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Who takes advantage of Donald Trump's absence and other things to watch in the Republican debate

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:59 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Eight Republican candidates will meet on the debate stage for the first time Wednesday night in what may be the biggest moment in the GOP's young 2024 presidential primary so far. The overwhelming front-runner in the contest, former President Donald Trump, won't participate. He says he's so far ahead that he'd be helping his opponents by showing up. But his absence also offers them opportunity.Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a distant second to Trump in many polls, is betting that a strong showing will cement his status as the strongest alternative to the former president despite his many stumbles. DeSantis' team sees rising newcomer Vivek Ramaswamy, a 38-year-old entrepreneur, as a threat, while South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley and former Vice President Mike Pence have positioned themselves to compete. The debate also features a handful of aggressive Trump critics led by former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, whose anti-Trump me...

RFK Jr. request for restraining order over vaccine videos removed from YouTube rejected

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:59 GMT

(The Hill) — A federal judge on Wednesday rejected a request from Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to temporarily bar Google from removing videos of him from YouTube based on its medical misinformation policies.U.S. District Judge Trina Thompson found that Kennedy’s case against Google and its subsidiary YouTube is unlikely to succeed because the companies are not state actors and, as a result, can’t be held responsible for abridging his speech. Trump, Tucker Carlson to release interview as debate begins on Fox News Kennedy is suing over YouTube’s removal of several videos of him discussing vaccines based on its policies related to COVID-19 medical misinformation and vaccine misinformation. The long-shot challenger to President Biden, who has attracted vocal criticism over his anti-vaccine rhetoric, did not personally post the videos mentioned in the lawsuit.Thompson, a Biden appointee, said in Wednesday’s ruling that there is no evidence that the federal go...

Kelly Blue Book survey shows consumer hesitation towards electric vehicles

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:59 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – A Kelly Blue Book survey found most consumers would consider an electric vehicle but have some hesitations.More than half of the people who responded to the survey said concerns about the environment make them open to the idea of owning an electric vehicle. They also worry an EV will be inconvenient and expensive.Other concerns include “How long it takes to charge up, as well as the cost of replacing batteries,” said Kelly Blue Book Executive Editor Brian Moody.However, Moody says normal charging shouldn't be a major concern.“Seventy percent or 80% of electric vehicle owners charge their cars up at home. In that case, people are going to have a great experience because they just park it overnight,” Moody explained.But that convenience disappears on road trips.“Parents right now are at home cringing at the idea of sitting in their car for 40 minutes trying to keep their toddler entertained,” Moody said.On the issue of eventually replacing EV batteries, Moody sa...

Cooling centers, water giveaway helping Chicagoans beat the heat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:59 GMT

CHICAGO — As dangerously hot temperatures overtook Chicago, Saint Sabina Catholic Church helped some South Side residents enjoy a cold, refreshing reprieve from the heat.On the corner of 79th and Racine, WGN News cameras rolled as a team of volunteers from the Englewood-area church handed out free water.   Hot, humid weather: Excessive Heat Warning in place for Chicago area The good deed comes after Father Michael Pfleger took to Facebook to ask for donations for Wednesday’s water giveaway. The church is known to host water giveaways when there's an excessive heat warning in the area, but Wednesday’s was the first of the summer.  According to Pfleger, the church received more than 250 cases of water.  Amid air conditioning and public transportation woes, there’s no opportunity to avoid the heat for some. It’s why volunteers hoped some ice-cold water would help.  "A lot of people don’t have the one or two dollars to buy water from someone selling it on the expressway, so ...

19-year-old pleads guilty to two February murders

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Abraham Kulor, now 19 years old, pleaded guilty to two murders this week, according to the Travis County District Attorney's Office.The incidents happened in February, about two weeks apart, on the 5800 block of Techni Center Drive in east Austin and on Sixth Street downtown, according to the District Attorney's Office. Kulor was 18 at the time.“Marijuana was located inside the victim’s vehicle,” APD said during a news conference about the Feb. 8 Techni Center Drive incident. “Social media messages discovered on the victim’s phone indicated that he was at the location to sell marijuana to the suspect who used the screen name of Lil AK. The messages outline the detail of the sale.”The victim in this case, according to the District Attorney's Office, was Carlos Calleja, 23. APD said several violent crimes detectives were familiar with the subject who also went by the name of Lil AK on social media. APD identified the person as Kulor.The Sixth Street homicide occurred ...

2024 Debate Breakdown: An Insider’s Look at the First Republican Presidential Debate

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:59 GMT

Join The Hill’s first installment of the “2024 Debate Breakdown: An Insider’s Look at the First Republican Presidential Debate.”The Hill’s Political Reporter Rafael Bernal, National Political Correspondent Julia Manchester, and Congressional Reporter Mychael Schnell break down the top moments from the first Republican Primary debate and how the debate resonated with Americans. Register for the Debate Breakdown stream here. Democratic Strategist  Michael Starr Hopkins & Republican Strategist Sarah Chamberlain will analyze the performance of each of the presidential hopefuls and look at which issues were most discussed and look ahead to the second Republican Presidential Debate in California in September.Thursday, August 249:00 AM ET / 6:00 AM PTSpeakers:Rafael Bernal, Political Reporter, The HillJulia Manchester, National Political Correspondent, The HillMychael Schnell, Congressional Reporter, The HillMichael Starr Hopkins, Founding Partner, Northern Starr Strategies; Democ...

What's next for the Austin housing market heading to fall 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Mortgage rates have hit a 21-year high, and KXAN wanted to see what it could mean for Central Texans.KXAN Anchor Jennifer Sanders spoke with Dr. Clare Losey, a housing economist with the Austin Board of Realtors, about key housing data, such as new and existing home sales.Read a full transcription of the discussion below or use the video player above.JENNIFER: So as mortgage rates top 7% It's a two-decade high. What does this really mean for homebuyers as well as homeowners here in Central Texas?CLARE: Well, the primary effect of higher mortgage rates is on homebuyers purchasing power, right? So anytime the mortgage rate increases, it reduces the maximum home price affordable to any potential buyer. So, what we anticipate to see in Austin really in any housing market is just somewhat of a moderation in home sale deals with these higher rates as homebuyers who would otherwise have been able to purchase a home are unable to with these higher rates.JENNIFER: Okay, and a...

After death of cousin, Hutto High School student raising awareness about fentanyl

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:59 GMT

HUTTO, Texas (KXAN) — More and more people are losing their lives to fentanyl and Central Texas isn’t immune from this growing problem.Many teens have also fallen victim to fentanyl overdoses. Rebecca Benavides says her son Ryan Garcia or King Ryan as she calls him died at just 17 years old.”I wish every day he would walk in and say Momma I am home,” said Benavides.Garcia was a student at Akins High School and died in 2022. Benavides says she got a late-night call that something was wrong with her son, but when she arrived it was too late.”When we got there he was just lying there,” said Benavides. “We found little blue pills”Benavides says the pill he took had fentanyl in it.”When our son passed, he not only changed our life, but he changed ours too,” said Benavides.”He was my big cousin,” said Dennis Benavides. “We always did everything together…It really hurts that he is gone.” Kyle PD: 16-year-old overdoses on fentanyl first week into summer break Dennis wanted to do something...

St. Paul City Council approves $6 million for Pedro Park

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:59 GMT

With a boost from state and city coffers, as well as two anonymous benefactors, St. Paul Parks and Recreation expects to begin construction next summer of a long-awaited downtown park off 10th and Robert streets — Pedro Park.The new 0.87-acre park will be funded in large part by $6 million in general funds and city bond funds, approved 4-0 by the St. Paul City Council on Wednesday. That money was freed up from the North End Community Center project, which received $6 million from a state of Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development grant. Council Members Amy Brendmoen, Jane Prince and Russel Balenger were absent.St. Paul’s long-awaited Pedro Park is coming into focus with the release on Monday, March 27, 2023 of more than two dozen architectural renderings. These include a birds-eye view, one of three such detailed schematics floated in February before city officials settled on the preferred concept. (courtesy images / City of St. Paul)That still leaves...

Armed robber and armed victim both injured in St. Paul gunfight, police say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:17:59 GMT

A man with a permit to carry a gun was shot and wounded after he shot a suspect who was robbing him at gunpoint Tuesday in St. Paul, according to charges.Officers were dispatched to Atwater Street near Farrington Street on the North End at 3:37 a.m. with callers reporting hearing 30 to 50 gunshots. They found a 22-year-old with a gunshot wound to his side. He told police he’d shot someone, and his gun was in his pocket. Paramedics took him to the hospital.The man told police a woman had contacted him, asking if he wanted to “hook up” and sent him an address off Rice Street. He believed their plan was to have sex.After he picked her up, she told him to make a series of turns. He saw a vehicle approach from behind at a high rate of speed and it suddenly rear ended him. He thought about driving off “because the incident seemed weird as (the woman) had directed him to a ‘sketchy’ street, but he stayed put because he didn’t want to be part of a hit and...