Author: Gist It
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After 10 years, Chicago school closings have left big holes, and promises unkept
A decade after closing 50 schools, Chicago faces consequences of unrealized promises and continued challenges. Looking back: Ten years ago, then-Mayor Rahm Emanuel closed 50 Chicago schools, claiming it would save money and improve education. * The closures were justified by citing under-enrollment, poor performance, and deteriorating buildings. By the numbers: Presently, more than half […]
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How to prepare for the 2023 hurricane season with climate change in mind
The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season begins, with climate change causing larger and more dangerous storms. Preparing for hurricanes: The National Hurricane Center is upgrading the computer model it uses to predict storm surges. * The new model extends lead time for storm surge predictions from 2 days to 3 days, allowing more time for evacuations. […]
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Ohio grandma sets record: ‘I’m the oldest old lady to ever visit every national park’
Ohio grandma Joy Ryan, 93, becomes the oldest person to visit all 63 national parks within eight years. Journey beginnings: Joy and her grandson Brad, 42, began their national park visits in 2015, with the Smoky Mountains National Park. * Brad contacted Joy during a difficult time in his life, inviting her to go camping […]
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The first debt ceiling fight was in 1953. It looked almost exactly like the one today
The first debt ceiling fight took place in 1953, with striking similarities to the current situation in Congress. History lesson: The debt ceiling was created in 1939 to simplify the process of managing government debt. * By 1953, the debt ceiling stood at about $275 billion, and President Dwight D. Eisenhower requested a $15 billion […]
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Medical students aren’t showing up to class. What does that mean for future docs?
Medical students are increasingly skipping in-person classes in favor of watching recorded lectures, raising concerns about the future of medical education and how it will affect the training of doctors. The problem: In-person lecture attendance is at an all-time low, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving many to wonder how this trend will impact future […]
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The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season has begun. Here are the 21 storm names
The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season begins and is expected to be a fairly typical year, with 21 storm names announced. Overview: The six-month season runs from June 1 to November 30, and meteorologists expect it to be fairly typical this year. * NOAA forecasts 12 to 17 total named storms, with 5 to 9 potentially […]
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Don’t believe the hype: Low-key lawmakers helped avert a debt ceiling crisis
Low-key lawmakers played a crucial role in averting a debt-ceiling crisis in the United States. The dealmakers: Pragmatic conservatives like Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., and other low-profile congressional representatives, were critical in securing support for the debt-ceiling deal. * Johnson is the chairman of the ~~”Republican Main Street Caucus,”~~ representing about 75 GOP members. * […]
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Australia’s most decorated soldier loses defamation case for alleged war crimes
Australia’s most decorated living war veteran, Ben Roberts-Smith, loses defamation case over alleged war crimes in Afghanistan. Court ruling details: Federal Court Judge Anthony Besanko ruled that the 2018 articles detailing war crimes committed by the former Special Air Service Regiment corporal were substantially true. * Allegations included unlawfully killing a prisoner with a prosthetic […]
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A South Carolina store owner accused of fatally shooting a boy is charged with murder
A South Carolina gas station owner faces murder charges for shooting a 14-year-old boy he suspected of shoplifting. The backstory: Rick Chow is accused of chasing and fatally shooting Cyrus Carmack-Belton, whom Chow believed had shoplifted water bottles from his store, but the boy reportedly returned the items before he ran away and was shot. […]
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House debates the Biden-McCarthy debt ceiling bill as default deadline looms
The House debates the Biden-McCarthy debt ceiling bill in an effort to avoid an unprecedented debt default just days before the deadline. On track to pass: House Speaker Kevin McCarthy believes the 99-page bill will pass after clearing a procedural hurdle. * President Biden has been “very involved” in reaching out to members to boost […]