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Texas AG Ken Paxton’s impeachment trial is almost over. This is what’s happened and what’s next

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:37 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The historic impeachment trial that could remove Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton from office over corruption allegations is now in the hands of a jury of 30 state senators, most of them Republicans like him.The impeachment charges center on allegations that Paxton improperly used the powers of his office to protect Austin real estate developer Nate Paul, who was indicted in June on federal charges of making false statements to banks.Senators began deliberations Friday after closing arguments from the bipartisan group of House managers prosecuting Paxton and the attorney general’s defense lawyers.“We discovered unprecedented abuse in the Texas attorney general’s office by Mr. Paxton,” said state Rep. Andrew Murr, a Republican. “He has betrayed us, and the people of Texas.”In a fiery defense, Paxton attorney Tony Buzbee insisted the House had not proved their case and called the impeachment a “political witch hunt.”“There is shame here, and the ...

Progressive Councilmember Freddie O’Connell wins Nashville mayor’s race

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:37 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Freddie O’Connell, a progressive member of Nashville’s metro council, has resoundingly won the race to become the next mayor of the Democratic-leaning city, according to unofficial results.Results from the Davidson County Election Commission show O’Connell defeated conservative candidate Alice Rolli in Thursday’s runoff election by a wide margin, with all precincts reporting. Candidates in the race do not run with party affiliations.Since 2015, O’Connell has served on the combined city-county government’s council, representing a district that covers downtown Nashville. He succeeds Mayor John Cooper, who decided not to seek reelection.O’Connell, whose campaign touted him as the “only truly progressive candidate running for mayor,” said he wants to make the city “more ’ville and less Vegas,” a reference to the “Nashvegas” moniker sometimes used to liken the huge boom in tourism in the city to Las Vegas. “Eve...

British neonatal nurse found guilty of murdering 7 babies launches bid to appeal her convictions

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:37 GMT

LONDON (AP) — A British neonatal nurse who was found guilty of murdering seven babies and the attempted murder of six others has launched a bid to appeal her convictions, officials said Friday. Lucy Letby, 33, was sentenced last month to life in prison with no chance of release. A jury at Manchester Crown Court had found her guilty of the seven murders between June 2015 and June 2016 at the neonatal unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital in northwestern England.She was also found guilty of seven murder attempts involving six other babies there but was cleared of two additional charges of attempted murder. The jury was unable to reach a verdict on several other charges.Officials at the Court of Appeal said Friday they had received an application for permission to appeal against the convictions. Typically, applications for permission to appeal against a crown court decision are considered by a judge without a hearing. If the bid is refused, the guilty parties have the right to renew...

Louisiana moves juveniles from adult penitentiary but continues to fight court order to do so

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:37 GMT

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Juvenile detainees who were being held at a former death row building at Louisiana’s adult penitentiary were transferred to a new facility in north Louisiana, state juvenile justice officials said Friday.Friday was the deadline a federal judge had set for moving the youths from the prison at Angola in rural West Feliciana Parish. The state had won a temporary delay from a federal appeals court that was preparing to consider the case. The state said it would continue with its appeal, even while going ahead with the transfer.The announcement from the Office of Juvenile Justice said the state found that a Jackson Parish juvenile facility that opened in July could accept the youths being held at Angola. They are to be housed there until work is completed on a new state facility in Monroe.The number of youths involved in the transfer was not released.Juvenile detainees and their advocates allege in a lawsuit that youths have been held in harmful conditions at the...

Jayne Anne Phillips, Paul Harding are among National Book Award fiction nominees

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:37 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Historical novels by Jayne Anne Phillips and Paul Harding and Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah’s dystopian prison novel “Chain-Gang All-Stars” are among the nominees on the National Book Awards long list for fiction. Phillips, a former National Book Award finalist, was cited for “Night Watch,” and Harding, a Pulitzer Prize winner, was nominated for “The Other Eden.”The 10 fiction titles announced Friday by the National Book Foundation also include Mona Susan Power’s multigenerational “A Council of Dolls,” Eliot Duncan’s coming-of-age novel “Ponyboy,” and two other historical works: Hanna Pylväinen’s “The End of Drum-Time” and Tania James’s “Loot.” The other nominees are Justin Torres’ “Blackout,” his first novel since his acclaimed debut “We the Animals” was published more than a decade ago, and a pair of story collections: Aaliyah Bilal’s “Temple Folk” and LaToya Watkins’ “Holler, Child.” Some of the year’s most highly praised and anticipated f...

Alaska lawmaker’s husband was flying meat from hunting camp when crash occurred, authorities say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:37 GMT

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — The plane flown by the husband of Alaska U.S. Rep. Mary Peltola was carrying a load of moose meat from a remote hunting camp when it crashed, killing him earlier this week, authorities said. Eugene Peltola Jr., 57, was the only person aboard the small plane when it crashed late Tuesday. Two hunters who were at the camp in western Alaska at the time provided medical care, authorities have said.The chairperson of the National Transportation Safety Board had previously said the plane appeared to have crashed under unknown circumstances upon takeoff after Peltola dropped off a hunter and equipment about 65 miles (105 kilometers) northeast of St. Mary’s. But Alaska State Troopers spokesperson Austin McDaniel on Thursday said the plane crashed shortly after takeoff while carrying a second load of moose meat from the two hunters who later gave him medical aid.A federal team has arrived in Alaska to begin investigating the incident, the Anchorage Daily News reported...

Benchmark hosting 'Catalina Wine Mixer'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:37 GMT

CHICAGO — Fans of "Stepbrothers" will be able to enjoy the "Catalina Wine Mixer" next Friday at Benchmark in Old Town.The seventh-annual event features 30+ wine tastings, appetizers, a DJ, raffles and prices.Attendees will be able to purchase wine by the bottle directly from Benchmark’s wine vendors throughout the evening at discounted prices.The tickets are $20 and it takes place Friday, Sept. 22 from 7 to 10 p.m.

Closing arguments end, deliberations begin in Ken Paxton impeachment trial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:37 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The House board of impeachment managers and defense attorneys for suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton gave closing arguments in the historic trial Friday, making their final cases to the 30 eligible senators who will decide whether Paxton can keep his elected title.Closing arguments started at 9 a.m. Friday. Watch in the video players within this story, or on KXAN's Facebook page. Closing arguments wrapped up just before noon. The above video shows suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton's defense attorneys giving closing arguments. The above video shows the House board of impeachment managers giving closing arguments. The above video shows the prosecution giving their final closing arguments before deliberation began Friday. Paxton appeared in the Senate chamber Friday morning for the first time since his impeachment trial began. He'll listen to the prosecution and defe...

End of an era: Free parking on South Congress will soon be a thing of the Austin past

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:37 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — There is about a month and a half left to park for free in the heart of South Congress before those free street parking spots become metered spots.KXAN Traffic Anchor Erica Brennes reports on the end of the free parking era on SoCo."I had no idea that was happening. I think that's terrible. You have to pay for everything now in this town," said Austin resident Chase Myers.You'd be hard-pressed to find anyone on SoCo thrilled to hear there will no longer be free parking on South Congress, including visitor Nicia Adebanjo, "I had to pay $15 to park for literally 15 minutes. That's annoying."We're talking about the spots currently free between Riverside Drive and Oltorf Street.The pricing would vary based on the length of time you need to stay.To make your life easier, the city recommended downloading the Park ATX App."This is actually a fully digital area. So we actually won't see those pay stations on the street that you normally see downtown, you'll have to use the p...

Texas pharmacist convicted for role in 'pill-mill'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:43:37 GMT

HOUSTON (KXAN) -- A Houston jury convicted a Texas pharmacist Wednesday for her role in a pharmacy that dispensed over 100,000 opioid pills in exchange for cash. According to prosecutors, Deanna Winfield-Gates worked as a relief pharmacist at Health Fit Pharmacy, located in Houston. The Department of Justice characterized the cash-only pharmacy as a "pill-mill." Magnitude 4.0 earthquake reported in South Texas Prosecutors argued Health Fit handed out the drugs, oftentimes based on fraudulent prescriptions, issued in the names of doctors who'd had their identities stolen. Winfield-Gates filled prescriptions for opioids like hydrocodone, oxycodone, as well as drugs like the muscle relaxer carisoprodol, the anxiety drug alprazolam, and promethazine with codeine.The federal jury in Houston Wednesday convicted Winfield-Gates of one count of conspiracy to unlawfully distribute and dispense controlled substances. She faces up to 20 years in prison. Her sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 11...