Court order allows Texas’ floating barrier on US-Mexico border to remain in place for now

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:30:11 GMT

Court order allows Texas’ floating barrier on US-Mexico border to remain in place for now NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal appeals court on Thursday allowed Texas’ floating barrier on the Rio Grande to stay in place for now, a day after a judge called the buoys a threat to the safety of migrants and relations between the U.S. and Mexico. The order by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals puts on hold a ruling that would have required Texas to move the wrecking-ball sized buoys on the river by next week. The barrier is near the Texas border city of Eagle Pass, where Republican Gov. Greg Abbott has authorized a series of aggressive measures in the name of discouraging migrants from crossing into the U.S. The stay granted by the New Orleans-based appeals court lets the barrier remain in the water while the legal challenge continues. The lawsuit was brought by the Justice Department in a rare instance of President Joe Biden’s administration going to court to challenge Texas’ border policies. On Wednesday, U.S District Judge David Ezra of Austin ordered Texas to move the ba...

President Biden declares 3 Georgia counties are eligible for disaster aid after Hurricane Idalia

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:30:11 GMT

President Biden declares 3 Georgia counties are eligible for disaster aid after Hurricane Idalia ATLANTA (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday approved a disaster declaration for three Georgia counties following Hurricane Idalia’s sprint across southern and coastal Georgia on Aug. 30. The storm made landfall with 125 mph (201 kph) winds in Florida’s remote Big Bend region before moving north into Georgia.Biden initially approved assistance to individuals and governments in Cook, Glynn and Lowndes counties. Lowndes County, home to the city of Valdosta, experienced the worst damage, with estimates showing 80 homes destroyed and 835 homes sustaining major damage as winds reached nearly 70 mph (113 kph). One man in Valdosta died when a tree fell on him as he tried to clear another tree from a road, sheriff’s deputies said. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, in a letter sent Wednesday, requested aid from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to governments in 30 counties and individuals in the three counties Biden approved and added Appling County.The Georgia Emergency Management Age...

Round Rock Police investigating deadly motorcycle crash

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:30:11 GMT

Round Rock Police investigating deadly motorcycle crash ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) -- The Round Rock Police Department is investigating a deadly motorcycle crash that occurred Thursday night in Round Rock, the agency said on social media.RRPD posted on social media shortly before 9:30 p.m. saying the crash occurred on SH 45 eastbound between A W Grimes Boulevard and Donnell Drive.Police said the inside lane is currently closed, and drivers should expect delays as first responders work the scene.

Cedar Park scores late, fends off Round Rock for 28-24 win

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:30:11 GMT

Cedar Park scores late, fends off Round Rock for 28-24 win AUSTIN (KXAN) — Round Rock and Cedar Park went back and forth at John Gupton Stadium on Thursday in the KBVO Game of the Week, and the Timberwolves won 28-24 on the heels of the best drive of the game.Cedar Park put together a 16-play, 68-yard drive that chewed nearly seven minutes off the clock and culminated with 2:02 left in the game on Trae Hill's second touchdown of the game. The Timberwolves stopped Round Rock's final drive on fourth down with 55 seconds left to secure the victory.REPORT YOUR SCORE: We'd love to post your team's score on our website, but we need your help to do it. Email the score of your game to [email protected] and we'll get it on our websiteThe Timberwolves jumped out to a 14-0 lead with 8:54 in the second quarter and looked to be firmly in control, but the Dragons forced a fumble with 2:00 left in the half and scored a minute later to cut Cedar Park's lead in half 14-7. Round Rock quickly regained possession and Kai Huraki nailed a 35-yard field goal as tim...

Austin ISD decreases special education evaluation backlog, still more than 400 overdue

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:30:11 GMT

Austin ISD decreases special education evaluation backlog, still more than 400 overdue AUSTIN (KXAN) – New data presented on Thursday during the Austin Independent School District school board meeting revealed the district was behind on 488 evaluations for students who are suspected of needing special education services as of Aug. 25.According to district data, the number is down from July, when more than 1,300 evaluations were still not completed despite missing federal and state-mandated deadlines.Screenshot from Sept. 7 Austin ISD presentation to the school board on special education evaluations. (Austin ISD)"I am sorry to the families who did not get served. We are doing better now," Board President Arati Singh said. ‘She was struggling’: Austin ISD still working to finish delayed special education evaluations The revelation came out during one of the first school board meetings where trustees will consider a proposal from the Texas Education Agency addressing years of special education violations.The TEA announced in March its intention to appoint a conservato...

High school football: Forest Lake storms back to beat East Ridge

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:30:11 GMT

High school football: Forest Lake storms back to beat East Ridge In the first half of their matchup against East Ridge Thursday night, Forest Lake senior running back Leyton Patzer and his teammates couldn’t get out of their own way.In the second half, the Rangers couldn’t be stopped.Patzer rushed for three touchdowns and his team overcame a 14-point halftime deficit to beat the Raptors 35-29 on the road at the Raptor’s Nest in Woodbury.“We just had to find our rhythm and our football game,” said Patzer, whose team improved to 1-1 after a tough 7-6 loss on the road at Prior Lake last week. “We try not to bend to the other team. We try to keep playing our physical style.“We finally got things figured out in the second half and came out with some energy.”Forest Lake fumbled the ball away three times in the first half, the second of which set the stage for a 1-yard touchdown run by East Ridge senior Charlie Bern that made the score 21-7 at halftime.Raptors senior quarterback Tanner Zolnosky finished the first half 7 of 8 passing for 143 yards and tw...

Tensions persist, but Jennings City Council holds off on no-confidence vote of mayor

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:30:11 GMT

Tensions persist, but Jennings City Council holds off on no-confidence vote of mayor JENNINGS, Mo. - The Jennings City Council met Thursday night to consider a "no-confidence" vote for mayor Gary Johnson.This is the latest development in a saga that pits the mayor against the city council. The FOX Files has been covering developments over the course of several weeks. On Thursday, five of the eight city council members met and took action to reverse several big moves made under Johnson. While the council decided not to take up the no-confidence vote, they decided to scrap the mayor's stop work order on a major city civic center project. ‘It didn’t seem real’: Friends reflect on loss of teens in fatal crash Mayor Johnson and his supporters were conspicuously absent for the meeting, but all five of the mayor's detractors gathered with a quorum to hold a meeting. At the top of the agenda, was introducing a letter of no-confidence in the mayor signed by all five members, a motion to demonstrate they no longer support Johnson in his current role. Ultimately, they decid...

Chiefs drop NFL season opener, 21-20, to Lions

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:30:11 GMT

Chiefs drop NFL season opener, 21-20, to Lions KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Chiefs are not getting off to as good a start as they hoped. The Chiefs lost their season opener to the Detroit Lions 21-20 without defensive tackle Chris Jones and tight end Travis Kelce. After a fake punt on their own 17 kept the drive moving, the Lions ended a 14-play, 91-yard drive with a nine-yard TD pass from quarterback Jared Goff to recover Amon-Ra St. Brown near the end of the first quarter.The Chiefs responded back with their own 13-play, 75-yard drive that ended with Patrick Mahomes finding rookie receiver Rashee Rice in the back of the endzone for a touchdown early in the second quarter. Rice's touchdown is the first receiving TD by a rookie since 2021. With less than two minutes to go, a 34-yard bomb to receiver Marquez Valdes-Scantling set up tight end Blake Bell's second receiving touchdown of his career.The Chiefs took a 14-7 lead into halftime. In the second half, a pass to receiver Kadarius Toney was tipped by him and intercepted ...

Colorado high school football scoreboard: Week 3

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:30:11 GMT

Colorado high school football scoreboard: Week 3 Thursday night scoresBear Creek 45, Kennedy 6Doherty 56, Coronado 14Denver West 46, Lincoln 0Sierra 20, Liberty 3Melrose 42, Dove Creek 26Mullen 39, Mountain Range 7Loveland 27, Pomona 26ThunderRidge 52, Lakewood 6Timnath 49, Prospect Ridge Academy 7Standley Lake 34, Westminster 29Want more sports news? Sign up for the Sports Omelette to get all our analysis on Denver’s teams.

'People are not pollution': Newsom signs bill to clear way for universities to build more student housing

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:30:11 GMT

'People are not pollution': Newsom signs bill to clear way for universities to build more student housing California Gov. Gavin Newsom has signed a bill that makes it easier for universities to build housing for students in a win for housing advocates.Assembly Bill 1307 was signed into law Thursday after it landed on the governor's desk after receiving widespread support in the state legislature.Authored by Assemblymember Buffy Wicks (D-Oakland), AB 1037 was drafted in response to a February court ruling that blocked a new housing project by the University of California, Berkeley. The U.C. Berkeley campus pictured on July 22, 2020 in Berkeley, California. (Getty Images)The proposed housing project, located at People's Park adjacent to campus, was challenged on the basis that noise from the eventual new residents would have an impact on the environment. The housing project was previously supported by the State Legislature and Gov. Newsom and had received a $100 million investment in the 2022-23 state budget.In response, Newsom voiced his support for the project by filing an amicus briefi...