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MN human rights department says consent decree helped eliminate ban on transgender plasma donors

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:12 GMT

The Minnesota Department of Human Rights said Tuesday that a lawsuit and consent decree has led to changes at CSL Plasma so transgender and nonbinary donors will not be turned away because of their gender identity.“Today we celebrate the progress that has been made so that trans and non-binary Minnesotans can live with dignity, free from discrimination,” Rebecca Lucero, state Department of Human Rights commissioner, said in a statement.The case involves Alice James who was born biologically male and had donated plasma at the CSL location in Duluth about twice a week from 2011 until June 2015. When she identified as a woman in June 2015, a CSL employee told her the company was not allowing transgender donors.The state Department of Human Rights filed a lawsuit against CSL Plasma in 2021 after the company barred James and a nonbinary resident from donating plasma. The plasma donation company denied any wrongdoing and eventually agreed to a consent decree with the state to remedy alleg...

Capital Region called on to support Hawai’i wildfire victims

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:12 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) – Two capital district men arrived in Hawai'i over the weekend to assist in recovery efforts. NEWS10 spoke with a Native Hawai'ian woman, who is currently living in Ballston Spa, who was disheartened to hear – what she called – discrepancies in responses to communities. Maile Barcelon said she’s heard reports that some folks had been evacuated, while others said they had no warning. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! “It’s devastating seeing people suffering,” said Barcelon. “Knowing there were people who had to jump in the ocean, in the water for eight hours with their kids, trying to get saved. I mean that’s devastating. There’s people who died in the ocean.” She’s concerned that some tourists have continued their vacations while the tragedy unfolds – swimming in the same waters people are dying in.“There was someone who put it on social media, they recorded tourists that were surfing off of a tourist ...

Capital Region leaders meet with DocGO

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:12 GMT

CAPITAL REGION, N.Y. (NEWS10) - County and City officials along with community-based organizations met with the CEO of DocGo, the company contracted by NYC to care for the asylum seekers and News10 has the latest on how that meeting went. Capital Region asylum seekers told not to talk to media NEWS10 was able to catch up with Daniel Butterworth executive director at RISSE who tells me yesterday’s meeting with DocGo was all about questioning the company on where that half a billion dollars is being spent.“One of which was to discuss some of the shortfalls that we’ve experienced and discussed how we can remedy that with DocGo and New York City, going forward,” said Butterworth.NEWS10 has been covering those shortfalls, which according to organizations that work with the asylees who were bussed area motels surround proper nutrition, medical care, transportation and the education of school aged kids.One solution brought up by DocGo during Monday’s meeting is the possibility of subcont...

Sidewalk repairs trap 92-year-old woman in her home

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:12 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – A 92-year-old St. Louis County woman feared being trapped in her home after her sidewalk was torn out for construction. She contacted FOX 2, which brought her problem to the attention of county leaders.Mary Rodgers spent several hours trapped in her Ripa Avenue home and worried she’d be stuck there longer after construction workers removed the sidewalk up and down the street.“I don't know how they expect us old people to get out,” she said. “I had a doctor’s appointment for Wednesday. I thought somebody in Clayton would take care of it. They referred me back to the supervisor that's over the job, so he told me they would put a plank down for me to get across.”Crewmen on the project put a sheet of wood to act as a ramp in front of her home. But it led her down a hill and not her driveway, leaving Rodgers stranded.“I’m 92 and I'm on a walker. You saw the difficulty that you had,” Rodgers said. “So, I don’t know how they expect me to get across that plank to get...

Craving Chinese cuisine? St. Louisans reveal top picks for authentic flavors

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:12 GMT

ST. LOUIS— Where can you find some of the best Chinese food in the St. Louis area? We asked our Facebook fans, and they certainly had their opinions. Here is a list of the best places in St. Louis to enjoy Chinese food, according to our viewers.The determination of the "best" was based on the number of reactions each comment received. Julie R.F. said, "Lemay Wok at Lemay Ferry and Mehl Ave. in South County. By far, the best hot braised chicken and hot and sour soup around!"Melissa said, "Well, slightly east, but China Express in Cahokia will always have my vote! Orange chicken, pork fried rice, and egg rolls are phenomenal; they have the best St. Paul sandwiches around."Julie said, "Sesame on 10500 Watson, I love their food! The beef-fried rice and the beef and broccoli are awesome. Their prices are good for what you get."Leyla said, "Corner 17. I love their Boba and watching them make their noodles and dumplings."Jennifer said, "Mandarin Garden in St. Charles on Jungermann. Th...

This is California's top 1% income threshold, according to income analysis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:12 GMT

As the saying goes, Mo’ Money, Mo’ Problems.The Golden State, the most populous state in the country, has the third highest threshold for the top 1% of taxpayers, according to a new study from Smart Asset.Researchers analyzed 2020 IRS tax data for individual filers and adjusted those figures for May 2023 dollars using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index, according to the website. The report shared that households that earn at least $844,266 per year are considered to be among California’s top earners. However, households who make that amount or more pay 26.95% in taxes. Angelenos who make $70,000 a year are still considered ‘low-income’ Connecticut and Massachusetts were the only states with higher thresholds for their top 1% of taxpayers.In Connecticut, households who make at least $952,902 pay 28.40% in taxes, and in Massachusetts, households who make at least $903,401 pay 27.15%Connecticut had the highest thresholds for its 1% and Massachusetts was ranked seco...

Apple to start paying out claims in $500M iPhone slowdown lawsuit: Reports

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:12 GMT

iPhone users who have long complained their phones get slower after a software update may finally be getting paid for their troubles.Apple will soon start paying out between $310 million and $500 million it agreed to pay to settle claims the company intentionally slowed down old iPhones' performance with a new iOS update. How much the company ultimately pays out will depend on the number of approved claims.The good news is about 3 million people who filed claims in the class action lawsuit will soon see payments of about $65, Verge reports. The bad news is that if you didn't already file a claim before the deadline passed in October 2020, it's too late now. Time running out to file for $725M Facebook settlement: How to claim your payment Even though the settlement was reached years ago, people still haven't received their payment because of drawn out court procedures and appeals. But last week, the law firm representing Apple customers announced an appeal challenging the lawsuit ...

Out of Sight: Falling Down the Speakeasy Rabbit Hole 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:12 GMT

When it comes to bars, dark and hidden away will never go out of style. Thrill of discovery and in-the-know exclusivity aside, drinking spaces that brand themselves as “speakeasies” tend to create a more let loose/feel good energy that’s noticeably shared by all who enter. Bad vibes are rare. Of course, the term “speakeasy” literally refers to the era during Prohibition, when imbibers had to hide to purchase and enjoy alcoholic beverages together. While everything that goes down in speakeasy style bars these days is legal, the atmosphere can conjure a subtle naughtiness nonetheless. It’s not enough to simply “look for the back room,” anymore, either. Modern speakeasies have a certain bygone elegance and an unmatched attention to detail, decor and the drink menu. We’d dare to declare that Los Angeles has some of the best in this regard. As the author of a book called Los Angeles’ Best Dive Bars, we love a hard-to-find mini-mall hole in the wall, but that’s not what we’re talking abou...

Michael Lewis’ ‘Blind Side’ refers to Michael Oher being ‘adopted’ by Tuohy family

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:12 GMT

Back in 2004, wealthy Memphis residents Sean and Leigh Anne Tuohy formally welcomed homeless Black teenager Michael Oher into their home, creating an uplifting real-life plot development in the hit football movie, “The Blind Side,” for which Sandra Bullock won and Academy Award.But the exact legal arrangement that made this relationship official is at the center of an explosive court fight between the Tuohys and the former NFL star. The arrangement has long been depicted as an adoption, and that’s how Oher said he understood it. But he said he recently learned it was a conservatorship, which has a number of implications. With the conservatorship, Oher alleges, the Tuohys were in control of his financial affairs, unlike an adoption, and he says they cheated him out of millions of dollars they earned after his story was made into a movie that earned more than $300 million at the box office.FILE – In this Thursday, Nov. 12, 2015, file photo, Tabitha Soren, left, and M...

Recall effort aimed at unseating Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price moves closer to gathering signatures

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:59:12 GMT

OAKLAND — A group calling itself “Save Alameda for Everyone: Recall Pamela Price” moved a step closer to beginning a county-wide, signature-gathering effort aimed at unseating the county’s top prosecutor.The committee, which goes by the acronym SAFE, filed a notice of intent to circulate a recall petition with the county’s registrar of voters on Tuesday, according to Carl Chan, a recall leader and president of the Chinatown Chamber of Commerce.The procedural move — which included the filing of 127 signatures, more than the 100 that Chan said was required for this step of the process — signaled that the group could be just weeks away from kicking off its broader, county-wide signature gathering process. Chan said he hoped to begin collecting those signatures in early September.“Many people don’t feel safe,” said Chan, in a press conference outside of the Rene C. Davidson Courthouse in downtown Oakland. “We are not doing it just for vict...