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July revenues up 11% over last year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:27 GMT

The final accounting of fiscal year 2023 is not yet done, but the Department of Revenue started fiscal year 2024 off in July by collecting $2.67 billion in tax revenue, $264 million or 11% more than was collected in July 2022.Collections were up for almost every tax category, but DOR said it thinks that about $150 million of the year-over-year increase “reflects a shift in sales and use and withholding collections between months because of timing.” Without that shift, DOR estimated that July 2023 collections would have been about $114 million or 4.7%  more than actual collections of July 2022.“July revenue included increases relative to July 2022 collections in withholding, non-withheld income tax, sales and use tax, corporate and business tax, and ‘all other’ tax,” Revenue Commissioner Geoffrey Snyder said. “The increase in sales and use tax was the result of typical periodic fluctuations in collections. The increase in withholding reflects...

‘Business as usual’ for Chicago White Sox while awaiting word on MLB discipline for a brawl with the Cleveland Guardians

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:27 GMT

It was back to baseball Sunday for the Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Guardians.Only a few hours after a lengthy brawl in the sixth inning of Saturday’s game, the teams returned to Progressive Field to conclude the weekend — and season — series.The Sox staged a ninth-inning rally, scoring three runs with two outs for a 5-3 victory in front of 27,305.The Sox benefited from two throwing errors by third baseman Brayan Rocchio, the second of which brought home the tying run. Elvis Andrus followed with a two-run single up the middle against Emmanuel Clase, one of the six people ejected Saturday.“A lot of guts. They fought to the very end,” Sox manager Pedro Grifol said. “They ran hard, they played hard. Overall it was a great team win.”Andrus had a big day with three hits and a nice play at shortstop in the ninth on a grounder by Oscar Gonzalez. The Sox got six solid innings from Jesse Scholtens (two earned runs on six hits) to take two of three...

California authorities capture suspects in break-ins at Lake Tahoe homes: a mama bear and three cubs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:27 GMT

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, Calif. (AP) — California authorities have captured four suspects in multiple break-ins at homes around South Lake Tahoe: a mama bear and three of her cubs. DNA has confirmed the large female black bear and her three little accomplices were responsible for at least 21 instances of property damage since 2022, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a statement. The mother bear and her babies were “safely immobilized” on Friday, the statement said. The adult female, known to researchers as 64F, will likely be taken to a sprawling wildlife sanctuary near Springfield, Colorado. Her cubs could end up at a rehabilitation facility in Sonoma County, California, “in hopes they can discontinue the negative behaviors they learned from the sow and can be returned to the wild,” the statement said. 64F, who was outfitted with a tracking device earlier this year, is one of three adult bears identified last year as being responsible for 150 incident reports, including pro...

Tropical Storm Eugene is moving away from Mexico’s Pacific coast and expected to weaken

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:27 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Tropical Storm Eugene headed away from Mexico’s Pacific coast Sunday and was expected to weaken. Eugene brought some rain to Baja California. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Eugene was centered about 210 miles (340 kilometers) west of the Baja resort of Los Cabos on Sunday afternoon. Its maximum sustained winds remained at about 70 mph (110 kph) and it was moving west-northwest at 20 mph (31 kph).The Mexican government warned the system could cause “heavy rains” along the coast, but Eugene was expected to head out to sea.It was the fifth named storm of the eastern Pacific hurricane season.The Associated Press

Childhood vaccinations falter ahead of crucial fall season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:27 GMT

(The Hill) – Childhood vaccine coverage across the U.S. has hit a measurable decline once again as health authorities hope to avert major surges in diseases such as RSV and COVID-19 this winter.Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that the rate of vaccinations against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) for kindergarteners has fallen below the healthy target rate of 95 percent for the second year in a row to 93 percent."While this is a small decline, this is the lowest MMR rate reported in almost a decade and leaves approximately 250,000 school children unvaccinated and unprotected against measles, one of the world’s most contagious viruses," KFF said in a recent brief.It’s still too soon to fully ascertain the cause of this decline, though some factors relating to the COVID-19 pandemic may be at play.“We do know that early in the pandemic some children missed some appointments or delayed some primary care, which could be contributi...

$700K gone: Casino employee suspected of embezzlement

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:27 GMT

HARTFORD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) — A woman is accused of walking away with $700,000 from the Michigan casino where she worked. But even with a suspect in custody, the money is still missing. Investigators say 38-year-old Danika Young took the money from Four Winds Hartford Casino in Hartford, Michigan, on the afternoon of July 30. She was later found in Gary, Indiana. The sum of money, however, was not found.Young told investigators that she got a call from a number that she didn't recognize telling her to bring the money to Gary."She counted out $700,000 and put it in a bag and walked out of the casino," an officer testified in court.She met someone in Gary and gave them the money, police said. It's not clear who the other person is or if police have a lead on them.A file image of Four Winds Hartford Casino. Young was arrested in Gary and had to be extradited back to Michigan. She was booked into the Van Buren County Jail on Wednesday and charged with embezzlement by an employee of ...

Hot and dry, what else can we say?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:27 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Temperatures soared again on Sunday with highs into the triple digits for the 30th day in a row. Relative humidity levels continue to plummet setting us up for another day with a high wildfire danger. BLOG: Forget the heat: Here's when cooler air usually comes The Excessive Heat Warning runs from until 9 p.m. for most of Central Texas with feels-like temperatures as high as 105° to 109°. The Heat Advisory remains in place for Blanco and Gillespie Counties for possible heat index readings up to 111°. Both the warning and advisory have been re-issued for Monday from noon - 9 p.m.Heat alerts continueRed Flag Warnings continue until 11 p.m. for high fire danger and will return on Monday from noon until 11 p.m. for a similar wild fire risk.Red Flag Warnings continueWe'll be in for a mostly clear sky tonight with lows dropping into the upper 70s again.All week we'll have mostly sunny skies with temperatures around 106º or 107º coming close to tying or breaking records ...

Vikings sign former first-round pick N’Keal Harry to add more receiver depth

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:27 GMT

Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah is once again buying the dip.After hosting receiver N’Keal Harry for a workout at TCO Performance Center, the Vikings announced Sunday that they have signed him to a contract. It’s the latest example of Adofo-Mensah taking a flier on a young player who hasn’t exactly panned out to this point.After being selected by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2019 NFL Draft, Harry struggled to gain traction with the organization. He eventually was released, then spent some time with the Chicago Bears last season. He has 64 catches for 714 yards in 40 NFL career games.This is probably the last chance Harry has to make it in the NFL. He will join a group of receivers that doesn’t seem to be set in stone outside of Justin Jefferson, K.J. Osborn and Jordan Addison.There’s a small chance the 25-year-old Harry could have some untapped potential. His massive 6-foot-4, 225-frame is certainly intriguing as a poten...

Hot mic catches Gophers coach P.J. Fleck’s guarded approach in camp

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:27 GMT

As usual Saturday, head coach P.J. Fleck wore a portable microphone as he zipped around the Gophers’ open practice at Huntington Bank Stadium.It provided dividends — and a rare, insightful moment.Fleck was able to readily give out coaching tips — in particular teaching a young wideout proper hand placement to reel in a low throw — as well as bursts of praise for standout plays, including one from top cornerback Justin Walley.“Good job, Walley!” Fleck bellowed, and his voice carried throughout the stadium.Later in that same 11-on-11 period, Fleck’s mic became hot.“Not showing Big Ten Network our … offense!” Fleck bellowed toward that unit.The Gophers had stripped down its offensive playbook with the conference’s TV partner, local media members and fans in the building for the first time this preseason.While its not atypical to keep schematic details private, the hot mic situation was a continuation of Fleck’s modus operandi to not share many, if any, details of how his team will look...

What will Broncos OLB Nik Bonitto’s second year bring after modest rookie campaign? “Definitely a more confident guy”

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:27 GMT

In the middle of his rookie season, Nik Bonitto looked primed to break out.Inactive in Week 2 and used only sporadically early in the season, the Broncos needed their rookie second-round pick to step up after Randy Gregory sustained a knee injury in Week 4.After a couple weeks of steadily increasing playing time and an injury to Baron Browning, Bonitto logged a half sack against the New York Jets and another sack the next week in London against Jacksonville. He looked fast off the edge as a complementary piece.But upon Denver’s return, Bradley Chubb got traded to Miami. Defenses could pay more attention to the former Oklahoma standout. The Broncos’ pass-rush dried up overall and Bonitto went without a sack and logged just eighth tackles (one for loss) total over the team’s final nine games despite playing substantial snaps in all but one of them.On a hot August morning at training camp in the midst of a week spent flashing his speed off the edge and refining his technique, Bonitto s...