# data[].attributes.body
Chicago public schools say they will keep ICE agents out. Chicago Public Schools say they will deny federal immigration agents access to district buildings and personnel unless served with a criminal warrant, the latest in a series of steps taken by US school officials to protect undocumented students.

# data[].attributes.body
Rape in America's nursing homes

# data[].attributes.body
The fiance of a children's author who drugged and suffocated her before throwing her body in a hidden cesspit has been found guilty of murder.

# data[].attributes.body
California's wet weather has some believing the drought is over

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A statewide downpour brought chaos to Californians this week, but it also provided some welcome relief to the state's 20 million residents who have suffered from drought conditions for more than four years.

The record precipitation now has some experts declaring the drought over.

The beginning

The drought began in 2012, but California Gov. Jerry Brown did not declare a drought state of emergency until January 2014. A response team was later established, and state lawmakers have allocated over $3 billion for drought relief and water management improvements.

The U.S. Geological Survey said 2014 was the warmest year on record for California.

According to Park Williams, a climate scientist and an assistant professor at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, the drought was exacerbated by high temperatures.

"These last five years in California were much warmer than you'd expect just based on the drought alone, and the reason is because the globe's overall temperature has been warming," he told ABC News. "California's relationship with water is one where they either have too much or too little. So California goes through swings very rapidly. That's what made this drought in California so rare ... [it's] very rare to get five dry years in a row."

He added, " Global warming did not cause this drought but nevertheless had a measuring amplifying effect."

Record rain this week

Flooding warnings were in effect Tuesday in Northern and Central California after storms wreaked havoc on the Golden State last weekend.

In Modesto, police went door to door evacuating residents as floodwaters rose. In San Jose, firefighters jumped on inflatable rafts to rescue two people trapped by a roaring river.

More than 2 inches of rain were recorded at the San Francisco International Airport on Monday. Since October, San Francisco has seen 25.6 inches of rain - nearly 2 inches more than the city usually gets in an entire year.

This extreme weather in Northern California came after powerful rain moved its way up the California coast; the rain first pounded San Diego and Los Angeles, stranding drivers in their cars and contributing to the deaths of least five people.

The latest drought outlook from the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center "shows drought in Southern California likely to resolve and drought in the Central Coast region of California as persistent but improving."

After this incredibly wet winter, Williams said, he considers the drought over; trees that survived the drought will likely begin recovering, and lakes are near capacity, he explained.

Michael Dettinger, a U.S. Geological Survey hydrologist and a researcher at the University of California at San Diego's Scripps Institution of Oceanography, agrees with Williams' assessment.

"I believe that the drought is over at this point," he told ABC News. "If groundwater levels were lower than they should be because of the drought, then we wouldn't need to say it's over. But groundwater levels are down because of overpumping that's been going on ... for 50 to 70 years. To me, that's not drought - that's just a long-term imbalance of how we use water."

David Feldman, a UC Irvine professor of planning, policy and design, said he won't know if the drought is over until May, when the state's rainy season ends.

"If I were regulator working for the state water board, I'd probably lean on the conservative side," he said.

He added, "Things can dry out quickly. You can have a warm spell. You can have a warm period that melts snowpack in the [Sierra Nevada]. I think in May they'll have a good sense of if we can declare this thing over."

The impact

Williams considers groundwater pumping - pulling water out of the ground, much of it by farmers so their crops can grow in dry conditions - a major issue in droughts.

Groundwater is "essentially taking away from future water reserves to survive this current drought," he said.

"If we take groundwater out of the ground and we don't put water back in to replace it, then that is an unsustainable approach to the use of a very valuable resource," Williams said. "As we continue to reduce drought effects by pulling water out of the ground, we're stealing from the future. And so without prescribing any recommendation, I will say that the California government is beginning to try to regulate groundwater use ... The point of doing that is to try to find a more sustainable approach to using that valuable resource."

Dettinger said groundwater was originally treated as a local issue. Now state lawmakers are enacting laws to improve how groundwater is monitored and managed.

"That's I think one of the biggest things that came out of the drought, and it's a good thing. The other big thing that came out of the drought is water use restrictions and efficiency requirements were instituted," he said. "If we use less water, there will be more flexibility to carry us through droughts."

Sobering statistics

California's water comes from three main sources: snowpack, reservoirs and aquifers, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Californians use an estimated 108 gallons of water per person on average every day, the EPA said.

Since 2012, the Golden State has endured not only record high temperatures but also record low levels of snowpack and precipitation, according to CaliforniaDrought.org, a project of the Pacific Institute, a nonprofit that researches solutions to freshwater issues, in Oakland.

The drought has hit rural communities harder than urban and suburban communities, which are better able to diversify their water sources, according to the Public Policy Institute of California.

Most farming relies on irrigation, which accounts for approximately 80 percent of California's human water use, according to the Public Policy Institute of California. In 2015 farmers had about 50 percent less surface water because of the drought; they pumped more groundwater to make up the difference but still had 10 percent less water than usual, and farm sector losses reached nearly $2 billion, according to the institute.

Drought can be noxious to the environment. Wildfires could become more prevalent, and as many as 18 fish species could become extinct if the current drought continues, the Public Policy Institute of California said.

What the future holds

Brown has issued a series of executive orders to help the state cope with the drought, the most recent mandating "continued, long-term water savings as drought persists."

Nancy Vogel of the California Natural Resources Agency told ABC News that the governor will consider many factors when he revisits the emergency statewide drought declaration in coming weeks - including groundwater, snow pack and reservoir levels.

This winter's rain "doesn't come all the time," Dettinger said. "The worst thing we can do is forget about droughts just because it's wet right now."

He added, "Going forward, we definitely want to get a handle on the groundwater use because that is the piece that a winter like this can't even fix. We're going to have to fix it on our end by monitoring how much water we take. I would like to see them stop being called drought restrictions and call them sustainability restrictions."

Feldman said it's important to prepare for a drought before one is declared. He recommends that the U.S. follow Australia's example by harvesting rainwater and recycling wastewater.

Most of all, he urged Americans not to take the nation's water for granted.

"Droughts are not just limited to California and the Southwest," Feldman said. "Other areas of the U.S. have been through periods of water stress and drought from time to time. We want to do everything we can ... to protect our water, to conserve it ... to recycle it if we can, just to treat it more wisely than we have in the past."

ABC News' Morgan Korn, Jeff Costello, Lindsey Jacobson, Max Golembo and Melissa Griffin contributed to this report.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
California's wet weather has some believing drought is over

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A statewide downpour brought chaos to Californians this week, but it also provided some welcome relief to the state's 20 million residents who have suffered from drought conditions for more than four years. The record precipitation now has some experts declaring the drought over. The...

# data[].attributes.body
SpaceX aborts space station docking

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
SpaceX had to abort an attempt to dock its Dragon space capsule with the International Space Station Wednesday morning due to a navigation problem.

An incorrect data point that had been entered in the capsule's computer caused the problem,according to NASA. The docking, which had been due to take place about 6 a.m. ET, was canceled at 3:25 a.m. when the data glitch was discovered. SpaceX will try again Thursday morning.

The Dragon capsule got within a mile of the space station when the docking was called off. The capsule is packed with more than 5,000 pounds of cargo and experiments headed for the six astronauts on board the space station, including two from the US, three from Russia and one from France. It is the tenth supply mission that SpaceX has flown for NASA.

Related: SpaceX launches and lands another rocket

The company, which is run by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, also has a contract with NASA to eventually deliver astronauts to the ISS using the Dragon capsule, but it has yet to launch a manned flight.

There is another rocket launched by Russia which is also underway, carrying supplies to the ISS.

This isn't the first glitch for SpaceX. On its second supply mission in 2013, the docking was delayed for a day when three thrusters failed to fire the way they were supposed to.

SpaceX has had two major failures in the last two years -- a June, 2015 supply mission that exploded minutes after launch, and a rocket that exploded during fueling on the launch pad at the Kennedy Space Center in September.

Related: Elon Musk and Donald Trump - New BFFs?

But it returned to space with a successful satellite launch in January. And the launch of this supply mission on Sunday was flawless, with a successful landing of the rocket's first stage after the launch. SpaceX plans to reduce the cost of space travel by landing and reusing the lower stage of the rockets it uses to reach orbit.

After the crew unloads the Dragon, the vessel will be packed with trash and other items and return to Earth. It was originally set to splash down in the Pacific Ocean off Baja, California, on March 21.

-- CNNMoney's Jackie Wattles contributed to this report

CNNMoney (New York) First published February 22, 2017: 9:38 AM ET

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
An incorrect data point that had been entered in the capsule's computer caused the problem,according to NASA. The docking, which had been due to take place about 6 a.m. ET, was canceled at 3:25 a.m. when the data glitch was discovered. SpaceX will try again Thursday morning.

# data[].attributes.body
Columbia, MO man, 25, charged with supporting ISIS, to target KC’s Union Station on Presidents Day

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Robert Lorenzo Hester, Jr., 25, of Columbia, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Kansas City, Mo., with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and specifically ISIS, according to the affidavit.

Hester, who remains in federal custody, was arrested on Friday, Feb. 17, 2017, when he arrived at an arranged meeting with an undercover law enforcement agent.

The following comes from the news release from the Office of the United States Attorney Western District of Missouri. FOX 4 has bolded the portion in the eleventh paragraph down, which includes the alleged plan of attack in Kansas City, Mo.:

According to the affidavit, the investigation began when the FBI became aware (through multiple confidential sources) of Hester's social media posts, in which he expressed animus towards the United States and suggested an adherence to radical Islamic ideology and a propensity for violence. Hester used several online aliases, including "Mohammed Junaid Al Amreeki," "Junaid Muhammad," "Rabbani Junaid Muhammad," "Rami Talib," "Ali Talib Muhammad."

On Oct. 3, 2016, Hester was arrested by Columbia police officers after an incident in the parking lot of a grocery store. Hester, who appeared to be in an argument with his wife, threw a folded pocket knife through a plate-glass window near the entrance of the store. When store employees confronted Hester, he assumed an aggressive stance and forcefully placed his hand into the diaper bag he was carrying in a manner that appeared to be reaching for a weapon. Police officers later recovered a 9mm handgun from the diaper bag. Hester was in custody until Oct. 13, 2016, when he was released on bond and placed on electronic monitoring.

On Oct. 15, 2016, two days after Hester's release on bond, an FBI employee using an undercover identity contacted Hester by private message. The FBI employee had accepted a friend request from Hester the day before Hester was arrested for the grocery store incident. They continued to communicate via social media, text and an encrypted messaging app, the affidavit says, during which Hester presented himself as a security threat, stating, for example, that the U.S. government should be "overthrown," and suggesting "hitting" the government "hard," while noting that it would not be "a one man job." Hester identified categories of potential targets for attack and said he wanted a "global jihad." Hester stated that he was trying to find like-minded people to help. When the undercover employee mentioned "brothers," Hester said he wanted to meet them.

Hester then established that he would act on the statements he made online. In early November, the affidavit says, Hester made arrangements with the undercover employee - whom he never met in person - to meet with "one of the brothers." The undercover employee arranged this meeting with another undercover FBI employee.

During a Jan. 31, 2017, meeting, the undercover employee provided Hester with a list of items to purchase, including 9-volt batteries, duct tape, copper wire, and roofing nails. The undercover employee implied that these items would be used to make bombs, the affidavit says, stating that those materials are needed "to make ... things ... to bring some kind of destruction." Hester allegedly responded by stating: "I'm just ready to help. I'm ready to help any way I can." When the undercover employee stated that what they were planning was "going to bring them to their knees ... and then they gonna know to fear Allah," Hester expressed his anticipation by stating: "I can't wait. I can't wait."

Hester and the undercover employee agreed to meet again at Hester's residence the next day. When the undercover employee arrived, the affidavit says, Hester gave him the items he had purchased. The undercover employee told Hester they were planning something "10 times more" than the Boston Marathon bombing, and Hester expressed his approval. The undercover agent told Hester that they were planning on "killing a lot of people." The undercover employee told Hester that he could "walk away," the affidavit says, but Hester said, "I'm down." The undercover employee told Hester they were going to "wage all kinda war," and Hester again expressed his approval.

The undercover employee then pulled back blankets in the back of the SUV to show Hester three AK-47 style rifles and two .45-caliber handguns. The undercover agent told Hester that, while they had plenty of firearms, they needed more ammunition. Hester stated that he could not purchase ammunition because of his state charges, but that he had a friend that could get ammunition for him. Hester stated that he would have money to purchase ammunition after he received his tax refund and after he was paid in a couple of weeks.

The undercover employee also opened a backpack, which contained pipes and fuse, stating, "these are bombs right here." The undercover employee explained that the duct tape Hester provided would be used to tape the bombs together, which Hester acknowledged, and that the nails Hester provided would "cut peoples' heads off." Hester responded: "Oh yeah. I know," indicating that he understood the nails were to be used as shrapnel for bombs.

The undercover employee stated that they had more backpacks that they were going to put in different locations. Hester acknowledged that he understood, and stated that they had to be smarter than the Boston Marathon bombers. Hester again confirmed that he was "down," the affidavit says, and that he understood they had to "lay low" and act in a manner to avoid detection. The undercover employee stated that they were going to "strike fear in all these infidel hearts," and Hester responded that he agreed and that he was ready.

According to the affidavit, Hester contacted the first undercover employee via text message on Feb. 2, 2017, and indicated he would "have some more stuff ... in a couple of weeks when I get paid." Hester asked the undercover employee, "When you talk to the brother again let him know I'll have some more gifts in a couple of weeks."

On Feb. 4, 6, 7, 11 and 16, 2017, Hester communicated with an undercover employee via an encrypted messaging app. Hester said that he was excited, that he was "happy to be part" of it, and that it was "time they answer for their atrocities." Hester predicted that it was "going to be a good day for Muslims worldwide." Hester asked how the "party plan" was coming along and reiterated that he would get more "supplies." The undercover employee told Hester that the "party" would take place on Presidents' Day and that the targets of the operation would include busses, trains and a train station in Kansas City, Mo. Hester said, according to the affidavit, that it felt "good to help strike back at the true terrorist."

On Feb. 17, 2017, Hester met again with the second undercover employee and provided more roofing nails. Hester accompanied the undercover employee to a nearby storage facility, where the two examined the security cameras. Hester was arrested shortly thereafter.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the criminal complaint, Hester demonstrated through his statements and actions that he posed a security threat by his willingness to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and his willingness to assist in what he believed would be a murderous terrorist bombing and gunfire attack.

Hester is a U.S. citizen who was born in Missouri. He was enlisted in the U.S. Army for less than a year, receiving a general discharge from service in mid-2013.

"First on social media, then during face-to-face meetings with an undercover FBI employee, this defendant repeatedly expressed his intent to engage in acts of violent jihad against the United States," Dickinson said. "He believed he was part of an ISIS-sponsored terrorist attack that would result in the deaths and injuries of many innocent victims. He readily participated in the preparations for an attack, provided materials and resources for an attack, and voiced his intent to carry out an attack. I commend the FBI for protecting the public from a security threat."

"Terrorism knows no demographic boundaries and remains the FBI's top priority," said FBI Special Agent in Charge of the Kansas City Field Office Eric Jackson. "The arrest of Hester is the culmination of an extensive FBI investigation and demonstrates the challenges law enforcement faces in identifying individuals intent on causing harm."

"As alleged in the complaint, Robert Lorenzo Hester, Jr. attempted to provide material support to ISIS by participating in what he believed would be a deadly attack committed in the name of the foreign terrorist organization," said Acting Assistant Attorney General McCord. "Countering terrorist threats remains the highest priority of the National Security Division, and we will continue our efforts to identify and hold accountable those who seek to commit acts of terrorism within our borders."

Dickinson cautioned that the charge contained in this complaint is simply an accusation, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charge must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brian P. Casey and David Raskin and Trial Attorney Jennifer Levy of the National Security Division's Counterterrorism Section. It was investigated by the FBI.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Columbia, MO man, 25, charged with supporting ISIS, to target KC's Union Station on Presidents Day

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Robert Lorenzo Hester, Jr., 25, of Columbia, was charged in a criminal complaint filed in the U.S. District Court of Kansas City, Mo., with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization, and specifically ISIS, according to the affidavit.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The majority of Northern California remained under a flood warning Tuesday as record rains continued, and the National Weather Service even urged residents to gather essential items in the equivalent of a bug-out bag.

More than 14 million people are under a flood warning until Thursday, including the area around the Oroville Dam which experienced a mass evacuation just before Valentine's Day.

Sacramento has received 26 inches of rain since Oct. 1, double what the city normally gets during the same time, The Sacramento Bee reported. San Francisco has seen 24.38 inches of rain.
Are You Prepared For A Lengthy Blackout? Get Backup Electricity Today!
With mudslides and floods threatening the region and reservoirs at capacity, the National Weather Service in Sacramento issued a dire warning: "Gather important items, documents and medications in a 'go bag' in case you need to evacuate quickly. Don't forget to plan for your pets, too. Make sure your vehicles have a full tank of gas."

Thousands of residents in the towns of Prunedale and Salinas have been without power since the storms started Friday, forcing schools in the area to close

"We're on our 56th hour without power now and it's getting a little brisk inside the house," Prunedale's Gary Bolden told KSBW.
The Pocket-Sized Backup Battery That Can Jump-Start Your Car!
On Monday, the levee broke in San Joaquin County near Manteca, which is an hour south of Sacramento. More than 500 people were forced to evacuate. The situation was so severe that local farmers took their own excavators and tractors to the level to help fix it.

Elsewhere, another dam, the Anderson Dam just southeast of San Jose, attracted sightseers as its spillway began releasing water from the Anderson Reservoir for the first time in 11 years in a scene local media were comparing to Niagara Falls. Officials are concerned because the dam was not built to withstand an earthquake when the reservoir is at 68 percent capacity. As of now it is at 100 percent; a 7.25 magnitude earthquake could cause the dam to fail, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.
What is your reaction? Do you think most Americans are prepared to evacuate at a moment's notice? Share your thoughts in the section below: Be Prepared For A Downed Grid. Read More Here.
© Copyright Off The Grid News

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
National Weather Service Warns Flooded Californians: Pack A Bug-Out Bag

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
SACRAMENTO, Calif. - The majority of Northern California remained under a flood warning Tuesday as record rains continued, and the National Weather Service even urged residents to gather essential items in the equivalent of a bug-out bag.

# data[].attributes.body
missouri neighbor is charged with supporting ISIS and say he was a family man

# data[].attributes.body
A mom takes a photo of her son fighting cancer

# data[].attributes.body
Tonganoxie School District’s superintendent arrested, charged after allegedly failing to report abuse

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
TONGANOXIE, Kan. - The superintendent of the Tonganoxie School District is facing charges after he allegedly failed to report abuse, the school district said.

The Leavenworth County Sheriff`s Department arrested Chris Kleidosty Tuesday afternoon.

He allegedly failed to report abuse in an incident at Prairie View School District in La Cygne "years ago."

The school board suspended Kleidosty with pay Tuesday night.

Tonya Phillips is now serving as the interim superintendent.

The school district issued the following statement regarding the incident:
Superintendent Chris Kleidosty was arrested this afternoon by the Leavenworth County Sheriff's Department on a warrant issued by Linn County for failing to report abuse from an alleged incident which occurred at Prairie View School District USD 362 years ago. The USD 464 Board of Education has suspended Mr. Kleidosty effective immediately with pay and pending further board action. Mrs. Tonya Phillips has been appointed as the interim superintendent. The safety and well-being of our students is always our highest priority. The Board of Education is committed to transparency and will continue to keep our patrons informed.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Tonganoxie School District's superintendent arrested, charged after allegedly failing to report abuse

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
TONGANOXIE, Kan. -- The superintendent of the Tonganoxie School District is facing charges after he allegedly failed to report abuse, the school district said. The Leavenworth County Sheriff`s Department arrested Chris Kleidosty Tuesday afternoon. He allegedly failed to report abuse in an incident at Prairie View School District in La Cygne "years ago."

# data[].attributes.body
Teens fell through ice while taking pictures on frozen pond.

# data[].attributes.body
Las Pozas: Surreal sculptures hidden in the Mexican jungle

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
escher-like playground hidden in the mexican jungle  - cnn

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Escher-like playground hidden in the jungle

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Las Pozas ("the pools") is a labyrinthine arrangement of buildings, sculptures and trails, spread out over more than 20 acres of lush tropical jungle.

# data[].attributes.body
A note about future rumors regarding the Lakers: everything will go through Magic Johnson, who was hired as president of basketball operations on Tuesday. Johnson got off to a fast start by trading Lou Williams to the Rockets for Corey Brewer and a first-round pick. There were questions about who would be the next general manager in LA — it looks like Kobe Bryant's former agent Rob Pelinka will take the job — but it's clear Magic will be involved regardless of how he fills out the rest of the front office.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Brace yourselves - it's NBA trade season.

The first major domino fell late Sunday night when the Kings sent DeMarcus Cousins to the Pelicans for ... yeah, sorry Kings fans. So, who else will be moving ahead of Thursday's 3 p.m. trade deadline?
MORE: These draft pick protections could make major impact on NBA futures
Big names like Paul George, Derrick Rose and Andre Drummond were being thrown out in trade talks on Tuesday. It's still a lot of chatter at this point, but teams could get antsy in the hopes of dramatically altering their futures.

All of Wednesday's news can be found below. Follow along with our THURSDAY LIVE BLOG HERE for the latest updates.

Latest NBA trade rumors, news, updates

TRADE: Sixers get yet another center

7:26 p.m. - The Sixers are sending Ersan Ilyasova to the Hawks for Tiago Splitter and two second-round picks, per The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski.

6:52 p.m. - The Mavericks held Deron Williams and Andrew Bogut, two trade candidates, out of practice on Wednesday, according to ESPN's Tim MacMahon.

"With the trade deadline tomorrow, you can read a lot into that," Mavs coach Rick Carlisle said. "That's about all I'm going to say about that."

Williams has been linked to a possible deal to the Jazz.

5:19 p.m. - The Sixers proposed a package centered around Jahlil Okafor in exchange for Pistons guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and offered to bring in a third team on the deal, but the Pistons declined, according to Sports Illustrated's Jake Fischer. It would be a major shocker if Okafor isn't traded by Philadelphia before the deadline. Plenty of teams have shown interest in recent weeks, including the Bulls and the Pacers.

5:01 p.m. - OK, let's take a quick moment to see what has happened so far. Here are the big trades in one helpful graphic, courtesy of @LegionHoops.

The NBA Trade Deadline Tracker. pic.twitter.com/RppfUxp3WC
- Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) February 22, 2017

TRADE: Nets send Bojan Bogdanovic to Wizards

4:12 p.m. - The Nets are trading Bojan Bogdanovic and Chris McCullough to the Wizards in exchange for Marcus Thornton, Andrew Nicholson and a first-round pick, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. ESPN's Zach Lowe also reports the 2017 first-rounder the Nets are getting is lottery-protected.

Brooklyn gets a first-round pick likely to be in the 20s and takes a chance on Nicholson returning to the level of play he reached in his last season with the Magic. Washington finds a shooting threat off the bench it desperately needed. The Wizards are the second-worst team in the league in terms of bench scoring (23.4 points per game) ahead of only the Timberwolves (22.1 points per game). Initial reaction: this seems like a fair deal for both sides, especially when you consider where they land in the current standings.

3:58 p.m. - Paul George is willing to stick with the Pacers - on one condition. George met with Pacers owner Herb Simon and told him he would love to continue his career in Indiana, but only if the team is serious about contending for a title, according to USA Today's Sam Amick. It appears Pacers president Larry Bird's next steps could determine whether the franchise believes it can do enough to compete with George or if a rebuild is in order.

3:20 p.m. - Ricky Rubio followed Kristaps Porzingis on Twitter. That's a lock. Rubio is heading to the Knicks. Just push that trade through the league office and make it official. (Just kidding. Less than 24 hours until the deadline.)

The plot thickens :) #Twolves pic.twitter.com/yiSfOImE8k
- Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) February 22, 2017

2:40 p.m. - Will Hawks forward Paul Millsap be dealt this week? Nope.

"Let me first be extremely clear: Paul Millsap is not going to be traded, and Paul Millsap is absolutely our priority this offseason in re-signing him with the Atlanta Hawks," Hawks general manager Wes Wilcox told Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. "We've communicated that to Paul, his team, and we feel great about our position there."

Wilcox considers the Hawks "buyers" at the deadline, though he says he doesn't feel like Atlanta must make a move.

1:44 p.m. - Patrick Beverley is drawing interest from multiple teams, according to ESPN's Calvin Watkins, and one intriguing destination is Cleveland. ESPN's Marc Stein reports the Cavs would want Beverley in a deal involving Iman Shumpert, but a source tells Watkins the Rockets have "no plans" to move Beverley at this point.

1:25 p.m. - Oh boy. The Pacers are evaluating the trade market for star forward Paul Geroge, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical. Indiana has been trying to find help for George in hopes he will sign a long-term extension, even if that means parting ways with a first-round pick in a talented draft class. But Woj reports the Pacers have also been looking at offers for George that would lead to a rebuild around talented young center Myles Turner.

Any team in talks to acquire George would have to consider the fact that the four-time All-Star could leave as a free agent in the summer of 2018. Still, he's a player capable of changing the direction of a franchise. Could we see a bidding war between the Bulls and Pacers for the Celtics' treasure trove of assets?

1:12 p.m. - Well it looks like Carmelo Anthony isn't too concerned about leaving New York. He does have a no-trade clause in his contract, so Phil Jackson can't force him off the Knicks' roster.

Carmelo hasn't heard from Knicks management about any possible trades and reiterates that he expects to be with the team after the deadline.
- Ian Begley (@IanBegley) February 22, 2017

Melo said he doesn't expect to be traded by tomorrow. He hopes to be napping at 3:01 pm. Deadline is 3 pm .
- Al Iannazzone (@Al_Iannazzone) February 22, 2017

12:46 p.m. - Houston is interested in acquiring Cavs guard Iman Shumpert, according to ESPN's Marc Stein. Shumpert, who is averaging 7.8 points per game on 42.5 percent shooting (40.3 percent from 3-point range), could also be a potential target for the Timberwolves in the next two days.

Will say this about #Cavs: Opposing execs have told me Iman Shumpert is clearly available and there is indeed interest around league.
- Sam Amico (@AmicoHoops) February 21, 2017

12:23 p.m. - Not exactly trade news, but we do have a Larry Sanders sighting in Cleveland.

Cleveland believed to have workout set with free agent Larry Sanders today, sources tell ESPN. Sanders hasn't played since 2014-15 season.
- Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 22, 2017

Cleveland's workout of Larry Sanders today is a solo setting centered on testing and evaluation physically, league sources tell ESPN.
- Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) February 22, 2017

12:01 p.m. - Jimmy Butler won't come cheap. On The Lowe Post podcast with ESPN's Zach Lowe, fellow ESPNer Marc Stein says it will take significant pieces from the Celtics in order to acquire Butler before the deadline. He suggested at least one draft pick (via the Nets), Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder as a possible trade package.

"Boston would really have to put at least three prized chips on the table to get the Bulls to do it," Stein said. "But I've also heard that (Bulls president) Michael Reinsdorf, (Bulls owner) Jerry Reinsdorf's son who is essentially in charge there, just doesn't want to trade Butler under any circumstances, and I think (Bulls vice president of basketball operations) John Paxson feels the same way. I really don't think Butler is gonna get moved. In my tally, more teams than not tell me, 'When we ask about Butler, we are told he is not available.' It's who you want to listen to."

11:33 a.m. - A note about future rumors regarding the Lakers: everything will go through Magic Johnson, who was hired as president of basketball operations on Tuesday. Johnson got off to a fast start by trading Lou Williams to the Rockets for Corey Brewer and a first-round pick. There were questions about who would be the next general manager in LA - it looks like Kobe Bryant's former agent Rob Pelinka will take the job - but it's clear Magic will be involved regardless of how he fills out the rest of the front office.

There's been questions around the league of who to call with the Lakers in advance of Thursday's trade deadline. It's unequivocally Magic
- Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) February 22, 2017

Magic is the person who made the trade with Houston for Lou Williams. He's the person working the phones.
- Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) February 22, 2017

10:50 a.m. - Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical says the Pistons are shopping Reggie Jackson and Andre Drummond, which is no surprise. However, another interesting player has popped up - Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Woj explained in a Facebook live chat ( via FanSided):

"There are a lot of Pistons players available, I mean, there are a lot of deals that they are open to doing. Andre Drummond, Reggie Jackson, and an interesting one is Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. They love him in Detroit. He's going to be a restricted free agent this summer. They could not come to a contract extension with him in the preseason. They don't want to give him a max contract, but you've got Brooklyn sitting out there with all this cap space again, other teams with significant cap space who may say, 'OK we're going to overpay a little pit for Pope and get a really good young shooting guard,' and Detroit has been open to seeing what they could get back for Pope.

"Now I think it's almost impossible to trade for that player if you're another team because you've got to decide if you're willing to max him out. Why give up a good asset for Pope right now when maybe you have the space to go sign him this summer? I don't think that will happen, but I do know that Detroit has been open out there to see what might be available for Pope - not because they don't like him, but because they want to see if there is another pretty good young shooting guard or a guy (up-and-coming) that they could get that would be available to them. They might prefer that over paying Pope such a big number this summer."

10:15 a.m. - Trade talks between the Bulls and Celtics regarding Jimmy Butler aren't smoke and mirrors, according to TNT and NBA.com reporter David Aldridge. Here's what Aldridge had to say on NBA TV (via Brian Robb of CelticsHub):

"(The Celtics) have been trying to get Jimmy Butler. (Danny Ainge) doesn't want to give up Jae Crowder. That's the main sticking point here, and he doesn't want to give up Jae Crowder in a deal, and that's the guy the Bulls are insisting on right now in any package for Butler ... Chicago, I think rightly, is saying, 'If you want our best player, we're not going to just do it for picks. We're not going to take guys you aren't going to keep on your roster. We want a guy that is going to be able to grow with us, along with one of those high picks.' They want a top half of the lottery type pick for Jimmy Butler, along with a starting established player under contract. I understand that from Chicago's point of view."

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
NBA trade rumors: Latest news, updates ahead of Thursday's trade deadline

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Brace yourselves - it's NBA trade season. The first major domino fell late Sunday night when the Kings sent DeMarcus Cousins to the Pelicans for ... yeah, sorry Kings fans. So, who else will be moving ahead of Thursday's 3 p.m. trade deadline?

# data[].attributes.body
Trump expected to revoke rules on transgender bathrooms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
(Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday revoked landmark guidance to public schools letting transgender students use the bathrooms of their choice, reversing a signature initiative of former Democratic President Barack Obama.

Reversing the Obama guidelines stands to inflame passions in the latest conflict in America between believers in traditional values and social progressives, and is likely to prompt more of the street protests that followed Trump's Nov. 8 election.

Obama had instructed public schools last May to let transgender students use the bathrooms matching their chosen gender identity, threatening to withhold funding for schools that did not comply. Transgender people hailed the step as victory for their civil rights.

Trump, a Republican who took office last month, rescinded those guidelines, even though they had been put on hold by a federal judge, arguing that states and public schools should have the authority to make their own decisions without federal interference.

The Justice and Education departments will continue to study the legal issues involved, according to the new, superseding guidance that will be sent to public schools.

About 200 people gathered in front of the White House to protest against Trump's action, waving rainbow flags and chanting: "No hate, no fear, trans students are welcome here."

The rainbow flag is the symbol of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, or LGBT, people.

"We all know that Donald Trump is a bully, but his attack on transgender children today is a new low," said Rachel Tiven, chief executive of Lambda Legal, which advocates for LGBT people.

Conservatives such as Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, who spearheaded the lawsuit challenging the Obama guidance, hailed the Trump administration action.

"Our fight over the bathroom directive has always been about former President Obama's attempt to bypass Congress and rewrite the laws to fit his political agenda for radical social change," said Paxton, a Republican.

Transgender legal advocates have criticized the "states' rights" argument, saying federal law and civil rights are matters for the federal government to enforce, not the states.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the administration was pressed to act now because of the pending U.S. Supreme Court case, G.G. versus Gloucester County School Board.

That case pits a Virginia transgender boy, Gavin Grimm, against officials who want to deny him use of the boys' room at his high school.

Although the Justice Department is not a party in the case, it typically would want to make its views heard. The Trump administration action on Wednesday also withdrew an Education Department letter in support of Grimm's case.

"I've faced my share of adversaries in rural Virginia. I never imagined that my government would be one of them. We will not be beaten down by this administration," Grimm, 17, told the protest outside the White House.

COURTS MAY HAVE FINAL SAY

The federal law in question, known as Title IX, bans sex discrimination in education. But it remains unsettled whether Title IX protections extend to a person's gender identity.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement that the Obama guidelines "did not contain sufficient legal analysis or explain how the interpretation was consistent with the language of Title IX."

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman vowed to ensure Title IX and his state's civil rights protections are enforced.

"President Trump's decision to rescind anti-discrimination protections for transgender students is yet another cruel move by an administration committed to divisive policies that roll back the clock on civil rights," he said in a statement.

The courts are likely to have the final say over whether Title IX covers transgender students. The Supreme Court could pass on that question in the Virginia case and allow lower courts to weigh in, or go ahead and decide what the law means.

Obama's Education Department issued the guidance in response to queries from school districts across the country about how to accommodate transgender students in gender-segregated bathrooms.

It also covered a host of other issues, such as the importance of addressing transgender students by their preferred names and pronouns and schools' responsibility to prevent harassment and bullying of transgender children.

Thirteen states led by Texas sued to stop the Obama guidelines, and a U.S. district judge in Texas temporarily halted their full implementation.

The White House previously boasted of Trump's support for LGBT rights, noting in a Jan. 31 statement that he was the first Republican presidential nominee to mention the community in his nomination acceptance speech.

"Revoking the guidance shows that the president's promise to protect LGBT rights was just empty rhetoric," James Esseks, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's LGBT project, said in a statement.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.keywords[]
judicial process / court cases / court decisions

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Trump revokes Obama guidelines on transgender bathrooms

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
(Reuters) - President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday revoked landmark guidance to public schools letting transgender students use the bathrooms of their choice, reversing a signature initiative of former Democratic President Barack Obama.

# data[].attributes.body
Mexican man kills himself after being deported from the US.

# data[].attributes.body
Teens accused of plot to rob, kill girl found shot in ditch

# data[].attributes.body
The unthinkable is happening at facilities throughout the country: Vulnerable seniors are being raped and sexually abused by the very people paid to care for them.

# data[].attributes.body
Wells Fargo has fired four senior employees amid an ongoing probe into the bank's illegal sales practices.

# data[].attributes.body
a POV video of a police officer shows him saving a driver from a burning car.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Video shows driver trapped in burning car - CNN Video

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Dramatic footage shows police pull a man from a burning car.

# data[].attributes.body
Fight Erupts in Trump Administration Over Transgender Students’ Rights.

# data[].attributes.body
Dancing with the stars pros Masksim Chmerkovskiy and Peta Murgatroud are returning to the show next season, the couple announced live today on Good morning america

# data[].attributes.body
A Chihuahua puppy in Texas experienced a huge stroke of luck after police rescued him from a drug overdose on Saturday. Carrollton police found the 4-month-old dog on the floor of his owner’s car in a Home Depot parking lot. When police checked on the dog, they found that he had eaten an undetermined amount of heroin that the owners left in their car, police said. Lucky was transported to an emergency veterinary clinic immediately.

# data[].attributes.body
Mom shares heartbreaking photo of her 10 year old son fighting cancer.

# data[].attributes.headline
Mr. Kohl- A Mother of 5 in South Carolina receives an act of kindness from the  cashier of Walmart who pays for half her grocery bill.

# data[].attributes.subject
Mr. Kohl- A Mother of 5 in South Carolina receives an act of kindness from the  cashier of Walmart who pays for half her grocery bill.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Mom's A Mess Trying To Calm Her Baby. Then The Walmart Cashier Inserts Her Personal Credit Card

A South Carolina mother of three, was blown away when a Walmart cashier insisted on paying half of her $200 grocery bill - with her personal credit card.

Facebook / Ashley Jones

Ashley Jones wrote on Facebook:

"Today me and my Husband Michael Jordan went to the Walmart on Garners Ferry Road in Columbia, SC. It was another dreaded shopping trip trying to buy groceries for a family of 5. We got as much stuff as we could get on my husband's income since I'm a Stay at Home Mom. We literally dread going to Walmart and buying groceries period because my husband's whole check goes to food for our family.

I will say that I'm not a fan of shopping at Walmart because of how rude some of the people can be. But after tonight my whole perspective has changed.

As me and my husband were in line putting our groceries on the thing for the cashier to scan we had our youngest daughter with us, who was very fussy and tired and just wanted to go to sleep. Half of the time the cashier's don't engage in conversation but the cashier we had tonight was very friendly.

I can't remember exactly what she said but it was along the lines of you must have a big family y'all have a lot of stuff. I said yeah we do. She told me my total and I was digging through my wallet trying to count all of my money out. She gave me a smile and said you guys look like you need a blessing tonight. I just smiled back. Then the cashier walked around the counter and was hitting something on the keypad. (I thought she was giving us a coupon) then she walked back to her register. I then looked at the total and I was at a loss for words.

This sweet woman whom I never met in my life paid for half of my groceries!

I was in complete shock because I never expected anything like that to ever happen. Me and my husband were just staring at each other like is she serious? Did she really just do this? I was really at a loss for words. I didn't know what to say.

How could this woman who didn't even know me, know our situation, know us, why would she do this? I asked her what her name was and she told me, I thanked her and asked her if I could take a picture with her and post it to social media and she said yes.

Me and my husband and our very fussy one year old finally got into the car and when we did we just looked at each other and smiled and at that moment we both knew things were going to be OK because there truly are good people out there.

Thank you so much Sharnique Dasant you truly are a blessing and you will never realize how much you helped us out and how much faith you have put back into our hearts."

In an interview with the local news station, the cashier, Sharnique Dasant, said the couple looked like they needed a blessing and God told her to help them.

"She started putting her stuff up, her baby was crying, she had her husband with her," Dasant remembered.

"As we're scanning and scanning, she got in front of me and it's like I saw a different face on her," Dasant said. "And I just had like a little man on my shoulder that was like, 'Give her a $100 dollars, give her $100 dollars.' And I was like, 'give her $100 dollars?' Like, I'm talking to myself like, 'Give her 100 dollars!'"

"So I was like, I said, 'Yeah, God told me to give you $100 dollars,'" Dasant said, "and she said 'What? What? What are you talking about?' So I said, 'He told me to give you $100 dollars.' So I went ahead and I slid my card. I went around the register and I slid it for her."

Please consider making a donation to Sunny Skyz and help our mission to make the world a better place.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mom's A Mess Trying To Calm Her Baby. Then The Walmart Cashier Inserts Her Personal Credit Card

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A South Carolina mother of three, was blown away when a Walmart cashier insisted on paying half of her $200 grocery bill - with her personal credit card. Facebook / Ashley Jones Ashley Jones wrote on Facebook: "Today me and my Husband Michael Jordan went to the Walmart on Garners Ferry Road in Columbia, SC.