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What it's like to live — and even thrive — with stiff-person syndrome

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:39:00 GMT

(WGN-TV) You probably hadn’t heard of stiff-person syndrome until superstar singer Celine Dion announced her battle with the rare and often misdiagnosed ailment in December.The disease “is characterized by fluctuating muscle rigidity in the trunk and limbs and a heightened sensitivity to stimuli such as noise, touch, and emotional distress, which can set off muscle spasms,” according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS).In a message to her fans, Dion gave voice to the 1-in-1-million people struggling with the same disorder she had been battling offstage."I’ve been dealing with problems with my health for a long time, and it’s been really difficult for me to face these challenges and to talk about everything that I’ve been going through,” the Canadian singer said before revealing her diagnosis. “We now know this is what’s been causing all of the spasms that I’ve been having.”“My mind was, ‘Oh my goodness, I feel so bad for her,’” said Moira...

Texas' Rodney Terry named the Sporting News national basketball coach of the year

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:39:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — He wasn't named the Big 12 Conference coach of the year, but one national publication thinks Longhorns interim head coach Rodney Terry is the best in the country.The Sporting News named Terry its men's college basketball coach of the year Wednesday after Terry led the Longhorns to a top-10 ranking and No. 2 seed in the Big 12 Conference tournament. In the first draft of the top 16 seeded teams for the NCAA Tournament, the Longhorns were slotted at No. 5 by the selection committee. Given the circumstances under that Terry took the team over, it's remarkable what he's been able to accomplish.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersTerry took over as acting head coach when Chris Beard was arrested and charged with third-degree felony assault on Dec. 12 (which has since been dropped), leading to his suspension by the University of Texas and eventually his firing on...

Warming climate leading to allergy seasons starting sooner

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:39:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN)-- Central Texas has its fair share of allergy seasons. Most local denizens are, at one time of the year or another, adversely affected by either the mold, the grass, the weeds, or especially the trees. There are even some who can be affected by multiple seasons of the tree pollens. For example, they're sneezing from oak or elm in the spring, get a few months of relief, then have to deal with one of the worst pollens imaginable, cedar.A new study released by Climate Central offers a perspective on these allergens that many will find disheartening. Some parts of the country, including the south, are seeing their allergy seasons start earlier, last longer, and, as a result, recognizing pollen seasons that get worse from year to year.Courtesy: Climate CentralTheir bottom line? Our changing climate is making these prolonged allergy seasons worse from our warming planet and, just as important, periods of drought such as what Central Texas has been experiencing since 2019.The...

More districts are moving to four-day school weeks: Here's how they work

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:39:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A rural East Texas school district just became at least the 60th in the state to move to a four-day school week. Overton ISD, a rural district east of Tyler that serves about 475 students, approved the change in a school board meeting Monday."If you were for it or against it, let’s put that behind us," said Superintendent Larry Calhoun. "We’ve made the decision, adopt a can-do attitude and let’s figure it out. I think it’s always a great day to be a Mustang." MAP: Which Texas school districts have switched to four-day weeks? The four-day week was made possible after a 2015 law, passed by the Texas Legislature, changed how classroom instruction was timed. Districts no longer had to provide 180 days of classes, but instead a minimum of 75,600 minutes.But how does the four-day schedule work? That depends on the district.Most that have adopted the four-day schedule give students Friday off. That's how Overton ISD plans to operate in the new school year.Other districts ...

Vishal Gupta: Worried that ChatGPT is coming for your job? An old assessment tool may have the answer

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:39:00 GMT

“AI passes U.S. medical licensing exam.” “ChatGPT passes law school exams despite ‘mediocre’ performance.” “Would ChatGPT get a Wharton MBA?”Headlines such as these have recently touted (and often exaggerated) the successes of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence tool capable of writing sophisticated text responses to human prompts. These successes follow a long tradition of comparing an AI’s ability to that of human experts, such as Deep Blue’s chess victory over Gary Kasparov in 1997, IBM Watson’s “Jeopardy!” victory over Ken Jennings and Brad Rutter in 2011, and AlphaGo’s victory in the game Go over Lee Sedol in 2016.The implied subtext of these recent headlines is more alarmist: AI is coming for your job. It’s as smart as your doctor, your lawyer and that consultant you hired. It heralds an imminent, pervasive disruption to our lives.But sensationalism aside, does comparison of AI with human...

John Holden: Russia’s totalitarian march in Ukraine has crushed many Russian lives as well

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:39:00 GMT

As Russia’s war against Ukraine grinds into its second ghastly year, I have gotten an upfront view on its impact on the lives of numerous ordinary people from both countries.My fascination with Russia dates to my teen years when I became an ardent fan great Russian novelists including Fyodor Dostoyevsky, Ivan Turgenev and Mikhail Bulgakov. Though I began traveling in Eastern Europe in the 1980s, it seemed an impossible dream I would ever get into Russia or other parts of the Soviet Union. Following the collapse of the Soviet empire in 1991, that dream quickly became a reality in 1992 when my job at Chicago’s City Hall netted me an invitation from Moscow city government to visit as part of an exchange program for municipal government finance officials.My trip to Moscow and St. Petersburg was a potent eye-opener plainly showing what 68-plus years of communist rule had wrought in these imposing but bedraggled cities. A year into Russia’s abrupt shift to capitalism, pr...

BCA identifies Okwan Sims as man shot, killed by Stillwater police

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:39:00 GMT

Authorities have identified the man fatally shot by police at a Stillwater apartment complex Saturday.The Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s Office said Okwan Rahmier Sims, 21, of Stillwater, died of multiple gunshot wounds.The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension also identified one of the two officers involved in the incident as Officer Justin Dowley, who fired his service rifle. Dowley, who has worked in law enforcement for seven years, joined the Stillwater Police Department in 2019. He is on standard administrative leave.The second officer also is on leave. “It was unclear at this time whether he fired his service weapon,” a press release from the BCA states.According to the BCA, a woman named Felicia Harris went to the apartment where Sims lived in the Curve Crest Villas apartment complex at 2225 Orleans St. Harris told BCA agents Sims came out of his room with a gun and started shooting at her, striking her at least once. Just before 2:30 p.m., 911 calls started comi...

Boys hockey state tournament: Class 2A primer

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:39:00 GMT

The big schools join the dance Thursday, with the eight remaining Class 2A programs taking the ice at Xcel Energy Center.All winner’s bracket contests will be televised locally on KSTC-Channel 45, while games can be streamed free of charge on Prep45.com.Here are storylines to watch:Mr. Hockey? Four of the 10 finalists for the 2023 Minnesota Mr. Hockey award are in the Class 2A state tournament field — Cretin-Derham Hall’s Jake Fisher, Maple Grove’s Finn Brink, and Andover’s Gavyn Thoreson and Cooper Conway. All four are Division-I commits who have combined to net 146 goals and 156 assists. All four are capable of leading their respective programs deep into this weekend’s action.We meet again: Three of the four quarterfinal matchups Thursday will be rematches from the regular season. In each case, the seeded team topped the unseeded opponent.Second-seeded Maple Grove beat Cretin-Derham Hall 6-3 in a late-December contest that was tied 3-3 through two per...

St Paul man sentenced for part in deadly funeral home gunfight

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:39:00 GMT

A St. Paul has been sentenced to 27 months in prison for shooting and wounding another man during a deadly gun battle outside a West Side St. Paul funeral home last year.David Nicholas Garcia, 41, pleaded guilty in December to second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in connection with the shooting at Simple Traditions by Bradshaw funeral home.The sentence by Ramsey County District Judge Adam Yang on Monday was a downward durational departure from state sentencing guidelines. Garcia had faced up to 36 months in prison as part of his plea agreement with the prosecution. He was given credit for 313 days already served in custody.The shooting, which claimed the life of 28-year-old Agustin Martinez of Crystal, happened as mourners were gathered for the funeral for Casanova Carter. Carter, 26, was fatally shot at his West Side home three weeks earlier. He was a member of the Latin Kings gang, according to police.The man who Garcia shot and wounded, Bryan Lara-Saavedra, 26, of Minnea...

MN Gov. Tim Walz signs order protecting access to ‘gender affirming care’ for youth

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 18:39:00 GMT

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz signed an executive order Wednesday protecting access to “gender affirming care” for transgender people and took a swipe at leaders of conservative states he called “bullies” for banning the practice.The Democratic governor said Minnesota would be a refuge for transgender people and families with children who are seeking to receive care that corresponds with their gender identity.“We want every Minnesotan to grow up feeling safe, valued, protected, celebrated and free to exist as their authentic versions of themselves,” Walz said. “Supporting access to gender affirming health care is essential to being a welcoming and supportive state to the community.”Gender affirming care can include things like puberty blockers and hormone therapy for adolescents who are under a doctor’s care. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services describes gender affirming care as a “supportive form of healthcare”...