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Jo Koy talks about hosting Golden Globes with short notice

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:59 GMT

Hollywood's awards season is about to kick into full swing with the Golden Globes on Sunday.Long time friend of WGN, comedian Jo Koy is emceeing the broadcast this year.He joined the WGN Morning News to talk about his step into a very different kind of spotlight on very short notice.Love the WGN Morning News? We love you, too. And you can have all the hijinks delivered to your inbox every weekday morning. Sign up and subscribe to our WGN Morning News newsletter.

Groups monitor for compliance, overreach of new Texas anti-DEI law

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — When students at the University of Texas at Austin return to classes on Jan. 16, they may notice a name change at one of the campus offices. The Division of Diversity and Community Engagement is dropping the word "diversity" to now become the Division of Campus and Community Engagement. This is one of the ways university leaders are working to comply with Senate Bill 17, which was one of 30 new state laws that took effect on Jan. 1. New Texas DEI law closes campus LGBTQ+ centers. Here’s the student impact The law requires public universities in Texas to no longer have offices dedicated to DEI, which stands for diversity, equity and inclusion, or employees focused specifically on that purpose. Higher education workers and job applicants also can no longer sign any statements dedicated to upholding DEI or attend trainings that reference "race, color, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation," according to the law. Supporters argued last year during the regul...

New York City sues bus companies that Texas hired to transport migrants

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:59 GMT

(Texas Tribune) — New York City filed a lawsuit on Thursday against 17 bus and transportation companies that have contracted with Texas to take thousands of migrants to the city as part of Gov. Greg Abbott’s immigration policies.The city is seeking $708 million in damages from the companies, which is how much the city has spent to shelter migrants, according to the lawsuit, filed in New York State Supreme Court.“New York City has and will always do our part to manage this humanitarian crisis, but we cannot bear the costs of reckless political ploys from the state of Texas alone,” said Mayor Eric Adams. “Gov. Abbott’s continued use of migrants as political pawns is not only chaotic and inhumane but makes clear he puts politics over people. Today’s lawsuit should serve as a warning to all those who break the law in this way.”In the lawsuit, the city argues that the companies are violating a state law by transporting migrants to New York with the “evil intention of shifting the costs o...

Letters: Why was Nikki Haley afraid to counter the ‘Lost Cause’ narrative?

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:59 GMT

The mythic ‘Lost Cause’There has been a flutter in the news over Nikki Haley failing to mention slavery as the cause of the Civil War when she was questioned.  Of course the questioner was a Democrat “plant” as she said. This was a “town hall,” not a party rally. Your critics get to ask you questions. If you want to be on the big stage, you have to be ready for this kind of thing. This was no “dirty trick.”My concern is that Haley knows that slavery was the cause of the Civil War, and her pause before answering the question were the gears of her mind quickly turning to come up with a different answer. She did not want to say “slavery” because that would offend a large part of the Republican base. She should not have worried, those people would never vote for her anyway. She only needs to read her own South Carolina’s 1860 declaration of secession to understand what the Civil War was about.I have read all of the articl...

Boy, 13, is believed to be the first to ‘beat’ Tetris

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:59 GMT

In this image taken from video, 13-year-old player named Willis Gibson reacts after playing a game of Tetris. Gibson, who in late December became the first player to officially “beat” the original Nintendo version of the game. By breaking it, of course. Technically, Gibson — aka “blue scuti” in the gaming world — made it to what gamers call a “kill screen,” a point where the Tetris code glitches, crashing the game. (Willis Gibson via AP)On Dec. 21, Willis Gibson, 13, put his hands to his head and rocked back and forth in an office chair in his bedroom in Stillwater, Oklahoma, unable to believe what he had just accomplished.His screen had frozen, and his Tetris score read “999999.”“Oh, my God,” Willis repeats in a high pitch, in video of his triumph that he uploaded to YouTube on Tuesday, as he collapses into his chair. “I can’t feel my fingers.”Willis had just become the first person to advance so far in the original Nintendo version of the puzzle game Tetris that the game froze, ac...

Tension among Republican senators runs high at the start of legislative session

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:59 GMT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The first week of the 2024 Missouri legislative session is now in the rearview mirror, but some senators are still airing grievances about last year.After only two days of session, the Missouri Senate started out the year where it left off in May, with some Republicans holding the floor to vent their frustrations with leadership. The group calls itself the Freedom Caucus. Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, who leads the caucus, said their mission is to advance the Republican platform.Despite the new year, the infighting among Senate Republicans remains constant."What I'm tired of is I'm tired of campaign conservatives," Sen. Denny Hoskins, R-Warrensburg, said. "You can't say all these things are priorities and then wait until the last minute of the last week in order to try and get them passed."Senate leadership remains hopeful that it will be a successful year. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. ...

PHOTOS: National Western Stock Show Parade 2024 in downtown Denver

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:59 GMT

The National Western Stock Show Kick-off Parade made its way through downtown Denver, Colorado on January 4, 2024. The stock show runs Jan. 6-21 at the National Western Complex, 4655 Humboldt St. in Denver.

Broncos CB Pat Surtain II, RT Mike McGlinchey earn team MVP, “Good Guy” awards

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:59 GMT

Pat Surtain II is about as outwardly humble an NFL star as you’ll find.Even he admitted Wednesday, though, that he needs to find a bigger space in his house for his growing hardware collection.“They stashed away in the basement at the crib,” the Broncos cornerback said of the awards he’s collected through his first three seasons as a professional. “I’ve got a little awards section around, but I’m running out of room so I’ve got to come up with a new side of things.”He’s adding fast this week after getting named a Pro Bowl starter on Wednesday night and then the Demaryius Thomas Team MVP by the Denver chapter of the Pro Football Writers Association on Thursday.“It’s a huge honor to receive such a prestigious award after Demaryius, who showed nothing less than humility,” Surtain said. “Obviously he was a great athlete, but a great person off the field. To be recognized is a huge honor.”It’s Surtain’s second straight year being named the team’s MVP and his second straight Pro Bowl nod....

Taco Bell fans can now make the brand's most popular menu items at home

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:59 GMT

Now, anyone can re-create some of Taco Bell’s most popular menu items at home.The Irvine-based fast food company and Kraft Heinz have teamed up to create new home-cook friendly versions of Taco Bell’s Crunchwrap Supreme and Chipotle Chicken Quesadilla after seeing social media users trying to create their own versions of the dishes.A look at Taco Bell Crunchwrap Supreme and Chipotle Chicken Quesadilla cooking kits. (Business Wire) Taco Bell described the Crunchwrap Supreme as “perhaps its most iconic menu item in history” and noted that copycat recipe videos garnered over 50 million views on TikTok. Doritos rolls out nacho cheese-flavored liquor The quesadilla was one of the company's best-selling menu items in 2023, a news release said.This is the first time Taco Bell is releasing cooking kits for both menu items. The “craving kits” include “proprietary Taco Bell restaurant ingredients, seasonings and sauces” essential to make the dishes at home, a news release said. Each craving...

Do not eat these jarred food products, California health officials say

Published Mon, 24 Feb 2025 12:00:59 GMT

California health officials are telling people to avoid eating two jarred food products that could be contaminated with a potentially deadly bacteria.Shemshad’s Mulberry Molasses and Mulberry Jam food products sold in the Los Angeles area may be contaminated with Clostridium botulinum, a bacteria that causes botulism, according to the California Department of Public Health.The molasses and jam were sold at Woodland Hills Market in Woodland Hills, Q Market in Van Nuys and Wholesome Choice Market in Irvine.Shemshad, which is based in Los Angeles, has not yet voluntarily recalled the products, CDPH said in a news release."[The molasses and jam] were produced outside of the CDPH Cannery Program oversight, making them susceptible to contamination with Clostridium botulinum," CDPH said. "Ingestion of botulism toxin from improperly processed jarred and canned foods may lead to serious illness and death."The products come in 16-ounce glass jars dated APR 25 2025, officials said."Botulism to...