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Lawmakers look for answers around aviation safety after close calls

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:58 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) -- Lawmakers and experts are raising alarms around close calls and near misses at airports across the country."Rather than watering down existing safety standards, we must always be looking to enhance aviation safety," Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) said.Duckworth said mistakes by air traffic control, flight crews or ground personnel happen partly because of a lack of rest."Is it time for FAA and Congress to re-examine and update rest rules that are tailored to optimize air traffic controller performance," Duckworth asked."You have people working mandatory overtime, six days a week, ten-hour days," Jennifer Homendy, National Transportation Safety Board chair said.Experts said long hours under hard and stressful working conditions, make it difficult for the FAA to keep enough air traffic controllers on the job."Has exasperated the situation resulting in 1000 fewer controllers in this elevated aviation upturn," Rich Santa, National Air Traffic Controller Associatio...

'Ethical crisis': Senate Democrats want to subpoena wealthy Republicans

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:58 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) -- Senate democrats want to subpoena wealthy Republicans to get information about alleged luxury gifts given to Supreme Court justices.But their effort to investigate the matter hit a roadblock on Thursday.The absence of an ethics code for Supreme Court justices means the justices aren't required to recuse themselves from cases that involve the interests of wealthy individuals."Congress needs to understand the full scope of the court's ethical crisis," said Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.).Republican lawmakers made it clear they're opposed to issuing the subpoenas."You've opened up Pandora's Box and you'll get a look into it. It's not very pretty," said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.). "We could spend all of our time talking about what we would like to subpoena."Graham, as well as Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), said they planned to offer so many amendments and subpoenas of their own that the process would grind to a halt."I think we need to get to the bottom of Presi...

Israel agrees to daily humanitarian pauses in Gaza

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:58 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Israel has agreed to allow four-hour humanitarian pauses each day to let civilians flee Gaza.The White House has been pushing this for days: While speaking with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Monday, President Joe Biden urged Israel to pausing fighting against Hamas. This comes as the humanitarian crisis in Gaza grows more dire each day.On Thursday, Israel's government agreed to start humanitarian pauses. For four hours each day, civilians in Gaza will be allowed to flee without fear of bombings."This is a welcome step in the right direction," Principal Deputy State Department Spokesperson Vedant Patel said.The U.S. Department of State says Palestinians evacuating northern Gaza will have access to two corridors but acknowledges that longer pauses are also needed as fighting on the ground intensifies."This is not a black and white situation," Patel said. "It's something we're going to continue to work on with our partner."Biden says he is still pushi...

Palatine man charged with shooting gun into air

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:58 GMT

PALATINE, Ill. — A man has been charged after police said he fired shots into the air in September in Palatine.According to a news release, the Palatine Police Department said officers were called on Sept. 9 to the 1200 block of East Prairie Brooke Drive on the report of a man shooting a gun into the air. 85-year-old woman killed in Palatine crash identified Officers arrived, found several shell casings, collected them and sent them to the Illinois State Police Crime Lab for additional analysis, according to the release.On Tuesday, Zaurbek Bogov, 29, turned himself in to police and was charged with one count of reckless discharge of a firearm, a Class 4 felony, according to the release.He is due back in court at 9 a.m. on Dec. 1.

TDCJ 'correctional officers' linked to drug smuggling ring, indictment said

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Newly released, sealed federal court records revealed inmates, civilians and multiple Texas Department of Criminal Justice correctional officers connected to the Drug Trafficking Organization (DTO)."DTO trafficked fentanyl, methamphetamine, and synthetic cannabinoids into Texas Department of Criminal Justice correctional facilities across Texas, using correctional officers and the mail to smuggle narcotics, cell phones, and other contraband into the correctional facilities," according to the criminal indictment. RELATED: TDCJ on lockdown to search facilities after increase in contraband, inmate deaths The partially redacted criminal indictment listed 13 people currently facing federal charges related to possession and distribution of narcotics, money laundering and identity theft. The names of ten people were redacted. The remaining three were identified in the indictment as TDCJ correctional officer Osawzuwa Williams, Rosa Miller and Ashley Arriaga, two non-incar...

Widespread rain continues as temperatures drop

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Welcome, beneficial rain is falling in many areas following a midday cold front that is sending temperatures tumbling. This will kick off a stretch of cooler than normal mainly gray weather through early next week.Light to moderate rain continues into the overnight hours, but dissipates a bit by dawn Friday as drier air moves in. Many areas will enjoy 0.25"-0.50" in their backyard from this first round of rainfall, with locally heavier totals.Gusty northerly winds ramp up overnight, ushering in much colder air to end the week. High temperatures hold in the 50s Friday under cloudy skies with breezy winds continuing.Though we may see a few brief breaks in the clouds on Veterans' Day, north winds keep temperatures a bit brisk. A second storm system marches in late Sunday into Monday, bringing cloudy skies and a likelihood of additional rain and thunderstorms.A series of storms like this is typical during an El Niño winter, which commonly bring wetter than normal weathe...

Texas men's hoops add 2 big recruits to 2024 class in early period

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team added two top-50 players in the early signing period that began Wednesday.Longhorns head coach Rodney Terry announced the signings of guard Cam Scott and forward Nic Codie to next year's team. PREVIOUS GAME: No. 18 Longhorns men’s hoops clobber Incarnate Word 88-56 in season opener "We were able to get two quality players that we think have really high ceilings," Terry said Thursday. "They have a chance to be really good Longhorns for us in the near future."Scott is a 6-foot-5 guard from Lexington, S.C., and is the No. 28 overall prospect in the 2024 class and No. 6 at his position according to the 247Sports composite rankings.Scott averaged 19.2 points and 6.1 rebounds per game while leading Lexington High School to the 5A semifinals last year and was named the South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year.Codie is a 6-foot-8 forward from Carrollton who is the top-rated player in Texas by 247Sports and No. 45 nationally. Cod...

State DFL senator will seek Dean Phillips’ congressional seat next year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:58 GMT

State Sen. Kelly Morrison launched a bid for Congress in Minnesota’s 3rd Congressional District, becoming the second Democrat to announce a bid for a seat where the incumbent — U.S. Rep. Dean Phillips — is running for president.Morrison, a physician from Deephaven, has served in the Legislature for five years. In a campaign announcement, Morrison said she would use her experience as an OB-GYN to advocate in Congress for continued abortion access. She also touted her work carrying bipartisan legislation in St. Paul.Rep. Kelly Morrison, DFL-Deephaven (Courtesy photo)“I know what it’s like to see my patients struggle to afford the medications they need, so I took on Big Pharma and lowered prescription drug costs,” Morrison said in a news release. “I know how important it is that women — not politicians — are able to make their own health care decisions, so I led the effort to protect abortion rights in Minnesota. I’m running for Congress because we need leaders who are focused on deliv...

Metro Transit and Molson Coors offer fare-free rides for Vikings game day

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:58 GMT

The Molson Coors Free Rides program will be back again Sunday with free rides on Metro Transit buses and trains for the Vikings vs. Saints game at U.S. Bank Stadium.The free rides will be available from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all Metro Transit bus and rail routes, as well as the Northstar Line, to and from the U.S. Bank Stadium.The Free Rides program was first launched by the producers of Miller Lite in the Twin Cities in 1997. According to a press release, last year’s program provided free rides for 47,572 people for the Vikings vs. Cowboys game on Nov. 20, 2022.“Metro Transit is pleased to partner with Molson Coors to offer free rides across our system, providing loyal and first-time riders alike another reason to make transit a part of their gameday experience,” Metro Transit general manager Lesley Kandaras said in the release.Transit route maps are available on Metro Transit’s website: metrotransit.orgRelated ArticlesLocal News | Isaac Russell campaign asks ...

Not even a painful rib injury could keep Vikings tight end T.J. Hockenson off the field

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:14:58 GMT

Every time tight end T.J. Hockenson peeled himself off the turf, he looked more like somebody who wasn’t going to be able to finish the game. He suffered a rib injury last Sunday during the Vikings’ improbable 31-28 road win over the Atlanta Falcons and could be seen wincing in pain on the sidelines.“Yeah, it was tough,” Hockenson said. “I grinded through it.”Asked how close he got to leaving the game, Hockenson noted that he has a pretty high pain tolerance.“That’s something about me,” he said. “I won’t go off the field unless somebody is making me.”There was a specific moment on Sunday during which Hockenson was receiving medical attention from the training staff on the sidelines. He realized the defense made a play and the offense had to go back onto the field.“We had a sudden change, and I was like, ‘Hey, leave me alone, I’m going,’ ” Hockenson said. “We came back and they...