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Gun violence mention pauses Texas Senate debate on drag restrictions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:32 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas lieutenant governor paused debate Tuesday afternoon on legislation that would restrict and even criminalize drag shows in the state after a Democratic senator's comment about addressing gun violence led to cheers and applause from visitors in the chamber. The full Senate began discussing Senate Bill 12, which Republican Sen. Bryan Hughes of Mineola introduced. It would levy a penalty of up to $10,000 against any business owner hosting a “sexually oriented performance” with anyone who’s younger than 18 present. A city or county would also not be able to host these kinds of performances on public property, according to the proposal. The bill defines “sexually oriented performance” as a “male performer exhibiting as a female, or a female performer exhibiting as a male” who “appeals to the prurient interest in sex.” Ban on transgender youth treatments passes Texas Senate Drag performers could also face a criminal misdemeanor charge if they perform in front of...

Williamson County takes steps to get 911 dispatch protocol up to Texas DPS standards

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:32 GMT

GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — Williamson County's Commissioner's Court heard a proposal Tuesday that would formalize the way law enforcement and emergency services are currently dispatched in the county.Chris Connealy, senior director of emergency services for Williamson County, presented plans to submit an application to the Texas Department of Public Safety to establish interlocal agreements for emergency and non-emergency law enforcement dispatch services for those agencies that respond to calls for service in the county.Connealy said because dispatch services run through the county and not a law-enforcement agency, the county has been asked by Texas DPS to make these more formal partnerships with law enforcement and EMS.Connealy said right now the county works with 38 law enforcement and emergency service agencies to dispatch calls for service.He said the way the 911 calls are currently dispatched are not likely to change much, but these agreements should reduce any margin of error...

Running backs, players being 'intentional' keys to tail end of Longhorns spring football

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:32 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Coming off a scrimmage Saturday as the team winds down spring practices, Texas Longhorns head football coach Steve Sarkisian said every player needs to be "intentional," for the remaining five practices.He said spring is unique because there isn't a game against another opponent to prepare for. Of course, there's the Orange and White game April 15, but even that's just a glorified scrimmage against each other that fans are allowed to attend. Texas football getting key pieces back healthy "Everyone needs to focus on what they can do themselves to raise their level of play, whether it's knowledge of the system, fundamental or technique, how to recover physically so you're prepared to go again the next time, so we can continue to grow individually, and then ultimately our team is better at the end of 15 practices we're better than we were at the start."With 51 rushing yards on 18 attempts in the Alamo Bowl loss without standout running backs Bijan Robinson and Roscho...

Central Texas says goodbye to fallen West firefighter

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:32 GMT

WEST, Texas (FOX 44) - Dozens of first responders and the West community honored former volunteer firefighter Eddie Hykel on Monday morning.The Celebration of Life took place at 10 a.m. at St. Mary's Catholic Church of the Assumption, located at 301 S. Harrison St. Eddie Hykel. (Courtesy: West VFD)Hykel, 60, passed away early Tuesday afternoon while on call. A Peterbilt truck on the inside line disregarded the cautionary measures in place and struck him.Hykel was in critical condition and was immediately transported to Baylor Scott & White, where he later died from his injuries.Visitation took place until 6 p.m. FOX 44's thoughts and prayers are with the Hykel family and the community of West.

Strep A infections spike across Texas; how to protect yourself

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:32 GMT

WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Despite several versions of strep infections, there's one rare in particular that's rising nationwide and in the state of Texas."If you've ever heard of toxic shock syndrome, that's one most people are familiar with. Sometimes, that's just an overgrowth of streptococcal bacteria that people can tend to relate to because it's the warning, and it's so few and far between, it's so rare and a true rarity, but we have to be prepared for those things," City of Wichita Falls Interim Health Director Amy Fagan said.Strep A is a disease that can cause muscle pain, extreme fevers, swelling, and can start to grow and go beyond areas throughout the entire body."When it goes outside the throat, or when it goes to abnormal growth within the skin, it becomes invasive because your body is trying to fight it off, but is unable to, or you're not treated in time, and it just becomes an overgrowth, if you will, and that's when it comes invasive or too much in the case of tox...

St. Paul man convicted of child torture, given nearly 5-year prison term

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:32 GMT

A St. Paul man has been given a nearly five-year prison sentence for his role in the beating and burning of two children over several days at a Union Park apartment in September.Diego Ramon Calzada-Russette (Courtesy of Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)Diego Ramon Calzada-Russette was convicted of two counts of child torture on Monday and sentenced to a 57-month prison term. His girlfriend, Jaime Rae Wilson, was given the same sentence last month.Calzada-Russette and Wilson, both 19, were charged in Ramsey County District Court in connection with the abuse of Wilson’s 5-year-old niece and 2-year-old nephew at the couple’s apartment in the 400 block of Herschel Street.They both pleaded guilty to the two counts in January after reaching plea agreements with the prosecution, which sought the 57-month terms. Calzada-Russette was given 180 days of custody credit as part of his sentence.The abuse was uncovered Sept. 21 by hospital staff. Earlier in the day, an ambulance was sent...

CHSAA moving state football championship games to Canvas Stadium, sources say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:32 GMT

The state football title games are headed up north.CHSAA is moving the Class 4A and 5A championships from Empower Field to Canvas Stadium in Fort Collins for the next five years, sources told The Post.There is a possibility that the 3A title game could be folded into the agreement at some point, one source said, but for now the deal is for 5A and 4A through the 2027 CHSAA football season.The games have been held in Denver at the stadium now named Empower Field for 17 of the past 18 years, with the only miss coming during the pandemic in 2020. But the contract expired after the 2022 title games. CHSAA commissioner Michael Krueger said in December that the association felt “good and hopeful” about keeping the games in Denver. That has now changed, and the title games will be headed to the CSU campus for the first time.Related ArticlesPreps | Keeler: Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese trash talk isn’t good for women’s sports in Colorado, elsewhere. It’s great for i...

Opinion: This is just the beginning for Trump

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:32 GMT

Here’s an important thing to remember: This is probably just the beginning. The end is unforeseeable.That’s because the unprecedented indictment of Donald Trump by a New York County grand jury on charges of paying “hush money” to a former porn star is almost certainly the first of several criminal charges he will face.The former president faces potentially far more serious allegations, most stemming from his extra-legal efforts to reverse his 2020 election defeat. They include pressuring Georgia officials to change the state’s outcome, resisting efforts to retrieve illegally possessed classified documents and inciting the insurrection to prevent Congress from ratifying electoral votes.These cases – and any indictments and trials that may flow from them – are likely to dominate the political news for months, freezing the current situation in which Trump is the solid GOP front-runner and the November 2024 outlook remains very much in doubt.That also means that the arguments – and the ...

FDA plans to allow a second updated COVID booster for vulnerable Americans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:32 GMT

WASHINGTON — The Food and Drug Administration plans to allow older and immunocompromised Americans to get a second updated coronavirus booster shot in the near future, an acknowledgment of the virus’s continuing risks to vulnerable people whose immunity might be sagging months after a previous inoculation.Federal regulators are expected to authorize the additional dose in the next few weeks, according to people familiar with the agency’s planning. Those 65 and older would be able to receive the vaccine free of charge at least four months after their previous updated shot. Those with immune deficiencies would also be eligible.Regulators are expected to authorize the additional dose without explicitly recommending it for those groups, a stance that emphasizes the discretion of patients and their health providers. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is expected to sign off on the decision — a customary step in the regulator...

Supervisor Solis Retracts Proposal To ‘Depopulate’ Jails In L.A.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:32 GMT

Supervisor Hilda Solis pulled back a motion to “decarcerate” and “depopulate” jails in L.A. County after hearing concerns from stakeholders.Solis said Monday, she wanted the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors to use its “limited” power to allow the release of some inmates, but will now seek further input on how to improve the proposal.“I introduced the motion as a way to strike a balance with both justice-involved advocates and public safety representatives,” Solis said in a statement. “Since the motion was published, my office has received concerns from a variety of stakeholders — those who feel the motion is not doing enough and those who feel it is doing too much. To that end, I will be referring the motion back to my office so that I can continue to gather input from all stakeholders.”Some of the voices concerned with the motion were those of the Los Angeles Association of Deputy District Attorneys (LAADD), who cal...