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Texas House advances bill that aims to keep sexually explicit materials out of school libraries

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

(Texas Tribune) — The Texas House gave initial approval Wednesday to a bill that aims to ban sexually explicit materials from school libraries. But legal experts, librarians and some parents are concerned that the bill’s language is vague and broad enough to ensnare books that are not inappropriate.Under House Bill 900 — a priority for House Speaker Dade Phelan — sexually explicit books would be taken off shelves, and some books with sexual references would require parental consent. It passed in the House in a 95-53 initial vote Wednesday. The bill still needs to get final approval from the House before it makes its way to the Senate.If HB 900 passes, book vendors would have to assign ratings to books based on the presence of depictions or references to sex. A book would be considered "sexually relevant" if the material describes or portrays sexual activity and is part of required school curriculum. A book would be considered “sexually explicit” if the material describing or portray...

2 Central Texas schools compete in robotics competition

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — High schools from Central Texas will be participating in the 2023 FIRST Championship, which is being held in Houston beginning Wednesday. The competition will last until Saturday, according to organizers.“FIRST Championship is a culminating, international event for our youth robotics competition season and an annual celebration of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) for our community as we prepare young people for the future,” organizers said.Two Central Texas schools will be among 600 participating in the FIRST Robotics Competition. Vandegrift High School from Leander ISD has two Robotics teams participating in the competition, and one team from Cedar Park High School will also be competing in the STEM event.During the FIRST Robotics Competition, high school students will compete on special playing fields with robots they have designed, programmed and built themselves. Teams competing in this year’s robotics challenge will be on six playing fields.Lear...

Gov. Tim Walz outlines plans for a second ‘Minnesota miracle’ during State of the State speech

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

In his first State of the State address of his second term, Gov. Tim Walz detailed his vision for how a new Democratic trifecta in charge of Minnesota government would leverage a historic budget surplus for a new “Minnesota Miracle.”Speaking to a joint session of the Minnesota Legislature, Walz highlighted many of Democrats’ priorities, including billions of dollars more for schools, families and the state’s most vulnerable. The more than $17 billion in new spending Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party members have planned aims to cut child poverty by 23 percent and make the state the “best place to raise a family.”“We have the resources. We have the shared vision. And for the first time in half a century, we have the political will to get this done,” Walz said at the conclusion of his roughly 30 minute speech. “So let’s not waste this opportunity. Let’s get to work building a state we’re proud to raise our kids in.”Minnesota Repu...

Twins reliever Jorge López has been lights out to begin the season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

BOSTON — They used him in the sixth inning Tuesday. They’ve used him in the 10th inning. They’ve used him every inning in between.And in every situation, he has responded.The Jorge López who showed up this year looks much more like the López that the Twins thought they were trading for last year than the one who showed up in the Twin Cities last summer. This, manager Rocco Baldelli said, of the right-hander who has thrown 7 2/3 innings without giving up an earned run to begin the season, is who the Twins believe López is.“This is what he was when he was in Baltimore,” Baldelli said. “Everything we saw from him looked like this: sharp, with a good breaking ball and a good changeup, mid to high 90s fastball. He can throw strikes, he can mix his pitches. Yeah, I think this is the version we expect to see going forward.”López’s success is critical to the Twins’ bullpen, and so far, he has given the Twins everything they could have asked for and more, serving as a dependable late-inning ...

North Dakota’s 6-week abortion bill becomes veto-proof

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

North Dakota state senators overwhelmingly passed a bill Wednesday that would ban abortion at six weeks of pregnancy, even in cases of rape or incest.The bill has passed the Senate and House with veto-proof majorities, so it could become law without Republican Gov. Doug Burgum’s approval. It would be one of the strictest abortion bans in the country.Supporters said the bill would further the state’s mission to protect all human life — aged, unborn and everything in between — whereas opponents said these abortion restrictions would have dire consequences for women and girls.“We talk about rape and incest, and those are horrific circumstances,” Republican Sen. Janne Myrdal, of Edinburg, said while speaking in support of the bill on the Senate floor. “We certainly want to encourage any child, any woman, that experiences any of this, to immediately go to medical care and get these things taken care of before there’s fertilization.”Myrdal added that lawmakers should foc...

NY firefighters call for benefits to help recruit volunteers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Firefighters Association of the State of New York (FASNY) is putting its support behind a bill that would help departments recruit and retain volunteers. The new legislation would provide a state funded stipend to volunteers for completing firefighting training courses.Officials said it could be a great incentive to bolster dwindling numbers. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "We can have all the greatest equipment in the world and all the newest vehicles, but if you don't have the ability to put those things in the hands of trained men and women, they don't have much value," FASNY Assoc. Sec. John D'Alessandro said.FASNY will be holding its 14th annual Recruit New York event this weekend. Volunteer departments across the state will be opening their doors to meet the community.Anyone interested in volunteering is encouraged to attend.

Firearm use regarding home protection

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

JOHNSTOWN, N.Y. (NEWS10) -Pine Tree Rifle Club opens their grounds to groups ranging from the boy scouts to the military when it comes to firearms. President, Paul Catucci, makes sure that when he certifies future gun owners, they walk away knowing the most important part of guns. No bail for Monahan, accused in the shooting death of Kaylin Gillis "We follow the guidelines for what New York State had recently put in since last September. Safety, safety, safety. We explain that each firearm you have to consider it loaded before you even touch it," explained Catucci.Part of safety is being aware of your surroundings and responding properly to situations involving firearms. Catucci says when it comes to firing a gun in response to a threat, warn the person several times before pulling the trigger. Even in self-defense, shooting someone can land yourself in legal trouble. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "New York state is not...

Lawmakers left frustrated by briefing on classified documents leak

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) -- Lawmakers are demanding accountability after being briefed on the leak of classified intelligence documents. On Wednesday, both the Senate and the House got closed-door briefings about the classified U.S. military documents that were posted online, raising major concerns about national security.  Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "I certainly wasn't satisfied with any plans they have in place to prevent this from happening in the future," Sen. Marco Rubio said, following that briefing. Last week, federal agents arrested and charged 21-year-old National Guard Airman Jack Teixeira for allegedly sharing classified documents on the social media site Discord. Investigators are still trying to figure out how it happened and lawmakers are too. "I was left with more questions than answers," Sen. Richard Blumenthal said after the briefing.  What we know about suspected Pentagon leaker Jack...

Supreme Court extends brief pause on abortion pill ruling

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

Access to a common abortion pill mifepristone will remain unchanged through at least Friday after the Supreme Court extended its brief pause until the end of the workweek.Justice Samuel Alito, who handles emergency requests from the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, announced the move in a brief order, extending the administrative pause until Friday at 11:59 p.m. EDT.The order doesn’t give any indication of how the high court will proceed; it effectively gives the justices a few more days to decide whether they will pause a ruling that would roll back access to the drug.The Biden administration and the company that manufactures a brand name version of mifepristone have asked the high court to intervene and pause a ruling from U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk earlier this month.Kacsmaryk’s decision suspended the Food and Drug Administration’s 23-year-old approval of mifepristone, ruling that the agency’s approval process was improperly rushed and resulted in an unsafe drug regi...

Heavy fire breaks out at Jamestown Mall

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:34:25 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - A three-alarm fire broke out at an old shopping mall in north St. Louis County.Fire officials said the blaze occurred around 5:40 p.m. Wednesday at Jamestown Mall in Florissant.Officials said firefighters encountered heavy fire and debris in the walkways of the building. One firefighter suffered minor injuries and was taken to SSM Health DePaul Hospital for treatment.Firefighters from multiple agencies are on the scene combatting the flames. Black Jack Fire Protection District is the lead agency in this incident.This is a developing story. Additional details are limited at this time. FOX 2 will give updates as more information becomes available.