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New Washington Police evidence building’s price tag to top $2M

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New Washington Police evidence building’s price tag to top M


WASHINGTON (25News Now) – Construction of the Washington Police Department’s new evidence building could begin soon, depending on a vote from the city council.

The police department has been asking for a new building for five years. The current facility is deemed “unusable” and has been closed due to a fire there earlier this year.

Police Chief Mike McCoy said the department needs this new building sooner than later, as the government spends $2,000 a month renting a building in East Peoria to store evidence.

“We have to transport every piece of evidence we get every day down to this new location, then come back,” McCoy said. “That takes one of our officers out of Washington to East Peoria to deliver the evidence.”

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Washington Mayor Gary Manier said the contract will likely go to the lowest bidder, contractor PJ Hoerr.

The new building in a lot behind the fire department would cost $2.3 million. Some $900,000 in grant money would help fund the project.

The rest of the money would come from city budget reserves and leftover pandemic relief money. Overall, the city will spend $600,000 on the project.

“$372,000 of that would come out of general funds, so the council still has a week and this next week to discuss it, and then a week after, it’ll probably go to a vote,” Manier said.

Chief McCoy said the new building will be a bare bones design compared to the original plan that totaled at around $5 million. He said the revised estimate was $1.9 million, but costs continue to rise.

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“The costs are going up per year for building equipment 15%, 18%, and now they’ve been going up 20%, 25% a year,” McCoy said. “So, our costs that we originally proposed were about $1.9 million, is now about $2.3 million.”

Manier said the next step is to vote on a city budget amendment. The mayor said although it’s concerning to change the budget one month into it, he doesn’t believe it will have a negative impact on the city.

“We haven’t really spent our budget every year,” Manier said. “I think if you look at that, I think we’re not really going to do away with services or have to postpone till the next fiscal year.”

McCoy said once the new building is finished, the police department will be able to run more efficiently.

“This is all going to be barcoded now, so when a piece of evidence comes in, [it gets] assigned a barcode, and you just zap it, and in and out,” McCoy said. “It’ll reduce the time the police have to deal with it, [and it will] also reduce the time our evidence technicians will have to get it recorded, in and out, and in a safe place.”

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The council will meet as a committee-of-the-whole to discuss the project Monday, June 10. Mayor Manier said the council will likely vote on the budget amendment a week later on Monday, June 17, in addition to hiring the contractor.

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Iran warns Washington it will retaliate against any attack

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Iran warns Washington it will retaliate against any attack


DUBAI, Jan 11 (Reuters) – Iran warned President Donald Trump on Sunday that any U.S. attack would lead to Tehran striking back against Israel and regional U.S. military bases as “legitimate targets”, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf told parliament.

Israel is on high alert for the possibility of a U.S. intervention to support a nationwide protest movement in Iran, sources said.

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Reporting by Dubai Newsroom; Editing by William Mallard

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Washington National Opera cuts ties with the Kennedy Center after longstanding partnership | CNN Politics

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Washington National Opera cuts ties with the Kennedy Center after longstanding partnership | CNN Politics


The Washington National Opera on Friday announced it is parting ways with the Kennedy Center after more than a decade with the arts institution.

“Today, the Washington National Opera announced its decision to seek an amicable early termination of its affiliation agreement with the Kennedy Center and resume operations as a fully independent nonprofit entity,” the opera said in a statement.

The decoupling marks another high-profile withdrawal since President Donald Trump and his newly installed board of trustees instituted broad thematic and cosmetic changes to the building, including renaming the facility “The Donald J. Trump and The John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts.”

The opera said it plans to “reduce its spring season and relocate performances to new venues.”

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A source familiar with the dynamic told CNN the decision to part ways was made by the opera’s board and its leadership, and that the decision was not mutual.

A spokesperson for the Kennedy Center said in a statement, “After careful consideration, we have made the difficult decision to part ways with the WNO due to a financially challenging relationship. We believe this represents the best path forward for both organizations and enables us to make responsible choices that support the financial stability and long-term future of the Trump Kennedy Center.”

Kennedy Center president Richard Grenell, who was appointed by Trump’s hand-picked board, said on X, “Having an exclusive relationship has been extremely expensive and limiting in choice and variety.”

Grenell added, “Having an exclusive Opera was just not financially smart. And our patrons clearly wanted a refresh.”

Since taking the reins at the center, Grenell has cut existing staff, hired political allies and mandated a “break-even policy” for every performance.

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The opera said the new policy was a factor in its decision to leave the center.

“The Center’s new business model requires productions to be fully funded in advance—a requirement incompatible with opera operations,” the opera said.

Francesca Zambello, the opera’s artistic director, said she is “deeply saddened to leave The Kennedy Center.”

“In the coming years, as we explore new venues and new ways of performing, WNO remains committed to its mission and artistic vision,” she said.

The New York Times first reported the opera’s departure.

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Founded in 1956 as the “Opera Society of Washington,” the group has performed across the district, taking permanent residency in the Kennedy Center in 2011.

The performing arts center has been hit with a string of abrupt cancellations from artists in recent weeks including the jazz group The Cookers and New York City-based dance company Doug Varone and Dancers who canceled their performances after Trump’s name was added to the center – a living memorial for assassinated President John F. Kennedy.

The American College Theater Festival voted to suspend its relationship with the Kennedy Center, calling the affiliation “no longer viable” and citing concerns over a misalignment of the group’s values.

American banjo player Béla Fleck withdrew his upcoming performance with the National Symphony Orchestra, saying that performing at the center has become “charged and political.”

The Brentano String Quartet, who canceled their February 1 performance at the Kennedy Center, said they will “regretfully forego performing there.”

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CNN has reached out to the Kennedy Center on the additional cancellations.

The opera said, “The Board and management of the company wish the Center well in its own future endeavors.”

CNN’s Betsy Klein and Nicky Robertson contributed to this report.



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Andre Washington’s 20 points help Eastern Illinois take down Tennessee Tech 71-61

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Andre Washington’s 20 points help Eastern Illinois take down Tennessee Tech 71-61


CHARLESTON, Ill. (AP) — Andre Washington had 20 points in Eastern Illinois’ 71-61 victory over Tennessee Tech on Thursday.

Washington shot 8 for 13, including 4 for 6 from beyond the arc for the Panthers (5-10, 2-3 Ohio Valley Conference). Meechie White added 13 points and four steals. Kooper Jacobi finished with 11 points and added seven rebounds.

The Golden Eagles (6-10, 1-4) were led in scoring by Jah’Kim Payne, who finished with 11 points. Tennessee Tech also got 10 points from Mekhi Turner.

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.



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