Latest news with #Budzinski
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Kansas City Fire Department commends bystanders who saved two people's lives
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Fire Department said its crew recently got a big assist from a couple of Good Samaritans who helped save not one, but two lives. FOX4 spoke with two people who jumped into action when one of their customers went into cardiac arrest. WATCH: Second car in 3 months crashes into roof of Excelsior Springs Veterans Hall Nine years as a server at Kate's Kitchen and this was a first: Chloe Rueter helped save a life. She said the customer collapsed right in front of her. Rueter said she called 911 immediately. 'He's one of our regulars that have been coming in here for a very long time,' Rueter said. 'It was very scary.' Server Molly Budzinski said they couldn't find a pulse. That's when she and another customer, a nurse, started hands only CPR. 'There for a moment, you're literally someone's heartbeat and that is a lot to come to terms with and understand,' Budzinski said. 'But I would do it again in a heartbeat because it is someone's life – no matter how scared you are in that moment.' The KCFD said a dispatcher helped the Kate's Kitchen crew stay calm, while Rueter stayed on the line until emergency crews got to the restaurant. 'They responded within minutes, but those minutes felt like forever when you're trying to save a life,' Rueter said. That afternoon, at the Hy-Vee off Barry Road, another person went into cardiac arrest. Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins said employees jumped into action and began performing CPR. They also applied an AED. 'It's crucial; it's not like it is in the movies,' Hopkins said. 'Your chance of survival outside of a hospital is less than 10%—it's closer to 5%. That increases with fast CPR starting and AED application. 'The sooner you can start CPR and AED, the better.' He said the people who took action helped emergency responders save those people's lives. 'I'm not sure the names of the individuals who jumped in yesterday, but the families of these patients owe them a big hug,' Hopkins said. Rueter said she took CPR classes in high school, and Budzinski said she's CPR certified. They are encouraging everyone to get trained. 'Get CPR certified, and 911 is your best friend in those moments,' Budzinski said. 'It saved a life. I don't feel like a hero. It was actually one of the scariest 20 minutes of my life, but I'm really grateful he's okay.' Family members of the man who collapsed stopped by the restaurant to say thank you and snap a photo of the staff. 'They took a picture with us and said 'we've got to show him back at the hospital' and 'he's going to love to see you guys,'' Rueter said. 'I would want them to do it for my family members.' Hopkins said both people were conscious and talking when they got to the hospital. They're expected to make full recoveries. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Budzinski reacts to SNAP cuts approved by Agriculture Committee
ILLINOIS (WCIA) — Cuts could be coming to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP. The cuts were voted on by the Agriculture Committee in the U.S. House Wednesday evening. The bill will move on to a full vote by the House of Representatives. Over 13% of Central Illinoisans are food insecure: EIF, Feeding America Supporters of the cuts said that SNAP has ballooned in cost. Some changes the legislation would make includes: Requiring states to shoulder a share of the benefit costs beginning in FY2028 Blocks future increases to the cost of Future Thrifty Food Plan (TFP) Increases the work requirement for able-bodied adults without dependents from 54 to 64 Ends SNAP-Ed (an educational program that helps people stretch out their SNAP money, cook healthy meals, and lead active lifestyles) Requires that to be eligible for SNAP, an individual must be a U.S. Citizen or green card holder Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) spoke out against the cuts during the budget reconciliation bill in the House Agriculture Committee Tuesday evening. She said the the $313 billion in SNAP cuts would impact families in need, as well as farmers and the food supply chain. 'This will take away food for SNAP households that are home to a child, an old adult or a disabled adult,' Budzinski said. 'And for what? To pay for tax cuts for the wealthiest people in this country.' You can find the full text of the budget resolution here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
NASA provides $1M for AI-Astronomy led by U of I grad student
CHAMPAIGN-URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — NASA has awarded $1 million in funding to a research project lead by the Department of Astronomy at the University of Illinois. The DeepDISC-Euclid interdisciplinary research project was significantly driven by graduate student Grant Merz, whose leadership and key contributions have been instrumental in developing the foundational learning framework that is DeepDISC. Budzinski introduces bipartisan biofuel bill Under the guidance of Principal Investigator Professor Xin Liu, DeepDISC-Euclid addresses one of the most critical challenges of the European Space Agency Euclid mission: The precise detection and classification of blended astronomical objects in deep, multi-band, high-resolution imaging. 'Merz's groundbreaking work on DeepDISC, leveraging advanced AI techniques such as Transformer-based models and Detectron2, is expected to deliver unprecedented accuracy in object detection, segmentation, and physical inference for precision cosmology,' the U of I said on its website. The DeepDISC-Euclid project integrates cutting-edge computer vision techniques with extensive astronomical survey datasets, enhancing the scientific potential of the Euclid mission. Co-Investigators Volodymyr Kindratenko, Yue Shen and Yuxiong Wang, all professors at U of I, provide expertise in computational infrastructure, astrophysical analysis and machine learning. $157M in federal funding committed for Springfield railroad project This project is expected to produce open-source, well-documented software tools to be incorporated into the Euclid NASA Science Center's analysis suite, ensuring wide accessibility and significant scientific impact. On top of that, DeepDISC-Euclid prioritizes the mentorship and professional development of early-career researchers. The structured internships and hands-on training in computational astrophysics and AI-driven research will give postdoctoral scholars, graduate students and undergraduates with skills aligned with NASA's strategic objectives and Illinois Astronomy's educational excellence. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
$157M in federal funding committed for Springfield railroad project
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — The final segment of the Springfield Rail Improvements projects can move forward, after lawmakers announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has officially budgeted over $157 million in federal funding for the project. This comes after the Trump Administration directed federal agencies to pause 'all activities related to obligation or disbursement of all Federal financial assistance,' earlier this year. IL lawmakers announce $157M in funding toward Springfield rail project The $157,126,494 project is part of a local, state and federal partnership designed to reduce rail congestion in downtown Springfield. Once the project is finished, it'll consolidate train traffic from Third Street the 10th Street and construct a series of overpasses and underpasses along the corridor. Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (IL-13) said this project will connect communities and build a more reliable transportation system for the future. 'Securing funding for the Springfield Rail Improvements Project has been a top priority of mine, and with the funding now finalized, we're one step closer to transforming our downtown, reducing rail noise, and making our streets safer. This project is also creating good-paying union jobs, benefiting families across our community,' Budzinski said in a news release. Springfield street set to close for water main relocation, railroad project This phase of the project includes includes rail improvements, track realignment, and the construction of a new Amtrak Station in Springfield. It will consolidate the Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern corridors into one multitrack corridor through the city, which will — hopefully — lead to a high speed passenger rail connecting St. Louis and Chicago in the future. 'Connecting communities is at the heart of transportation and today's final federal commitment for a new Amtrak Station, rail improvements, and track realignment in Springfield will better connect passengers between St. Louis and Chicago,' Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said in a news release. 'The Springfield Rail Improvements Project is dramatically changing downtown Springfield by reducing rail congestion, creating jobs, and improving safety for passengers, drivers, and pedestrians.' High-speed rail survey could help bring trains through Central Illinois Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) added that investing in rail infrastructure will help grow Illinois' economy. And, after pushing for this project alongside Durbin and Budzinski, Duckworth is 'grateful' to see this project move towards completion. 'This federal investment will go a long way in helping us build a new multimodal transportation center, improve efficiency for passengers traveling between St. Louis and Chicago and support good-paying jobs while making Springfield safer for pedestrians and drivers,' Duckworth said in a news release. The project includes the construction of a Multimodal Transportation Center. It will improve public transportation connectivity among intercity passenger rail, local bus service, and intercity bus service. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
02-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Farm Bill delayed, years after deadline, as Congress debates $230B SNAP cuts. What's next?
The clock is ticking once again as the extended 2018 Farm Bill approaches its latest deadline. Originally set to expire in 2023, the bill — typically renewed every five years — has been extended twice, with the current extension set to end on Sept. 30, 2025. Now, with less than five months remaining, the traditionally bipartisan legislation remains gridlocked. The Farm Bill has become a point of contention due to sharp political divisions, primarily over funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). House Republicans are pushing to reduce SNAP funding by up to $230 billion over the next decade, citing fiscal responsibility and a desire to shift resources to other agricultural priorities. Democrats oppose the cuts, warning they would deepen food insecurity, especially in rural communities where SNAP is widely used. The standoff over SNAP has become the main obstacle to passing a new Farm Bill, placing vital programs for both farmers and low-income families at risk. This debate follows last year's stalled negotiations, when proposed cuts to SNAP totaled around $30 billion. Since then, changes in congressional leadership have driven that figure more than sevenfold, intensifying the partisan divide. 'A lot of us voted against a Farm Bill last year because there were $30 billion in cuts to SNAP,' Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-Illinois) told Brownfield Ag News. 'Now we're talking about $230 billion worth of cuts to SNAP over 10 years. These are drastic cuts to people who are working, who are struggling to put food on the table for their kids.' Budzinski also emphasized to Brownfield that the economic impact of SNAP extends beyond its recipients. 'A dollar of SNAP benefits generates about $1.50 in economic return,' she said. 'And who benefits from that? Our growers — the folks growing the food in our communities, helping provide the products people are purchasing with their SNAP benefits. So, this will also impact our farmers.' In previous discussions, Rep. Glenn "GT" Thompson, a Republican from Pennsylvania and the chairman of the House committee, has emphasized his goal of avoiding cuts to benefits. However, during a hearing last month, he and other Republicans highlighted the need to strengthen the program's work requirements. 'We must preserve benefits for those who truly need them, but also ensure that SNAP helps guide participants toward independence and self-sufficiency,' Thompson said. In Texas, more than 3.4 million people rely on SNAP benefits to help support their livelihoods. Members of Congress who sit on the Senate and House Committees on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry are primarily responsible for drafting farm bills. The Farm Bill is a $1.5 trillion program that consists of a lot more than just crops and livestock. In fact, it impacts everyone in one way or the other, whether through school lunch and government assistance or support of natural resources, such as our forests. The legislation is broken into 12 sections, or titles. Each title addresses different aspects of agriculture and related sectors. Here's a summary of each title: Commodities: Covers price and income support for farmers producing non-perishable crops, dairy and sugar, along with agricultural disaster assistance. Conservation: Includes programs for natural resource conservation on working lands and land retirement and easement programs. Trade: Covers food export subsidy programs and international food aid. Nutrition: Encompasses SNAP and other nutrition programs to assist low-income Americans, as well as school lunches. Credit: Focuses on federal loan programs to help farmers access financial credit. Rural development: Supports rural economic growth through business and community development, rural housing and infrastructure. Research, extension, and related matters: Funds farm and food research, education and extension programs. Forestry: Addresses forest-specific conservation programs. Energy: Encourages biofuel production, renewable energy installation and energy-related research. Horticulture: Includes farmers market programs, research funding for horticultural crops and organic farming initiatives. Crop Insurance: Provides subsidies for crop insurance premiums and supports the development of insurance policies. Miscellaneous: Covers various advocacy and outreach areas such as support for beginning, socially disadvantaged, and veteran farmers, agricultural labor safety, workforce development and livestock health. No new farm bills have been fully drafted or published this year. While the overall priorities are likely to remain similar to those of last year, they have been adjusted in response to ongoing discussions and the failure to pass a new bill ahead of the presidential election. With Republicans now controlling the House, Senate, and the presidency, the new Farm Bill is expected to reflect more conservative priorities, such as a focus on fiscal responsibility, spending reductions, and shifts in resource allocation, particularly within programs like SNAP. In the proposed 2024 Farm Bill, which ultimately did not come to fruition, some of the major changes that would have been implemented, if passed, included: SNAP Cuts (U.S. House): The proposal suggested maintaining the Thrifty Food Plan without factoring in inflation adjustments, potentially leading to a reduction of approximately $30 billion (now increased to $230 billion) in SNAP funding over the next decade. Over time, these cuts would have amplified, resulting in diminishing adequacy of SNAP benefits. Price Loss Coverage Increase (U.S. House): Price Loss Coverage reference prices would have increased by 10% to 20%, depending on the commodity, simultaneously enhancing income protection for growers through the Agriculture Risk Coverage program and crop insurance. Reallocate Conservation Funding (U.S. House): Incorporating Inflation Reduction Act conservation funding into the bill, the U.S. House proposed removing restrictions that limited funding for climate-smart practices. Instead, the funding would have been reallocated toward modifications to the Conservation Reserve Program and the reauthorization of funding for feral swine eradication. It would also have created a new Forest Conservation Easement Program. Support for Underserved Producers (U.S. Senate): The Senate's bill sought to increase financial support and price loss coverage for underserved producers (non-male and communities of color). The Senate also proposed an increase in PLC by only 3 to 5%. Rural Childcare Improvements (U.S. Senate): The Senate bill prioritized projects for childcare facilities in rural areas. Environmental Quality Incentives Updates (U.S. Senate): The bill expanded the purposes of EQIP to include "promoting environmental quality and climate change adaptation and mitigation as compatible goals with agricultural production and forest management; assisting producers with complying with local, state, and national regulatory requirements concerning climate change adaptation, mitigation, and resilience; and providing flexible assistance to producers to install and maintain conservation practices that sustain food and fiber production while sequestering carbon, increasing drought resilience, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and conserving energy." Farm Transitions (U.S. House): The bill sought to reauthorize the Commission on Farm Transitions-Needs for 2050 and make improvements based on Committee Member Yadira Caraveo's (D-Colo.) bipartisan legislation. Farmland Tracking (U.S. House): The bill aimed to refine reporting mandates within the Agriculture Foreign Investment Disclosure Act to enhance monitoring of acquisitions of U.S. farmland by Chinese and other foreign entities.. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Farm Bill delayed as Congress debates $230B cuts to SNAP. What's next?
