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CPS reveals prelim. budget plans for 2024 fiscal year

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:31 GMT

CHICAGO — The Chicago Public School system has revealed their plans for the 2024 fiscal year.CPS CEO Pedro Martinez unveiled budget plans during a zoom meeting alongside board members Tuesday, emphasizing a focus on equity, stability and acceleration."We know that our kids are capable of amazing growth while we support their learning," Martinez said during the Zoom meeting.CPS's current budget totals to $9.4 billion, while next year's number won't be disclosed until this summer."These exact numbers are subject to change as we work with school leaders and the budget process," Martinez said. South Side high school principal removed from post While Martinez was mum on specific numbers for the entire 2024 fiscal budget, he did promise that most of CPS's 633 schools will receive more funding than they did last year."We are projecting to add 150 million dollars for this next school year," Martinez said. "In addition to the 240 million that added for the current year that we're in."Sever...

Netflix to end its DVD-by-mail service after 25 years

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:31 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Netflix is poised to shut down the DVD-by-mail rental service that set the stage for its trailblazing video streaming service, ending an era that began a quarter century ago when delivering discs through the mail was considered a revolutionary concept.The DVD service, which still delivers films and TV shows in the red-and-white envelopes that once served as Netflix's emblem, plans to mail its final discs on Sept. 29.Netflix ended March with 232.5 million worldwide subscribers to its video streaming service, but it stopped disclosing how many people still pay for DVD-by-mail delivery years ago as that part of its business steadily shrank. The DVD service generated $145.7 million in revenue last year, which translated into somewhere between 1.1 million and 1.3 million subscribers, based on the average prices paid by customers. Netflix drops second live event after technical errors The growth of Netflix's video streaming service has been slowing down ov...

Aaron Carter drowned in tub due to drug, inhalant: coroner

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:31 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Singer and rapper Aaron Carter accidentally drowned in his bathtub due to sedatives he'd taken and gas used in spray cleaners he had inhaled, a coroner's report said Tuesday.Carter, the younger brother of the Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter, was found submerged and dead at age 34 in the bathtub of his home in Lancaster, California, on Nov. 5, the autopsy report from the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner said.The sedative alprazolam, often sold under the brand name Xanax, was found in his system, as was the compressed gas difluoroethane, which the report says is “a gas commonly used as a propellant in air spray cleaners,” which “can induce feelings of euphoria when inhaled."The two substances made him incapacitated in the tub, and caused the drowning, the report said.The autopsy was performed the day after Carter's death, but the results were withheld for toxicology tests, which often take months.

Tax Day 2023: What happens if I don't file my return in time?

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:31 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – It is finally upon us – Tax Day.For those who have already filed, April 18 is just Tuesday, but it may be a source of tremendous stress for others.If you are worried that you might not be able to finish your taxes in time, you can file for an extension, though that’s not ideal (more on that below.) Judge tentatively OKs $725M Facebook settlement: How to apply for a payout Whether you do your taxes yourself, go to a tax clinic or hire a professional, navigating the tax system can be complicated and stressful. Courtney Alev, a consumer financial advocate for Credit Karma, recommends you go easy on yourself.“Take a breath. Take some time, set out an hour, or go through it over the weekend. You’ll hopefully see that it’s a lot simpler than you think,” Alev said.Can I file for an extension?The good news is that filing for an extension is pretty painless, but there's a catch – you don't get extra time to pay your taxes.You can use IRS Free File, regardless of income, to file...

Frontier Airlines launches all-you-can-fly pass

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:31 GMT

DENVER, Colo. (WGN) -- Frontier Airlines launched their "GoWild! All-You-Can-Fly Pass" packages last week that allow passengers to purchase an unlimited number of flights.The pass includes access to over 75 United States destinations and international destinations in Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central America. The highest value airline rewards program is a bit of a surprise For each flight purchased with the pass, Frontier Airline passengers would only pay $0.01 in airfare before taxes, fees, and charges. While the pass is valid, passengers can book an unlimited number of flights.Frontier Airlines travelers will be able to confirm bookings 24 hours before departure for domestic flights and 10 days prior to international flights.Flights must be booked through flyfrontier.com and are subject to blackout periods. Add-ons such as bags or seats are not included with the pass. These airlines have lost, damaged the most luggage: data Passengers can purchase a summer pass for ...

Washington County takes steps to complete highway connection by taking over road in Oak Park Heights

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:31 GMT

Over objections from officials in Oak Park Heights, the Washington County Board on Tuesday voted to take over part of a street in the city to create a connection in the Manning Avenue corridor south of Minnesota 36.Washington County officials plan to use state law to recategorize 58th Street between Memorial Avenue and Stillwater Boulevard as a county road. Under Minnesota statute 163.11, any roadway in a county can be recategorized as a county road. The county would then be responsible for maintenance and improvements to that road.County officials have been looking for ways to create a connection in the Manning Avenue corridor – “the backbone of the county” – for more than 30 years, said Kevin Peterson, a design engineer for Washington County. Extending 58th Street would create a link between the southern and northern portions of Manning, also known as Washington County 15, he said.Currently, southbound Manning Avenue ends at Minnesota 36. To continue south, drivers must get on Min...

Air Force pulls intelligence mission from unit where accused leaker served

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:31 GMT

The Air Force has removed the intelligence mission from the unit where a 21-year-old Air National Guardsman had access to potentially hundreds of classified documents leaked over the internet, service officials revealed Tuesday. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall told senators he has directed the service’s inspector general to investigate the Air National Guard 102nd Intelligence Wing in Cape Cod, Mass., the unit where Airman 1st Class Jack Teixeira served, to look at “anything associated with this leak that could have gone wrong.” Until then, the 102nd “is not currently performing its assigned intelligence mission. The mission has been temporarily reassigned to other organizations within the Air Force,” a service spokesperson confirmed to The Hill. Teixeira was charged on Friday with violating the Espionage Act and another statute that prohibits the unauthorized removal of classified documents in relation to the posting of more than 100 such papers to a group on Discord. The ma...

Woman dies in crash after fleeing from police

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:31 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A woman was killed in a crash while speeding away from police, who tried to pull her over.Officials from the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department said the accident unfolded around 1 p.m. Tuesday when an officer on Interstate 70 near Salisbury saw a car going at least 80 miles per hour. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle.Authorities said the female driver exited the interstate at Grand, got back on the interstate at Grand, exited again, this time at Adelaide Avenue, and then ran a red light, colliding with a tractor-trailer that was in the intersection. Police said the driver of the speeding vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene. Top story: Overland armored car robbery video reveals surprising actions Both directions of I-70 were closed following the crash but have since reopened. However, the exit ramp near Adelaide Avenue will remain closed as accident reconstruction crews investigate the deadly crash.It's unclear why the woman fled from the police.Accid...

Colorado Senate committee set to consider significant changes to marquee land-use reform bill

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:31 GMT

Colorado legislators will weigh a slew of hefty changes to a sweeping land-use reform bill Tuesday afternoon, a sign of the depth of opposition facing a marquee piece of legislation championed by Gov. Jared Polis as an answer to the state’s housing crisis.The bill’s supporters have previewed imminent changes to the legislation in the nearly two weeks since the Senate’s Local Government and Housing committee heard roughly 12 hours of testimony on SB23-213 and the impacts it’ll have on the state’s myriad zoning laws.The proposed amendments include carveouts for resort areas and a significant cut to the bill’s initial plan to allow middle housing — like duplexes — to be built on any single-family plot in Colorado cities. To address concerns from affordable housing advocates, another amendment would also better spell out what steps local governments must take to counteract displacement and gentrification.In all, Commerce City Democratic Se...

Former L.A. doctor sentenced to 7 years in federal prison for massive health insurance fraud scheme

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:31 GMT

A former doctor from West Hollywood was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for scheming to defraud private insurance companies and the Tricare health care program for U.S. military service members of hundreds of millions of dollars. Julian Omidi, who ran the 1-800-GET-THIN Lap-Band surgery business, fraudulently submitted nearly $120 million in claims related to his weight loss surgery business, according to the Department of Justice.  Omidi and his Beverly Hills-based company, Surgery Center Management, LLC, were found guilty in December 2021 of 28 counts of wire fraud and three counts of mail fraud. Omidi was also found guilty of two counts of making false statements relating to health care matters, one count of aggravated identity theft and two counts of money laundering, as well as a charge of conspiracy to commit money laundering. Surgery Center Management, LLC, was also sentenced to five years of probation. The 54-year-old West Hollywood man is a former dermatolog...