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Supreme Court: EPA can no longer regulate some wetlands

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:43 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — A new decision from the Supreme Court could have major implications for the country's waterways.On Thursday, the Supreme Court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency can no longer regulate pollution in certain wetlands.Environmentalists across the country are up in arms.Jim Murphy, director of legal advocacy at the National Wildlife Federation, said the decision will impact millions of Americans."Wetlands are very, very important in protecting people's drinking water," Murphy said. "They're the kidneys of our water system. They're the sponges of our water system. There's no better natural system to protect you from flooding."Even conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh acknowledged this while joining the three liberal justices in dissent.But the 5-4 decision said only wetlands with a surface connection to a larger body of water are subject to the Clean Water Act."Great day for rural America, a great day for agriculture," said Rep. Tracey Mann, R-Kan.Mann ...

Flags-In Ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery honors fallen servicemembers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:43 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) —A Memorial Day tribute is now on display at Arlington National Cemetery. Each year the Flags-In Ceremony honors the fallen heroes buried there. On Thursday, before dawn hundreds of soldiers took part in the ceremony. They placed flags at more than 250,000 graves in the cemetery.Staff Sergeant Gerald Morgan said it was a privilege for him to be part of the event. "Placing the flag and honoring them is letting them know hey, look, we still think about you, we love you, we thank you for serving this nation," Morgan said. Democrats, advocates demand action on gun control For Captain D.J. Taylor, the ceremony took on special significance."My great uncle Richard O'Morey is buried in section 60," Taylor said.He made sure to personally place the flag at his great uncle's headstone. But he says he tries to take a personal approach with each one."You get to take a moment and think about that person and say thank you in a very small way as you plant that flag," Taylor s...

Judge approves mistrial motion for APD officer murder case

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:43 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A judge granted the defense's motion Friday for a mistrial for an Austin police officer accused of murder in a 2020 deadly shooting, according to a defense attorney involved in the case. The trial was supposed to begin Wednesday, but there were several snags with the jury selection process. Christopher Taylor, 31, is accused of shooting and killing Michael Ramos, 42, during a confrontation with police in a south Austin apartment complex parking lot in April 2020. Taylor is on administrative leave with the department. Moving forward, the court will conduct jury selection differently, according to Ken Ervin, one of Taylor's attorneys. The court will order three panels of 100 potential jurors and move to a bigger courtroom for jury selection.This week, the court chose from jury pools of 80 and 50. "What you're looking for are 12 people who are gonna be fair. It could be that due to pre-trial publicity, there are a number of people who have already heard about the case,...

What do the 20 Articles of Impeachment against Ken Paxton mean?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:43 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Late Thursday night, lawmakers received their copies of 20 articles of impeachment. Chairman Andrew Murr said he will put the articles to a vote on Saturday, May 27, at 1:00 pm.The House General Investigating Committee, which has a conservative majority, presented the articles after adopting a formal recommendation that Attorney General Ken Paxton be impeached and removed from office. MORE: What we know about possible impeachment against Attorney General Ken Paxton The committee has been quietly investigating Paxton since March, following a proposal of his emerged to use state funds to settle a $3.3 million whistleblower lawsuit filed by four former employees who accused Paxton of wrongdoing.Per HR 2377, here are 20 accusations the committee found in their investigation:Favors for wealthy donorArticle 1 accuses Paxton of violating his duties by harming a charitable organization to help a donor, Nate Paul, a wealthy Austin real estate developer. The...

Refugee Services of Texas to permanently close after 'severe' budget issues

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:43 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Refugee Services of Texas, the state's largest refugee resettlement agency, is permanently closing after the agency was strapped with a "severe" budget shortfall.KXAN reported earlier this month the agency was laying off half its staff and closing offices in Fort Worth and Houston.In a press release Friday, the agency said those "drastic measures" were not enough to reduce the budget shortfall. The closure affects a further 150 employees."It is with heavy hearts that we have come to this decision,” said CEO David McKeever. "This agency has faithfully carried out its mission to serve vulnerable populations since its founding in 1978 and has touched thousands of lives along the way. This decision was not made lightly."All current clients are being referred to other state or national resettlement programs, the release said. Refugee families face eviction following budget issues with resettlement agency The Austin location will now be overseen by Episcopal Migration Mi...

Burnsville man sentenced in Eagan teen’s fentanyl death

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:43 GMT

One of two men charged with murder in the fentanyl death of an Eagan teen has been sentenced to five years in prison.Dakota County Judge Tracy Perzel sentenced 30-year-old Jamal Ahmed Adan of Burnsville on Thursday in connection with providing the potent synthetic opioid that killed 16-year-old Hunter Vernon Carlson in January 2021.Jamal Ahmed Adan (Courtesy of the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office)Adan had pleaded guilty to third-degree murder as part of a February agreement with prosecutors that included the 60-month term and dismissing a charge of third-degree sale of a controlled substance.Adan’s sentence was a downward departure from state sentencing guidelines. In giving the lower sentence, Perzel said the crime was “less onerous than usual” for the murder charge. Adan received credit for 399 days already served in custody.His co-defendant, Sadiq Aden Isack, 28, of Bloomington, faces the same two charges and is scheduled for a jury trial in July.Died in bedAccording to the ...

MN Legislature awards $195M for 90 mph train from Duluth to Target Field

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:43 GMT

After decades of advocacy, a long-awaited passenger rail line between Duluth and the Twin Cities has secured state funding and could enter service later in the 2020s.The Northern Lights Express passenger rail line. (Gary Meader / Duluth News Tribune)Minnesota’s new transportation budget signed into law by Gov. Tim Walz on Wednesday has $194.7 million to start up Northern Lights Express rail, or NLX. It’s a huge step forward for the project, but much work still lies ahead, according to the Department of Transportation and rail advocacy group NLX Alliance.“We are so excited about this funding,” said Andrew Johnson, NLX Alliance president and Minneapolis City Council member. “Folks should be able to, hopefully, buy their tickets in about four to five years.”It could be a year or two before final federal funding is secured and construction can begin, Johnson said. Construction is projected to take three years. First, the transportation department must apply for a share of the $1 trillio...

NYS providing Xylazine test strips

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:43 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) -- As a way to combat the ongoing increase of the drug xylazine the state is issuing free xylazine test strips. The drug - which is specifically designed to sedate animal - has been found in the illicit drug market and can cause serious health issues. Debate over chocolate milk in schools continues "Xylazine is a product that drug suppliers are using within the opioid and by doing so they’re able to get more of a product, it’s a cheaper product than the opioid and it does provide a different type of high," said Don Mareno, Schenectady Fire Chief. You cant truly know whether or not someone is under the influence of xylazine until a toxicology report is administered or the drug Narcan does not work as intended. "What we normally do by using Narcan to reverse the effects of an opioid, if we’re not getting the desired response for what we call the normal response, we start anticipating that there’s something else on board, there’s something else going on with that...

Albany man sentenced in illegal gun possession case

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:43 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- An Albany man has been sentenced in regard to an illegal firearm possession case. Marcel Perry, 36, faces 13 years in state prison, followed by 5 years of post-release supervision. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! On March 17, following a jury trial, Perry was convicted of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon. The indictment alleged that on September 11, 2021, in the area of 138 Hamilton Street in Albany, Perry possessed an illegal and loaded firearm. Perry received the sentencing from Albany County Supreme Court on May 26. Assistant District Attorney Bryanne Perlanski, who handled the prosecution of this case stated that “People in every community deserve to live without the constant fear of gun violence in their neighborhood. Today’s sentence brings us one step closer to the goal of ending our ongoing epidemic of violent crime.”

Debate over chocolate milk in schools continues

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:43 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)--Got Chocolate milk? As of now, it’s allowed in many schools, but that could change. To reduce sugar intake, The United States Department of Agriculture has two proposals regarding flavored milk.The first would allow all schools to continue offering fat-free/low-fat flavored and unflavored milk.The second would limit younger children in elementary and middle schools (K-8) to unflavored milk, and only allow flavored milk as an option for high school students (9-12).The second option also asks for public feedback on appropriate age limits for consumption of flavored milk. Flavored milk would have a limit on added sugars under both options. The USDA plans to issue a final rule in time for schools to begin implementing a change in the 2024-2025 school year.Republican Congresswoman Elise Stefanik released a statement last week saying in part, “This is totally unacceptable and I will do everything in my power to stop these efforts. Flavored milk is one the best ways ...