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President Biden praises Dianne Feinstein as defender of American values at San Francisco memorial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:35 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — President Joe Biden praised the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein on Thursday as a dear friend and a woman of deep integrity who fought to protect what was important to America: freedom, civil liberties, security and the U.S. Constitution. “She was always tough, prepared, rigorous, compassionate. She always served the people of California and our nation for the right reasons,” Biden said in recorded video remarks played at Feinstein's memorial outside San Francisco City Hall. Roughly 1,500 invited guests were at the private service, where two large screens showed photos of Feinstein over the years. Guests seated in white chairs sweltered on an unseasonably hot day as the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight team soared overhead, occasionally interrupting speakers with the roar of their jets.The flight demonstration squadron is in the city as part of Fleet Week, an annual San Francisco celebration started by Feinstein in 1981 when she was mayor. Vice President Kamala Harris and...

Who will replace Kevin McCarthy as House Speaker?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:35 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) -- Republicans are left scrambling to choose a new Speaker of the House after ousting Kevin McCarthy.The problem is the party is so divided, that it's unclear if they can unite behind a single leader.Ohio Congressman Jim Jordan says he's the person who can unite the dueling factions of the Republican party."If I didn't think I can do that, I wouldn't run. And I also think I can take our message to the American people," he said.Republican Congressmen Steve Scalise and Kevin Hern say they too are running for House Speaker.Former President Donald Trump says he's willing to do "Whatever is necessary to help with the Speaker of the House process short term."But hurdles that could prevent Trump from serving as speaker include that he wants to continue his presidential campaign and that he's facing felony indictments.GOP House rules say members facing felony indictments can't serve in Republican leadership. But it's unclear if that applies to the House Speaker.Congress...

There's a conspiracy theory about Taylor Swift attending the Jets game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:35 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — You may be up to your ears in coverage of the rumored romance between music superstar Taylor Swift and Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce but Swift's presence at Chiefs' games continues to make headlines — and even a bizarre conspiracy theory. Since Swift attended the Chiefs' Sunday night game against the New York Jets, the photos and celebrity appearances have flooded social media, news articles and search engine suggestions. Now, some are speculating that creating a lot of new results when someone Google searches "Taylor Swift" and "Jets" at the same time was the entire point of her going to the game.You may be wondering: But why would she do that? Powerball players flocking to ‘lucky’ Los Angeles minimarket It all goes back to earlier this year when Swift caught sky-high criticism for her use of the private jet she owns. In July, data and marketing firm Yard named Swift the top offender in its list of Celebs with the Worst Private Jet Co2 Emissions. Yard's re...

Can the Bears still save the 2023 season? At least time is on their side

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:35 GMT

Scott Lewis of The Barber's Chair Network and the "79th and Halas" podcast joins "9 Good Minutes" on WGN News Now to discuss the Bears' start & Thursday game against the Commanders.LANDOVER, MD. — The worst-case scenario for the Chicago Bears has indeed come true through four games. If you're skeptical about the team's chances to turn things around, you're not alone, especially with how the first four games have gone.The team has shown few signs of improvement from a dismal 3-14 season, despite making major investments in free agency. Outside of of the first half and early third quarter against the Broncos, the team looks as if it's digressed instead of progressed under second-year head coach Matt Eberflus. On top of that, the team had defensive coordinator Alan Williams resign abruptly while also briefly banishing wide receiver Chase Claypool, who was deactivated last week before being told to stay home after a rough start to the season. Oh, and the Bears just lost a 21-point l...

Halloween decor at New York house prompts fire department response

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:35 GMT

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. (WPIX) – Firefighters in an upstate New York town mistakenly thought a Halloween decoration was a house fire. What first looked like a house in flames ended up being an illusion. The bright orange flames lighting up the interior of the home were so convincing that Glenn Falls dispatchers sent crews to the Sanford St. address for "a report of a confirmed structure fire." 1 in 6 Americans believe their home is haunted: survey The firefighters were so impressed that they got permission to post the house on their social media accounts, even telling people to go check them out.“To our surprise this was an amazing Halloween decoration,” fire officials wrote on Facebook. “This display will be up Friday and Saturday nights for the public’s entertainment until the end of the month.”The homeowners created the jaw-dropping display using "two LED lights, a box fan and a silver sheet," combined with a fog machine, according to the fire department.

Another cold front on the way following beneficial rainfall

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:35 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Rain has exited the area following Austin's heaviest one-day rainfall since May 13. While much of Austin saw 1"-2.5", Kingsland and Marble Falls tallied 3"-4" of welcome rain.Austin's airport set a record daily rainfall amount for Oct. 5, beating the previous daily rain record of 1" on today's date in 1960.Central Texas rainfall totalsLive radarWhile temperatures are cooler behind Thursday morning's rainy front, it will still be a warm day Friday with highs in the 80s and a mix of clouds and sun. The start of ACL weekend one looks pleasant -- but the forecast gets even better as a second, dry cold front blows through Friday night. This clears the stage for lows in the 50s and highs in the 70s with crisp, low humidity Saturday and Sunday. These will be Austin's coolest mornings in more than five months.Temperatures warm next week as a chance of rain gradually returns. While it is still a ways out, we are tracking the potential of another fall front clearing skies and...

Border security, 'education freedom' top Abbott's special session call; teacher pay absent

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:35 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- Gov. Greg Abbott released his formal proclamation of a special session on Thursday, directing lawmakers to reconvene on Oct. 9 to consider legislation relating to education savings accounts, border security, and prohibiting private employers from mandating COVID-19 vaccines for employees.'Education Freedom'Topping the list of demands is Gov. Greg Abbott's signature educational priority -- 'education savings accounts,' which would use state money to subsidize tuition for families who want to send their children to private school. The issue has long been a top promise of the governor and Lt. Gov. Patrick, but has failed to gain support in the Texas House."Together, we will chart a brighter future for all Texas children by empowering parents to choose the best education option for their child," Gov. Abbott said.In the regular legislative session, the Texas Senate passed a bill that would give eligible families $8,000 to spend on alternate educational expenses such a...

TEA appoints consultant, school leader to monitor Austin ISD special ed program

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:35 GMT

KXAN (AUSTIN) -- Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath announced on Thursday the names of the two state-appointed officials who will oversee the Austin Independent School District and its board's actions following an investigation that found the district, since 2020, violated more than 40 special education requirements. After weeks of delaying a vote, Austin ISD trustees voted in September to sign an agreement allowing it to remain in control of its special education operations for now while working to comply with a years-long backlog of evaluations and other state requirements. The decision meant the district waived its ability to appeal or sue if the agency decided to increase the level of state intervention in the future. The district also agreed that the TEA could do just that if, at any point, the district failed to meet a requirement or deadline set by the state. Sherry Marsh, an education consultant, and Lesa Shocklee, the Grapevine-Colleyville ISD Executive Di...

High school sports: MSHSL board approves spring boys volleyball season, new state seeding methods and more

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:35 GMT

Boys volleyball will be played in the spring when it joins the Minnesota high school sports calendar in the 2024-25 school year, the Minnesota State High School League board of directors voted Thursday.That’s the same season during which the club version of the sport was played before it was added as an official MSHSL sport in the spring.Sustainability and growth potential were cited as two of the primary reasons for the decision to put boys volleyball in the spring. The fall season was the other option considered. That’s when the high school girls season is held.The MSHSL board also approved a change to the team state tournament seeding setup. Previously, team sports with eight state tournament teams in a class were seeded No. 1-5, with the other three teams assigned first-round opponents by random draw.That’s still a possibility under the new seeding setup. Each sport can select from one of the three following seeding options:— Teams are seeded No. 1-5, with rand...

F.D. Flam: Don’t worry about global population collapse

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:05:35 GMT

The world’s massive human population is leveling off. Most projections show we’ll hit peak humanity in the 21st century, as people choose to have smaller families and women gain power over their own reproduction. This is great news for the future of our species.And yet alarms are sounding. While environmentalists have long warned of a planet with too many people, now some economists are warning of a future with too few. For example, economist Dean Spears from the University of Texas has written that an “unprecedented decline” in population will lead to a bleak future of slower economic growth and less innovation.But demographers I spoke with say this concern is based more on speculation than science. A dramatic collapse in population is unlikely to happen within the next 100 years barring some new plague or nuclear war or other apocalypse. And if we need more creative minds in the world, we could stop doing such a terrible job of nourishing and educating the ...