected across sunny blue skies Crime and Public Safety | Helicopter crew assessing Gageby Creek fire burning on 1,680 acres in southeastern Colorado Crime and Public Safety | Denver weather: Cooling temps with afternoon rainshowers, possible snow overnight It was located at 2506 W. 13th Ave., near the intersection at Zuni Street, and was discovered late Tuesday night. Smoke was noticeable as far east as t...