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New Mexico official orders insurance companies to expand timely access to behavioral health services

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico’s top insurance regulator on Tuesday ordered health insurance companies to expand timely access to behavioral health services in response to the governor recently declaring a public health emergency over gun violence in the state’s largest metropolitan area.Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham initially sought to ban people from the open and concealed carry of firearms in Albuquerque and surrounding Bernalillo County, but a federal judge put that effort on hold pending the outcome of multiple legal challenges. Still, other provisions of the order remain in place, including mandates by the governor for public health officials to address substance abuse and mental health problems.Superintendent of Insurance Alice Kane’s emergency order mandates that major medical health insurers cover out-of-network behavioral health services at in-network rates.“My office is committed to reducing barriers to vital care and doing everything we can t...

Second teenager arrested in video recorded hit-run crash of ex-California police chief in Las Vegas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Las Vegas police on Tuesday announced a second teenager has been arrested in a series of hit-and-run crashes, including the death of a former California police chief who was riding a bicycle last month.Deputy Chief Nick Farese said in an afternoon news conference that the arrest was made earlier Tuesday at the teenager’s home. Farese did not identify the teenager.Family members of the cyclist, Andreas Rene Probst, 64, a retired former police chief from the small Southern California city of Bell, also attended the police briefing.The briefing by police came a day after the elected district attorney in Las Vegas said he would charge the 17-year-old alleged driver of the car as an adult with murder and possibly other charges. Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson said in a statement that the investigation to identify and arrest a “second perpetrator” was continuing.“I am confident that justice will be served in this matter once the investigation is complet...

Danny Masterson's wife, Bijou Phillips, files for divorce after rape convictions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

(KTLA) — Danny Masterson's wife, Bijou Phillips, has filed for divorce less than two weeks after the former “That ’70s Show” actor was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison for raping two women in 2003.The filing was submitted on Monday in Santa Barbara, with Philips citing “irreconcilable differences" as the reason behind their split, People Magazine reported. The two got married in 2011 and have a 9-year-old daughter together.News of the divorce filing was first reported by TMZ.“Ms. Phillips has decided to file for divorce from her husband during this unfortunate time. Her priority remains with her daughter. This period has been unimaginably hard on the marriage and the family. Mr. Masterson was always present for Ms. Phillips during her most difficult times of her life," Peter Lauzon, Phillips’ lawyer, told The Hollywood Reporter in a statement."Ms. Phillips acknowledges that Mr. Masterson is a wonderful father to their daughter." After her husband’s sentencing, a source told P...

New technology allows those with hearing loss to feel the sounds of Chicago opera

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

CHICAGO — A new audience is getting to experience some of the most beautiful music ever created for the first time. And it's all thanks to a new groundbreaking piece of technology.SoundShirt is designed to allow audience members who are deaf or hearing impaired to enjoy the Lyric Opera of Chicago by using real-time vibrations to convey a performance. Lyric's senior director of digital initiatives, Brad Dunn, was introduced to the technology in February 2020. Chicago Symphony Orchestra, musicians union agree to 3-year contract "I was familiar with the company CuteCircuit. They are based in London," Dunn said. "I had been in London on other business in February 2020 and I visited their studio. They showed me the shirt. They were like, 'This is our newest thing.' I tried it and it was amazing. And then the pandemic happened and they really couldn't launch it."With the pandemic now over, The Lyric will be the first in the world to apply the innovation in live opera.Lyric Opera general...

Illinois family found dead inside home, 'not a random incident': police

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. (WGN) — A homicide investigation is underway after a couple, their two children and three dogs were found dead inside a home in Illinois.Police conducted a well-being check around 8:40 p.m. Sunday on the family's home in Romeoville after a member of the household did not show up to work and was not responding to phone calls. Romeoville is located about 30 miles southwest of Chicago.Upon arrival, officers found two adults and two children dead with gunshot wounds inside a residence.Police said three dogs were also found fatally shot. According to authorities, the adult victims have been identified as Alberto Rolon, 38. and Zoraida Bartolomei, 32. Police said the deceased children, ages 7 and 9, belonged to both Rolon and Bartolomei. The children's identities have not yet been released.Investigators said the shooting happened sometime between 9 p.m. Saturday and 5 a.m. Sunday. Police do not believe the shooter is among the victims. Ins...

Pflugerville FD says city hired unskilled ambulance service, autopsy says private paramedic caused patient death

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — Travis County ESD No. 2 said it is concerned for the public's safety after seeing problems with private paramedics hired by the city. An autopsy report showed a paramedic caused a patient's death while in their care earlier this year.The City of Pflugerville hired Allegiance Mobile Health last year to provide emergency medical and ambulance services. Travis County ESD No. 2, also known as the Pflugerville Fire Department, often responds to calls if needed in the same area as Allegiance paramedics. Pflugerville petition aims to transfer funds from ESD 2 to City with ultimate goal of city-run ambulance service The hiring came just months before a localized push to reduce the special taxes that fund ESD No. 2 in favor of a city-run ambulance service.Fire Chief Nick Perkins said his crews have witnessed skill issues by Allegiance paramedics such as not having the proper equipment for certain medical calls."We've seen incidences of not bringing the equipmen...

Apple Valley, White Bear Lake pull school resource officers. Republicans call for informational hearings.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

Some police departments that started the school year with school resource officers have now paused their programs, including in Apple Valley and White Bear Lake, leading to Republican legislators calling on their Democratic counterparts Tuesday to hold informational hearings.A change in state law, which was part of a sweeping education bill this year, has led about 40 law enforcement agencies to pause their school resource office programs.The law says school resource officers can’t restrain students face-down or put a student in a hold that restricts their ability to breath or communicate distress, except when necessary “to restrain a student to prevent bodily harm or death to the student or to another.”Law enforcement leaders say the change imposes two standards on officers: School resource officers working under a contract with a school district are subject to the law, while a patrol officer responding to a school is not. They also interpret it to mean a school resource offi...

Lead detected in taps at Lino Lakes prison; state DOC to develop water management plan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

The Minnesota Department of Corrections says it will develop a water management plan for all of its facilities after lead was found in water sources at the Lino Lakes prison.That announcement Tuesday followed a Sep. 3 protest by inmates at the Stillwater prison over various conditions, including claims that the water was discolored and not safe to drink.After the protest, DOC Commissioner Paul Schnell received assistance from the state Department of Health in testing the Bayport facility’s water. The MDH collected samples from more than 80 locations in the prison.The DOC said Tuesday that “preliminary results have not found any immediate risk associated with the facility’s drinking water.”The lead found in the water of three of 10 tested faucets at the Lino Lakes prison was a separate development that occurred during routine sampling, according to the DOC. The lead levels exceeded federal guidance but “is below the level that would indicate an immediate health concern.” The th...

California city considers granting illegal immigrants the right to vote

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

ORANGE COUNTY, Calif. - The Santa Ana City Council is once again considering a measure that would allow noncitizens to vote in municipal elections.Proponents argue that the city’s large noncitizen community, including those who are in the country illegally, should have a say in local affairs since they often pay taxes and contribute to the economy.“I do believe that noncitizen voting in local elections is about increasing civic engagement,” Councilmember Jonathan Hernandez told KTLA.Santa Ana isn’t the first city to consider this contentious issue, which has a mixed track record nationwide.A similar measure that was approved by New York City was later struck down by the state Supreme Court. Some states, including Ohio, Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota and North Dakota have banned noncitizen voting outright.In San Francisco, a judge struck down a law that allowed noncitizens to vote in school board elections after opponents argued that it diluted their vote and violated...

What is Disney up to with its increased spending plans? Laz weighs in

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:47:50 GMT

Disney plans to inject loads of cash into some of its tried and true business sectors, announcing plans to nearly double its investment into theme parks and cruises.Over the next decade, Disney will be spending about $60 billion on, among other things, "investing in expanding and enhancing domestic and international parks and cruise line capacity."It's unclear exactly what that means, but it can be fun to speculate. Disney already plans to expand the current footprint of Disneyland in Anaheim into its existing company-owned property. And Disney has already announced plans for two new cruise ships that are expected to be delivered in the next two years and a third shortly after. So what else is the entertainment giant cooking?"Disney doubling its spending on theme parks and cruise ships over the next 10 years tells us that the company is, as Paul Simon might say, leaning on old familiar ways," said David Lazarus, KTLA's business and consumer news expert. "Its streaming services aren’...