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Kim Cross: How Polly Klaas’ kidnapping and murder 30 years ago changed crime and punishment in America

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:14 GMT

When 12-year-old Polly Klaas was kidnapped by a stranger from her Northern California home on Oct. 1, 1993, the efforts to find her drew worldwide attention. When Polly’s body was found 64 nights after her abduction, the outpouring of grief in her hometown and beyond was overwhelming.Why had Polly’s case so profoundly touched the nation and the world? Eve Nichol, Polly’s mom, didn’t know. She realized not every family receives this kind of support. But she hoped that what had been learned from Polly’s case would help galvanize some other community in the future. If Polly’s fate could change laws or inspire efforts to prevent child abuse, perhaps “something good can come out of this horror,” she thought.In fact, the Klaas investigation would become a Hall of Fame case in the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s San Francisco division.“The case was immensely important to us at the time and was followed very closely,” said ...

Sheldon H. Jacobson: Bunching COVID-19, the flu and RSV as a ‘tripledemic’ is misleading

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:14 GMT

The term “tripledemic” is being used to express the concerns about the collective spread of COVID-19, influenza and the respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, during this fall and winter. Yet each of these infectious diseases has its own risk profile. Placing them under the same epidemic umbrella may inadvertently overstate the impending dangers — perhaps to the point of crying wolf when a calmer descriptor would be more beneficial and appropriate.The seasonal flu has a long history. A typical season runs from October through early spring. Vaccines are available that provide some protection against this virus. The challenge is predicting about six months in advance which strains will be circulating during flu season. This is the lead time needed to produce the vaccines using an egg-based process, the most common method used today. Each year, the vaccine is typically between 40% and 60% effective across the entire population.Seasonal flu typically affects the very you...

Maureen Dowd: DiFi, breaking into the Boys’ Club

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:14 GMT

WASHINGTON — I’ve always said that the Washington Monument is an apt symbol, a Freudian obelisk redolent of all the male egos that have shaped our capital.To appreciate what Dianne Feinstein accomplished, you need to know how male this city was in 1992, when she was swept into Congress in the “Year of the Woman” as the 18th female senator in history.That wave was buoyed by women’s anger at the vicious Republicans and inept Democrats on the white male Judiciary Committee overseeing the Clarence Thomas-Anita Hill hearings. A sexual harasser lied his way onto the Supreme Court, and now he is doing his best to corrupt it.These women arrived on the Hill, home to historic man caves, as journalist Jackie Calmes called the hideaways where male pols horse-traded, sipped whisky and played poker. When one new lawmaker stepped into the House elevator, the female operator said icily, “This elevator is for members only.”“Yes, thank you,” the representative replied, waiting for the operator to spo...

98.3 TRY Social Dilemma: Who gets the last slice of pizza?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:14 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Today's 98.3 TRY Social Dilemma came from Craig and it's about pizza and friend gatherings. Here's his email: Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Hi Jaime. Please help me settle this debate…which has become quite the controversy among my circle of friends. I've even discussed it with my wife and my brother, and we still can't come to a consensus. Here's the deal. Monday night, a couple of buddies came over to watch the football game…as in three of us total…and we ordered a pizza. My local pizza joint cuts the pizza into ten slices…don’t ask me why. That leaves each of us with three slices and one extra. A guy who wasn’t me took the last slice, and I called him out. I am the host. I paid for the pizza. I should get the last slice. This turned into a debate that lasted almost the entirety of the second half of the game…with their point being “ya snooze ya lose” and “I got it first.” Can I get a ruling here? T...

Missing 40-year-old found in Hoosick after search

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:14 GMT

HOOSICK, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A missing 40-year-old was found on Saturday after being reported missing a day prior. Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Forest Rangers helped assist the Rensselaer County Sheriff's Office in the search on both days. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! According to the DEC, a 40-year-old with a history of mental health issues was reported missing in Rensselaer County. Law enforcement was able to locate the subject's car but wasn't able to find them the same day.On Saturday, the search continued the next day with 10 Forest Rangers, Sheriff's Deputies, and volunteers. Around 3:19 p.m., the subject was found in a wooded area in Hoosick. The subject was helped out by personnel and was examined by EMS for treatment.

5 things to know this Wednesday, October 4

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:14 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Happy hump day! According to Meteorologists Jill Szwed and Matt Mackie, this warm stretch of weather will continue today, however, it won't last much longer. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The man accused of kidnapping Charlotte Sena was arraigned in Milton Town Court on kidnapping charges. Craig Ross Jr., 46, is currently held at the Saratoga County Jail. In light of Sena's return home, students at the Corinth Central School District, as well as neighboring districts, wore orange in unity to celebrate her safe return. These stories, and more, are covered in your five things to know this Wednesday morning. 1. Suspect accused of kidnapping Charlotte Sena arraignedThe man accused of kidnapping Charlotte Sena was arraigned in Milton Town Court on kidnapping charges. Craig Ross Jr., 46, is currently held at the Saratoga County Jail.2. Corinth wears orange to celebrate Charlotte Sena’s return homeIt’s been...

Ask Amy: Childhood abuse affects sibling relationship

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:14 GMT

Dear Amy: I was raised in a very abusive environment.The abuse was very seriously physical on my dad’s side, and mentally and emotionally on my mom’s.I left home at 17. I limited my interactions with both sides thereafter.There were several times over my young adult life that horrible things were said by both parents that caused me to completely stop interacting with them. Nobody even contacted me when they died.There are other siblings involved. They seem to have just accepted the abuse, and continue to interact with one stepparent who dished out a lot of it.One sibling can’t understand why I won’t have a relationship with this person and there is a lot of underlying anger toward me because of this.I’ve been in therapy for years now.How can I make that sibling understand?— WoundedDear Wounded: Your therapy can address your need to make this sibling understand why you are keeping your distance from family members who have hurt you.A central questi...

Agriculture: Commission approves new Geographical Indication from Finland - 'Suonenjoen mansikka'

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:14 GMT

The Commission approved the addition of 'Suonenjoen mansikka' as Protected Geographical Indication (PGI), from Finland. The name ‘Suonenjoen mansikka' is used for garden strawberries grown in North Savo, Suonenjoki and its neighbouring municipalities. The ‘Suonenjoen mansikka' is completely red, juicy, and velvety soft in the mouth, and must be sweet and aromatic.Suonenjoki has a long-standing tradition of strawberry cultivation: In 2016, there were celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of the ‘Suonenjoen mansikka'. And over the centenary, it has become an established term in Finnish culinary culture. The town's streets feature the strawberry in many forms: For instance, in the centre of Suonenjoki, there is a statue of girls gathering strawberries - the 1981 Mansikkatytöt statue by sculptor Raimo Heino. Equally, the Suonenjoki Strawberry Carnival, which has been held in honour of the strawberry in Suonenjoki since 1970, takes place on the second weekend of July – being one of ...

Word Game: Oct. 4, 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:14 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — PHYTOTOXIC (PHYTOTOXIC: fye-toh-TOX-ik: Poisonous to plants.)Average mark 24 wordsTime limit 35 minutesCan you find 30 or more words in PHYTOTOXIC? The list will be published tomorrow.YESTERDAY’S WORD — HOPSACK hack hasp hock pack poach pock posh sack shack shako shock shop soak soap sock capo cash cask chaos chaps chopTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at [email protected].

Nina Turner Launches Organization to Support Striking Workers

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:37:14 GMT

Amid a rising tide of worker action across the United States, progressive activist Nina Turner is launching a new operation to financially support working families and striking workers.On Wednesday, the former Ohio state senator and Bernie Sanders surrogate launched We Are Somebody, an organization geared toward amplifying the work of unions and supporting striking workers, both financially and through organizing efforts. We Are Somebody adds to a steadily growing network of progressive organizations working in and outside of Washington, including labor-oriented outlets like More Perfect Union and Labor Notes and political organizations like Justice Democrats.“In this country, the battle for workers and everyday people is so immense that you need a variety of organizations to come at the challenge from different angles. And We Are Somebody is a part of that larger coalition to come at this conundrum of inequality from a different angle,” Turner told The Intercept. She describes her ...