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Incarcerated students to get federal aid on the path to higher education

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:57:11 GMT

(NerdWallet) - Higher education could soon become more affordable for more than 700,000 of the incarcerated people in the U.S. Starting July 1, they’ll become eligible for Pell Grants for the first time in nearly 30 years, regardless of sentence length or conviction.Pell Grants are a type of need-based financial aid from the federal government that gives recipients up to $7,395 per academic year to cover college costs like tuition, books and other fees. Unlike a loan, the grants never need to be repaid; students qualify based on financial need.Incarcerated people — those in juvenile justice facilities and local, state and federal correctional facilities — will be able to use these Pell awards to pay for prison education programs (PEPs), which can lead to credentials like a professional certificate, an associate degree or a bachelor’s degree from a partner university.Though the change is effective July 1, students may not be able to enroll in a PEP using Pell Grants immediately, says...

Governor signs bill for four years of Texas Veterinary Board oversight

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:57:11 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Texas Governor Greg Abbott signed legislation authorizing four years of oversight for the agency tasked with regulating the state's animal doctors. Lawmakers passed the bill in the final hours of the 88th legislative session, to attach the Texas Board of Veterinary Medical Examiners (TBVME) to another state agency temporarily, in order to help with data collection and management issues. The legislation stipulates that the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR) will take over policymaking and administrative decisions for TBVME. BACKGROUND: Lawmakers move to reform Texas Veterinary Board ‘plagued’ with problems The Board has faced issues over the last six years obtaining and maintaining a database to keep regulatory and disciplinary information about its licensees -- issues which have been documented by the Sunset Advisory Commission in several reviews and reports. KXAN investigators have been following those calls for reform, after discovering some di...

Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul is torn down to make room for new mental health hospital

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:57:11 GMT

Demolition of M Health Fairview’s Bethesda Hospital is nearing completion.Located near the State Capitol building, the former physical rehabilitation and acute care facility closed in November 2020, ending a nearly 140-year history of medical care amidst a major downsizing of Fairview Health Services’ medical offerings in downtown St. Paul.The building was converted temporarily into a COVID crisis hospital, and later a Ramsey County homeless shelter, at the height of the pandemic, but plans call for Minneapolis-based Fairview to erect a new mental health hospital in its place.Work crews continue demolishing the old Bethesda Hospital in St. Paul on Friday, June 16, 2023. The hospital was founded in 1883 and most recently served as a long-term acute care hospital. It is being demolished to make way for a 144-bed mental health hospital. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)Bethesda rose from religious roots. The Rev. A.P. Monten of the First Lutheran Church of St. Paul launched medi...

5 things to know this Juneteenth

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:57:11 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Happy Juneteenth! Juneteenth commemorates the official end of slavery in the United States. We also hope all the dads and father figures out there enjoyed Father's Day on Sunday! According to Meteorologist Jill Szwed, most in the NEWS10 viewing area will enjoy partly sunny skies and seasonable temperatures. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! A state trooper was shot on Friday in the upper left arm while conducting a traffic stop. The male shooting suspect was later found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Also, police are investigating a fatal car crash in Northumberland. These stories, and more, are covered in your five things to know this Monday morning. 1. State Trooper shot while conducting a traffic stop on I-88There was a heavy police presence on I-88 in Duanesburg on Friday morning. According to New York State Police, Trooper Richard Albert was shot in the upper left arm when he conducted ...

Juneteenth events taking place today in the St. Louis area

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:57:11 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - Monday is Juneteenth, the federal holiday commemorating the effective end of slavery in the U.S. across the country events are taking place to mark the day.A lot of Juneteenth related events are taking place around St. Louis Monday. One of the first events of the day starts at 9:00 a.m. at the Gateway Arch. There will be several speakers and discussions focusing on African-American history in the country. Also at 9:00 a.m., a breakfast with African music is planned at The Heights on Dale Avenue in Richmond Heights.At 11:00 a.m., a parade is scheduled to take place in north county at the Boys and Girls Club on West Florissant Avenue. Congresswoman Cori Bush is slated to take part in Monday morning's parade. She is also scheduled to be at the second annual 'free-dome'; celebration at 1:00 p.m. in Fairground Park. Shattered glass, blood inside office building where 9 teens were shot The St. Louis Symphony Orchestra and its 'in-unison' choir present a free liv...

Some businesses closed for Juneteenth holiday

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:57:11 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Since Juneteenth is now a federal holiday, federal offices such as the post office, Wall Street, and most major banks will be closed. Shattered glass, blood inside office building where 9 teens were shot Schools will also not be open. However, some major retailers such as Walmart and Target as well as some restaurants will operate their normal hours.

6 people involved in downtown shooting Saturday night

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:57:11 GMT

ST. LOUIS - St. Louis Police say six people were involved in another shooting in downtown st. Louis Saturday night.A driver was circling around on Locust Street when someone inside the car fired at people on the street. One person was shot in the back. Downtown St. Louis shooting: Slain teen identified, person of interest in custody Several shots hit another car, but the people in that car were not injured. The suspect has not yet been found.The investigation is still active. FOX 2 will update this story with more information as it becomes available.

Community Plant Day efforts taking place in East St. Louis today

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:57:11 GMT

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. - Dozens of volunteers are rolling up their sleeves Monday to plant nearly 450 flowers and bushes in East St. Louis.The 'Community Plant Day' effort is part of the transit 'Stop Transformation Project' at the 5th and Missouri Transit Center. It's from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Shattered glass, blood inside office building where 9 teens were shot The project also includes adding a shaded structure, more seating, a gathering space, and windscreens with images of influential East St. Louisians throughout history.Organizers say the goal is to create an "urban oasis" that will create a beauty space for travelers while also giving them a sense of safety and security.

Funeral arrangements set for former Belleville, Ill. Mayor Mark Eckert

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:57:11 GMT

BELLEVILLE, Ill. - Funeral arrangements are now set for former Belleville, Illinois Mayor Mark Eckert. He died of cancer at age 67 last Wednesday. Eckert was Belleville's second-longest serving mayor, holding the office for more than 16 years from 2004 to 2021. Before that, he was an alderman, a deputy sheriff, and an emergency medical technician and owned a chimney sweep business. Downtown St. Louis shooting: Slain teen identified, person of interest in custody Visitation is from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at St. Paul United Church of Christ in Belleville. The funeral will be at noon and Eckert will be buried at Walnut Hill Cemetery.

Opinion: Biden made Juneteenth a holiday and it spurred action that we can’t let sputter

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:57:11 GMT

Juneteenth serves as an opportunity to reflect on the progress made in the journey for equality and civil rights and to take stock of where there is still work to be done.Although the Emancipation Proclamation was celebrated on January 1, 1863, it is crucial to remember that for two years after, hundreds of thousands of African Americans remained enslaved. Juneteenth recognizes the challenging road to true emancipation and has evolved into a symbolic milestone for the African American freedom journey.Despite our aspirations for improvement, a striking parallel emerges between the enduring presence of systemic racism in 21st-century America, and the two-year interval separating the Emancipation Proclamation and the 13th Amendment. We have made significant strides, but the journey toward true equality continues.Juneteenth has been celebrated since 1866, but the push to make it a national holiday intensified after the 2020 deaths of Breonna Taylor and George Floyd. It culminated in the...