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Navy turns to drag to attract new recruits

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:47 GMT

(NewsNation) — The U.S. Navy has received harsh criticism after appointing an active-duty drag queen to be a "digital ambassador" in a new effort to attract recruits as it is not expected to meet recruiting goals this year. The military branch designated Yeoman 2nd Class Joshua Kelley as the first of five Navy Digital Ambassadors in a pilot program that ran from October to March, according to the New York Post. Kelley, whose stage name is Harpy Daniels and who identifies as non-binary, joined the Navy in 2016 and said their experience as a sailor has "been a blessing." If you use TurboTax you may be owed money. How settlement payments will work "This experience has brought me so much strength, courage and ambition to continue being an advocate and representation of queer sailors," Kelley said in an Instagram post.However, this move by the Navy has received major backlash, some even comparing it to Bud Light's advertisement partnership with TikTok creator Dylan Mulvaney.Former...

Teen arrested after gun found at Kenosha high school

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:47 GMT

KENOSHA, Wis. -- A 15-year-old was taken into custody Thursday after bringing a gun to a high school in Kenosha.According to the Kenosha Police Department, officers responded to Bradford High School just before 2 p.m. Thursday after staff became aware of a social media post depicting a student in possession of a weapon while in the school. Police: Dating app meet-ups go wrong in Lawndale armed robberies Further investigation identified a 15-year-old student as the person in the social media post. Officers were able to recover a handgun from the student without incident.Kenosha police report that threats were not made towards any student or staff members.No injuries were reported.

Austin receives nearly 6K comments on light rail design options

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Transit Partnership received nearly 6,000 community feedback comments on five light rail design options up for consideration since debuting them in late March.The five initial investment proposals were first presented at a community open house March 21. ATP collected feedback on the design considerations through Tuesday, with the entity expected to release its final design recommendation in the coming weeks. ICYMI: New Project Connect renderings feature light rail buildout opportunities in the future At Project Connect's community advisory committee meeting Thursday, staff said they received a wide range of feedback from the public. An initial review of the comments shows strong support for light rail but variations on preferences for individual designs, as well as questions surrounding costs, grade level, route scope and future extension opportunities.Project Connect leaders will release an analysis report comprising community input by May 16. That rep...

Who's funding Austin police oversight measures? Most money coming from outside of Texas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin voters will have the option to vote "yes" or "no" on two separate propositions this Election Day. Both will impact police oversight.KXAN has extensively covered the groups behind these competing propositions -- one a political action committee focused on public safety and the other backed by the Austin Police Association -- but who's funding those groups? Let's get into it. Prop A: Equity ActionThe group behind Prop A, Equity Action, wants the Office of Police Oversight to have more access to police files, among other changes. You can read more about each proposition here. Of the more than $790,000 Equity Action has raised since April 1, 2022, more than $770,000 of it is coming from outside of Austin, City of Austin campaign finance data shows. The majority of that money comes from only two groups, the Heising-Simons Foundation ($450,000) and Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies ($325,000). The Heising-Simons Foundation lists its address as Los ...

Caucus held at Texas Capitol for historically black colleges, universities

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — For the first time Thursday morning, there was a caucus at the Texas Capitol for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs).The caucus was announced by State Rep. Ron Reynolds and HBCU students.Reynolds said it would support all HBCUs in Texas, as well as affiliated programs such as fraternities and alumni networks."We need to make sure as a state that we're adequately funding our HBCUs, and we haven't done so,” Reynolds said. “We've been fighting—I know that our caucus has been fighting to make sure that Prairie View A&M and Texas Southern University, two of our state HBCUs, receive adequate funding, and they have not.”There are nine HBCUs in the state.

Proud Boys’ Tarrio, 3 others guilty of Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:47 GMT

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN, LINDSAY WHITEHURST and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER (Associated Press)WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and three other members of the far-right extremist group were convicted Thursday of a plot to attack the U.S. Capitol in a desperate bid to keep Donald Trump in power after the Republican lost the 2020 presidential election.A jury in Washington, D.C., found Tarrio and three lieutenants guilty of seditious conspiracy after hearing from dozens of witnesses over more than three months in one of the most serious cases brought in the stunning attack that unfolded on Jan. 6, 2021, as the world watched on live TV.Jurors cleared a fifth defendant — Dominic Pezzola — of the sedition charge, though he was convicted of other serious felonies. The judge excused the jury without delivering a verdict on some counts — including another conspiracy charge for Pezzola — after jurors failed to reach a unanimous decision.It’s a significant milestone for the Justi...

Wisconsin man kidnapped, beat, raped Lake Elmo woman in her home, charges say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:47 GMT

A western Wisconsin man is accused of beating and raping a Lake Elmo woman this week while holding her against her will in her home for more than 24 hours.David Powers, 35, of New Auburn, Wis., was charged Wednesday with one count each of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, kidnapping and domestic assault, according to a criminal complaint filed in Washington County District Court.Powers, who is also known as David Robekevich, made his first appearance in court on Thursday. He remained in custody with bail set at $500,000.“The allegations in this case are deeply disturbing and horrific,” Washington County Attorney Kevin Magnuson said in a news release. “Our office is dedicated to taking all domestic violence cases seriously and holding those accused of these crimes accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”No attorney for Powers was listed in court documents.Washington County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched about 9 a.m. Tuesday to conduct a welfare check at a house on...

15 local community projects selected for potential federal funding

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:47 GMT

CLIFTON PARK, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Several community projects in the Capital Region could soon be receiving federal funding as part of the federal Community Project Fund. Fifteen projects were selected between Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga, and Schenectady Counties.Congressman Paul Tonko said the funding all depends on when lawmakers can pass the federal budget. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "Of course, we need a budget to be done -- completed. In the last two years, we have been very robust in that effort to get it done so that the capital fund project moneys could be released, so we are in the midst of that process," Tonko said. "We are going to work very hard in a bipartisan, bicameral way to get the budget done."The selected projects are as follows:Albany CountyCapital District LATINOS -- Community Center Facility Capital Improvement Project in AlbanySouth End Economic Development Center ExpansionTown of Coeymans Sewer Sys...

San Bernardino schoolteacher shot, killed; 2 people arrested

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:47 GMT

A man and a woman have been arrested in connection with a road-rage incident that led to the fatal shooting of a 54-year-old schoolteacher in San Bernardino County, authorities announced Thursday. The incident occurred on Feb. 28 near the intersection of 5th Street and Tippecanoe Avenue in Highland. Officers with the Highland Police Department responded to the scene on reports of assault with a deadly and found the victim, Andrew Sanchez, in his vehicle suffering from a gunshot wound. Deputies immediately began life-saving measures. The 54-year-old was taken to the hospital by fire department personnel where he was pronounced dead a short time later, according to a news release from the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department.  It was later learned that the victim, a special education teacher from San Bernardino, had recently left work when the shooting occurred.   Koreatown attempted bank robbery suspect identified, taken into federal custody Homicide investigator...

Rare spring snowstorm blankets Southern California mountains

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:14:47 GMT

A spring storm brought tons of snowfall to Southern California mountains for a rare taste of wintertime in May.Heavy overnight storms created wet, slushy road conditions for residents, catching many off guard. Running Springs received around three inches of snow, while some areas of Mt. Baldy saw up to eight inches of snow.Don Marquez, who was visiting Runnings Springs from Los Angeles, was completely unprepared for the winter weather.“This isn’t the easiest thing to do,” said Marquez while chaining up his tires in the wet weather.Marquez was in Runnings Springs and decided to head back down the mountain on Wednesday. Little did he know, the area would be completely covered with snow.With the spring season in full bloom, experts say the overnight storm activity is actually quite rare to experience in May.“It’s rare. We don’t see another storm like this on the horizon,” said Alex Tardy with the National Weather Service. “This probably was an anomaly, kind of a one-and-done storm.”An ...