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What is Prop II? Voters to decide on preschool and nicotine taxes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:20 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Monday marks the first day that county clerks can start sending ballots out to Colorado voters. This year's statewide ballot will have two questions, including one involving nicotine and preschool. If you have lived in Colorado for a while, you may remember Proposition EE. Will Prop HH eliminate TABOR refunds? Scenario ‘likely’ over time Three years ago, Colorado voters approved a tax on nicotine items. The tax money went toward funding the state's universal preschool program."Turns out, a couple of years in, the state found out that the tax was collecting more than anticipated," said Jake Williams, CEO of Healthier Colorado, which is in favor of the ballot question passing. "And as per our state constitution, we need to go back to voters to ask permission to hang on to that money and keep investing it into kids via access to preschool, or should we give that money back to tobacco companies?"The extra dollars the state brought in were significant. More than $23.6 ...

Is violent crime going up in Colorado? New FBI data explains

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:20 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – A massive data dump of 11 million criminal offenses reported to the FBI paints a complicated picture of crime in the United States, as well as in Colorado.In 2022, violent crime overall — which includes homicide, rape, robbery and aggravated assault — dropped modestly. Violent crime was 1.7% lower in 2022 than in 2021, the FBI said. The drop brings violent violent crime back to pre-pandemic levels, though not as low as it was between 2013 and 2015. The data, released Monday, shows that while violent crime dropped nationwide in 2022, it increased in Colorado, continuing a COVID-era trend. Last year, Colorado saw 492.5 violent crimes per 100,000 people, up from 480.4 in 2021 and 423.1 in 2020. Colorado adults: Can you answer these 5th-grade state math test questions? The FBI relies on reporting by local law enforcement agencies to compile its report on the state of crime around the country. The agency estimates its data covers about 94% of the population. More than 230 l...

Hundreds gather in Boston’s Back Bay for demonstration in support of Palestinian people

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:20 GMT

Hundreds of people marched through the Back Bay on Monday in a massive demonstration in support of the people of Palestine as Israel prepares for a possible ground offensive following a horrific attack from Hamas.The crowd was gathered outside of the Boston Public Library around 6 p.m., where a series of speakers addressed Israel’s ongoing bombing campaign against Gaza that has left hundreds of people dead following a surprise attack that left hundreds of Israelis dead.Others spoke about the more than a million Gaza residents who are living without water and electricity and are being ordered to evacuate their homes.An organizer told 7NEWS, “What we’re saying is no to imperialism, no to war, and we stand on the side of justice and with the Palestinian people and their righteous resistance against occupation.”This is a developing news story; stay with 7NEWS on-air and online for the latest details.

QB Justin Fields is doubtful to play in the Chicago Bears’ Week 7 game because of a dislocated right thumb

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:20 GMT

Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields is doubtful to play in Week 7 against the Las Vegas Raiders as he recovers from a dislocated right thumb.Fields, who was hurt during the third quarter of Sunday’s 19-13 home loss to the Minnesota Vikings, had X-rays of his right hand taken at the stadium during the game and underwent a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan Monday morning. The X-rays were negative for a fracture.Bears coach Matt Eberflus didn’t share the specifics of what the MRI showed, but he insinuated that Fields’ uncertain recovery timetable likely would inhibit his ability to be ready for Sunday’s game at Soldier Field.“It’s really going to come down to grip strength,” Eberflus said. “There’s natural swelling that occurs with this injury. We really should know more at the end of the week.”Fields was at Halas Hall on Monday working on his recovery with team trainers. But Eberflus didn’t dismiss th...

3 things we heard from the Chicago Bears, including a new hire for the coaching staff and the latest on Nate Davis’ injury

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:20 GMT

Chicago Bears coach Matt Eberflus spoke with reporters Monday at Halas Hall to recap his team’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.Along with Eberflus declaring quarterback Justin Fields doubtful to play Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders because of a thumb injury, here are three other things we learned.1. The Bears hired Phil Snow as a senior defensive analyst.Snow, who has coached in college and the NFL since 1979, will do advance scouting of opponents for the defensive coaching staff. Eberflus said Snow will present his reports to coaches on Mondays and Tuesdays but will not coach on game days.Snow was the Carolina Panthers defensive coordinator under coach Matt Rhule the last three seasons until the Panthers fired him in October 2022 after Rhule was fired. Snow coached linebackers for the Detroit Lions from 2005-08.He was a college defensive coordinator most recently at Baylor and also at Temple, Eastern Michigan, Washington, UCLA, Arizona State and Boise State.Ebe...

Nazis protest outside Healey’s home – governor doesn’t even mention it

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:20 GMT

Neo-nazis are not welcome in Massachusetts, the governor said after a group of them gathered in protest outside of her private residence.About a dozen masked members of the group NSC-131 stood across the street from the governor’s Arlington home on Saturday night, holding a protest that resulted in no arrests and no physical violence, but spreading a message of hate that Gov. Maura Healey said does not fly in the Bay State.“These Neo-Nazis and white supremacists are trying to scare people from exercising their rights and standing up to their hate. We won’t tolerate it in Massachusetts,” she said in a written statement. The governor did not mention the protest during a Monday press availability.Local CBS affiliate WBZ was the first to notice the gathering outside the governor’s home over the weekend, reporting a gathering of men chanting anti-immigrant slogans and holding a sign that read “New England is ours, the rest must go.”Healey’s staff confirmed the protestors were membe...

‘No place in America’: Biden, elected officials condemn stabbings of Muslim family in Illinois

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:20 GMT

The weekend stabbing death of a 6-year-old Muslim boy and wounding of his 32-year-old mother allegedly at the hands of a landlord upset about the escalating war between Israel and Hamas drew swift condemnation from politicians across Chicago and the nation.Hours after the charges were announced Sunday, President Joe Biden said he was sickened to hear of the fatal stabbing of Wadea Al-Fayoume and the serious wounding of his mother, Hanaan Shahin.“This act of hate against a Palestinian Muslim family has no place in America,” Biden wrote in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter. “As Americans, we must come together and reject Islamophobia and all forms of bigotry and hatred. I have said repeatedly that I will not be silent in the face of hate. We must be unequivocal.”Joseph Czuba, 71, of Plainfield, was charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two counts of hate crimes and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon in a “senseless and cowardly act,” the Will ...

Reps slam Squad ‘cease-fire’ talk while hostages held by Hamas — possibly some Americans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:20 GMT

With 200 hostages still being held captive — possibly some Americans — Bay State congressmen are saying now is not the time for a cease-fire in Israel.The U.S. State Department says the number of Americans killed since the outbreak of war between Israel and Hamas has risen to 30 — with 13 more still missing.The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Monday that at least 199 hostages are known to be held in Gaza, a number much greater than previously believed, according to The Times of Israel.Hamas has also released another video of a hostage on their Telegram channel, this time showing a young woman receiving medical attention after what appears to be a serious arm injury, the Jerusalem Post is reporting.All this, says U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Salem), should end all talk over a cease-fire with Hamas.“Did we call for a cease-fire and de-escalation after Pearl Harbor? Instead of pushing Israel into a ceasefire with an organization that has proven it is hellbent...

Kansas is No. 1 in the preseason men's AP Top 25; Duke, Purdue next as 5 teams get first-place votes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:20 GMT

Bill Self likes to remind his team that the faces may change at Kansas but the expectations within his program never do.Expectations outside the program? Turns out they are as high as possible this year.The Jayhawks were the clear No. 1 pick in the AP Top 25 preseason men's basketball poll released Monday, earning 46 of 63 first-place votes to easily outdistance No. 2 Duke and No. 3 Purdue. It's the fourth time since Self's arrival in Lawrence that his team will start the season on top but the first time since the 2018-19 season.“You know you'll have a target on your back playing at Kansas,” said Kevin McCullar Jr., who decided to return for a second season with the Jayhawks and fifth in college hoops. "We'll have that chip on our shoulder, you know, prove everybody wrong, and state why you should be the No. 1 team in the nation. You go out there and use that. You use that as fuel every day.”The Jayhawks had a disappointing follow-up to their 2022 national title last season, losing ...

UN Security Council meets to vote on rival Russian and Brazilian resolutions on Israel-Hamas war

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:20 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council met Monday evening to vote on rival Russian and Brazilian resolutions that reflect deep divisions over the decades-old Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the latest Hamas’ attacks and Israeli retaliation.But immediately after the meeting was gaveled to order, the United Arab Emirates ambassador, Lana Nusseibeh, asked for members to go into closed consultations, and the 15 council ambassadors left the room. Several diplomats said they wanted a delay in the vote, especially on the Brazil resolution.The U.N.’s most powerful body, which is charged with maintaining international peace and security, has failed to respond to Hamas’ surprise Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed some 1,300 people and to Israel’s airstrikes that have killed 2,750 Palestinians and its order to Gazans in the north to head south to avoid an expected ground war.The Russian draft resolution, which was scheduled to be voted on first, calls for “an immediate, durabl...