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President Biden headed to Illinois Thursday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:25 GMT

CHICAGO — President Joe Biden will be in Illinois Thursday to boost his reelection campaign.Biden has two stops in Illinois: one in Belvidere at a Stellantis Plant, one of several involved in the most recent auto workers strike. Governor JB Pritzker and United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain are also schedule to be there.Biden is expected to discuss how the recent agreement shows his economic strategy.After his stop in Belvidere, he will head to Chicago for private fundraising events.The president will be trying to boost his poll numbers when it comes to economy, which Republicans believe makes him vulnerable. Five takeaways from the GOP debate in Miami Donald Trump is leading Biden in the latest New York Times poll in several areas, including the economy where 59 percent of voters said they trusted the former president compared to Biden's 37 percent.

Judge in Delphi murder case faces deadline to produce transcript of closed-door meeting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:25 GMT

The Indiana Supreme Court told the judge overseeing the Delphi murder case to provide a transcript of a closed-door meeting last month or explain why it shouldn’t be part of the public record.The same court appointed Special Judge Fran Gull last year to oversee the case after the original judge recused himself.She has until Nov. 16 to file her response to the court’s order. Delphi judge asks Indiana Supreme Court for more time to respond to challenge of how she’s run the case Richard Allen faces two counts of murder in the February 2017 deaths of Abby Williams and Libby German near the Monon High Bridge. Indiana State Police announced his arrest in October 2022.Since then, the case has worked its way through the legal system. One of the most recent developments involved an evidence leak attributed to a former associate of one of Allen’s defense attorneys.The leak drew the ire of Gull, who accused Allen’s attorneys—Andrew Baldwin and Bradley Rozzi—of “gross negligence” in handling ...

Tracy Chapman becomes 1st Black songwriter to win CMA's Song of the Year

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:25 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — History was made at the 57th annual CMA Awards in Nashville on Wednesday night as Tracy Chapman became the first Black songwriter to win Song of the Year.Luke Combs' recording of Chapman's "Fast Car" helped earn Chapman the nomination — and ultimately the win — 35 years after Chapman's version was released. Presenter Sara Evans read a statement from the notoriously reclusive singer. “I’m sorry I couldn’t join you all tonight,” Chapman wrote. “It’s truly an honor for my song to be newly recognized after 35 years of its debut. Thank you to the CMAs and a special thanks to Luke and all of the fans of ‘Fast Car.’” CMA Awards: The full list of 2023 winners Combs‘ version of “Fast Car" reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 this summer and took home the first two CMA Awards of the evening, for both song and single of the year.When Combs was asked if he had any words for Chapman, he thanked her and explained what the song means to him."This song has meant, for m...

Tim Scott appears with girlfriend at debate

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:25 GMT

(The Hill) -- GOP presidential hopeful Tim Scott debuted his girlfriend on the debate stage Wednesday night in a moment that will likely become his most memorable of the evening.As the five candidates on the stage greeted their spouses and families, the South Carolina senator appeared arm-in-arm with a blonde woman as they posed for photos.A source familiar with Scott’s campaign confirmed that the woman is Mindy Noce and that she is, indeed, his girlfriend.Scott’s status as a 58-year-old bachelor has come into focus at several points throughout his campaign. The lawmaker in September confirmed at an Iowa rally that he was dating someone he described as a “lovely, Christian girl.”“I’m very excited. Very excited,” he said to the crowd at the time. Winners and losers from the third Republican debate A Washington Post article a few days earlier had resurfaced discussion about Scott’s marital status. He declined to reveal her name at the time, and the story’s author noted he could no...

Undercover sting, rejected car inspections: How emissions testing fraud impacts Austin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:25 GMT

Investigative Summary: This summer, KXAN reported on state inspectors in Austin and Kyle, arrested for selling fraudulent vehicle inspection reports. Since then, we learned two Texas Department of Public Safety program inspectors in Dallas, were charged with "organized criminal activity" for helping facilitate fraudulent emissions tests. The Travis County Constable's Office Pct. 3, which tracks and investigates these type of felonies, called "clean scans," estimates five million vehicles were fraudulently inspected last year. Investigators worry that's putting potentially unsafe vehicles on our roads with not enough done by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality to stop it. The agency has known about the problem since at least 2017. The fraud is so pervasive, the Travis County Tax Office has refused, for nearly eight months, accepting vehicle inspection reports for cars subject to emissions testing that are from outside Travis and Williamson counties, KXAN learned excl...

City council to consider creating science and research district in north Austin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:25 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- City council will discuss creating a mixed-use science and research district in the area surrounding the Domain that could help provide resources for the emerging life sciences industry in Austin. The resolution says council will support an amendment to the North Burnet/Gateway Regulating Plan to create new rules for how the area can be developed and used. The plan was created in 2006 as a way to guide the development of the area to make sure it helped tackle the growth challenges of Austin. Over the years the area has changed from industrial and warehouse structures to more mixed use development, such as housing, office spaces, and retail stores. Now, there is a demand for more resources for life sciences. Life Science industry in Austin According to a joint report by Medtech Connect and Austin Next released this summer, the amount of venture funding into life sciences in Austin increased ten times between 2017 and 2023. The report says there are more than 260 comp...

City of Austin to host Senior Job Fair Nov. 16

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:25 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The City of Austin said Thursday it will host a Senior Job Fair on Nov. 16.  The free fair will be at the Texas Workforce Solutions Capital Area on 9001 N IH-35. It will start at 11 a.m. and end at 2 p.m.The city said the fair will give people a chance to meet potential employers from the city as well as local businesses.   According to the announcement, the potential employers will hire and assist people from all backgrounds including anyone involved in the criminal justice system, those 50 and older, veterans and people with disabilities.Anyone who wants to attend can register online, the city said.

We Are Blood, Austin FC to host blood drive

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:25 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Facing what it called record patient needs for blood transfusions at Central Texas hospitals, We Are Blood (WRB) said it and Austin FC will hold a blood drive Thursday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Q2 Stadium. WRB wants people to register in advance but walk-ins will be accepted at the stadium, which is located at 10414 Mc Kalla Pl. Parking is available on site. All donors will receive a free Bleed VERDE t-shirt. We Are Blood cites historic patient need in donor call We Are Blood said, in addition to record patient needs, it dealt with shortages coming off a summer with extreme heat, holiday weekends, and busy back-to-school schedules. The center said it requires at least 200 donations per day to serve every hospital in its 10 county service area. Both whole blood and platelets are required to facilitate everything from emergency procedures to cancer treatments and neonatal surgeries.“We are grateful for Austin FC’s continued partnership and their annual blood drive t...

Should skiers be allowed to pay for early access to Colorado chairlifts?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:25 GMT

Winter Park this year became the latest Colorado ski resort to offer early lift access for skiers and riders who are willing to pay for upgrades to their lift tickets. It’s a privilege that some love and others criticize as elitist.“Early ups” allow visitors to board lifts 30 minutes or more before they open to the general public, usually for $50 to $70, in order to get a crack at undisturbed snow. Other areas that offer early ups include Copper Mountain, Steamboat, Aspen Mountain and Snowmass. Beaver Creek and Keystone offer early ups on select days.Based on reactions to the announcement on Winter Park’s Instagram page, many Winter Park skiers and riders welcome the early-ups offer, as indicated by almost 1,000 likes. But many of the 108 comments on the Instagram post have been highly critical.Here is a sampling of those reactions:“I will be throwing snowballs (at) every single person I see getting on the lift with an early ups pass.”“Any caviar ...

Opinion: Suncor-EPA settlement is part of effort to do right thing by Commerce City, North Denver

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:15:25 GMT

EPA’s recent Clean Air Act fuels settlement with the Suncor refinery generated questions about both the settlement and EPA’s broader efforts to improve environmental conditions at the facility and in nearby communities in Commerce City and North Denver. I appreciate this opportunity to clarify and explain EPA’s commitment to these concerns.EPA’s September settlement with Suncor focused on gasoline produced and distributed by the refinery across the Front Range, not emissions from the facility itself. Some of the fuel produced by Suncor in 2021 and 2022 exceeded requirements limiting the benzene content and the volatility of the fuel. The distribution and use of this fuel led to higher emissions of pollutants in a large area that does not meet Clean Air Act standards for ozone.As part of the settlement, in addition to paying a penalty, Suncor voluntarily agreed to spend $600,000 to replace older gasoline and diesel-powered lawn equipment with less-polluting electric-powered equipment...