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Regulators monitor tritium leak at Minnesota nuclear plant

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:44 GMT

ST.. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota regulators said Thursday they’re monitoring the cleanup of a leak of 400,000 gallons of radioactive water from Xcel Energy’s Monticello nuclear power plant, and the company said there’s no danger to the public.“Xcel Energy took swift action to contain the leak to the plant site, which poses no health and safety risk to the local community or the environment,” the Minneapolis-based utility said in a statement.While Xcel reported the leak of water containing tritium to state and federal authorities in late November, the spill had not been made public before Thursday. State officials said they waited to get more information before going public with it.“We knew there was a presence of tritium in one monitoring well, however Xcel had not yet identified the source of the leak and its location,” Minnesota Pollution Control Agency spokesman Michael Rafferty said.“Now that we have all the information about where the leak occurred, how much ...

New Mexico gov. signs bill overriding local abortion bans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:44 GMT

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — New Mexico’s governor signed an abortion-rights bill Thursday that overrides local ordinances aimed at limiting access to abortion procedures and medications.Reproductive health clinics in New Mexico offer abortion procedures to patients from states, including Texas, with strict abortion bans. The new law also aims to ensure access to gender affirming healthcare related to distress over gender identity that doesn’t match a person’s assigned sex.New Mexico has one of the country’s most liberal abortion access laws, but two counties and three cities in eastern New Mexico have recently adopted abortion restrictions that reflect deep-seated opposition to offering the procedure.The bill signed by Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham overrides those local ordinances.An additional bill working its way through New Mexico’s Legislature would protect abortion providers and patients from out-of-state interference, prosecution or extradition attempts.In 2021, New Mexico’s Dem...

Johnson endorsed by Bernie Sanders while Vallas garners support from aldermen

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:44 GMT

CHICAGO — As endorsements continue to pour in for Chicago's mayoral election, some national progressives are backing Brandon Johnson, while Paul Vallas increased his support on the South and West sides.Senator Bernie Sanders is backing Johnson, saying he knows the struggles of working families and the need to stand up for strong unions. Former mayoral candidate Kam Buckner is also endorsing Johnson."To me, this is the type of leadership we need to bring the city forward," Buckner said. SEE ALSO | AG Kwame Raoul backs Johnson, Vallas endorsed by Ja'Mal Green, councilmembersAlderpersons Michelle Harris, Anthony Beale, David Moore, Derrick Curtis and Emma Mitts – along with former Illinois Senate President Emil Jones Junior, and the Chicago Firefighters Union Local 2 all announcing their support for Paul Vallas."I'm glad to be joined by so many Black leaders coming together to support Paul Vallas for mayor," Harris said. On a day that wasn’t without fireworks, Johnson brought in suppor...

Northwest Indiana couple arrested on child pornography charges from incident in Texas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:44 GMT

VALPARAISO, Ind. — A couple from Northwest Indiana has been arrested on alleged child pornography-related charges stemming from incidents in San Antonio, Texas.According to Indiana State Police, detectives and members of the FBI Gang Response Investigative Team served a search warrant on Jan. 4 at their home in the 500 block of Elm Street in Valparaiso. Boy, 4, among 2 seriously hurt in aftermath of liquid sugar truck crash on I-65 Arrest warrants were later issued for Veronica Solis, 33, and Gerald Brann, 42, after investigators reviewed evidence and continued to investigate, according to state police. ‘The Emily Talk’ aims to help local first responders treat people with disabilities On March 14, Solis was arrested and Brann was arrested in New Jersey while he was on an out-of-state trucking run, according to state police.They are both facing federal charges related to production of child pornography and are facing extradition to the Western District of Texas, according to cou...

3 hospital employees, 7 deputies charged with murder in death of Black Virginia man

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:44 GMT

DINWIDDIE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — Ten people, including three Virginia mental hospital employees and seven sheriff's deputies, have been charged with murder in the death of a 28-year-old Black man seen in security video being pinned to the ground, according to officials.Irvo Otieno was arrested by Henrico Police on March 3. Days later, on March 6, Henrico Sheriff’s deputies took him to Central State, a psychiatric hospital in Dinwiddie. They claimed he became combative and the deputies restrained him. He was later declared dead. The medical examiner's preliminary ruling was that Otieno’s death was a homicide caused by asphyxiation.Otieno's case marks the latest example of a Black man's in-custody death that has law enforcement under scrutiny. It follows the the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee, and the killing of George Floyd in police custody in Minneapolis. WATCH : Family of Irvo Otieno talk after viewing video of his death The three employees...

Two Edmonton Police Officers Killed In The Line of Duty

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:44 GMT

Tornado Watch in effect for parts of Central Texas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:44 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A late-evening cold front brings a risk of strong to severe thunderstorms tonight.A Tornado Watch is in effect for only Lampasas County until 8 p.m,. and Williamson, Lee and Milam counties until 1 a.m.We are tracking a much colder airmass surging into Texas tonight. Along its leading edge, we expect a window of potentially strong to severe thunderstorms between now and 1 a.m. Storms are expected to move into the Austin area between 11 p.m. and midnight, then southeastern areas before 1 a.m.Line of storms moves through late tonight into early Friday morningMost of Central Texas remains in at a level 2 out of 5 (slight) severe weather risk this afternoon through Friday morning. Isolated to scattered severe storms are possible with hail and wind damage the main concerns. We do not expect a widespread, damaging severe weather event.Severe weather risk Thursday afternoon to early Friday morning (SPC)Rain totals generally add up to 1/4"-1/2", with lighter amounts in the H...

Buy a piece of Austin history at Nau's estate sale

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:44 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — An estate sale will be held starting Friday through Sunday at Nau's Enfield Drug where several antique collectibles from the store will be available for purchase. The store is located off Enfield Road at 12th Street and West Lynn Street.According to the store’s owner, the Austin location was still be filled with soda fountains, countertops, cash registers, magazine racks, shelving units and more. Nau's to have estate sale for many vintage items (KXAN photo/Christian Marcelli)Nau's to have estate sale for many vintage items (KXAN photo/Christian Marcelli)Nau's to have estate sale for many vintage items (KXAN photo/Christian Marcelli)Nau's to have estate sale for many vintage items (KXAN photo/Christian Marcelli)Nau's to have estate sale for many vintage items (KXAN photo/Christian Marcelli)Nau's to have estate sale for many vintage items (KXAN photo/Christian Marcelli)Nau's to have estate sale for many vintage items (KXAN photo/Christian Marcelli)In the spring of...

Narcan vending machine installed near downtown Austin

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:44 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The N.I.C.E. Project (Narcan in Case of Emergency) revealed a new Narcan vending machine installed outside Cenote Coffee Shop on East Cesar Chavez Street.Nice Project ATX installed announced it installed a Narcan vending machine near downtown Austin./ Frank Martinez KXAN NewsNice Project ATX installed announced it installed a Narcan vending machine near downtown Austin./ Frank Martinez KXAN NewsNice Project ATX installed announced it installed a Narcan vending machine near downtown Austin./ Frank Martinez KXAN NewsThe vending machine offers kits with the nasal spray to reverse the effects of opioid overdoses.State and local officials have tried increasing awareness of the potentially life-saving medicine. Austin’s first Narcan vending machine installed; state program gets more of the life-saving medication This is the project's third vending machine in Austin.The first Narcan vending machine was installed in Austin in August 2022.The project previously partnered w...

April showers? Here's the outlook for Central Texas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:02:44 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As we head deeper into our unofficial severe weather season in Central Texas, the potential for beneficial rain is looking more promising.The latest outlook from the Climate Prediction Center for April finally points towards a wetter-than-normal outlook after several drier-than-normal months in a row. We haven't had a wetter-than-normal month since November 2022.April rainfall outlook (CPC)Now that La Niña has ended, the temperature of the waters in the eastern equatorial Pacific has a much lower impact on the weather we see in Central Texas and indeed North America. Now we look at general pattern variations to give us a better heads-up about medium to long-range changes. BLOG: La Niña has ended — Here’s what’s next and when El Niño could begin While odds favor wetter weather for April, we're still expecting warmer-than-normal temperatures across most of the southern tier of the United States.April temperature outlook (CPC)Last April 2022 was the 6th warmest April...