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Liz Weston: 3 steps to downsize in a hurry

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

Ideally, you’d spend months or even years carefully purging excess belongings — but life may have other plans. Maybe you or someone you love has a health crisis and needs to move into assisted living. Or someone has died and their home has to be cleared before next month’s rent is due. Maybe you’re just moving soon and want to significantly lighten your load.If you need to downsize in a hurry, here’s how to go about it while minimizing stress — and avoiding sending something valuable to the dump.1. GATHER PAPERWORK, PHOTOS, PRESCRIPTIONS, PERISHABLESDealing with paperwork and photos takes time you may not have, says professional organizer Katherine Lawrence of Ashland, Virginia. Consider boxing unsorted documents and photos for temporary storage in a climate-controlled area, Lawrence suggests.Make a plan to sort through the boxes later, since you don’t want to store old bills and blurry photos indefinitely any more than you want to risk throwing away something important if you rush....

South Korean president urges expanded technology cooperation with Japan

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met with Japanese business leaders on Monday and called for expanded technology cooperation between the countries, which he described as a key element in broader efforts to improve relations.Yoon has met twice with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in recent weeks, demonstrating their intent to overcome historical grievances that have strained ties for years and to strengthen cooperation in response to shared challenges, including a nuclear-armed North Korea and growing Chinese assertiveness in the region.They will meet again this weekend at a summit of the Group of Seven leading industrialized nations in Hiroshima, where they will also hold talks together with U.S. President Joe Biden, who has been seeking to strengthen alliances with Japan and South Korea to counter North Korea and China.Meeting with a delegation led by Mikio Sasaki, the former chairman of the board of Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp. who heads the J...

Brandon Johnson to be sworn in as Chicago's 57th mayor Monday

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

CHICAGO — Chicago will get a new mayor Monday when Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson is sworn in.Johnson will arguably be the most progressive mayor Chicagoans have elected. WATCH: Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot leaves city hall for last time He will become the 57th mayor and the leader of America's third-largest city.His administration will face several challenges on day one, including choosing a new police superintendent and coming up with a plan to fight violence, which normally spikes during the upcoming Memorial Day weekend and summer. On Saturday, Brandon Johnson resigned as a Cook County Commissioner. His full resignation letter is below. “Today, I announced my resignation from the Cook County Board of Commissioners. As excited as I am about my future as mayor of Chicago, I am also sobered and humbled to be leaving my constituents and colleagues on the Board, because together, we have done so much important work to transform Cook County government.“As I look back on these last fou...

Woman found in U-Haul during traffic stop; Maryland man arrested for kidnapping

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, Md. (WDVM) - A 62-year-old Maryland man was arrested Friday night after allegedly kidnapping a woman and making her sit, naked, in a U-Haul as he drove around for hours. Maryland State Police said Dennis Bell of Lanham faces 14 criminal charges including first-degree assault, kidnapping, false imprisonment, fourth-degree sex offense, possession of suspected crack cocaine, and driving while impaired. Bell also faces 19 traffic charges related to the incident. Who is Tonya Dawn Hughes? The story behind Netflix’s new true crime doc According to authorities, Bell was driving a U-Haul truck in Washington, D.C. Friday morning when he encountered the victim at a convenience store. He allegedly pushed her into the truck and threatened to kill her if she didn't do what he told her, the woman explained to police. The woman said Bell drove around all day as she sat on the floorboard, Maryland State Police wrote in a press release. She added that, at one point, Bell ...

Under the sea: Florida professor sets record for living underwater

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

KEY LARGO, Fla. (AP) — A university professor broke a record for the longest time living underwater without depressurization this weekend at a Florida Keys lodge for scuba divers.Joseph Dituri’s 74th day residing in Jules’ Undersea Lodge, situated at the bottom of a 30-foot-deep lagoon in Key Largo, wasn’t much different than his previous days there since he submerged March 1.Dituri, who also goes by the moniker “Dr. Deep Sea,” ate a protein-heavy meal of eggs and salmon prepared using a microwave, exercised with resistance bands, did his daily pushups and took an hour-long nap. Unlike a submarine, the lodge does not use technology to adjust for the increased underwater pressure.The previous record of 73 days, two hours and 34 minutes was set by two Tennessee professors -- Bruce Cantrell and Jessica Fain -- at the same location in 2014.But Dituri isn't just settling for the record and resurfacing: He plans to stay at the lodge until June 9, when he reaches 100 days and com...

How to keep mosquitoes away: Tips from Texans, pest control experts

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Texas is getting hotter as summer draws near, which means mosquitoes are out and about. Mosquito bites are itchy and annoying, but the insects can also pose health risks by spreading diseases and viruses like Zika, West Nile, dengue fever, encephalitis and canine heartworm. Austin Public Health (APH) said Austin-Travis County saw one case of West Nile in a patient just last year and identified six positive mosquito pools throughout the county. Mosquito preventionAPH said mosquitoes can be avoided through the "Four D's": Dusk and dawn: Although different species of mosquitoes are active at different times of day, the species that spread West Nile Virus are most active between dusk and dawn. Dress: Wear pants and long sleeves when you are outside. Wear light-colored, loose-fitting clothing; mosquito-repellent clothing is also available  DEET: Apply insect repellent that contains DEET. Read and follow label instructions. Spray both ex...

Gov. Greg Abbott threatens to veto pared-down school choice bill, warns of special sessions

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

AUSTIN (Texas Tribune) – Gov. Greg Abbott on Sunday said he would veto a toned-down version of a bill to offer school vouchers in Texas, and threatened to call legislators back for special sessions if they don't "expand the scope of school choice" this month."Parents and their children deserve no less," he said in a statement. His dramatic declaration came the night before the House Public Education Committee was scheduled to hold a public hearing on Senate Bill 8, the school voucher bill. That measure passed the Senate more than a month ago, but has so far been stalled in lower chamber as it lacks sufficient support.The committee is set to vote Monday on the latest version of SB 8, authored by Sen. Brandon Creighton, R-Conroe, which would significantly roll back voucher eligibility to only students with disabilities or those that attended an F-rated campus. This would mean that fewer than a million students would be eligible to enter the program.Abbott doesn't b...

Mahtomedi mom seeks to help boys like her son who have a terminal muscle-wasting disease

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

A Mahtomedi mother who testified before a Food and Drug Administration advisory committee Friday has helped families everywhere get one step closer to fighting a terminal disease that targets young boys.After Marit Sivertson and other families testified on Friday, the FDA’s Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy advisory committee voted 8 to 6 to fast-track approval of a gene therapy that she believes has changed her 9-year-old son’s life.“This is the news that our community has been advocating for and waiting for,” she said. “These boys don’t have the luxury of time. Each and every day that passes, their muscles deteriorate and these families continue to lose a part of their sons. This is the best possible outcome we could have hoped for.”Girls can get the disease, as well, but the disease mostly targets males.When her son, Brecken Kinney, was a toddler and Sivertson took him to the park to play, she noticed he wasn’t climbing on the equipment l...

I-787 crash near Exit 7E closes 2 of 3 right lanes

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

COLONIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- According to 511NY, a crash on I-787 southbound near the area of Exit 7E; NY 378 eastbound in Colonie has closed two right lanes of three. Drivers in the area should expect delays and if possible, should seek alternative routes.Check out NEWS10's traffic tracker. You can plan your route and see traffic delays in real-time!Little is known of the crash right now. Stick with News10 as more information regarding the crash becomes available.

5 things to know this Monday, May 15

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 16:10:31 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Happy Monday! We hope everyone had a great weekend and all the moms and caregivers had a great Mother's Day. According to Meteorologist Jill Szwed, we're going to be building off of the beautiful weekend we just had with more great weather to come. Highs will run from the mid-60s in the higher terrain to the mid-70s for Albany and spots southward. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Three people were shot at Village Barber and Beauty on Second Avenue in Albany on Saturday, one dying as a result of the shooting. Also, a missing Bennington man was found deceased in the Walloomsac River on Sunday after last being seen on Friday. These stories, and more, are covered in your five things to know this Monday morning. 1. Nine-year-old among 3 shot in Albany, with 1 killedAlbany police are investigating a gun homicide that took place at Village Barber and Beauty on Second Avenue at around 2:45 p.m. on Saturday. ...