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So if your company has you go from being an employee to a contract worker is that the same as being terminated? Can you then collect unemployment if you decide not to work as a contract worker? I know that it has implications for health insurance. What are some of the other pros or cons to this situation? What are things to be aware of and look out for?

Flights are slowly resuming at O’Hare Airport after a fire at an FAA air traffic control center in Aurora forced a complete halt to flights in and out of O’Hare and Midway Airports. Hundreds of flights are cancelled at O’Hare, and that’s put thousands of travelers in long lines to re-book their trips. Some people stuck in Terminal 3 waited in line for at least one hour to reschedule their flights. Some travelers didn’t receive any notification about the cancellations and delays, and were shocked when they arrived at O’Hare and saw the long lines. Some people got alerts too...

HOUSTON – Harris County Sheriff's Office deputies are investigating a shooting at a house in northwest Harris County. It happened just before 10 a.m. in the 5300 block of Hyland Park. The resident, who is a postal carrier on medical leave, said he was sound asleep. "I was sleeping in, trying to get my rest. I heard the door bell ring. I'm like, who is this? I hear a strong knock. I'm like, something going on. I get up, I hear stuff at the door, I'm like, something is happening. I went and got my gun," said Quinton Wood. Wood...

Tomatoes & Gun Sense August 9 @ 8:30 am - 6:00 pm Event Navigation Moms Demand Action TN Chapter will be joining the Annual Tomato Art Fest! This is a signature East Nashville event that draws over 35,000 people. Join us to march in the Tomato Art Fest Second Line Parade at 9 am to kick off the day. Please bring your family, friends, costumes & wagons to join us. Signs will be provided. Also please consider signing up as a volunteer to help us canvas the event for Gun Sense Voters.

I canÂ’t tell you where I was or who was there or when it happened. I donÂ’t want to add to this guyÂ’s humiliation, so I am keeping this vague and generic. I can simply tell you that, some time ago, I found myself in the same vicinity as another married couple. I certainly canÂ’t read their minds, and I donÂ’t know what goes on behind the scenes, all I know is that the husband couldnÂ’t seem to utter a single phrase that wouldnÂ’t provoke exaggerated eye-rolling from his wife. She disagreed with everything he said. She contradicted nearly every...

A Myrtle Beach man is being sought in connection with a loaded pistol that was left on the shelf in the toy department of a local Target department store, according to Myrtle Beach police. The Myrtle Beach Police Department identifies the suspect as David Dennis. His is wanted on a charge of unlawfully carrying of a handgun in connection with the incident. According to State Law Enforcement Division records, Dennis was previously charged with armed robbery in October 2013. The robbery charge was dismissed in March, but he pleaded guilty to assault and battery, second degree, according to the Horry...

WLS AM 890 just reporting that the Bloomingdale, IL K-Mart is being evacuated with a large police presence.

DREAMers will be Eligible to Apply for Nearly 23,000 City-funded Internships, Volunteer and Job Opportunities Mayor's Press Office 312.744.3334 Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced today that the City is, for the first time, opening up nearly 23,000 City-funded internship, volunteer, and job opportunities for undocumented students, or “DREAMers.” “Chicago is a city that was built by immigrants and I am committed to ensuring that DREAMers have the same opportunities offered by the City to all of Chicago’s youth,” said Mayor Emanuel. “We will open our doors to support talented young people who are committed to their education, building their job skills,...

WASHINGTON, D.C. – President Obama today requested $1.1 billion for the Bureau of Land Management in Fiscal Year 2015, which will enable the BLM to continue to responsibly manage the development of conventional and renewable energy on public lands, conserve valuable wildlife habitat and cultural and historic resources, and implement innovative landscape scale management approaches. ... The President’s Budget request maintains funding for renewable energy at essentially the 2014 enacted level, $29.2 million, providing the BLM with the resources it needs to continue to aggressively facilitate and support solar, wind and geothermal energy development as Interior works toward the President’s...

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- An explosion and fire at a Tennessee plant where ammunition is made has killed one person and left three others injured.

<p>The woman at the controls of a Chicago Transit Authority train that crashed at O'Hare Airport had worked 69 hours in the seven days before the accident.</p> <p>Brittney T. Haywood, 25, from Chicago, said she dozed off at the controls Monday when the train crashed into the terminal and rode up the escalator.</p>

Last week, Boston Beer Company (the makers of Samuel Adams Lager) decided to pull their sponsorship from the St. Patrick's Day Parade in Boston, and it looks like Heineken is doing the same in New York for Monday's celebrations. Related Irish PM Urged To Support St Paddy's Day LGBT Negotiations A Boston based LGBT group has called on Prime Minister of Ireland Enda Kenny to support negotiations with the organisers of the second largest Saint… Read… Both brewing companies are doing so to support LGBT community members, after parade organizers ever-so-benevolently allowed LGBT members to march in the parade, but...

The City Council moved Wednesday to cut off the pipeline of puppies purchased in Chicago that come from for-profit breeders condemned as puppy mills. With downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) casting the only dissenting vote, aldermen approved a somewhat watered-down anti-cruelty ordinance championed by City Clerk Susana Mendoza. It would limit the retail sale of dogs, cats and rabbits at Chicago's 16 pet stores to those animals that come from shelters and humane adoption centers. ... "As a person who grew up with three dogs, I think it's the right thing to do. And I'm proud of the city and...

Has anybody heard from our central IL Freeper, Graybeard58? He wrote this last Monday. Graybeard58's post about a tree falling

The Department of Natural Resources, Division of Parks & Outdoor Recreation is recruiting for a full time, year-round Park Ranger I position in the Northern Area of Alaska State Parks. This position deters crime, promotes public safety, and enforces resources protection laws and regulations through presence and actions as a peace officer. Equally as important, the Park Ranger I coordinates and directs activities pertinent to park operations and the day-to-day provision of visitor services. The key responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to, the following: * Training and supervising temporary employees and volunteers; * Interpreting educational...

Hunting, fishing and hiking are still allowed in the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest but all campgrounds and designated recreational areas are closed.

Requirements Helpful attributes include an interest in working with radios, fiber optics, and transmission equipment; an ability to apply electronic principles and concepts; as well as a general understanding of math and physics. You must meet the following requirements to qualify: * High School Diploma or GED * Must be between the ages of 17 and 35 * Must be able to pass a physical exam and meet legal and moral standards * Must meet citizenship requirements

Fayette county, Kentucky July the 5th 1794 To His Excellency Isaac Shelby, Governor of Kentucky} My Esteemed Friend, I was greatly disappointed by your not coming to my house on yesterday (the 4th of July) We had a glorious time and a big dinner. Forty men sat down at my tables who had served in the late struggle for American Independence. It was a glorius sight to behold, and I wish King George III and Lord North could have witnessed this scene in the wilds of America. On the return of this glorious anniversary of our freedom from British...

Philipians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content.

In 2011, the Billings Police Department made 25.1 arrests per 1,000 people and handled 8,604 criminal incidents relative to a 105,095 population. The Wolf Point Police Department made 170.2 arrests per 1,000 people and handled 506 criminal incidents relative to a 2,644 population in that same amount of time. Proportionately, Wolf Point had a 19 percent incident rate compared to Billings’ 8 percent. It’s difficult to understand how a tiny little town in northeast Montana can beat the state’s biggest city when comparing certain elements of crime rates. But Billings is just one simple resource for comparison’s sake. Wolf Point...