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Illinois coroner confirms 8th death from I-55 dust cloud crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) -- The Sangamon County Coroner in central Illinois has confirmed another death caused by the tragic pile-up crash from a dust storm on I-55 earlier this month. According to a release, Jim Allmon, 81-year-old Ruth Rau from Sorento, Illinois died from her blunt force injuries Tuesday evening.In a news conference the day after the crash, ISP confirmed seven people died. Rau was not included in that death count. ISP releases final victim’s name from I-55 dust storm crash Rau was a passenger in a vehicle in the crash. She was transported to HSHS St. John's Hospital in Springfield. Her death remains under investigation by Illinois State Police and the Sangamon County Coroner.

Derek Chauvin appeals conviction in George Floyd's murder to the Minnesota Supreme Court

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin appealed his murder conviction in the killing of George Floyd to the Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday, saying the district judge's decision not to move the proceedings out of the city deprived him of a fair trial.His attorney, William Mohrman, filed a petition for review with the state's highest court a month after the Minnesota Court of Appeals upheld Chauvin's conviction for second-degree murder and let his 22 1/2-year sentence remain in place.Morhman had unsuccessfully asked the appeals court to throw out the ex-officer’s conviction for a long list of reasons, including the massive pretrial publicity. But the three-judge panel last month sided with prosecutors who said Chauvin got a fair trial and just sentence. Chauvin raises several of those arguments again in his latest appeal."We’re very hopeful that the Minnesota Supreme Court will accept review of the case,” Mohrman said...

ROTC grad commissioned in mother's ICU room before her passing on Mother's Day

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

LANHAM, Md. (WBOY) — A West Virginia University ROTC cadet gave his mom a very special Mother's Day gift this year when his commissioning ceremony was held in the hospital right before her death. Senior Army ROTC Cadet Christian Arevalo, 23, was preparing for his graduation from West Virginia University and commissioning ceremony last week when he received a call to return to his home in Maryland as quickly as possible because his mother, who was battling advanced-stage cancer, didn't have much time left. Although he was scheduled to be commissioned as a second lieutenant the next day, Arevalo hopped in a car and went to the hospital, even though it would cause him to miss his commissioning, an important rite of passage in every Army officer’s career, according to a Facebook post by the WVU Army ROTC. "He never doubted the decision," said the post, "and notified LTC David Sherck, professor of Military Science, of his intentions to pass on commissioning to be with his mother."On Thur...

Suspect was ‘bar hopping’ before crash that killed new bride shortly after wedding: lawsuit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – A lawsuit has been filed against a woman who was allegedly intoxicated when she crashed into a golf cart carrying a wedding party, killing the bride and severely injuring the groom last month on Folly Beach in South Carolina.Jamie Komoroski is named along with various restaurants and bars which attorneys say she visited in the hours before the deadly crash.The lawsuit alleges Komoroski began at El Gallo Bar and Grill near Daniel Island before traveling to Folly Beach, where they said she began bar hopping along Center Street. Stops included The Drop In, The Crab Shack, and Snapper Jacks. Family mourning bride killed in Folly Beach DUI crash “Despite being noticeable and visibly intoxicated at each of these establishments, Jamie Komoroski continued to be served, provided, and/or allowed to consume additional and excessive amounts of alcohol at each of them,” the lawsuit reads.Attorneys further allege that Komoroski was then allowed to leave the bars and ge...

'Faces of Parkinson's': Mother, daughter highlight patients battling degenerative disease using photography

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

CHICAGO -- Nearly 90,000 people are diagnosed with Parkinson's in the U.S. each year, a degenerative disease that robs them of stability in their steps with their hands.The daughter of a Northwestern neurologist whose life work has been treating the bodies of those affected by Parkinson's is stepping in to treat their souls."Listening to my mom talk about her patient's interests, hobbies and passions and the way they didn't let Parkinson's disease stop them from doing what they enjoyed," Anna Catherine McGraw said.Which gave Anna an idea. Two remarkable stories: Organ donation leads to boy’s second chance & lawn care helped family as friend battled rare cancer "To have a little glimpse into their everyday lives, their homes, what they love to do and their struggles."So she began snapping her mother's patients."I really wanted to focus on their hands and what they can do with them," McGraw said."Hands are very important and the way you can use your hands in creative mode," Wood...

Ozone Action Day on Thursday with hot, stagnant conditions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Temperatures in the lower 90s with sunshine and light winds will produce air quality Thursday that is unhealthy for the elderly and for people with respiratory conditions. Consider limiting how much you drive and turning your thermostat up a couple of degrees to conserve energy.High temperatures climbed to 90° in Austin Wednesday afternoon for the first time in nearly a week. And although the next couple of days look even hotter, overall temperatures this May are running nearly 6° cooler than May 2022, which ended up being the hottest May on record.Nights remain in the 60s with daytime highs in the lower 90s, and dry weather continuing Thursday and Friday afternoons.Friday storm systemWe are tracking a low pressure system and cold front arriving Friday evening that will bring a chance of severe thunderstorms, then cooler weather over the weekend.Slight risk (2 out of 5) for severe storms late FridayStorms look most likely after 5 p.m. Friday from Austin through the ...

Youth patient speaks about loss of Dell Children's Adolescent Medicine doctors as hospital group remains silent

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

Disclaimer: The patient's name has been withheld for her privacy.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Ascension Seton, the hospital network that runs Dell Children's Adolescent Health clinic, announced last week that all of the clinic's doctors "departed," amidst an investigation by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton into whether "gender transitioning care" was provided there.The shutdown of service at the clinic has impacted the healthcare of adolescents (10 to 19-year-olds), including R, a 19-year-old woman who received treatment for an eating disorder at the clinic. Previous: Parents left without answers after physicians at Dell Children’s Adolescent Medicine clinic ‘depart’ "The quality of care was absolutely phenomenal. I couldn't ask for a better provider," R said, "They were just always on top of everything, they ensured that I was taken care of, and my health was always top priority, and I would recommend it to anyone."She learned from local news reports that her medical providers with the cli...

Police identify driver whose car hit a train after police chase and later died

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) –  David Earl Bedford Jr., 29, died after evading police officers and crashing into a train in the early morning of Friday, May 12, per the Austin Police Department. APD said officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Bedford‘s sedan at the intersection of Neches Street and 7th Street in Downtown Austin at 2:25 a.m. Bedford tried to evade officers and drove at a high speed eastward on E 7th Street. MORE: Car hits train in Austin after police chase, driver dies At the 2300 block of E 7th Street -- about 1.5 miles away from where officers tried to pull him over -- Bedford’s vehicle crashed into a moving train. Bedford was taken to the hospital, where he later died, per APD. Officers suspect Bedford had been drinking alcohol the night of his death. This incident is being investigated as the 35th fatal crash of 2023 in Austin. On the date of this crash in 2022, there had been 37 fatal crashes that resulted in 38 deaths.

A warming climate contributes to health issues

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Average temperatures across Central Texas have been rising for a few years. It seems like each late spring/summer season get hotter and hotter due, in part, to climate change. Austin experienced one of its hottest summers ever when, in 2022, the number of triple-digit high temperatures reached 68.The climb in temperatures creates more times of extreme heat. More extreme heat lead to an increasing health threat.The National Weather Service reports that in calendar year 2021, heat-related deaths far outpaced any other weather type with 375 fatalities. The number of flood-related fatalities was a distant second with 146. GEO Health conducted a study showing that at least 12,000 people in the United States from 2000 to 2010 died because of heat.Courtesy: National Weather ServiceSo, it comes as no surprise as the temperatures rise so, too, does the number of people who lose their lives.Climate Central looked at a region's minimum mortality temperature as one important fa...

MN Democrats say these ideas will control health costs, but medical providers oppose them

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

Minnesota Democrats’ efforts to impose new rules on the health care industry has run into aggressive lobbying by some of the state’s biggest medical groups.Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party members want more oversight of nurse staffing levels, drug prices, overall medical costs and health system mergers. Their effort to expand access to MinnesotaCare, the state insurance program for the working poor, also is facing some industry backlash.All of these ideas remain pending as lawmakers scramble to finish the next state budget by Monday when the Legislature has to adjourn.Hospital and health system leaders say their sector is confronting the worse financial challenges in decades. They say half of Minnesota hospitals are losing money and all health systems face workforce shortages.Caregivers and patient advocates counter that the changes are long overdue and will make health care more affordable and patient-centered. They also argue that the policies will help stop the flood of ...