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States confront medical debt that’s bankrupting millions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:20 GMT

DENVER (AP) — Cindy Powers was driven into bankruptcy by 19 life-saving abdominal operations. Medical debt started stacking up for Lindsey Vance after she crashed her skateboard and had to get nine stitches in her chin. And for Misty Castaneda, open heart surgery for a disease she’d had since birth saddled her with $200,000 in bills.These are three of an estimated 100 million Americans who have amassed nearly $200 billion in collective medical debt — almost the size of Greece’s economy — according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Now lawmakers in at least a dozen states and the U.S. Congress have pushed legislation to curtail the financial burden that’s pushed many into untenable situations: forgoing needed care for fear of added debt, taking a second mortgage to pay for cancer treatment or slashing grocery budgets to keep up with payments.Some of the bills would create medical debt relief programs or protect personal property from collections, while others would lower interes...

Virginia lawmakers weigh Youngkin amendments, sustain vetoes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:20 GMT

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The politically divided Virginia General Assembly worked through Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s scores of proposed amendments to legislation during a one-day session Wednesday, approving most of his suggestions on matters ranging from intoxicating hemp products to energy policy.The legislature sustained the Republican governor’s three vetoes on a day marked by farewell speeches by some of this year’s many retiring legislators. The Senate also honored Abigail Zwerner, the Virginia first-grade teacher shot by one of her students in January, at a brief ceremony she attended with her family. Of the 819 measures the General Assembly sent Youngkin during the regular session that ended in February, the governor signed 738 into law and proposed amendments to 78. Some of the changes lawmakers took up were small or technical; for other measures, Youngkin sought a more substantial rewrite.In a statement, the governor praised lawmakers for working together to advance bipartisan “com...

Las franquicias de “Harry Potter” y “Game of Thrones” se renuevan en el recién creado streamer Max

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:20 GMT

(CNN) —  Una buena noticia para los amantes de la fantasía y todo lo nerd.Warner Bros. Discovery anunció este miércoles que las franquicias de “Game of Thrones” y “Harry Potter” cobrarán nueva vida en Max, el nuevo servicio de streaming del estudio.Quienes estén ansiosos por volver al mundo mágico de “Harry Potter”, abróchense los cinturones porque la franquicia llegará a Max en forma de serie de televisión con guión. (CNN y Max forman parte de la misma empresa matriz, Warner Bros. Discovery).La serie será una “adaptación fiel” de los queridos libros de “Harry Potter” de la autora J.K. Rowling, que también será productora ejecutiva del proyecto, según un comunicado de prensa. Los libros de Rowling se publicaron entre 1997 y 2007.El mundo de Harry Potter está cobrando nueva vida en “Hogwarts Legacy”La serie de televisión contará con un reparto de caras nuevas que asumirán los papeles que Daniel Radcliffe, E...

Sebastián Piñera declara como imputado por delitos de lesa humanidad durante el estallido social de 2019 en Chile

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:20 GMT

(CNN Español) — El expresidente de Chile, Sebastián Piñera, declaró este martes por más de 10 horas en calidad de imputado por posibles delitos de violaciones a los derechos humanos ocurridos durante la represión del estallido social iniciado en octubre de 2019.El exmandatario no usó su derecho a guardar silencio y contestó a todas las preguntas de la fiscal de Alta Complejidad Ximena Chong, quien lidera la investigación.“No hubo reticencias a responder ninguna de las preguntas que nosotros formulamos. Traíamos un cuestionario preparado, teniendo en cuenta los antecedentes reunidos hasta ahora en la investigación”, afirmó Chong a la prensa este martes.OPINIÓN | Las dificultades que enfrentan los gobiernos de izquierda en Chile, Colombia y Brasil para avanzar en programas socialesLa investigación busca establecer posibles responsabilidades entre las exautoridades de la Presidencia de Chile, el Ministerio del Interior y Seguridad Pública y Carabineros de Chile, por hechos ocurri...

Explosion inside Erie garage sends firefighters, garage door flying

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:20 GMT

ERIE, Colo. (KDVR) -- An explosion, early Tuesday morning, rocked a garage in Erie while firefighters were inside.It was so powerful, it completely blew off the garage door. Fire officials have issued a warning about electric vehicles and electric modifications at your home.A total of three Mountain View Fire Rescue firefighters were inside the garage when water made contact with the electric vehicle's battery, officials said, causing that explosion."The homeowner came and found smoke and woke up her son and got out of the house when the smoke alarms went off as well," Doug Saba said. Montbello: Denver’s 2023 murder flashpoint Saba is the deputy fire marshal for Mountain View Fire.A family living at a home in the Morgan Hill neighborhood saw and smelled the fire, so naturally, they called fire crews."They did not find the fire seat," Saba said, "so they came back upstairs, went into the garage and found a fire within the vehicle that was plugged into the garage."Officials said the...

Severe weather leads to flash flood emergency in Broward, FLL closure, tornado warnings

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:20 GMT

Incessant downpours caused extensive flooding across South Florida following days of inclement weather, leaving streets closed, forcing the temporary closure of Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport and leading to multiple tornado warnings.The National Weather Service on Wednesday night issued a rare flash flood emergency for parts of Broward County. They advised area residents against going outside, as the rapidly rising floodwaters can create dangerous situations.NWS has also issued a fourth tornado warning across a wide swath of Broward until 10:15 p.m.The severe conditions that began early Wednesday afternoon also led to three prior tornado warnings in Broward County.The same area that was under a tornado warning that extended from Fort Lauderdale to just south of Dania Beach, remained under a severe thunderstorm warning. Gusty winds from around 45 to 60 mph had been reported in this area.In Dania Beach, the street flooding led Broward Sheriff’s Office deputies ...

Brightline train hits car carrier trailer in Hollywood; no injuries

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:20 GMT

Police are investigating after a car carrier trailer was struck by a Brightline train in Hollywood.Hollywood Police and Fire Rescue units responded to the scene of the collision along the train tracks near Washington Street and South Dixie Highway, at around 7:40 p.m., Wednesday.Cellphone video sent in by a 7News viewer captured the moment of impact, which sent cars on the trailer flying.Brightline issued a statement about the incident that reads, “A car carrier was stopped on the tracks. No injuries to crew or passengers. Service suspended between [Fort Lauderdale] and Miami (only) while PD and Brightline’s team work to clear the scene, and that effort is being affected by the weather.”Police continue to investigate.Please check back on WSVN.com and 7News for more details on this developing story.

Rep. Wilson, Boys and Girls Club of Miami-Dade team up for after-school program in Miami Gardens

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:20 GMT

A congresswoman from South Florida kicked off an after-school program for some special students in Miami Gardens.U.S. Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Fla., teamed up with the Boys and Girls Club of Miami-Dade to open the program for Skyway Elementary School.At a ribbon-cutting ceremony held Wednesday, Wilson expressed her excitement about this new initiative.“Why close the door at 4 o’clock p.m. and say, ‘Go home. It’s the end of the day?'” she said. “Why don’t we keep the schools open that we have invested in at least $1 million in every Dade County public school?”The program is expected to serve more than 100 children with sports, art and various other activities.

Solve It 7: Performance Playback

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:20 GMT

A local musician says he was getting played when he didn’t get paid for his performances. So he contacted Solve It 7, and the results were music to his ears. Brandon Gunnoe has the story.From taking it easy on the guitar.Playing folk music on the Irish bouzouki.And being his very own piano man.Matt Glover’s got talent!“You have to play in front of people. It’s a lot more fun playing in front of people,” Matt said.Matt did have fun when a nursing home hired him to play three times for residents last year.“The people loved it. They were happy. Do something you love and get paid for it. How can you beat that?” Matt said.But Matt didn’t get paid!“It was just frustrating,” Matt said.He says he sent the nursing home invoices totaling $240 for his performances.“They just weren’t responding to it,” Matt said.After months of calling to get his money, Matt emailed solve it seven.“If anything’s gonna get ...

Dean Kremer, Orioles bullpen unable to show 2022 form in 8-4 loss to Athletics

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:35:20 GMT

Part of the reason the Orioles could justify not being more aggressive in adding starting pitching this offseason was their confidence in their incumbent group.But then top pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez wasn’t deemed ready for their season-opening rotation. He arrived only because Kyle Bradish exited his season debut in the second inning with a bruised right foot. On Wednesday, Dean Kremer, who opened the year as Baltimore’s No. 2 starter, continued to struggle in an 8-4 defeat to the Oakland Athletics.The Orioles’ bullpen joined Kremer in not looking like the 2022 version, as an Oakland team that entered the night as baseball’s worst struck for four runs over the final two innings, while Kremer again was unable to perform as the pitcher who was perhaps the most improved member of Baltimore’s breakout season.Overcoming a disastrous rookie season to become the most dependable member of the Orioles’ rotation in the year’s second half, th...