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Tennessee GOP is willing to reject millions in funding, if it avoids complying with federal strings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:16 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee Republican leaders are escalating their calls to reject millions of federal dollars rather than comply with requirements over LGBTQ+ rights, abortion access and other hot-button issues.Already this year, the Volunteer State has rebuffed federal funding designed to prevent and treat HIV and money that would help clinics serving low-income women. Now, GOP lawmakers are talking about cutting off nearly $1.8 billion in federal education dollars — much of it targeted to serve low-income students, English learners and students with disabilities. “I think this trend in declining federal funds really is alarming,” said state Sen. Raumesh Akbari, a Democrat from Memphis. “A big portion of our government and our budget… rely on federal funds. They are there to level the playing field with other states.”States declining to accept federal funding isn’t new. Tennessee is currently among 10 states that have long refused to expand Medicaid to thousands...

Gaza has oil markets on edge. That could build more urgency to shift to renewables, IEA head says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:16 GMT

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Tensions from the war in Gaza could help accelerate the move away from planet-warming fossil fuels like oil and gas and toward renewable energy, electric cars and heat pumps — similar to how sharp increases in the price of oil during the 1970s unleashed efforts to conserve fuel, the head of the International Energy Agency said.“Today we are again facing a crisis in the Middle East that could once again shock oil markets,” said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol. That comes on top of the stress on energy markets from Russia’s cutoff of natural gas to Europe over its invasion of Ukraine, he said.“Put these two things together, and no one can convince me that oil are gas are safe and secure energy choices for countries or consumers,” Birol told The Associated Press in an interview ahead of the publication Tuesday of the IEA’s annual world energy outlook, which analyzes the global picture of energy supply and demand. “This could further accele...

Is Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system ironclad?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:16 GMT

JERUSALEM (AP) — Since Israel activated the Iron Dome in 2011, the cutting-edge rocket-defense system has intercepted thousands of rockets fired from the Gaza Strip.The system has given residents a sense of security, and Israelis can often be seen watching the projectiles flying through the skies and destroying their targets overhead.But the current war with Hamas might be its stiffest challenge yet.In just two weeks, Hamas has fired 7,000 rockets toward Israel, according to the Israeli military. That is more than any of the previous four wars fought between Israel and Hamas since the militant group seized power in Gaza in 2007. On Oct. 7 alone, the first day of fighting, Hamas launched at least 2,000 rockets, according to data from West Point. Lebanon’s Hezbollah has also fired hundreds of rockets along Israel’s northern front since the fighting began.Most of the rockets have been intercepted. But some have managed to get through, killing at least 11 people and hitting ...

Long list of candidates (including Minnesota’s Emmer) for House speaker as Republicans try again for new leader

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:16 GMT

By LISA MASCARO, STEPHEN GROVES, FARNOUSH AMIRI and KEVING FREKING (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — Three weeks now since the ouster of Kevin McCarthy, House Republicans will meet privately to try nominating a new House speaker to accomplish the seemingly impossible job of uniting a broken, bitter GOP majority and returning to the work of governing in Congress.Having dispatched their speaker then rejected two popular GOP figures as replacements, the House Republicans on Tuesday will be voting instead on a hodge-podge of lesser-known congressmen for speaker, a powerful position second in line to the presidency. The private session could take all day before a nominee emerges.“We’re going to have to figure out how to get our act together — I mean, big boys and big girls have got to quit making excuses and we just got to get it done,” said Rep. Dusty Johnson, R-S.D., a conservative caucus leader.The candidate list is long and jumbled with no obvious choice for the job. There’s a form...

2 killed, 6 injured in fiery crash along I-94 in western Wisconsin

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:16 GMT

Two motorists were killed and six injured in a fiery crash late Monday afternoon on Interstate 94 in western Wisconsin, authorities said.The seven-vehicle crash happened around 5:38 p.m. on westbound I-94 near Wilson in St. Croix County, the Wisconsin State Patrol said in a news release.State Patrol troopers, St. Croix County sheriff’s deputies and multiple fire and EMS units responded to the scene, near the Highway 128 overpass. Two motorists were pronounced dead at the scene.Highway video captured by MN Crime shows a white semitrailer truck moving at a high rate of speed and ramming into the back of a car and another semi, causing a trail of flames as the vehicles disappear from the camera’s view.The State Patrol did not release release a possible cause of the crash Monday night, nor the identities of those injured and killed.“Due to the complexity of the crash and the on-going investigation, another update will be given by 11 a.m. tomorrow morning,” the news release says.Western ...

La Salle players 'heartbroken' over Section 2 playoff disqualification

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:16 GMT

TROY, NY (NEWS10) -- The La Salle Cadets were riding high Friday night after a 20 to 15 win over Bethlehem, locking up the two seed in the Capital Division, and clinching a home playoff game. But excitement, quickly turned to devastation. Just a day later, the team found out Section 2 had disqualified them from the playoffs."It's heartbreaking," said senior Will Kelly. "Everyone on the team was really looking forward to that game against Queensbury. Ever since we were freshmen we wanted to win a playoff game here at La Salle, and we never got our chance." The Cadets never got that chance due to a rules violation. The NYSPHSAA rule book states a football player can participate in both the junior varsity and varsity football games if the player plays in 10 or less snaps in one of the two contests, and if there is a two night rest period between the two contests. The Cadets scheduled their games within that two day rest period. They admitted to misinterpreting the rule in a statement s...

Safety measures boosted after downing at St. Louis County pool

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:16 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – The St. Louis County Executive Sam Page has made safety changes for summer camps, including new requirements for background checks and child protection training.It’s an effort to prevent another child drowning, like that of a T.J. Mister, who died at a county-run summer camp last year. Mister was 6.“T.J. is a hero. He is a hero now. He always has been my hero, but he’s a hero now for the younger kids,” Travone Mister, T.J.’s father, said.T.J. drowned in July 2022 at his first week of summer camp at St. Louis County’s Kennedy Recreation Center. FOX 2 revealed the rec center had untrained staff, was short on lifeguards, and was missing lifesaving equipment that day.T.J’s parents have been on a mission since then to make changes, including in November 2022, when they pleaded with the St. Louis County Council.“I cried,” Olga Mister, T.J.’s mother, said. “Because, you know, we’ve been working on this for so long.” Close Thanks for signing up!...

Creve Coeur City Council takes vote on Bayer campus development

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:16 GMT

CREVE COEUR, Mo. – The Creve Coeur City Council approved the site concept plan for a new development at the former Bayer campus on Olive Boulevard. Neighbors discussed their issues with the green space buffers, wall height, and sewage drains during Monday’s council meeting."I think the interest of the community speaks to the unprecedented nature and size of it and I think there is a lot of interest because there is a lot of constituents here that want to make sure this is done right," Steve Melnick said.He lives near the boundary and said visibility and safety are issues neighbors brought to the developer ahead of Monday's vote."Everybody is listening to the others and I think it's been very, very helpful. There's no walls up and the developer has change plans several times and I think today the residents have also moved a little bit," Mayor Bob Hoffman said. Rigazzi’s sold to local ownership group The mayor said the plan is more than a year in the making."We have a lot of restaur...

South St. Louis residents call on FOX 2 to get help on neighborhood speeders

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:16 GMT

ST. LOUIS – Residents in one south St. Louis neighborhood are fed up with drivers speeding down narrow streets, putting lives in danger. When their pleas for help went unanswered, they contacted FOX 2.“Speeding is the biggest problem,” Alex Arndt said, adding that it’s a challenge just getting to his car in the 3700 block of Gustine. “We’ve got only on-street parking here, no garages. People are speeding feet away from people, inches away. Semis, too; it doesn’t matter what it is.”Maryann Miller says this is as bad as she's seen.“Yes, I’ve been here 34 years, and it’s gotten worse and worse,” she said, describing the big trucks as a proverbial “bat out of hell.” Rigazzi’s sold to local ownership group Arndt says he’s been trying to get city hall to do something for years. The pleas fall on deaf ears.Arndt says some cars speed down this narrow street at more than 40 miles an hour in this 25-mile-an-hour zone, and some trucks drive too fast on this street as well. He’s hoping that b...

What the 49ers are saying after losing to Vikings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:16 GMT

The 49ers suffered their second straight loss Monday night, dropping a prime-time game in Minnesota to the Vikings, 22-17.The San Francisco defense could not get off the field on third downs, allowing eight conversions in 12 opportunities by Kirk Cousins and the Vikings. They forced just one punt, midway through the fourth quarter. The ensuing possession ended with Brock Purdy throwing an interception in Vikings territory, as did the 49ers’ final possession after a missed Minnesota field goal.Purdy finished 21-of-30 on the day with one touchdown (a swing pass Christian McCaffrey took 35 yards for a score) and those two ill-timed picks.McCaffrey rushed 15 times for 45 yards and another score. George Kittle, Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings each had five catches for 78, 57 and 54 yards, respectively. Deebo Samuel missed the game with a shoulder injury.Kyle ShanahanOn the performance:We flat-out got beat. Right now you have to take it like a man.On the defense:I was real disappoi...