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Democrats win on abortion rights, and other highlights from Tuesday’s off-year elections

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:17:59 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — There was plenty in the early results of Tuesday’s off-year election to make Democrats happy, but it shouldn’t be enough to make them feel secure heading into next year’s presidential election.Abortion rights supporters won an Ohio ballot measure and the Democratic governor of beet-red Kentucky held onto his office by campaigning on reproductive rights and painting his opponent as extremist on abortion.The off-year elections have major implications for both of those states and provide a snapshot of American politics heading into 2024. But two big names — Joe Biden and Donald Trump — weren’t on the ballot.Here are some key results from Tuesday’s voting.ABORTION REMAINS POTENT FOR DEMOCRATSDemocrats notched two early wins Tuesday night in Kentucky and Ohio, both states that voted for Trump in 2020. In both states, abortion was the main issue.In Kentucky, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear was reelected in a state that Trump had won by 26 percentage ...

Whitby Mayor won’t use strong mayor powers to end garbage strike

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:17:59 GMT

Whitby Mayor Elizabeth Roy says she won’t use strong mayor powers to end a weeks-long labour disruption that’s halted garbage pickup and affected other city services.In an update Tuesday, Roy released a statement saying she wouldn’t use the strong mayor powers granted by the province to force an end to the strike.“Bill 3 does not give me the ability to order the Town’s unionized employees back to work or to implement a collective agreement,” Roy wrote. ” I’m not aware of any mayors in Ontario who have used Bill 3 to intervene in the collective bargaining process.“While strong mayor powers can be far-reaching, I do not believe it is the intent of this legislation to see mayors disrupt lawful labour action or otherwise insinuate themselves into the collective bargaining process.”In the meantime, a mediator is being called in to aid in bargaining between the Town of Whitby and CUPE 53, with the two sides scheduled to meet again on Novembe...

Opinion: 'Oh you almost had it!' is becoming a weekly theme for the Chicago Bears

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:17:59 GMT

CHICAGO — Taking in the Chicago Bears game this weekend felt a whole lot like watching a State Farm commercial I've seen for years.Come now, and journey with me down memory lane. Last Week's Column: The Chicago Bears need Jim Harbaugh In the commercial, two women appear in a shopping boutique — and all of a sudden — one spots a purse they want to buy. After uttering the magic words, "Like a good neighbor, State Farm is there," Anthony the State Farm agent appears and lets one of the women know she saved about $150 with her discount double check.Thrilled, she picks up the purse and glides over to the cashier's counter to make a purchase.The other woman, who doesn't have State Farm, rattles off a jingle hoping her insurance company can help too."I don't have State Farm, but insurance find me money!" she says.*Poof*A fisherman appears, with a little bit of green attached to the end of the hook on his fishing pole."I got you a dollar," the fisherman exclaims.Disappointed, the woman re...

Ohio passes Issue 1 ballot measure enshrining abortion protections

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:17:59 GMT

A ballot measure seeking to enshrine abortion protections into Ohio’s state constitution is projected to pass, according to Decision Desk HQ, delivering a major win for Democrats and abortion rights advocates ahead of 2024.The proposed constitutional amendment would protect access to abortion up until fetal viability, with exceptions for the life and health of the patient beyond that point. It’s the first time that abortion rights advocates have been able to pass abortion protections in a state that’s trended increasingly red in recent years.Abortion is legal up until 22 weeks, while the Ohio Supreme Court is weighing a six-week ban that is on hold right now. Ohio became a flashpoint after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last year when a 10-year-old rape victim was forced to travel out of state to receive access to the medical procedure. Earlier in the summer, the state held an August special election where voters weighed a separate proposed constitutional amendment th...

Danica Roem becomes Virginia's first openly transgender state senator

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:17:59 GMT

Virginia Democrat Danica Roem was projected to win her election Tuesday, according to Decision Desk HQ, becoming the commonwealth's first openly transgender state senator and the first out transgender person elected to a state Senate anywhere in the South.Roem, 39, defeated former Fairfax County police detective Bill Woolf, a conservative Republican endorsed by Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), who vowed to bar transgender athletes from competing on school sports teams if elected.“You attack trans kids in my district at your own political peril,” Roem told The Hill in a recent interview.Roem, who became the nation’s first openly transgender state lawmaker when she was elected to Virginia’s House of Delegates in 2017, campaigned on her experience in the legislature and successful bipartisan bills, including legislation signed by Youngkin guaranteeing hot meals to public school students and reducing traffic congestion along Route 28 in Virginia.“I’m known nationally for being trans – ...

Gabe Amo elected as Rhode Island's first Black congressman

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:17:59 GMT

Former White House aide Gabe Amo (D) is projected to win the special election to fill the remainder of former Rep. David Cicilline’s (D-R.I.) seat in Rhode Island, according to Decision Desk HQ, making him the state's first Black representative to Congress.Amo beat out Marine veteran Gerry Leonard (R) to fill Cicilline’s vacancy in Rhode Island’s 1st Congressional District. The Rhode Island Democrat announced in February that he was leaving his seat in June to be the CEO and president of the Rhode Island Foundation. The former White House aide won a crowded Democratic primary in September, and a poll from the Pell Center at Salve Regina University in late October found Amo leading Leonard 46 percent to 35 percent. More Election Day coverage from The HillDemocrat Andy Beshear wins reelection in Kentucky governor’s raceOhio passes Issue 1 ballot measure enshrining abortion protectionsElection Day 2023 live updates: Stay up to date as results come inThe seat we...

Texas homestead tax exemption increase approved by voters

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:17:59 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Texans voted to approve Proposition 4 which will increase the homestead tax exemption and provide property tax relief, according to Associated Press projections. ELECTION DAY BLOG: Texans vote on 14 state constitutional amendments, local propositions With 40% of the vote reported, 84% voted in favor of the proposition.The changes will apply to the 2023 tax bills due in January.Proposition 4, stemming from H.J.R 2 from the 2nd special session this year, will:Raise the general school district homestead exemption to $100,000Allow legislature to set a cap on annual appraised-value increase for non-homestead real propertyEnsure appropriations for property tax relief does not count towards the constitutional spending limitAllow legislature to set four-year terms for members of an appraisal entity’s governing body in counties with 75,000+ residents Why Texas’ constitutional amendment elections historically have low voter turnout BackgroundEfforts to make this propert...

Texas Energy Fund to make electric grid more reliable approved by voters

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:17:59 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Texans voted on a proposition that would create funding to increase “reliability” for Texas’ electric grid in the Nov. 7 constitutional amendment election. ELECTION DAY BLOG: Texans vote on 14 state constitutional amendments, local propositions The Associated Press projected Texas Proposition 7, which originated from S.J.R. 93, would pass. The proposition would create the Texas Energy Fund, which would support and finance the “construction, maintenance, and modernization of electric generating facilities.” Turnout tracker: How many people have voted in the November 2023 election? BackgroundProposition 7 comes after power grid challenges experienced most notably during winter storms in the past years.Pablo Vegas, president and CEO of ERCOT, emphasized the grid has become more “volatile” given the current resources. Election Results “The complexities of managing a growing demand, and a very dynamic load environment with those...

Billions added to Texas teacher's retirement system

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:17:59 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Texans voted to approve Proposition 9 which will add billions to the Texas retired teacher's pension, according to Associated Press projections. ELECTION DAY BLOG: Texans vote on 14 state constitutional amendments, local propositions Proposition 9, stemming from H.J.R 2 from the 88th regular session, would make an "appropriation of $3.45 billion to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS)" to provide cost-of-living adjustments to eligible annuitants within TRS.With 40% of the vote reported, 84% voted in favor of Prop 9.BackgroundJoe Ramirez, a former high school teacher of the year from the Austin Independent School District, has been retired for 11 years, and his pension check of $2,000 hasn't increased since.“People are basically living from month-to-month. And they need to have a little bit more security to make sure that their futures in their golden years are better off,” Ramirez said. Election Results Over a quarter of the system’s beneficiaries rece...

Bertram man sentenced in child pornography case

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:17:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Central Texas man was sentenced Monday for advertising child sexual abuse material online, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.According to the DOJ, 35-year-old Neal Staton Grubert, of Bertram, received 15 years in prison, as well five years of supervised release.The DOJ said on July 12, Grubert pleaded guilty to one count of advertising child pornography.An undercover investigation found images and a video uploaded and published by Grubert on a dark website, according to the DOJ.“This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse,” the DOJ said.