Latest news with #BrianJohnson
Chicago Tribune
2 days ago
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
LGBTQ advocacy, legal groups condemn court decision on gender affirming care ban: ‘Catastrophic failure for our nation's youth'
Chicago area Trans and LGBTQ+ community groups responded with disappointment and anger Wednesday to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to uphold Tennessee's ban on gender affirming care. Representatives from Trans Up Front Illinois, Brave Space Alliance, Equality Illinois and Arcus Behavioral Health — groups that provide resources to trans and non-binary people — condemned the decision during a Wednesday afternoon news conference. 'Today's Supreme Court ruling is a catastrophic failure for our nation's youth,' Brian Johnson, CEO of Equality Illinois, an LGBTQ+ rights advocacy group said at the Center on Halsted. 'By upholding Tennessee's discriminatory ban on gender affirming care, the court has allowed dangerous double standards.' In the case, U.S. v. Skrmetti, three families with transgender children and a healthcare provider challenged Tennessee's law banning puberty blockers and hormone treatment for trans minors. The state has kept those drugs legally available for other purposes. Plaintiffs argued the ban violates their Constitutional right to equal protection under the law, while Tennessee contended it is necessary to protect children. Lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union Illinois and Lambda Legal's Illinois chapter said the court incorrectly concluded that Tennessee's ban wasn't a form of sex discrimination — prohibited by the Constitution's 14th Amendment. The court's opinion that the ban only implicates what the law allows people of different ages to do came as a result of 'mental gymnastics' and 'logistical hoops,' said Doug Curtis, Midwest Director of Lambda Legal — a nonprofit advocacy group. Chicago trans rights advocates said they're worried the ruling could push trans youth in other states to more dangerous, unsupervised sources of gender affirming care in states with bans similar to Tennessee. Channyn Lynne Parker, CEO of Brave Space Alliance, said after she sought out black market prescription hormones to help her transition during her teenage years, she developed life-threatening blood clots that left her with lung scarring. She worries that the pattern will repeat with Tennessee's ban upheld. 'It will only drive them to the underground, making preventable tragedies more likely,' Parker said. 'We owe it to every young person to ensure that they have access to safe, affirming healthcare.' Despite the Supreme Court's decision, advocates stressed that Illinois continues to be a sanctuary state for young people and families seeking gender affirming care. The state has shield laws for patients seeking gender affirming care and doctors who provide it. Illinois' Human Rights Act also prohibits discrimination based on gender identity, said Michelle García, ACLU Illinois Deputy Legal Director. 'Come to Illinois,' García said. 'We will protect you.' LGBTQ+ advocates were planning to hold a protest against the Skrmetti decision at noon Saturday in Federal Plaza.
Edinburgh Live
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Sam Fender joined on stage by music icon and special guest no one expected
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info After much anticipation, Sam Fender's 2025 gigs at St James' Park have now come to an end. However, fans were treated to a spectacular night on Sunday, marking the end of a memorable weekend. Two years after his highly acclaimed gigs at SJP, Sam and his band returned to the stage at Newcastle United's famous ground this week. They delivered three outstanding shows, with the last one attracting another 50,000 fans. This brought the total number of attendees over the past few days to around 150,000. Prior to the third and final concert on Sunday, there was speculation about a surprise guest appearance. This was largely due to the fact that in June 2023, Sam welcomed AC/DC rocker and Newcastle's own Brian Johnson to the SJP stage. On both Thursday and Saturday, there were significantly more people on stage than just Sam and his bandmates. His brother Liam performed a duet on the opening night, while Sam's former guitar teacher Phil Martin made his first of three consecutive appearances to cover Thin Lizzy's The Boys Are Back in Town, reports Chronicle Live. The Easington Colliery Brass Band also began their series of back-to-back star turns, joining Sam for the very moving Remember My Name. There were also unexpected moments in the spotlight for three musicians who got to play The Borders with Sam, but there were high hopes that someone like a Brian Johnson would be the biggest surprise of the weekend. However, while there might not have been a music legend on stage by the end of Sam's run at SJP, there was a football icon on it, with United defender Dan Burn, who had been in a box to watch Thursday's gig, going one better three days later, by walking on stage with the Carabao Cup, to the delight of the Geordie faithful. Sam looked thrilled to have him be part of the last show, with Dan also soaking in the moment. His cameo went down a storm with the crowd and there was an added treat for them in the closing moments when an 'extra' song was added to the setlist. Something Heavy from Sam's third number 1 album People Watching did make an appearance on Thursday, with Liam Fender joining Sam to sing it, before it was then replaced by Olivia Dean duet Rein Me In on Saturday. However it was back as the second to last track on Sunday night's setlists, sandwiched between The Dying Light and the firework drenched Hypersonic Missiles, as Sam invited much enjoyed support act CMAT to sing it with him.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Why Kevin Patullo Isn't Doomed to Repeat Eagles' 2023 Offensive Collapse
Why Kevin Patullo Isn't Doomed to Repeat Eagles' 2023 Offensive Collapse originally appeared on Athlon Sports. As the Philadelphia Eagles navigate the dog days of summer before training camp begins in July, speculation swirls around the team's newest offensive coordinator. Kevin Patullo steps into a role that comes with significant baggage after Brian Johnson's catastrophic 2023 season, but the circumstances surrounding Patullo's promotion suggest a dramatically different outcome awaits. Advertisement The concerns are understandable. When Shane Steichen departed for Indianapolis following the Eagles' Super Bowl LVII appearance, Johnson inherited an offense primed for continued success. Instead, the unit collapsed spectacularly. Jalen Hurts threw a career-high 15 interceptions, the team stumbled to a 1-6 finish in its final seven games, and the season ended in humiliating fashion with a 32-9 Wild Card loss to Tampa Bay. Bleacher Report's Moe Moton recently identified Patullo as a potential 'roster flaw' that could derail Philadelphia's championship aspirations, drawing parallels between the two first-time play-callers who replaced departed coordinators—Johnson after Steichen, and now Patullo following Kellen Moore's departure for New Orleans. But the comparison ignores key differences that make Patullo's situation vastly superior to Johnson's doomed tenure. Unlike Johnson, who served primarily as quarterbacks coach before his promotion, Patullo has been deeply embedded in Philadelphia's offensive infrastructure as passing game coordinator. He's been Nick Sirianni's right-hand man for years, instrumental in game planning and player development. This isn't a coordinator learning on the job—it's a coach stepping into a role he's already been partially fulfilling. Patullo understands the system because he helped build it. The personnel upgrades are significant. The addition of Saquon Barkley transforms the backfield entirely, giving the Eagles a dynamic workhorse who can run between the tackles, catch passes, and serve as a reliable outlet for Hurts. That's a far cry from the 2023 committee approach that yielded inconsistent results. Barkley's presence provides schematic flexibility Johnson never had and adds a layer of balance that can prevent defensive overloads on the passing game. Advertisement Vic Fangio's arrival as defensive coordinator also lessens the burden. With a top-tier defense in place, Patullo isn't under pressure to score 30-plus points every week. Johnson often coached with the understanding that his unit had to compensate for defensive shortcomings. Patullo enters a more balanced team environment, where field position and game control are viable paths to victory. Then there's the matter of hindsight. Johnson's tenure offered a masterclass in what not to do—overreliance on bubble screens, poorly timed deep shots, and baffling red-zone decisions that often left points on the field. Patullo had a front-row seat for the dysfunction and now holds the benefit of learning from it without wearing its scars. The psychological contrast may be the most important edge. Johnson walked into a championship-or-bust scenario with sky-high expectations and a Super Bowl hangover looming. Patullo inherits a unit that was humbled by failure, motivated by redemption rather than perfection. That reset in attitude, paired with institutional knowledge and a healthier roster, gives him a far more manageable runway. Kevin Patullo still faces pressure—this is Philadelphia, and the Eagles are coming off a Super Bowl win. But unlike his predecessor, he steps into the role with the trust of the head coach, the support of an upgraded roster, and the clarity of knowing exactly how and why the previous system failed. That might be all he needs to turn the Eagles' offense back into a championship-caliber machine. Advertisement Related: Barkley's Rise Is Redefining Greatness Related: Eagles Urged To Sign Veteran Super Bowl Champion Defensive Back This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 15, 2025, where it first appeared.
Forbes
11-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Forbes
AC/DC Rocks Back To No. 1 In America
AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck' returns to No. 1 on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart, marking its ... More sixtieth week at the summit while 'Back in Black' reenters a related tally. INDIO, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 07: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) (L-R) Stevie Young, Brian Johnson, Angus Young, and Cliff Williams of AC/DC perform onstage during the Power Trip music festival at Empire Polo Club on October 07, 2023 in Indio, California. (Photo byfor Power Trip) AC/DC may never have a truly bad week on the Billboard charts again. As Americans continue to show, week after week, that they love the hard rock group's biggest hits, the band regularly appears on half a dozen tallies or more across the United States. Thanks to continued consumption of both albums and singles — one blockbuster smash in particular — this frame is especially exciting for the legendary outfit. 'Thunderstruck' remains not just a classic cut, but a bestselling one. The tune rises from the runner-up space to the summit on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales chart. AC/DC knocks Falling in Reverse and Marilyn Manson from the throne, as their collaboration 'God Is a Weapon Too' dips from No. 1 to third place in its third stint on the roster. 'Thunderstruck' is no stranger to leading the charge on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales tally. This week marks its sixtieth frame in the top spot — an incredible accumulation, though still less than 10% of the total 654 weeks it has now spent on this genre-specific list. As it surges back to No. 1 on the Hard Rock Digital Song Sales ranking, 'Thunderstruck' also holds at No. 4 on the Hard Rock Streaming Songs tally and is steady at No. 9 on the Rock Digital Song Sales list. AC/DC lands two hits in America this week, as 'Back in Black' returns to one list. The group doubles up on the Hard Rock Streaming Songs tally, which ranks only the most-played cuts on platforms like Spotify, Apple Music, and others that Billboard categorizes as hard rock. That track now sits at No. 24, in the second to last position. The Australian rock outfit also appears on multiple albums rankings with another strong seller. Back in Black has now spent at least 400 weeks on the Top Rock & Alternative Albums, Top Hard Rock Albums, and Billboard 200 charts, though it declines slightly on each of those rosters this frame.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
C. Reiss/GB officials solidify commitment to move coal piles
GREEN BAY, Wis. (WFRV) – On Tuesday night, Green Bay's common council approved a memorandum between the city and C. Reiss Company that lays out how the two entities will work together to get the coal piles relocated. 'I just want to thank you all for continuing to push this and you made this happen,' said Green Bay alder Kathy Hinkfuss. 'It's been a long time coming, thank you.' Perhaps the most significant aspect of the memorandum of understanding is Green Bay committing $2.2 million to assist with the relocation of the coal piles. According to common council president Brian Johnson, the money will help C. Reiss get a concrete or asphalt pad for its salt piles that will relocate to the former Pulliam power plant site. Once those salt piles move off their current location at the Fox River Terminals site, C. Reiss can then move the coal piles in downtown Green Bay to the Fox River Terminals. Packers receiver Bo Melton works out at cornerback after release of Jaire Alexander 'In all likelihood it's (the $2.2 million) probably going to come from TIF (tax increment financing), so reallocating TIF from an existing district or to expand a district to encompass the Mason Street site or the Pulliam site.' The city agreed to pay for this because it was an unexpected expense that came up under the new terms of the site agreement that Brown County supervisors approved last week. Many of the original negotiations had the coal piles moving to the former Pulliam power plant site instead of the Fox River Terminals. 'I think this is the best path forward for the city to really participate in a meaningful way and address our primary concerns,' common council president Brian Johnson said in regards to the importance of this memorandum of understanding. According to the document, C. Reiss will be able to continue doing business using about 25 acres of their current coal pile site. They won't be able to store bulk commodities like coal or salt there anymore though. City leaders say they will rezone the 10 or so acres of the current coal piles site closest to the Mason Street Bridge. This will open up the possibility that the city can build things like apartment buildings or storefronts there. Family & Childcare Resources of Northeast Wisconsin holds monthly diaper giveaway 'If you look at the core of our downtown, the city deck, the On Broadway District, that's the kind of stuff we'd love to see,' Genrich said. Green Bay officials said it'll take several years before community members see the coal piles dwindling at their current site and new coal piles popping up at the Fox River Terminals. However, over the last week local officials have made several major breakthroughs to make moving the coal piles a reality. 'Without this (memorandum of understanding) the deal really wasn't done, so it was a really important step for the city to take,' Genrich said. In a statement, C. Reiss company officials said 'the steadfast and dedicated leadership of Mayor Eric Genrich has been vitally important to moving this landmark project forward for the Green Bay community. We appreciate the work of the Common Council as we partner together on this effort.' 'Often times people run for elected office and you're working through things like broken tree limbs and potholes,' Johnson said. 'It's only a small percentage of the votes that we get to take that are truly just community changing and this is one of those. Something that has been talked about for decades and we finally reached a deal that will work for everybody.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
