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Archdiocese of St. Louis, LGBTQ community react to Vatican news

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:35:24 GMT

ST. LOUIS – On Monday, the Vatican announced it would allow same-sex couples to receive a blessing from a priest. It’s one of many recent moves the Catholic Church has made to be more inclusive of LGBTQ Catholics.In November, the Vatican began allowing priests to baptize transgender people while also giving them the blessing to become godparents.However, Monday’s move should not be confused with a blessing of marriage, as the church still views marriage as a sacrament between a man and a woman.On Monday, the Archdiocese of St. Louis released a statement, writing, “This announcement allows for same-sex couples who seek God's grace to receive a simple blessing from a priest. The blessing should not be imparted during a ceremony or civil union. Additionally, we are discouraged from offering blessings in a manner that could be seen as or confused with a wedding."STL Pride Director of Inclusion and Diversity Jordan Braxton said the move is a step in the right direction but believes the c...

Addressing in-school fights in Ferguson-Florissant School District

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:35:24 GMT

HAZELWOOD, Mo. – A community-wide meeting was standing room only Monday evening as residents answered the call to action from the Ferguson-Florissant School District.Parents, staff, and neighbors lined up with suggestions on ways to address behavioral issues that are happening inside the schools.Superintendent Joe Davis opened the meeting to the public as the district addressed recent fights at McCluer High School. Brazen gunmen seen in Central West End in stolen cars Despite the number of fights being down across the district this year compared to last year, Davis said school officials are seeing an increase in fights happening at the high school level.Davis said Monday's meeting addressed a number of issues from the community and said there are some changes the district can address immediately."I think the therapy piece is critical. We have teletherapy now. We have a good relationship with Hazel Health,” Davis said. “But hiring more therapists in our schools and more counselors ...

Denver City Council signs off on two more hotels for mayor’s homeless initiative in final meeting of 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:35:24 GMT

Denver added two more hotels to its collection Monday to help reach Mayor Mike Johnston’s goal of housing 1,000 homeless people, even as his administration has come under fire for how it is tracking that target.The council scheduled a special public hearing at the tail end of Monday’s meeting amid vehement opposition from some residents in the southeast part of the city to plans to convert the former Embassy Suites hotel at 7525 E. Hampden Ave. into a shelter. The 205-room property would primarily serve non-binary people, transgender individuals and families with children, under the administration’s plans.Those concerns aside, the council voted 12-0 to approve the city’s purchase of that property. Councilwoman Sarah Parady was absent.Some speakers on Monday referenced fears of public drug use and negative impacts on businesses in the area. Others said they felt burned by the speed at which the hotel purchase and conversion came forward without time for adequate inp...

Heroin home delivery operators in Orange County get 24 years in prison

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:35:24 GMT

Two brothers from Riverside County who operated an elaborate heroin home delivery service in Orange County have each been sentenced to 24 years in federal prison, authorities announced Monday.  From at least 2003 to July 2021, 46-year-old Victor Martinez and 45-year-old Julio Martinez ran a drug trafficking organization that smuggled heroin from Mexico using couriers who concealed the drug, sometimes in their body cavities, into Orange County, according to a news release from the United States Department of Justice.  Authorities said that once the drugs were in the U.S., Julio oversaw the distribution to various call centers where customers would phone in and use coded language, such as the word “food” and “taco,” to order certain amounts of heroin.  The 45-year-old also oversaw the “runners” who would deliver the drugs and take customer payments. In an effort to conceal the income generated by the heroin trafficking operation, the Martinez brothers used co-conspirators to...

Longtime Bay Area News Group ‘Mr. Roadshow’ columnist Gary Richards dies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:35:24 GMT

For millions of Bay Area motorists, there are few things more aggravating than the stew of gridlock, rude and distracted drivers, mistimed signals and potholes they’re forced to navigate as they go about their lives.But for more than three decades, they found a tireless advocate at the Mercury News and Bay Area News Group who’d hear their gripes, answer their questions and bring their frustrations to the attention of the transportation officials who could do something about them.Gary Richards, better known as Mr. Roadshow, died Sunday after a long battle with a degenerative muscle and nerve disease. He was 72.His special connection to Roadshow readers kept him writing, with the help of his beloved wife, Jan, who would become known as Mrs. Roadshow. Perhaps fittingly, his final column appeared on the day that he died.“Gary Richards was a treasure in our community and in our newsroom,” said Sarah Dussault, senior editor of the Bay Area News Group, which includ...

Thunderstorms may roll through Bay Area Tuesday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:35:24 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- A December storm is forecast to generate possible isolated thunderstorms in the North Bay and drench the region with rain showers. KRON4 Chief Meteorologist Lawrence Karnow said thunderstorms could rumble in just after midnight. The NWS Bay Area wrote, "A more intense rain band comes through Tuesday morning with conditions similar to those seen on Monday morning." Forecasters said there's a high probability that most of the Bay Area will receive 1-3 inches of rain before this week's storms are over. KRON4 Meteorologist Kyla Grogan said, "We have more showers expected through (Monday) evening and overnight. Tuesday will be another unsettled day, but our showers will be far less intense." Live Bay Area storm updates Forecasters issued a hydrologic outlook for storm impacts through Thursday. "Moderate rainfall will bring the potential for moderate and rapid rises along rivers, streams, and creeks. Most sites are forecast to remain below flood stage." It’s pour...

Danville college student 'fighting for his life' after truck crashes into apartment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:35:24 GMT

(KRON) -- A college student from Danville is "fighting for his life" after a truck crashed into his apartment in November, his family told KRON4. The crash happened in Utah, where Dodge Mulock, 22, is a student at Utah Valley University.Mulock's aunt says the young man was asleep on Nov. 27 when the truck plowed through his bedroom and pinned him for 45 minutes. He has been in a hospital since. Image from the Mulock family. The Pleasant Grove Police Department in Utah said the crash happened when a man on his way to work "experienced a sudden medical condition" that left him unconscious. His truck left the roadway at a high rate of speed before crashing into an unoccupied car and Mulock's home. "At this time there is no suspicion of drugs or alcohol to have been involved. It appears to be a freak accident caused by the sudden onset of an unknown medical condition," PGPD said.A GoFundMe set up for Mulock said he suffered internal organ damage, bone fractures, and extreme loss of bloo...

Henrique scores 4th goal in 2 games as Ducks down slumping Red Wings, 4-3

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:35:24 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — Adam Henrique scored his fourth goal in two games and the Anaheim Ducks held off the Detroit Red Wings 4-3 on Monday night.Henrique was coming off his first career hat trick Sunday against New Jersey. Radko Gudas, Pavel Mintyukov and Troy Terry also scored for the Ducks, who have won two straight after a five-game losing streak. Lukas Dostal made 30 saves. “I think we all did a heck of job,” Dostal said. “We simplified our game and the guys were blocking shots. We played as a unit and it worked for us.”Alex DeBrincat surpassed 400 career points with two power-play goals in the third period for Detroit. Jeff Petry scored his first goal this season and Patrick Kane added two assists. The slumping Red Wings have lost six of seven.Detroit captain Dylan Larkin had an assist in his return to the lineup, nine days after getting knocked unconscious when he was hit from behind by Ottawa’s Mathieu Joseph. Larkin missed four games. Red Wings starting goaltender Ville Husso was h...

Crosby moves into 13th on NHL’s all-time scoring list as Penguins overcome rally to edge Wild 4-3

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:35:24 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The Pittsburgh Penguins went a month between power-play goals, a funk that sent them plummeting toward the bottom of the Eastern Conference.They preached patience even as they searched for answers and more importantly, goals.The goals are finally starting to come. The wins, too.Pittsburgh’s star-laden power play scored twice, including Sidney Crosby’s flip from in close 6:20 into the third period to break a tie and the Penguins edged the Minnesota Wild 4-3 on Monday night.Crosby added an assist to move past Hall of Famer Mark Recchi and into 13th on the NHL’s all-time scoring list as Pittsburgh won for the third time in four games. All three wins have come in games in which the Penguins have scored at least one power-play goal following their 0-for-37 stretch.“It’s tough when you go that long without scoring, it’s kind of human nature to squeeze the stick a bit,” Crosby said, who added an assist and now stands at 1,535 career points, four shy of J...

Coby White scores 24 as Bulls snap 76ers’ six-game winning streak with 108-104 victory

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:35:24 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Coby White scored 24 points and the Chicago Bulls held on to snap the Philadelphia 76ers’ six-game winning streak with a 108-104 victory Monday night. Former Sixer Nikola Vucevic chipped in 23 points while DeMar DeRozan added 15 for the Bulls.“All of us are supporting each other and it’s contagious,” said Vucevic, who had eight rebounds and shot 10 for 18 from the floor. “We won some games, so that helps, too. We’re only 11-17, but hopefully we’re on a good path and we can continue that way.”The Bulls have won six of their last nine even though they are playing without All-Star Zach LaVine, who has been sidelined with left foot inflammation and is likely still a little bit away from returning.“We’ve competed well against the better teams,” Bulls coach Billy Donovan said. “It’s a matter for us of maintaining more consistency. The ups and downs of the game are going to happen for every team. I like the way that we are responding....