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Americans sour on the primary election process and major political parties, an AP-NORC poll says

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:40:23 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — With the GOP primary process just about to start, many Republicans aren’t certain that votes will be counted correctly in their presidential primary contest, amid widespread pessimism about the future of both the Democratic and Republican parties, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.About one-third of Republicans say they have a “great deal” or “quite a bit” of confidence that votes in the upcoming Republican primary elections and caucuses will be counted correctly. About three in 10 Republicans report a “moderate” amount of confidence, and 32% say they have “only a little” or “none at all.” In contrast, 72% of Democrats have high confidence their party will count votes accurately in its primary contests. Democrats are also slightly more likely than Republicans to have a high level of confidence in the Republican Party’s vote count being accurate.Republicans continue to be broadly doubtful about votes bein...

As the Endangered Species Act turns 50, those who first enforced it reflect on its mixed legacy

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:40:23 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — On Dec. 28, 1973, President Richard Nixon signed the Endangered Species Act. “Nothing,” he said, “is more priceless and more worthy of preservation than the rich array of animal life with which our country has been blessed.” The powerful new law charged the federal government with saving every endangered plant and animal in America and enjoyed nearly unanimous bipartisan support.The Act was so sweeping that, in retrospect, it was bound to become controversial, especially since it allowed species to be listed as endangered without consideration for the economic consequences. In that way it pitted two American values against each other: the idea that Americans should preserve their incredible natural resources (the United States invented the national park, after all) and the notion that capitalism was king and private property inviolate.Left to navigate this minefield was a group of young biologists in Washington — the first Office of Endangered Species.THE SNA...

A US delegation to meet with Mexican government for talks on the surge of migrants at border

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:40:23 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A top U.S. delegation is to meet with Mexico’s president Wednesday in what many see as a bid to get Mexico to do more to stem a surge of migrants reaching the U.S. southwestern border. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has said he is willing to help, but also says he wants to see progress in U.S. relations with Cuba and Venezuela, two of the top senders of migrants, and more development aid for the region. Both sides face strong pressure to reach an agreement after past steps like limiting direct travel into Mexico or deporting some migrants failed to stop the influx. This month, as many as 10,000 migrants were arrested daily at the southwest U.S. border. The U.S. has struggled to process thousands of migrants at the border, or house them once they reach northern cities. Mexican industries were stung last week when the U.S. briefly closed two vital Texas railway crossings, arguing border patrol agents had to be reassigned to deal with the surge. ...

Influence of slow moving upper-air disturbance continues

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:40:23 GMT

Wednesday's clouds and sprinkles are to build into more widespread rain overnight and ThursdayWGN WEATHER HEADLINESONLY ONE MONTH IN 2023 (MARCH) FINISHED WITH A BELOW NORMAL TEMP and only 0.2 degrees BELOW NORMAL. The warming was most pronounced in the winter months.2023 TEMPS HAVE BEEN QUITE SOMETHING IN CHICAGO: Obscured by the ups and downs in temps which occur over the course of ANY YEAR here is the MAGNITUDE OF 2023's WARMTH here in Chicago:TO DATE: 2023 is running a eye-catching 2.7 degrees ABOVE NORMAL — QUITE A DEPARTURE FOR A FULL YEAR — with an average temp of 54.4 degrees. That places 2023 in among the warmest 2% of years since 1871. And if we look at the HIGH TEMPS in 2023 to date, 2023 ranks 2nd warmest placing high temps for the year among the top 1.3% of annual high temps in the 153 years since 1871.What's more, the NOAA Midwestern Regional Climate Center indicates THE PAST 2 YEARS rank 4th warmest of the past 153 years here in Chicago with a temp surplus over the pa...

At Barbara Lee’s first home, memories of her economic and healthcare struggles

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:40:23 GMT

Barbara Lee has represented Oakland and parts of the East Bay in the House of Representatives since 1998 and is in the race for California’s U.S. Senate seat that will open up after Sen. Laphonza Butler finishes the current term. Butler was appointed to the seat after the death of Dianne Feinstein.   In the race are fellow Democratic House members as well as several Republican contenders, but in a mid-December interview, Lee said that the things she has experienced in her life give her insight into the economic and healthcare struggles of everyday Americans. At the health facility named after her in the San Leandro Unified School District, Lee states some of the causes that she has fought for as a member of the House and will continue to fight for in the U.S. Senate if elected. “It’s all about health and wellness,” Lee said. “So many young people don’t have access to healthcare and mental healthcare…I’m sure when young people come into an exam room, they are...

SF police chase leads to multiple crashes, injuries

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:40:23 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Several people were injured after being involved in crashes that resulted from a police chase in San Francisco on Tuesday, the San Francisco Police Department said. The chase began at about 6 p.m. at McAllister Street and Larkin Street when officers spotted a car that was wanted for a hit-and-run. The driver sped off and hit an uninvolved car, police said. Oakley police search for person who stole from UPS store on Christmas morning Three people in the car that was struck were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. As police chased the car, it struck a pedestrian who was also hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. The chase finally concluded near Pennsylvania Street and the suspect was arrested. The suspect was hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries as well. He had an open arrest warrant for illegal firearm possession. Any possible charges are pending, SFPD said.

Have the holiday blues? Psychiatrist gives tips on how to keep your head up

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:40:23 GMT

Have you heard of the holiday blues? True to its name, it’s a term often used to refer to feelings of sadness that last throughout the holiday season, especially during November and December.Dr. Petros Levounis, president of the American Psychiatric Association, said keeping your body healthy is a big part of keeping the holiday blues away and getting back to a better place.“Big part of having as good mental health as possible is to take care of our physical health,” he said. “Exercise, diet, sleep, rest, are all very, very high up on our priorities when we talk about mental health.”Another important tip? Levounis said to cut yourself some slack and remember you don’t have to be perfect.“Somehow the holidays have a very annoying way of getting us to a space where we think we have to be perfect,” he said. “We have to prepare the perfect meal, we have to get people the perfect gifts, we have to be the perfect hosts, we have to be t...

Simons, Reath lead the Trail Blazers past the Kings, 130-113

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:40:23 GMT

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Anfernee Simons scored 29 points to lead the Portland Trail Blazers to a 130-113 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Tuesday night.Duop Reath added a career-high 25 points and grabbed nine rebounds off the bench for the Blazers, who were without starting center Deandre Ayton (right knee tendinitis) and shooting guard Shaedon Sharpe (right adductor strain). Malcolm Brogdon scored 19 points, while Scoot Henderson and Jabari Walker each had 17 off the bench.Henderson added 11 assists and had only one turnover in one of his strongest games of his pro career.De’Aaron Fox scored 43 points and Domantas Sabonis had 34 points, but no other Sacramento players scored in double figures.UP NEXTTrail Blazers: Back-to-back matchups against San Antonio at home on Thursday and Friday.Kings: Visit Atlanta on Friday.___AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nbaSource

Flag! Kansas and UNLV seeing yellow as penalties pile up at Guaranteed Rate Bowl

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:40:23 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Fans are seeing yellow at the Guaranteed Rate Bowl.The bowl game at Chase Field has been stop and start all night Tuesday as officials called 22 penalties for 240 yards — through three quarters.Kansas, one of the nation’s least-penalized teams with 55 during the regular season, has gotten the worst of it, flagged 17 times for 195 yards. The Jayhawks have four personal fouls, two unsportsmanlike conducts, two 15-yard facemasks and two pass interference calls.UNLV has been hit with one unsportsmanlike conduct penalty and been flagged five times for 45 yards.___AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-footballSource

WTOP’s Book Report: Don’t-miss books of 2023

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:40:23 GMT

This story was written as part of the WTOP Book Report series authored by Terik King. Read more of that coverage. In 2023, WTOP’s Book Report series took us many places. We’ve conversed with a law professor about the complicated history of police lawsuits, chatted with a journalist about the power of cancel culture, heard from a cryptologic linguist who spent years translating the Taliban’s conversations, and even talked to twin sisters about their co-authored mystery novel.As the year draws to a close, a few favorites emerge as the cream of the crop across various genres, highlighted here as a collection of “don’t miss” books to bring into 2024.MYSTERY/SUSPENSE FICTION“Everyone Here Is Lying” by Shari LaPena(Cover art courtesy Pamela Dorman Books / Viking)One of the most interesting fiction books of the year, this nail-biting suspense thriller grabs you from the first page. After family man William Wooler has an affair that ends horribly, he retu...