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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/30/6-accused-kidnapping-torturing-woman-they-met-online-sheriff-says/
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6 accused of kidnapping, torturing woman they met online, sheriff says
Published: Mar. 30, 2022 at 11:15 AM CDT
HENDERSON COUNTY, Texas (Gray News) – Several people are facing charges in connection to kidnapping and torturing a woman they met online, according to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Botie Hillhouse said the woman who was being held against her will had been “severely tortured” during her captivity.
She is being treated for her injuries.
“We received a call about a suspicious person, discovered this troubling case and quickly made arrests,” Hillhouse said in a press release obtained by KLTV.
Six people were arrested late Tuesday and charged with aggravated kidnapping:
- Amanda Andrews
- Breonna Johnson
- Charles Bryant
- Shayne Anderson
- Summer Lawrence
- Felicity Walker
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/30/academy-smith-refused-leave-oscars-broke-conduct-code/
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Academy: Will Smith refused to leave Oscars after Rock slap
NEW YORK (AP) — The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences on Wednesday said that Will Smith was asked to leave Sunday’s Oscar ceremony after hitting Chris Rock but refused to do so.
The academy’s board of governors met Wednesday to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violations against the group’s standards of conduct. The academy said disciplinary action for Smith could include suspension, expulsion or other sanctions.
Many have focused on why Smith was allowed to remain seated front row in the Dolby Theatre after the incident. On Wednesday, the academy suggested that it attempted to remove the actor from the audience.
“Things unfolded in a way we could not have anticipated,” the academy said. “While we would like to clarify that Mr. Smith was asked to leave the ceremony and refused, we also recognize we could have handled the situation differently.”
A representative for the academy declined to give specifics on how it tried to removed Smith. After Smith struck Rock in response to a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, several stars including Denzel Washington, Bradley Cooper and Tyler Perry spoke with the 53-year-old Smith.
The academy said Smith has the opportunity to defend himself in a written response before the board meets again on April 18. The film academy earlier condemned Smith’s onstage assault of Rock, but it used stronger language Wednesday.
“Mr. Smith’s actions at the 94th Oscars were a deeply shocking, traumatic event to witness in-person and on television,” the academy said. “Mr. Rock, we apologize to you for what you experienced on our stage and thank you for your resilience in that moment. We also apologize to our nominees, guests and viewers for what transpired during what should have been a celebratory event.”
On Monday, Smith issued an apology to Rock, the academy and to viewers, saying “I was out of line and I was wrong.”
Rock, who had yet to respond publicly to the incident, performed stand-up Wednesday night in Boston. He was greeted by a thunderous standing ovation.
“How was your weekend?” began Rock who then cautioned the crowd that he didn’t have a lot to say yet about the Oscars, according to audio posted by the Hollywood trade outlet Variety. “I’m still kind of processing what happened”
A representative for Smith didn’t immediately respond to messages Wednesday regarding the academy’s latest moves.
Only a very small number of academy members have ever been expelled, including Harvey Weinstein, Roman Polanski, Bill Cosby and the actor Carmine Caridi, who was kicked out for sharing awards screeners.
Whoopi Goldberg, a member of the academy’s board of governors, said Monday on “The View,” “We’re not going to take that Oscar from him.” (Even Oscars won by expelled members haven’t previously been ordered to be returned.) Goldberg added that “nobody is OK with what happened”
Others from Sunday’s telecast also began speaking out. Co-host Wanda Sykes told Ellen DeGeneres in an interview to air April 7 that she felt physically ill after Smith slapped Rock. When he returned to his seat, Smith twice shouted at Rock to “keep my wife’s name out your (expletive) mouth.”
“I’m still a little traumatized by it,” said Sykes in a clip released Wednesday.
Within an hour, Smith was back on stage accepting the award for best actor for his performance in “King Richard.” Many in the Dolby Theatre gave him a standing ovation.
“I was like, how gross is this? This is the wrong message. You assault somebody and you get escorted out the building and that’s it. But for them to let him continue, I thought it was gross,” Sykes said. “I wanted to be able to run out (on stage) after he won and say, ‘Uh, unfortunately, Will couldn’t be here tonight.’”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/30/alex-jones-faces-fines-skipping-sandy-hook-deposition/
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Alex Jones faces fines for skipping Sandy Hook deposition
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut judge said Wednesday Infowars host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones will be fined for each weekday that passes without him appearing for a deposition in a lawsuit brought by relatives of some victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.
The penalties were in response to Jones defying court orders to attend a deposition last week, when he cited a health problem including vertigo that later turned out to be a sinus infection. His testimony is being sought ahead of a trial to determine how much he should pay in damages to the families for pushing a conspiracy theory that the massacre never happened.
The penalties will begin at $25,000 per weekday beginning Friday and increase by $25,000 per weekday until he appears for a deposition, Judge Barbara Bellis said. She found Jones in contempt of court orders and repeated her view Wednesday that letters submitted by Jones’ doctors did not include enough evidence that he was too ill to attend last week’s deposition. She noted Jones appeared on his website show — either in-person or by phone — every day last week.
“The court finds by clear and convincing evidence that the defendant, Alex Jones, willfully and in bad faith violated without justification several clear court orders requiring his attendance at his depositions,” Bellis said during a court hearing held by video conference.
Bellis, a judge at Waterbury Superior Court, also ordered the deposition to be held at the Bridgeport, Connecticut, office of the families’ lawyers, instead of Austin, Texas, where it was scheduled last week. Austin is home to Jones and Infowars.
The judge, however, again denied a request by lawyers for the Sandy Hook families to order Jones arrested and detained until he could appear at a deposition. The attorneys first made the request last week.
Jones’ lawyer, Norman Pattis, criticized Bellis’ ruling and planned to appeal to the Connecticut Supreme Court on Thursday.
“The judge’s order is shocking and an insult to the medical doctor who advised Alex not to attend court proceedings,” Pattis said in an email to The Associated Press. “We regard the order as lawless and unprecedented.”
Christopher Mattei, a lawyer for the Sandy Hook families, said during the hearing that the families were seeking penalties because Jones violated court orders and appeared to be attempting to avoid the deposition.
“So what we’ve tried to do ... is change that calculus, make it clear to Mr. Jones that the penalties that will accrue to him as a result of his further noncompliance are not worth it and that he should sit for deposition in order to avoid them,” Mattei said.
A new deposition date was not immediately set. Cameron Atkinson, another Jones lawyer, said Jones would next be available to testify on April 11.
Twenty first-graders and six educators were killed in the December 2012 shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. The gunman, 20-year-old Adam Lanza, killed his mother at their Newtown home before the shooting, and killed himself at the school as police arrived, officials said.
The families of eight of the victims and an FBI agent who responded to the school sued Jones, Infowars and others in Connecticut, saying they have been subjected to harassment and death threats from Jones’ followers because of the hoax conspiracy promoted on his show. Jones has since said he believes the shooting did occur.
On Tuesday, Jones’ lawyers filed court documents that offered to pay $120,000 per plaintiff to settle the lawsuit and offered an apology for “any distress his remarks caused.” The families’ lawyers rejected the offers.
Jones was found liable for damages to the families in the Connecticut lawsuit as well as to some Sandy Hook families who sued him in Texas. Judges in both states found Jones liable by default without a trial, saying he repeatedly refused to abide by court rulings and provide requested evidence to the families’ lawyers.
Jones and his lawyers said he has turned over thousands of documents to the families’ lawyers and sat for depositions in the Texas cases.
Trials are scheduled later this year in Connecticut and Texas to determine how much Jones should pay the families.
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This story has been corrected to show that the fines Jones would face start at $25,000 per weekday and increase by $25,000 per weekday, not $25,000 to $50,000 per weekday.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/30/biden-dispatch-500m-more-direct-aid-ukraine/
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White House: Intel shows Putin misled by advisers on Ukraine
Biden to dispatch $500M more in direct aid to Ukraine
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. intelligence officials have determined that Russian President Vladimir Putin is being misinformed by advisers about his military’s poor performance in Ukraine, according to the White House. The advisers are scared to tell him the truth, the intel says.
The findings, recently declassified, indicate that Putin is aware of the situation on information coming to him and there now is persistent tension between him and senior Russian military officials.
The U.S. believes Putin is being misled not only about his military’s performance but also “how the Russian economy is b eing crippled by sanctions because, again, his senior advisers are too afraid to tell him the truth,” White House communications director Kate Bedingfield said Wednesday.
Earlier, President Joe Biden said in an exchange with reporters that he could not comment on the intelligence.
The administration is hopeful that divulging the finding could help prod Putin to reconsider his options in Ukraine, according to a U.S. official. The official was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity. The war has ground to a bloody stalemate in much of the country, with heavy casualties and Russian troop morale sinking as Ukrainian forces and volunteers put up an unexpectedly stout defense.
But the publicity could also risk further isolating Putin, who U.S. officials have said seems at least in part driven by a desire to win back Russian prestige lost by the fall of the Soviet Union.
“What it does is underscore that this has been a strategic blunder for Russia,” Bedingfield said of the intelligence finding. “But I’m not going to characterize how ... Vladimir Putin might be thinking about this.”
Meanwhile, Biden told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy during a 55 minute call that an additional $500 million in direct aid for Ukraine was on its way. It’s the latest burst in American assistance as the Russian invasion grinds on.
Asked about the latest intelligence, Secretary of State Antony Blinken suggested that a dynamic within the Kremlin exists where advisers are unwilling to speak to Putin with candor.
“One of the Achilles’ heels of autocracies is that you don’t have people in those systems that speak truth to power or have the ability to speak truth to power, and I think that’s what we’re seeing in Russia,” Blinken told reporters during a stop in Algeria on Wednesday.
The unidentified official did not detail underlying evidence for how U.S. intelligence made its determination.
The intelligence community has concluded that Putin was unaware that his military had been using and losing conscripts in Ukraine. They also have determined he is not fully aware of the extent to which the Russian economy is being damaged by economic sanctions imposed by the U.S. and allies.
The findings demonstrate a “clear breakdown in the flow of accurate information” to Putin, and show that Putin’s senior advisers are “afraid to tell him the truth,” the official said.
Biden notified Zelenskyy about the latest tranche of assistance during a call in which the leaders also reviewed security aid already delivered to Ukraine and the effects that weaponry has had on the war, according to the White House.
Zelesnkyy has pressed the Biden administration and other Western allies to provide Ukraine with military jets, something that the U.S. and other NATO countries have thus far been unwilling to accommodate out of concern it could lead to Russia broadening the war beyond Ukraine’s borders.
Prior to Wednesday’s announcement of $500 million in aid, the Biden administration had sent Ukraine about $2 billion in humanitarian and security assistance since the start of the war last month.
Congress approved $13.6 billion that Congress approved earlier this month as part of a broader spending bill. Bedingfield said the latest round of financial assistance could be used by the Ukrainian government “to bolster its economy and pay for budgetary expenses” including government salaries and maintaining services.
Ukraine’s presidential website says Zelenskyy told Biden: “We need peace, and it will be achieved only when we have a strong position on the battlefield. Our morale is firm, there is enough determination, but we need your immediate support.”
Zelenskyy in a Twitter posting said that he also spoke to Biden about new sanctions against Russia. Bedingfield said the administration is looking at options to expand and deepen current sanctions.
The new intelligence came after the White House on Tuesday expressed skepticism about Russia’s public announcement that it would dial back operations near Kyiv in an effort to increase trust in ongoing talks between Ukrainian and Russian officials in Turkey.
Russian forces pounded areas around Ukraine’s capital and another city overnight, regional leaders said Wednesday.
The Pentagon said Wednesday that over the past 24 hours it had seen some Russian troops in the areas around Kyiv moving north toward or into Belarus.
Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said in interviews with CNN and Fox Business that the U.S. does not view this as a withdrawal but as an attempt by Russia to resupply, refit and then reposition the troops.
Putin has long been seen outside Russia as insular and surrounded by officials who don’t always tell him the truth. U.S. officials have said publicly they believe that limited flow of information –- possibly exacerbated by Putin’s heightened isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic -– may have given the Russian president unrealistic views of how quickly he could overrun Ukraine.
The Biden administration before the war launched an unprecedented effort to publicize what it believed were Putin’s invasion plans, drawing on intelligence findings. While Russia still invaded, the White House was widely credited with drawing attention to Ukraine and pushing initially reluctant allies to back tough sanctions that have hammered the Russian economy.
But underscoring the limits of intelligence, the U.S. also underestimated Ukraine’s will to fight before the invasion, said Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier, head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, in recent testimony before Congress.
—
AP writers Matthew Lee in Algiers and Lolita C. Baldor contributed reporting.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/30/biden-eyes-boost-mining-minerals-electric-vehicles/
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Biden eyes boost to mining of minerals for electric vehicles
WASHINGTON (AP) — Facing higher oil prices after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, President Joe Biden is looking at invoking the Defense Production Act this week to increase the mining of critical minerals for the batteries used in electric vehicles.
That’s according to a person familiar with the White House plans who insisted on anonymity to discuss the likely policy move. The person said production will occur under strong environmental and labor standards as well as through tribal engagements, though some Democrats in Congress have concerns because the mining sector is regulated through a 150 year-old law.
Greater federal support for alternatives to fossil fuels would reduce the leverage of Russian President Vladimir Putin and others on matters of U.S. national and economic security, though it reflects a long-term play rather than an immediate response to the economic damage caused by the war.
Biden’s likely order employing the Defense Production Act would provide a meaningful financial incentive to develop a domestic supply chain for electric vehicles and enable the shift away from gasoline-fueled autos.
Putin’s assault on Ukraine began more than a month ago, rattling global energy markets for petroleum and natural gas in ways that would likely hurt growth worldwide. U.S. crude oil was trading at more than $107 a barrel on Wednesday morning, up from nearly $60 a year ago as inflation has emerged as a persistent threat.
The Democratic president is looking at invoking Title III of the 1950 Defense Production Act, which would provide the government with economic authorities to address industrial shortfalls. Mining companies could access money under the law for production of minerals including lithium, nickel, graphite, cobalt and manganese.
The government would not be issuing loans or directly purchasing minerals. The funding would instead cover feasibility studies, production at current operations and modernizing safety standards and production.
Lawmakers are divided on whether invoking the act is the best policy, as economic and national security issues may come into conflict with environmental protections despite assurances that standards would be followed.
A bipartisan group of senators, led by Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, have urged Biden to deploy the Defense Production Action to boost the domestic output of critical minerals such as lithium and graphite.
“The United States relies almost exclusively on foreign nations – many of them unfriendly and with nonexistent labor and environmental standards – to meet much of our present mineral demand,” the senators said in a letter to Biden this month. “Allowing our foreign mineral dependence to persist is a growing threat to U.S. national security, and we need to take every step to address it.″
Manchin, who chairs the Senate Energy Committee, is a key player on energy issues and singlehandedly blocked Biden’s signature social and environmental legislation known as Build Back Better. He has since said he is open to some of the bill’s climate and energy proposals, as long as they don’t punish fossil fuels such as natural gas.
The letter was also signed by Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Jim Risch of Idaho.
But some Democrats on the House Natural Resources Committee urged Biden not to invoke the Defense Production Act, saying that increased mining projects on public lands could jeopardize public health and sacred sites in the West.
“As it turns out, the oil and gas industry isn’t the only one taking advantage of tragedy in Ukraine,” said Rep. Raul Grijalva of Arizona, the panel’s chairman. “Like their fossil fuel peers, mining companies are making opportunistic pleas to advance a decades-old mining agenda that lets polluters off the hook and leaves Americans suffering the consequences. Fast-tracking mining under antiquated standards that put our public health, wilderness, and sacred sites at risk of permanent damage just isn’t the answer.”
The mining industry operates under the 150-year-old Mining Law of 1872. Under this statute, companies mining on public lands pay no federal royalties and are not held financially responsible for cleaning up the tens of thousands of toxic abandoned mine sites scattered across the United States.
Grijalva said he will propose legislation to reform the mining law later this spring.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/30/bruce-willis-stepping-away-acting-amid-health-struggles/
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Bruce Willis, diagnosed with aphasia, steps away from acting
NEW YORK (AP) — Bruce Willis is stepping away from acting after a diagnosis of aphasia, a condition that causes loss of the ability to understand or express speech, his family said Wednesday.
In a statement posted on Willis’ Instagram page, the 67-year-old actor’s family announced that Willis was recently diagnosed with aphasia and that it is impacting his cognitive abilities.
“As a result of this and with much consideration, Bruce is stepping away from the career that has meant so much to him,” read the statement signed by Willis’ wife, Emma Heming Willis, his ex-wife Demi Moore, and his five children, Rumer, Scout, Tallulah, Mabel and Evelyn.
“We are moving through this as a strong family unit, and wanted to bring his fans in because we know how much he means to you, as you do to him,” they said. “As Bruce always says, ‘Live it up’ and together we plan to do just that.”
There are many potential causes of aphasia. It often occurs after a stroke or head injury, but can also develop gradually due to a slow-growing brain tumor or a disease that causes degenerative damage, like Alzheimer’s disease. It’s treated primarily with speech therapy and learning non-verbal means of communication.
Willis’ family didn’t divulge what caused his aphasia. Representatives for the actor declined to comment.
The news about Willis, one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors, immediately spread online as fans reacted. His four-decade career has amassed more than $5 billion in box office worldwide,
Willis had been working steadily and frequently. Renowned for films like “Die Hard,” “Pulp Fiction” and “The Sixth Sense,” Willis has in recent years churned out straight-to-video thrillers. Last year, he starred in a staggering eight films. Most came and went quietly, including titles like “Cosmic Sin,” “Out of Death” and “Deadlock.”
Most recently, Willis starred in February’s “Gasoline Alley” and “A Day to Die,” released in early March. Willis has already shot at least six more films due out in 2022 and 2023, including “Die Like Lovers,” “Corrective Measures” and “The Wrong Place.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/30/california-man-convicted-using-27m-ppp-loans-personal-use-including-renting-oceanfront-property/
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California man convicted of using $27M in PPP loans for personal use, including renting oceanfront property
(Gray News) – A California man was convicted Monday on multiple finance fraud charges, including using fraudulently obtained PPP loans to rent out beachfront property in Santa Monica, according to the Department of Justice.
According to a release from the DOJ, 53-year-old Robert Benlevi submitted 27 Paycheck Protection Program loan applications to four banks between April and June of 2022 on behalf of eight companies he owned.
The DOJ said he sought a total of $27 million in forgivable PPP loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
Benlevi reportedly represented that each of his companies had 100 employees and average monthly payroll expenses of $400,000, even though he knew the companies did not have any employees or payroll expenses, the DOJ said.
Evidence at trial also reportedly showed that Benlevi submitted fabricated IRS documents falsely stating each of the companies had an annual payroll of $4.8 million.
Three of Benlevi’s companies received $3 million in PPP funds, according to the DOJ. Instead of using the funds to pay for payroll and other business expenses, the evidence reportedly showed that he instead used the money to pay for personal expenses which included cash withdrawals, personal credit card payments and even renting an oceanfront apartment in Santa Monica, California. Some amounts of money were transferred from the business account to personal and business accounts he controlled.
Benlevi was convicted of bank fraud, false statements to a financial institution and money laundering.
He is scheduled to be sentenced June 27, and faces up to 30 years in prison for each of the bank fraud and false statement charges. He also faces up to 10 years for each count of money laundering.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/30/congress-hears-siren-wail-ukrainian-legislators-visit/
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Congress hears siren wail as Ukrainian legislators visit
WASHINGTON (AP) — As members of the Ukrainian parliament were pleading for aid on Capitol Hill, an air raid siren blared from one of their cell phones — a wrenching alert from the war-torn country back home.
One of the visitors reached into her bag, pulled out the phone and let the siren wail in the halls of Congress.
“Right now, you hear the sound?” said Anastasia Radina, a member of the Ukrainian Rada.
“This is the air raid alarm in the community where my son is staying right now,” she said at a press conference this week after meeting with members of Congress. “I need you all to hear that.”
The Ukrainian lawmakers met for a second day Wednesday with their counterparts in the U.S. Congress, urging American allies to more quickly provide additional military aid — fighter jets, tanks and other support — and to impose stiffer economic sanctions on the invading Russians they’re trying to push from their country.
The visiting legislators, all women, with family back home, were warning the U.S. that they do not trust negotiations underway with Russian President Vladimir Putin over ending the monthlong war. And they impressed on the Americans that their country is at a crucial juncture in the fight against his invasion.
“They desperately need more help both with military assistance and the tightening of sanctions,” said Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, emerging from Wednesday’s private meeting at the Capitol.
U.S. lawmakers have been pressing President Joe Biden’s administration to do more for Ukraine — providing their political support for sanctions on Russian leadership, a ban on Russian oil imports to the U.S., even declaring Putin should be investigated for war crimes.
Biden on Wednesday announced that the U.S. will send another $500 million in direct aid to Ukraine as the Russian invasion continues. At the same time, the Senate was working to pass legislation suspending Russia’s favored trade status — a measure that has been tangled over a related human rights provision, even though there is widespread support for suspending normal trade relations and halting Russian oil imports.
Lawmakers emerging from two days of meetings with the Ukrainian lawmakers kept up a largely unified front, with both Republicans and Democrats saying more funding would be needed, beyond the nearly $14 billion in military and humanitarian aid recently approved. Many are members of the Ukraine Caucus in the House and Senate, formed years ago to bolster the emerging democracy after it emerged from the former Soviet Union.
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., described a sense of “buoyancy” in the room with the Ukrainian lawmakers Wednesday amid word of a possible Russian move away from Kyiv, even as he acknowledged the likely fighting still ahead.
“There’s a lot of support in Congress to continue to help them,” he said.
Yet there is concern in Congress that Biden’s administration is too timid in its response and too slow to send needed military equipment. Some speak of an administration “Afghanistan Syndrome.”
Republicans in particular, but also Democratic lawmakers, suggest there’s a hesitancy from the U.S. to push deeper into an overseas conflict with commitments of military aid after 20 years fighting the “forever war” in Afghanistan.
Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, said the Ukrainians she had met with in the past had used that term “Afghanistan Syndrome,” but on Wednesday the Ukrainian legislators instead spoke with urgency about the military aid they need — with fighter jets at the top of the list.
“If they’re going to win, they need more,” Ernst said. “And they know they can win. But they just need the support coming from the United States.”
The Ukrainians delivered a long list of specific military equipment they are requesting, and senators said at the top remain the fighter planes the Biden administration has been reluctant to transfer from NATO ally Poland.
The Ukrainians told reporters after meeting with House lawmakers a day earlier that they also want other air support systems as well as tanks to push the Russians back from their cities.
While Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has roused the world to his country’s side, speaking via video livestreams to legislative bodies around the world, the Ukrainian legislators provided their own compelling portrait this week in Washington — women fighting for their country abroad while their loved ones and families fight from home.
In the meetings on Capitol Hill and later with officials at Ukrainian embassy, the lawmakers said that while they are thankful for the U.S. help their country has received, they need more — especially now, as Russia’s strategy may be shifting.
But the Ukrainian lawmakers were apparently leaving Washington without firm commitments. Opposition lawmaker Ivanna Klympush-Tsintsadze said there is a “readiness” by members of Congress to act but nothing concrete.
“Unfortunately, we don’t have time,” she said at a later press conference at the Ukrainian Embassy in Washington.
Governing party lawmaker Radina expressed frustration that the U.S. was still distinguishing between defensive and offensive weapons, and said said Ukraine needs jets and air defense systems now.
“What we need is action,” she said.
The Ukrainians are wary of talks with Putin, and they framed the war not only as a fight for their country but for all of Western democracy. More than 4 million people have fled Ukraine since the start of the invasion.
“Putin cannot be trusted,” said Yevheniya Kravchuk, a member of the Ukrainian parliament, at Tuesday’s press conference.
Some lawmakers on Capitol Hill are making weekend trips to the Ukrainian border regions to understand the war first-hand. What they’ve seen is reminiscent of imagery many grew up with learning about World War II.
“It’s freezing cold. There’s like a little gust of snow, I mean, most folks didn’t have winter coats, they had like one bag,” said Rep. David Cicilline, D-R.I., recounting what he saw a few weeks ago on the Polish border.
“It was reminiscent of the Second World War,” he said. “You’re just like watching, you’re just seeing this mass exodus of people.”
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Associated Press writers Ben Fox and Aamer Madhani contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/30/consumer-crackdown-hi-tech-scam-targets-cellphone-sim-cards/
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Consumer Crackdown: Hi-tech scam targets cellphone sim cards
Feds say losses totaled $68 million in 2021
InvestigateTV - Cellphones are the pipeline to personal information for many, but according to the FBI, hackers are tapping in through the sim card in mobile devices to steal critical data.
The scheme is called “sim card swapping” and experts say it’s the latest hi-tech scam.
“If I’m a crook who wants to rob you of money, instead of going into a bank, it’s a lot easier to get access to your information, by simply getting access to your phone,” Ira Rheingold of the National Association of Consumer Advocates said.
The FBI said the scam starts when someone contacts you by phone or email pretending to be a representative from your mobile phone carrier. Once the fraudster gets your personal information, they call your service provider and report a lost or stolen sim card.
According to the feds, the cybercriminals will tell the customer service representatives they “forgot their pin and need a new one”. The scammer will try to convince the phone provider to transfer the victim’s phone number over to a new sim card and device. In some cases, the FBI said mobile phone carrier employees have been tricked into giving up information.
“Customer service reps are generally overworked, underpaid and not terribly skilled in dealing with the possibility that someone’s talking to them, and that person could be a fraud,” Cybersecurity expert Adam Levin said.
The FBI said “sim swapping” cases skyrocketed in 2021 with consumers reporting $68 million in losses compared to just $12 million in losses in 2020, 2019 and 2018 combined.
In addition to the pandemic, Levin said one of the reasons for the uptick in “sim swap” scams is more people using multi-factor authentication and bad actors getting access to it.
“That’s where you log onto a site and then you’re sent a code to a trusted device which normally goes to your phone,” Levin said. “So, the bad guys know this as well as the good guys. So, they want to get in on the action”.
The FBI has these tips to prevent getting “swapped”:
- Avoid posting personal information like your phone number and address online.
- Use a variety of passwords to access online accounts.
- Don’t advertise information about financial assets and investments
Rheingold urged consumers to be vigilant. “The convenience you have while using your phone is great there are risks that come along with it and you need to take necessary precautions to mitigate those risks,” Rheingold said.
If you suspect you are a victim of “sim swapping”, call your mobile carrier, change your online account passwords, contact your financial institution to place an alert on your account, and report any suspicious activity to police or the FBI.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/30/country-star-church-cancels-san-antonio-concert-amid-final-four-matchup/
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Country star Eric Church cancels San Antonio concert amid Final Four matchup
(Gray News) - Some fans of country musician Eric Church are singing the blues.
Church’s San Antonio appearance Saturday, part of his “The Gather Again Tour,” has been canceled, Ticketmaster said.
The star is ditching this concert date to watch a Final Four game of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament, also known as “March Madness,” Variety and other outlets reported.
According to a letter sent to his fan club, The Church Choir, and reportedly also sent out to all who purchased tickets for the San Antonio show, Church is a huge Tar Heels men’s basketball fan.
In the letter, he admitted, “This is also the most selfish thing I’ve ever asked the Choir to do: to give up your Saturday night plans with us so that I can have this moment with my family and sports community.”
Carolina is playing Duke in the Final Four matchup, with the winner moving on to the championship game. The in-state rivals are two of the most decorated programs in the sport’s history, but they have never faced each other in the tournament.
Some fans on social media were predictably upset by the ruined concert plans, with one saying “Dude didn’t even reschedule. Just canceled it.”
Also, fans complained that they won’t be able to get refunds on the hotels they booked to be able to see the show and that the Ticketmaster refund will take a while to process.
Ticketmaster said fans should be able to get their refunds within 30 days.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Even as inflation bites, corporate profits remain flush
NEW YORK (AP) — What’s immune to high inflation? So far, the profits at big U.S. companies.
Businesses are facing higher gasoline and heating bills, just like consumers, in addition to higher expenses for labor and raw materials. But unlike many middle- and lower-income Americans, they’ve been making more than enough extra income to cover the additional costs.
Big companies have successfully raised prices for their products, from cups of coffee to auto parts to cans of paint, because their customers have kept lining up regardless. The result: record profits at the end of 2021 as revenue rose and a good chunk of each $1 of that revenue made it to the bottom line.
“A lot of the price pressures are just getting passed along” from companies to their customers, said Alex Arnon, associate director of policy analysis at the Penn Wharton Budget Model, a research initiative.
What’s uncertain is how much longer the trend may last, before customers sharply cut back on their purchases. A U.S. government report on Thursday will show how much buying consumers did in February after taking higher prices into account. In April, more clues will arrive as companies line up to tell Wall Street how much profit they made during the first three months of 2022.
The last such round of conference calls for CEOs was a rousing success for the companies. With customers itching to spend, and many sitting on savings built up with help from U.S. government stimulus programs, CEOs often pointed to “low elasticities of demand.” That’s an economist’s way of saying customers continued to buy even when prices were rising, and it means companies have less incentive to keep prices low.
“The overwhelming message from most companies in this earnings season is still that demand remains strong and continues to exceed their ability to meet it,” Deutsche Bank Chief Strategist Binky Chadha wrote in a recent report about the fourth-quarter results.
The coffee giant Starbucks raised prices once in October and then again in January, for example. Executives recently told Wall Street it was planning more increases to help “mitigate cost pressures.”
Those past price bumps didn’t discourage Starbucks customers, John Culver, group president, North America and chief operating officer, told analysts during a call last month. “To the contrary, our customer demand continues to grow.”
He made the comments after Starbucks reported a 31% jump in profit for the latest quarter from the prior year. Wall Street expected even stronger growth.
Companies aren’t able to blindly raise prices across the board. At Amphenol, which sells fiber optic connectors, antennas and other products to manufacturers, CEO Adam Norwitt said prices are easier to raise in some markets than others.
“We were there for our customers through the pandemic,” he said in a call with analysts. “We were there for them when maybe others were not through the supply-chain crisis. And so that, all things being equal, should position us well to be able to ask nicely of our customers that they should share in that.”
Amphenol reported record earnings per share and record revenue for the last three months of 2021.
Earnings across S&P 500 companies jumped a little more than 30% in the latest quarter. Margins, which show how much profit companies make off every $1 in revenue, remained near record levels, even as expenses sometimes rose by hundreds of millions of dollars.
In the last three months of 2021, companies in the S&P 500 held onto $12.40 of every $100 in revenue as profit, according to FactSet. That’s down a bit from previous quarters, but still above the average of $11 over the last five years.
For the first three months of 2022, analysts expect a further dip to $12.20, partly because costs continue to rise.
The story for many U.S. households has been more painful, with the least wealthy Americans hit hardest by the price increases coming from companies. Even though many workers got raises last year, they often weren’t enough to cover higher bills.
The typical working household making $40,000 to $60,000 earned $2,193 more in 2021 than the year before, according to an analysis by Penn Wharton Budget Model. That fell short of the $2,712 in additional costs due to inflation, leaving that household $519 in the hole.
And the pressure may crank even higher after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which caused extreme price swings for oil, wheat and other commodities the region produces.
“The consumer has been able to accept higher prices, so far,” said Nate Thooft, chief investment officer of multi-asset solutions at Manulife Investment Management. “I say so far because the game is being ramped up again with gas prices at all-time highs.”
The war’s exact effect on inflation is unclear. Oil prices have been nearly as quick to plunge as to surge recently, for example, given all the uncertainties.
Economists aren’t surprised corporate profit margins have remained so high, which they say is a result of the economy roaring out of its coronavirus-caused shutdown. Buyers are increasing their purchases faster than businesses can increase the amount of stuff on shelves to sell.
“There’s so much capital out there, it’s so easy to get and almost free” with interest rates near record lows, said Ann Miletti, head of active equity at Allspring Global Investments. “It’s not surprising that growth rates have stayed higher, margins have been more sustainable and consumers have had more in their pockets to spend.”
Now the Federal Reserve has begun raising interest rates off record lows, which should slow purchases. U.S. households may also be set to return to more “normal” buying activity, no longer fueled by as much government stimulus. They may also exhaust the pent-up demand from the pandemic.
The hope among economists is that capitalism will also do what it does, and the high profit margins signal to companies they should ramp up production to maximize their sales. New competitors should also be attracted after seeing the big profits available. All that should lead to slowdowns in price increases and a steady erosion of margins.
That’s the optimistic scenario in the eyes of Arnon at the Penn Wharton Budget Model. But he acknowledges worse-case scenarios that could lead corporate profit margins and inflation to stay high. They chiefly center around an economy that’s no longer well-functioning or competitive.
“If two years from now, we’re talking about margins going up from here,” he said, “that would be the clearest signal.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Facebook resorts to old smear tactics against TikTok
(AP) - Eleven years ago, Facebook was caught red-handed after it hired a prominent public relations firm to try to plant stories harshly criticizing Google’s privacy practices in leading news outlets.
In 2018, it hired the PR firm Definers to do opposition research on the company’s critics, including billionaire philanthropist George Soros. The company’s longtime head of communications, Elliot Schrage, took the blame for approving the hiring of Definers and similar firms and left Facebook.
On Wednesday, The Washington Post reported that Meta, Facebook’s parent company, is using similar tactics to go after another rival TikTok. Meta, the Post reported, hired a Republican consulting firm called Targeted Victory to “orchestrate a nationwide campaign” against TikTok.
Targeted Victory, according to the Post, contracted with dozens of public relations firms across the U.S. to help “sway public opinion against TikTok” by planting local news stories and helping place op-eds targeting TikTok around the country, the story says.
Meta confirmed that it has hired Targeted Victory.
“We believe all platforms, including TikTok, should face a level of scrutiny consistent with their growing success,” spokesman Andy Stone said in a statement.
Zac Moffatt, the CEO of Targeted Victory, said the company “manages bipartisan teams on behalf of our clients.”
“It is public knowledge we have worked with Meta for several years and we are proud of the work we have done,” he said in a statement.
The Post obtained internal emails from Targeted Victory that outlined a campaign to undermine TikTok, which is owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. The firm used a mix of “genuine concerns and unfounded anxieties” about TikTok in order to try to turn public and political sentiment against it.
According to the report, Targeted Victory was also working to get “proactive coverage” about Facebook into local media, including “submitting letters and opinion pieces speaking glowingly of Facebook’s role in, for instance, supporting Black-owned businesses.”
“We are deeply concerned that the stoking of local media reports on alleged trends that have not been found on the platform could cause real world harm,” TikTok said in an emailed statement.
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This story has been corrected to show that the report was Wednesday, not Tuesday.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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FDA panel narrowly sides against experimental ALS drug
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health advisers on Wednesday narrowly ruled against an experimental drug for the debilitating illness known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, a potential setback for patient groups who have lobbied for the medication’s approval.
Advisers to the Food and Drug Administration voted 6-4 that a single study from Amylyx Pharmaceuticals failed to establish the drug’s effectiveness in treating the deadly neurodegenerative disease ALS, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
“I think it would be a disservice to the patients and their families to approve a treatment that is of uncertain benefit,” said Dr. Kenneth Fischbeck of the National Institutes of Health. “It gets in the way of developing truly effective treatments if it turns out not to be effective.”
Fischbeck and other panelists said they hoped results of a larger study now underway would provide more evidence.
Their vote is not binding and the FDA will make the final decision on whether to grant approval by July. The vote could be used to bolster FDA’s negative review published earlier in the week that criticized Amylyx’s mid-stage study for its small size, missing data and questionable statistical analysis.
The FDA, however, has also emphasized the need for “regulatory flexibility” when reviewing drugs for fatal diseases like ALS. And the close vote could tip the agency toward an approval, given the lack of options currently available.
Typically, FDA approval requires two large studies or one study with a “very persuasive” effect on survival.
ALS destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord needed to walk, talk, swallow and — eventually — breathe. There is no cure and most people die within three to five years of their first symptoms.
ALS patients and their families have rallied behind Amylyx’s drug since its data was first published in 2020, launching an aggressive lobbying campaign and enlisting members of Congress to push the FDA to grant approval.
More than two dozen people spoke during Wednesday’s public comment session, including ALS patients, their family members and physicians who called on the FDA to make the drug available as a potential option to slow the disease.
“Slowing down the loss of function is significant to me and to my family,” stated Becky Mourey, a former music teacher and ALS patient, in comments read by her daughter. “More time to tell my children I love them with my own voice is everything to me.”
Dr. Teresa Buracchio, an FDA division director, said the agency had “benefitted enormously” from patients’ input. But she added that the problems with Amylyx’s data exist “even with the recognition that ALS is a rare disease, with a relentless course that has an enormous unmet medical need.”
The FDA has approved only two therapies for ALS. The more effective one extends life by several months.
Amylyx’s drug comes as a powder that combines two older drugs: one prescription medication for liver disorders and a dietary supplement long used in traditional Chinese medicine. In a 137-patient study in ALS patients, researchers reported those who took the drug progressed 25% more slowly than those taking a dummy drug after one year.
But FDA scientists said those results were “not persuasive” because of missing patient data, study conduct errors and unrealistic assumptions about how patients would decline over time.
Even the panelists who backed the drug said it was a difficult decision.
“I went back and forth during the day but ultimately I agreed with the (drugmaker’s) primary analysis,” said Dean Follman, a biostatistician with the NIH.
Some ALS patients already take the two older drugs, purchasing the supplement online and getting a prescription for the liver medication.
Even if the FDA rejects the Amylyx combo drug later this year, it may not be the end of the road for the treatment. Amylyx is conducting a late-stage, 600-patient study required to seek European approval. If those results — expected in 2024— show the drug extends life, the company could resubmit to the FDA and potentially win approval.
FDA regulators had initially urged the company to complete that study before submitting the drug.
Wednesday’s meeting marked the first time FDA had convened this advisory panel since disregarding its advice last June and approving Biogen’s Alzheimer’s drug, Aduhelm. Three panel members resigned over the controversial decision and the FDA has faced a broader backlash for approving an expensive medication with little evidence it works. As in the Amylyx case, the FDA faced intense pressure from patient groups to grant approval.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Food and gas prices likely to continue rising this year
(CNN) - If you are wondering when gas and grocery prices will come down, the answer is probably not anytime soon.
In fact, you might have to pay even more for those commodities in the coming months.
New federal forecasts show food prices likely will keep climbing, and the average cost of gas will say high or may even rise.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture predicts grocery prices will increase up to 4% throughout this year, and the average cost of dining out could set a new record.
That is partly because Ukraine and Russia usually export a lot of the world’s wheat and corn.
“It will have global context, impact, beyond anything we’ve seen since World War II,” said David Beasley, executive director of the U.N. World Food Program.
China’s new COVID-19 lockdowns are also making it hard for supply chains to recover from the pandemic.
Oil prices dipped a bit this week after Russia said it would ease up its assault on parts of Ukraine, but White House communications director Kate Bedingfield said, “No one shoud be fooled by Russia’s announcement.”
“It’s called rockets and feathers, meaning when the price goes up, price per barrel, that means your gas stations prices go up like a rocket. When the price goes down per barrel, the gas station prices come down like a feather,” U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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Higher costs pinch home buyers
(CNN) - As home and rent prices soar, Americans are struggling to keep up with the cost of living.
Many are resorting to taking places they can fix up themselves, only to find that option may be just as expensive.
“This was nothing as I expected purchasing my first home,” said Allison Braun, who bought her first home in February.
After losing bidding wars and paying $75,000 over budget, she settled on a fixer-upper, expecting to save some money.
“It was really surprising getting in here and fixing things up. Overwhelming is another way I’d explain it,” Braun said.
Rents are up a record 17% in the last year, with home prices up nearly 20%. So are construction costs.
Braun, who works for the real estate company Redfin, is redoing nearly every space in her home.
The kitchen needed new counters.
“We were really surprised by the cost, especially the labor, to put them in,” Braun said. “We wanted to figure out a way of how we can do our countertops on our own. So the concrete countertops were born.”
She saved $3,300 by doing them with her partner.
She tried the same with her floors but underestimated how much she would need and the rapidly rising cost of lumber.
“We didn’t estimate enough wood for the first floor, and we went back to buy more wood for the flooring. And it ended up that after a month’s time the flooring went up about 25 cents per square foot,” she said.
But it’s not just homeowners getting stuck with higher costs. Construction materials are up 24% in the last year.
Bill McGrath’s company is installing elevators in a residential housing complex in New Jersey. So far, they have two in.
“Well, right here you have the electronics, which this is a stainless steel. The plastics, electronic boards behind it as cost and more. The ceilings, wood, you’re standing on lumber. There’s steel underneath,” he said.
And all of it is going up.
Supply chain slowdowns and demand have pushed construction costs up – forcing projects to come in over budget and over deadline.
A third elevator “is going to cost 17% more in material cost than the other two that we completed.” McGrath said.
And he said his 18-person company is spending more on gas to bring materials in, 24% in the last month.
All these rising costs have to get passed down in some way. “I guess (to) the people that will be living here,” McGrath said.
For Braun, the higher costs mean accepting some things, like painting the outside of house, get put on hold.
“We’d love to get hire somebody to do that. That’s been put on the backburner now, and we’re just going to have to learn to love the green,” Braun said.
In other economic news, analysts said inflation in the U.S. has hit a 40-year peak, while consumer sentiment has fallen to a low not seen since august of 2011.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/30/irs-inflation-increases-tax-deductions-teachers-up-300-first-time/
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IRS: Inflation increases tax deductions for teachers up to $300 for the first time
(Gray News) - Teachers and other educators will be able to deduct up to $300 of out-of-pocket classroom expenses when they file their 2022 federal income tax return next year.
The IRS reports this is the first time the annual limit has increased since the special educator expense deduction was enacted in 2002.
For tax years 2002 through 2021, the limit was $250 per year. For people currently filing their 2021 tax returns due in April, the deduction remains at $250.
According to the IRS, the limit will rise in $50 increments in future years based on inflation adjustments.
For 2022, an eligible educator can deduct up to $300 of qualifying expenses. If they are married and file a joint return with another qualified educator, the limit rises to $600. But in this situation, not more than $300 for each spouse.
According to the agency, educators can claim this deduction, even if they take the standard deduction. Eligible educators include anyone who is a kindergarten through high school teacher, instructor, counselor, principal or aide working at least 900 hours during the school year. Both public and private school educators qualify.
The IRS shared educators can deduct the unreimbursed cost of the following items:
- Books, supplies and other materials used in the classroom.
- Equipment, including computer equipment, software and services.
- COVID-19 protective items to stop the spread of the disease in the classroom. This includes face masks, disinfectant for use against COVID-19, hand soap, hand sanitizer, disposable gloves, tape, paint or chalk to guide social distancing, physical barriers, such as clear plexiglass, air purifiers and other items recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
- Professional development courses related to the curriculum they teach or the students they teach. For these expenses, it may be more beneficial to claim another educational tax benefit, especially the lifetime learning credit.
According to the IRS, qualified expenses don’t include costs for homeschooling or non-athletic supplies for courses in health or physical education. As with all deductions and credits, the agency reminds educators to keep good records, including receipts, canceled checks and other documentation.
With the 2021 tax deadline just around the corner, the IRS said educators still working on their returns can claim any qualifying expenses here.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Kellogg’s workers win big raises after spate of strikes
Published: Mar. 30, 2022 at 12:40 PM CDT
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Several hundred workers at a Kellogg’s plant that makes Cheez-Its won a new contract that delivers more than 15% wage increases over three years after 1,400 workers at the company’s cereal plants went on strike for nearly three months last fall.
The union that represents those 570 workers in Kansas City, Kansas, said Wednesday that the wages and benefit improvements secured this week are the biggest ones the local union has ever seen.
The deal comes as many companies are struggling to fill the more than 11 million job openings across the country and workers are demanding more after keeping plants operating throughout the pandemic.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Last capsule containing moon sample from Apollo 17 mission opened 50 years later
(Gray News) — One of the last unopened Apollo-era moon samples collected nearly 50 years ago during Apollo 17 was opened, NASA said.
Sample 73001 was opened in a process which took place from March 21 to March 22 under the direction of lunar sample processors and curators in the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science (ARES) Division at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, the agency said in a release.
Astronauts Eugene Cernan and Harrison “Jack” Schmitt collected the sample during the Apollo 17 missions in 1972. They hammered thin, cylindrical sample-collection devices, or drive tubes, into a landslide deposit in the Moon’s Taurus-Littrow Valley.
The sample is the lower half of a double drive tube. The upper drive tube, sample 73002, was opened in 2019.
Before the sample was opened, images of the sample’s inside makeup were produced by X-ray scans taken by researchers at the University of Texas Austin.
The samples from the capsules are being studied by the Apollo Next Generation Sample Analysis Program, or ANGSA.
These samples won’t be the last brought back to Earth; NASA will be returning to the moon for more samples in the upcoming Artemis missions.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Man arrested after girl, 4, killed in Panama City Beach parking lot collision
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (Gray News) - Police have arrested a man accused of leaving the scene of a collision that killed a 4-year-old girl in a parking lot.
Panama City Beach police told WJHG that Kenneth Ray Martinez, 62, was arrested after witnesses gave officers a description of the vehicle involved in the collision in the popular Florida vacation city on Tuesday.
The 4-year-old was from the area of Nashville, Tennessee, and police chief J.R. Talamantez said the girl was right next to her family when she was hit by the vehicle at the Breakfast Point Marketplace shopping center.
Martinez is charged with leaving the scene of a crash involving serious bodily injury or death.
Police executed a search warrant at his home, and officers found a receipt from Publix, which is located in the same shopping center as where the collision occurred. Investigators said the receipt was printed minutes prior to the crash.
Martinez refused a blood draw when asked by officers, police said.
Records show he remains in the Bay County Jail on Wednesday after being booked Tuesday night.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Man finds U-Haul truck on top of his SUV, insurance company not paying for damages
GLENDALE, Ariz. (Arizona’s Family/Gray News) - An Arizona man has been dealing with a damaged car for several months after a collision where he wasn’t even driving, and an insurance company will not be covering the damages.
Arizona’s Family reports McClain Schilling found his 2005 Land Rover parked outside his house demolished by a rented U-Haul pickup on New Year’s Day.
“When someone says there’s a U-Haul on top of your car, how do you process that?” Arizona’s Family reporter Gary Harper asked. “Well, I just came out to see it for myself,” Schilling responded.
Schilling said before the crash, his vehicle was great to drive.
“It was a super smooth and quiet ride,” he said. But not anymore, with pictures showing his Land Rover demolished by a rented U-Haul.
The U-Haul driver reportedly fled from the scene, and since Schilling said he only had liability insurance, he filed a claim with U-Haul - believing the company would cover his totaled SUV. After all, he wasn’t driving.
Investigators from U-Haul’s insurance company eventually inspected Schilling’s damaged vehicle and said they’d get back to him. But that was three months ago, and he said his claim kept getting delayed by adjusters.
“One month later, I get an email that says, ‘Hey, do you have a copy of the police report?’ And we’re like, we already gave it to you along with all the other information,” Schilling said.
Frustrated, Schilling contacted Arizona’s Family for some help this week.
“We’re at a loss. We don’t know what to do. My wife’s grandparents have been saying to call from day one,” Schilling said.
U-Haul responded to Arizona Family’s inquiry on the delay in settling. The company responded that Schilling’s damaged Land Rover won’t be covered under its Liability Protection Plan because protection does not apply to intentional torts or criminal acts.
A U-Haul spokesman wrote in an email that the rental equipment was being used to commit a crime. Homes were burglarized in the neighborhood, stolen property was found inside the truck, and the lessee was identified leaving the scene.
Joshua Stine, 38, was later identified as the man driving the U-Haul, and police records date back 20 years with him involved in other incidents.
Schilling said he will try to purchase a new vehicle and is currently borrowing a car to get around.
“We’re just relying on friends for commuting and going to the grocery store and stuff,” he said.
There is a risk when car owners only have liability insurance instead of full coverage, according to insurance representatives. Insurance premiums are normally slightly lower, but there are risks in situations like this.
Copyright 2022 KPHO via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Man sentenced to 30 years in prison for raping 79-year-old woman when he was 18
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow/Gray News) – A 21-year-old man will spend 30 years in prison for raping an elderly woman at a campground in June 2019.
Authorities said Zeth Browder was 18 when he attacked a 79-year-old as she slept in her tent at a campground in Kawaihae, located on the northwest part of the island of Hawaii.
After several pandemic delays, a jury found Browder guilty in December 2021 of sexual assault, burglary, kidnapping, and tampering with evidence. A judge sentenced him Tuesday to 30 years in prison.
Browder is from Hilo, Hawaii – about 65 miles from where the attack took place on the other side of the island. The victim lives in Colorado.
Browder did not testify at the trial, but addressed the judge before sentencing, insisting he was innocent and asking for leniency.
Copyright 2022 HawaiiNewsNow via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Men’s use of diabetes drug linked to raised risk of birth defects, study says
(CNN) - Men who take a popular diabetes drug are 40% more likely to conceive a child with birth defects, according to a study.
The study was published Monday in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine.
It showed that men who used metformin in the three-month period before they conceived a child had a 40% higher risk of birth defects in their offspring.
The research followed more than 1 million births between 1997 and 2016, comparing the risk of major birth defects in babies based on paternal exposures to diabetes medications.
The study observed only children who were born to women younger than 35 and men younger than 40, and babies born to women with diabetes were excluded.
The researchers considered men exposed to metformin if they filled a prescription for it in the three months before conception, which is how long it takes the fertilizing sperm to fully mature.
Researchers said more studies are needed to determine if men taking metformin should make any considerations.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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New Audio: Trooper admits beating Ronald Greene with flashlight
Scroll down to hear audio recording
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - Days before his own death, Louisiana Master Trooper Chris Hollingsworth walked into a secure room deep inside state police headquarters, swore an oath and told investigators about the night he held down Black motorist Ronald Greene and repeatedly bashed him in the head with a flashlight.
Gone was the bravado from Hollingsworth’s earlier boast — captured on body-camera video — that he “beat the ever-living f-—” out of the man before his 2019 death along a rural roadside in northeast Louisiana.
HEAR AUDIO IN VIDEO BELOW:
Instead, in a two-hour interrogation, Hollingsworth meekly portrayed himself as the victim in the violent arrest, saying he feared for his life even as graphic footage played over and over of white troopers swarming Greene’s car after a high-speed chase, jolting him with stun guns, punching him in the face and dragging him by his ankle shackles as he wailed, “I’m your brother! I’m scared! I’m scared!”
“I was scared,” Hollingsworth said in the never-before-released recorded interview obtained by The Associated Press. “He could have done anything once my hold was broke off him — and that’s why I struck him.”
Detectives weren’t buying it, describing the repeated flashlight blows to Greene’s head as unjustified while peppering the 46-year-old veteran trooper with questions. Why did Hollingsworth turn off his body-camera video recorder? Why did he jolt Greene with his stun gun before the motorist could even get out of his car? Why did he resort to disproportionate force with an unarmed man who was hardly resisting?
As for troopers’ initial account that blamed Greene’s death on injuries from a car crash, fueling allegations of a cover-up, Hollingsworth said he didn’t see such injuries himself but added, “I’m not a doctor.”
Nearly three years after Greene’s May 10, 2019, death with still no one criminally charged, Hollingsworth’s internal affairs interview in September 2020 stands as a defiant, haunting voice from the grave.
Widely seen as the most culpable of the half-dozen officers involved, Hollingsworth can’t face justice because he died just six days after the interrogation from a high-speed, single-vehicle crash.
Though his death was ruled accidental, Hollingsworth’s early morning, off-duty crash into a highway guardrail in Monroe prompted widespread speculation the trooper took his own life. Hollingsworth was sober, not wearing a seatbelt and was a state police driving instructor traveling an interstate he had patrolled for decades. Crash reconstruction experts who reviewed case reports for the AP agreed the circumstances were suspicious and the probe by local police was inadequate.
“It’s definitely consistent with a suicide but I don’t have enough information to say he didn’t fall asleep,” said Jonathan Cherney, a California-based crash reconstructionist. “But I’ll tell you what, you have a hard time falling asleep when you’re doing 100 miles per hour.”
Scott Wolleson, the lawyer who accompanied Hollingsworth to the interview and now represents his widow in a civil suit brought by Greene’s family, declined to comment.
Intentional or not, Hollingsworth’s death has complicated ongoing federal and state investigations and was particularly painful for Greene’s mother, Mona Hardin, who says it robbed her of any hope for full justice while the trooper was allowed to be buried with full honors despite his misconduct.
“It hurts me to the core that Hollingsworth isn’t here,” Hardin told AP. “He was front and center and they gave him all the bells and whistles on his burial. ... They overlooked what he did, what he confessed to.”
State police were so concerned about “unruly groups” and a “major disturbance” at Hollingsworth’s funeral, according to operational plans obtained by AP, that they kept the location of the services secret and deployed two “counter snipers” and a SWAT team to watch over the sea of blue uniforms that piled into a West Monroe church.
The bristling security was set up at a time when the public had not yet the seen the body-camera footage of Greene’s arrest, but the state police leaders coordinating his funeral had.
Serving as “platoon leader” that day was Lt. John Clary, the highest-ranking officer at the scene of Greene’s death who remains under federal scrutiny for allegedly withholding his own body-camera footage from detectives.
AP last year obtained and published the graphic footage that officials from Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards on down had refused to release for more than two years. But even before that, Hollingsworth made himself a focus of the Greene investigation by his own words on the night of the arrest, what he dismissed to detectives as “inappropriate cop talk.”
“I beat the ever-living f--- out him, choked him and everything else trying to get him under control,” Hollingsworth told a fellow officer in a phone call picked up on his body-camera mic. “All of a sudden he just went limp. ... I thought he was dead.”
Greene died before his ambulance reached the hospital. Hollingsworth was photographed there with flecks of Greene’s blood dotting his blue uniform and brass badge.
The governor later told police commanders to investigate Hollingsworth’s role in the deadly arrest. Edwards’ top lawyer, Matthew Block, told AP the then-head of the state police informed him when the decision was finally made to fire Hollingsworth. Edwards has since come to describe the actions of the troopers in Greene’s arrest as criminal and racist.
Asked late last year whether he feels any responsibility for the loss of public trust in state police, a spokesperson for Edwards told AP: “The troopers on the scene — particularly Trooper Hollingsworth — are responsible for what happened the night of Mr. Greene’s death, period.”
Federal prosecutors have been considering for months whether to charge the other troopers, including Kory York, who remains on the force after dragging Greene face down by his ankle shackles. The FBI also is investigating whether state police brass obstructed justice in part by rebuffing the detectives who pushed for criminal charges. One supervisor recently told a state legislative committee state legislative committee probing the case that his bosses instructed him not to give prosecutors the body-camera footage of Greene’s arrest.
That was consistent with an AP investigation last year that found Greene’s was among at least a dozen cases over the past decade in which state police troopers or their bosses ignored or concealed evidence of beatings, deflected blame and impeded efforts to root out misconduct.
Hollingsworth himself seemed to recognize his legal risk, refusing to provide any statement to the detectives conducting the criminal investigation in the days after Greene’s death.
But he was compelled — 496 days later — to cooperate with an internal affairs investigation focused on whether he violated state police policy. That inquiry could not be used to charge Hollingsworth but would determine whether he kept his badge.
Hollingsworth’s story evolved significantly during the interview. He initially told detectives he struck Greene with “a closed fist.” Then he claimed he couldn’t remember whether he struck him with an object.
Finally, after the investigators replayed the video and pointed out Hollingsworth’s flashlight, he conceded to hitting Greene with it, even using his water bottle to demonstrate how he swung with the rounded edge down.
Detectives then showed Hollingsworth autopsy photos and asked him to describe several cuts on Greene’s head.
“They’re like a little half-moon,” Hollingsworth said.
“You don’t think your flashlight caused those cuts?”
“It could have,” the trooper said.
A reexamined autopsy commissioned by the FBI last year rejected the crash theory and attributed Greene’s death to “physical struggle,” troopers repeatedly stunning him, striking him in the head, restraining him at length and Greene’s use of cocaine.
Asked to justify his use of force, Hollingsworth repeatedly exaggerated Greene’s threat and resistance.
“I did fear that he was much bigger than I was and much stronger,” he said. “He had already kept two troopers from being able to handcuff him, and I was in fear at that time of him getting control of me or headbutting me.”
Race did not come up in the interrogation but Hollingsworth opined on the subject decades earlier in a 2002 essay at the Louisiana State Police Training Academy, writing that “white police officers have to prove they are not racist on every complaint and in every court case involving blacks.”
“Today, the first concern is if the officer is white and the suspect is black. ... Race is the issue and not the crime.”
Copyright 2022 Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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NFL teams must hire a minority offensive coach in upcoming season, league reports
(Gray News) - The NFL will require all of its professional football teams to hire a minority coach or a female as an offensive assistant starting in the 2022 season.
Earlier this week, the league made the announcement as team owners gathered in Florida for the annual league meeting.
Among the NFL’s initiatives to enhance opportunities for minority coaching candidates, teams will now be required to hire a minority coach as an offensive assistant, as reported by the NFL Network’s Judy Battista.
The NFL reports it is also looking at having teams invite staff members to league events. It’s an idea Washington Commanders coach Ron Rivera said he believes would help the cause since it would allow minority candidates to get acquainted with decision-makers in more relaxed settings.
“We’ve worked for years and made progress in many areas to ensure that staff and leaders in our office and at our clubs reflect the racial and gender makeup of America, but we have more work to do, particularly at the head coach and front-office level,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement.
League officials also said the NFL is putting together a committee to review its diversity hiring practices.
The diversity advisory committee includes business leaders, academics and former Houston Texans GM Rick Smith.
According to the NFL Network, the group will review league and club policies in light of ongoing concerns over a lack of diversity in hiring.
“The National Football League announced the creation of the NFL Diversity Advisory Committee, following its pledge last month to retain outside experts to review the league’s diversity policies and practices,” the league said in a news release. “The six-member committee will lend its expert, external perspective on industry best practices and will evaluate league and club diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies and initiatives, including all hiring processes, policies and procedures, with a primary focus on senior-level coach and front office personnel positions.
The 32 clubs released a joint statement Monday regarding their commitment to increasing diversity among ownership:
“The NFL member clubs support the important goal of increasing diversity among ownership. Accordingly, when evaluating a prospective ownership group of a member club pursuant to League policies, the membership will regard it as a positive and meaningful factor if the group includes diverse individuals who would have a significant equity stake in and involvement with the club, including serving as the controlling owner of the club.”
According to the NFL, other diversity, equity and inclusion-related changes are expected before the January 2023 hiring cycle.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Power Updates for Cenla
Cleco assessing damage and making repairs in areas where it’s safe while storm passes
Severe weather moved through Cleco’s service territory earlier today causing power outages for approximately 11,000 customers.
The line of thunderstorms impacted many of the parishes Cleco serves with Rapides having the largest number of outages, at this time.
Related Link: Cleco Power Outage Map
“Cleco crews, along with local contractor crews, have been mobilized to respond to these weather-related power outages,” said Clint Robichaux, manager of distribution operations support. “According to the latest weather forecast, the thunderstorms will continue to move eastward throughout the rest of the day. As such, the number of outages is likely to increase. In the meantime, we ask customers and all those in the affected areas to listen to local and national weather reports and take the necessary precautions to protect themselves and their property.”
As of 3 p.m., Cleco had 7,284 customers without power due to the thunderstorms. For the latest outage numbers, visit Cleco’s storm center at www.cleco.com/residential-commercial/storm-center
City of Alexandria:
City of Alexandria Utiliy System crews responded to scattered power outages from damaging winds associated with a strong line of storms that moved through Alexandria this afternoon.
The bulk of outages was along Louisiana Highway 28 West in the vicinity of Holy Savior Menard Central High School and in the Martin Park area. Approximately 2,500 customers lost power at some point during the storm which brought winds in excess of 50 mph. All customers who can take power are expected to be restored by sundown. Any resident without power should call 318-473-1301 to report the outage.
While there was some minor street flooding during the height of the rainstorm and reports of limbs and some trees down, there were no significant reports of damage in the City.
Alexandria residents are reminded they can get free weather alerts from the City of Alexandria via email, text or telephone. Go to www.cenlaready.com to sign up. Also, the AlexConnects app makes reporting issues like power outages and storm damage easy. The free app is available for Apple and Android devices.
Lates from Beauregard Electric Cooperative, Inc
As of 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 30, 2022, Beci crews are working to restore power to more than 11,000 members.
Strong wind gusts knocked down limbs and trees in BECi’s seven parish service areas. The majority of the damage is in Anacoco, DeRidder, Dry Creek, Moss Bluff and Ragley with individual outages throughout the remaining area. BECi crews as well as local and out-of-state contractors were called in to assist with restoration.
BECi will provide more details throughout the evening. We ask that you stay clear of any downed lines and to call 1-888-367-0275 to report any hazardous situation. We appreciate your patience.
Copyright 2022 KALB. All rights reserved.
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RPSO seeking help in locating missing man
Published: Mar. 30, 2022 at 11:18 AM CDT
ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - The Rapides Parish Sheriff’s Office is asking for help in locating a missing man.
Johnny Ray Clay is described as a 67 year old black male, 5′ 11″ tall, 165 pounds with brown eyes and gray hair. Clay was reported missing from the Shirley Street area off of North Bolton (LA Highway 1 N).
Clay was last seen wearing a blue hoodie and blue jeans (similar to the photo) around 8 p.m. on March 29, near the Bolton Avenue and Jackson Street area.
If you have any information on the whereabouts of Clay, please contact RPSO at 318-473-6700 or Detective Chris Beaubouef at 318-473-6727.
Click here to report a typo. Please provide the title of the article in your email.
Copyright 2022 KALB. All rights reserved.
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Singer Kelly Clarkson legally changes her name
Published: Mar. 30, 2022 at 6:30 PM CDT
(CNN) - Kelly Clarkson is no more, at least not legally speaking.
The singer and television personality changed her name to Kelly Brianne.
That change turns her middle name into her last name, and she no longer has a middle name.
The 39-year-old says the decision stemmed from her recent divorce with Brandon Blackstock, although she was born with the last name Clarkson.
The original “American Idol” winner plans to keep the name Clarkson for her professional life since she’s used it for so long.
But in the eyes of the law, she’s now Kelly Brianne.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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Teen paralyzed in tornado walks out of hospital weeks later
ST. LOUIS (KSDK) – A teenage boy, paralyzed when a tornado hit his house, walked out of a hospital in St. Louis last week.
Kyle Koehn, 14, is on a journey to recovery at Ranken-Jordan Pediatric Bridge Hospital.
According to Dr. Connie Simmons, Kyle had a fracture that involved every vertebra in his back.
He was injured in December when the devastating quad-state tornado caused destruction over 200 miles across four states.
As the twister approached the Koehns’ home in Dresden, Tennessee, they huddled in a hallway.
“The house started dusting a little bit, and you could see it, and I was like, ‘This is for real,’” Kyle’s mom Kimberly Koehn said.
“I dove for the hall and no more than sat down and hear the house start splintering. That’s the last we remember until we woke up in the field,” Darwin Koehn said.
More than 20 businesses, 200 homes, the firehouse and two churches were destroyed or damaged in Dresden.
Most of the Koehn family was propelled 180 feet from their house – Kyle was a few yards away.
“He was moaning and I said right there, ‘That boy is hurt bad,’” Darwin Koehn said.
“I don’t remember the pain so much. I just remember it was cold and it was wet,” Kyle said.
Two weeks after the tornado, Kyle was admitted to Ranken-Jordan.
“He had no feeling from his umbilicus, his belly button and basically down,” Simmons explained.
Ranken’s mission is to transition kids from the hospital to home, and Kyle devoted himself to his therapy sessions. He turned “I wish,” into “I will. "
“We knew this kid was going to fight hard,” Simmons said.
“They’ll make you do stuff that you think is really hard, but they’ll make you do it,” Kyle explained.
Making it even more remarkable, Kyle was doing his rehab while the rest of his family was still in Tennessee. His parents were also hospitalized with broken bones.
“The first time we saw him was here, six weeks later,” Kimberly Koehn said. “That’s how long it took for us to recover enough to travel up here.”
After weeks of never giving up, Kyle was discharged from the center. He still has more recovery ahead, but Simmons said she expects he should be able to return to some fun teenage activities.
Copyright 2022 KSDK via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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VIDEO: Man pummels 73-year-old in grocery store parking lot
WINTER HAVEN, Fla. (Gray News) - A man in Florida was arrested for attacking an elderly man in a grocery store parking lot Saturday afternoon, according to police.
Winter Haven police said in a Facebook post that Donald Walker, 43, turned himself in Tuesday.
The attack was captured on camera, with police identifying Walker as the man seen throwing a 73-year-old man to the ground and punching him repeatedly in the Publix parking lot.
Police said the victim was walking out of Publix and as he entered the crosswalk, Walker sped by in his truck “faster than it should have” and came very close to hitting the victim. The victim yelled out to Walker, and a verbal exchange transpired until Walker got out of the vehicle and pummeled the elderly man, police said. Police also said Walker smashed the victim’s cell phone so that he couldn’t call for help.
In a Facebook post Monday, Winter Haven police asked the public to help locate Walker. The following day, police announced that Walker was in custody after turning himself in.
Walker is charged with battery on an elderly person and tampering.
Police did not provide details on the victim’s injuries, but said he was “pretty banged up” but appears he will be OK.
Winter Haven is about 50 miles east of Tampa.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Voter registration deadlines for April 30 Municipal General Election
The following was provided to us by the Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office:
BATON ROUGE, La. - Secretary of State Kyle Ardoin is reminding Louisianians that the deadlines to register to vote in the April 30 Municipal General Election are fast approaching. The in-person or by mail registration deadline is Wednesday, March 30, and the deadline for registering through the GeauxVote Online Registration System is Saturday, April 9. These deadlines are for citizens who have never registered to vote as well as voters who would like to make changes to their registration.
Citizens may check their registration or register to vote online at www.GeauxVote.com; at their parish’s Registrar of Voters Office; while obtaining services at the Office of Motor Vehicles, public assistance agencies, public schools, colleges and libraries; or by mail. Louisianians can also utilize the GeauxVote Mobile smartphone app to access registration, ballot and polling place information.
After registering, voters should download the GeauxVote Mobile smartphone app. The app provides registration information as well as voting districts, sample ballots, polling place information and election results.
Early voting for the April 30 election is scheduled for Saturday, April 16 through Saturday, April 23 (excluding Sunday, April 17), from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. For more information about the Secretary of State’s Elections Division, visit www.GeauxVote.com or call 225.922.0900.
Copyright 2022 Louisiana Secretary of State’s Office. All rights reserved.
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Wanda Sykes on Smith slapping Rock: ‘It was sickening’
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Wanda Sykes said she felt physically ill after Will Smith slapped Chris Rock across the face at the Oscars, and she’s angry Smith was permitted to stay and collect his award.
Sykes, who co-hosted Sunday at the Dolby Theatre with Amy Schumer and Regina Hall, told Ellen DeGeneres in an interview to air April 7 that she missed the confrontation live as she walked between her trailer and the theater after a costume change.
“Then someone showed me on the video,” Sykes said, “and I just felt so awful for my friend, Chris. It was sickening. I physically felt ill, and I’m still a little traumatized by it.”
Smith, seated close to the stage during the awards show, walked up to Rock and slapped him after the comedian made a joke about Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. After he walked back to his seat, Smith cursed twice at Rock to “keep my wife’s name out your (expletive) mouth.”
The room and millions watching live were stunned. Soon after, Smith won his first-ever Academy Award for playing tennis dad Richard Williams in “King Richard” and gave a tearful acceptance speech in which he apologized but not directly to Rock. That came later in a statement.
Sykes, in a video released of her interview by “The Ellen Show,” said letting Smith stay and accept his award should not have happened.
“I was like, how gross is this? This is the wrong message. You assault somebody and you get escorted out the building and that’s it. But for them to let him continue, I thought it was gross. I wanted to be able to run out (on stage) after he won and say, ‘Uh, unfortunately, Will couldn’t be here tonight.’”
Sykes said she caught up with Rock later at a party and he apologized to her.
“I’m like, ‘Why are you apologizing?’ And he was like, ‘It was supposed to be your night. You and Amy and Regina, you all were doing such a great job. I’m so sorry, this is now going to be about this.’”
Schumer, in a since-deleted Instagram post, said she was “triggered and traumatized” by what happened.
“I love my friend @chrisrock and believe he handled it like a pro. Stayed up there and gave an Oscar to his friend @questlove and the whole thing was so disturbing,” she wrote. “So much pain in @willsmith anyway I’m still in shock and stunned and sad.”
Schumer went on, “Im proud of myself and my cohosts. But yeah. Waiting for this sickening feeling to go away from what we all witnessed.”
Sykes had a question for the entertainment industry as a whole.
“We were the hosts. This is our house. We’re inviting you in. We’re hosting. We’re going to take care of you all tonight, make sure you have a good time, and no one has apologized to us,” she said. “We worked really hard to put that show together. Like the industry itself, what the hell is this?”
Hall has not spoken publicly about the confrontation, but others have.
Jim Carrey, who didn’t attend the Oscars, told Gayle King in a CBS interview Monday he was “sickened” when the crowd inside the Dolby gave Smith a standing ovation after he won his best actor award.
“I felt like Hollywood is just spineless en masse and it really felt like, oh, this is a really clear indication that we’re not the cool club anymore,” he said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Biden planning to tap oil reserve to control gas prices
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is preparing to order the release of up to 1 million barrels of oil per day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve, according to a person familiar with the decision, in a bid to control energy prices that have spiked as the U.S. and allies have imposed steep sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine
The announcement could come as soon as Thursday, when the White House says Biden is planning to deliver remarks on his administration’s plans to combat rising gas prices. The duration of the release hasn’t been finalized but could last for several months. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity to preview the decision.
News of the administration’s planning was first reported by Bloomberg.
High oil prices have not coaxed more production, creating a challenge for Biden. The president has seen his popularity sink as inflation reached a 40-year high in February and the cost of petroleum and gasoline climbed after Russia invaded Ukraine. Crude oil on Wednesday traded at nearly $105 a barrel, up from about $60 a year ago.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Chris Rock takes to comedy mic, still processing Oscar slap
BOSTON (AP) — Chris Rock received several standing ovations before he told one joke Wednesday at his first comedy show since Will Smith slapped him in the face onstage at the Oscars.
Rock only briefly addressed the slap to the sold out crowd in Boston, saying he was “still kind of processing what happened.”
“Other than the weird thing, life is pretty good,” Rock said midway through his first of two sets. The nighttime performances came just three days after Smith smacked the comedian for making a joke about his wife, Jada Pinkett Smith, while presenting an Academy Award.
Rock didn’t mention Smith or Pinkett Smith by name at his show in Boston. Wearing all white, he seemed to be almost embarrassed by the multiple ovations he received. As the applause carried on for minutes — with fans yelling “I love you, Chris!” — the comedian appeared to be getting emotional, a guest seated near the stage told The Associated Press.
“How was your weekend?” Rock joked before getting into his set.
Ticket prices skyrocketed after Smith took to the awards stage and slapped Rock on live TV, but the comedian made clear he wasn’t going to talk at length about it Wednesday.
“If you came to hear that, I’m not ... I had like a whole show I wrote before this weekend,” Rock said.
He spent much of the night skewering celebrities and politicians. Among them were the Duchess of Sussex, the Kardashians, as well as President Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton and former President Donald Trump.
Outside the venue, a fan showed off a T-shirt featuring the “G.I. Jane” logo and Pinkett Smith’s face. Another had a shirt he made that showed Smith’s face and displayed a crude joke about the couple’s relationship.
At least one person yelled during the show that Rock should sue Smith.
Rock’s joke at the Oscars was about Jada Pinkett Smith’s buzzed haircut: “Jada, I love you. ‘G.I. Jane 2,’ can’t wait to see it,” Rock said, comparing Pinkett Smith to Demi Moore’s “G.I. Jane” character, who had a buzz cut in the 1997 film.
Smith promptly stood up from his seat at the front of the venue and took to the stage, slapping Rock across the face before sitting back down and yelling at Rock to keep his wife’s name out of his mouth.
Pinkett Smith has spoken publicly about her diagnosis of alopecia, which can cause baldness.
Within an hour, Smith won best actor, receiving a standing ovation. During his five-minute acceptance speech, Smith talked about defending his family and apologized to the academy. A day later, Smith issued an apology to the comedian, to the academy and to viewers at home, saying he was “out of line” and that his actions are “not indicative of the man I want to be.”
Pinkett Smith responded Tuesday with a graphic on Instagram that read: “This is a season of healing and I’m here for it.” She offered no further comment.
George Guay, a 24-year-old fan from Boston who grew up on “Everybody Hates Chris,” said he bought a ticket after Rock was slapped by Smith.
“He’s the most popular celebrity so I want to be here,” Guay said before the show, adding that he hoped Rock would open with a response to the situation. “I just want a good show.”
Afterward, some fans were a little disappointed he did not address the controversy more directly. But they also said they could see from his body language that he wasn’t sure how to do it.
“As soon as I saw him, his mood was a little bit shocked,” said Dave Henriquez, a 48-year-old musician from Newton, Massachusetts. “I got that it was weighing on him.”
Erin Ryan, a 33-year-old teacher also from Newton who was with Henriquez, said she felt Rock wanted to perform his act, “not make the standup about the one incident.”
Kathryn West-Hines, a 50-year-old Pilates instructor from Malden, Massachusetts, said she came away with even more respect for Rock. “I thought it was amazing, classy,” she said, adding that he wasn’t going to let “what happened Sunday” take away his shine.
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences condemned Smith striking Rock. Its board of governors met Wednesday to initiate disciplinary proceedings against Smith for violations of the group’s standards of conduct. The academy said it had asked Smith to leave the ceremony after hitting Rock, but he refused to do so.
This was not the first time Rock had made a joke at Pinkett Smith’s expense. When he hosted the 2016 Oscars, some people boycotted the ceremony over the #OscarsSoWhite group of nominees, including the Smiths. Said Rock then: “Jada boycotting the Oscars is like me boycotting Rihanna’s panties. I wasn’t invited.”
Wanda Sykes, who co-hosted the Oscars with Amy Schumer and Regina Hall, said she felt physically ill after Smith slapped Rock. In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres scheduled to air April 7, Sykes also said letting Smith stay and accept his award should not have happened.
The drama overshadowed some historical wins at an Oscars. The deaf family drama “CODA” became the first film with a largely deaf cast to win best picture. For the first time, a streaming service, Apple TV+, took Hollywood’s top honor, signaling a profound shift in Hollywood and in moviegoing. Wins for Ariana DeBose of “West Side Story, ”Troy Kotsur of “CODA” and Jane Campion, director of “The Power of the Dog,” all had made history.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Teen who went viral after beating tornado in pickup truck gets new Chevrolet Silverado
ELGIN, Texas (KWTX/Gray News) - A teenager who survived a tornado earlier this month while traveling in his pickup truck has been given a new ride.
KWTX reports a Chevrolet dealership in North Texas has donated a new 2022 Silverado 1500 LT All-Star Edition to 16-year-old Riley Leon on March 26.
The Texas teen became a social media sensation just days before getting his new truck after a video taken by a storm chaser went viral. The footage showed Leon escaping the tornado’s wrath after it flipped his original Silverado onto its side. The tornado’s rotation brought the truck up, and Leon kept driving.
Bruce Lowrie Chevrolet in Fort Worth, Texas, gave the cherry-red Silverado to Leon.
The teen said he was just on his way back home from a job interview when the tornado struck.
“We are thankful Riley is safe, commend his driving skills during a frightening situation, and our hearts are with other families in Texas that have been affected by these storms,” a spokesperson with the dealership said.
Leon reportedly injured his back and will require treatment and rehabilitation from the tornado incident.
Representatives with Chevy Cares said it would also donate $50,000 to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund to help recovery efforts throughout the state.
Copyright 2022 KWTX via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/2-students-seriously-injured-florida-school-bus-crash-with-semi-truck/
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2 students seriously injured in Florida school bus crash with semi-truck
Published: Mar. 31, 2022 at 8:22 AM CDT
LEVY COUNTY, Fla. (WCTV/Gray News) – Five students in Florida were taken to the hospital Wednesday after a semi-truck crashed into a school bus, according to Florida Highway Patrol.
Two of those students were taken to the hospital in serious condition.
WCTV reports both vehicles were driving in the same direction on U.S. 19 in Levy County, Florida around 3:45 p.m. The school bus was in front of the truck.
Troopers said the bus was stopped to drop off a student when the truck slammed into the back of it.
The driver and 10 students were on board the bus at the time of the crash, according to troopers.
Copyright 2022 WCTV via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/7-hurt-arkansas-tornado-storms-move-into-deep-south/
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7 hurt in Arkansas tornado as storms move into Deep South
(AP) – Severe storms that included at least two confirmed tornadoes injured several people Wednesday, damaged homes and businesses and downed power lines in Mississippi and Tennessee after they spread damage in Arkansas, Missouri and Texas overnight before moving to the Deep South.
No deaths had been reported from the storms as of Wednesday evening, officials said.
But widespread damage was reported in the Jackson, Tennessee, area as a tornado warning was in effect. “Significant damage” occurred to a nursing home near Jackson-Madison County General Hospital and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office in Jackson, said Madison County Emergency Management Director Jason Moore.
In Nashville, Tennessee, paneling fell five stories from the side of a downtown hotel Wednesday evening and onto a roof of a building below. The fire department warned the debris could become airborne as high winds continued, and some hotel guests were moved to other parts of the building due to concerns that the roof would become unstable. No injuries were immediately associated with the collapse.
A warehouse roof collapsed as the storms moved through Southaven, Mississippi, near Memphis, police said. The building had been evacuated and no injuries were reported.
The Mississippi Senate suspended its work as weather sirens blared during a tornado watch in downtown Jackson. Some employees took shelter in the Capitol basement.
Rander P. Adams said his and his wife, Janice Delores Adams, were in their home near downtown Jackson when severe weather blew through during a tornado warning Wednesday afternoon. He said their lights flashed and they heard a loud whistling noise.
As his wife tried to open their front door, a large window exploded a few feet from her.
“The glass broke just as if someone threw a brick through it,” he said. “I advised her then, ‘Let’s go to the back of the house.’”
Adams said the storm toppled trees in a nearby park, and a large tree across the street from their house split in half. “We were blessed,” he said. “Instead of falling toward the house, it fell the other way.”
Earlier Wednesday, a tornado that struck Springdale, Arkansas, and the adjoining town of Johnson, about 145 miles (235 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, about 4 a.m. injured seven people, two critically, said Washington County, Arkansas, Emergency Management Director John Luther. He had no additional information about them.
The National Weather Service said that tornado would be rated “at least EF-2,” which would mean wind speeds reached 111-135 mph (178-217 kph).
“Search and rescue teams have been deployed, as there are significant damages and injuries,” Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said.
In northwest Missouri, an EF-1 tornado with wind speeds around 90 mph (145 kph) struck St. Joseph on Tuesday night, according to the weather service. That tornado damaged two homes, but no injuries were reported there. Another EF-1 tornado with wind speeds around 100 mph (160 kph) touched down briefly before dawn Wednesday in a rural subdivision 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of Dallas, damaging two roofs, the weather service reported.
The storms come a week after a tornado in a New Orleans-area neighborhood carved a path of destruction during the overnight hours and killed a man.
Damage was extensive in Springdale, including to an elementary school gymnasium and a warehouse, KFSM-TV reported. The Springdale School District, which is the largest in Arkansas, canceled all classes Wednesday.
“We have some commercial buildings and residences and everything in between ... with severe storm damage,” Luther said.
More than 8,000 power outages were reported in Arkansas, while outages totaled about 44,000 in Mississippi, 26,000 each in Louisiana and Alabama and 24,000 in Tennessee.
Strong winds in Louisiana overturned semitrailers, peeled the roof from a mobile home, sent a tree crashing into a home and knocked down power lines, according to weather service forecasters, who didn’t immediately confirm any tornadoes in the state.
Ahead of the storms, schools in Memphis and dozens in Mississippi closed early or conducted classes online as a precaution against having children in crowded buildings or on buses. Officials in various Mississippi counties opened safe locations for people worried about staying in their homes during the storm. And in Louisiana, officials with the Federal Emergency Management Agency advised people living in temporary housing such as trailers after Hurricane Ida to be on the alert and know where to go in case they need to evacuate.
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This story corrects that significant damage occurred to a nursing home near a hospital, not to the hospital.
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Bleed reported from Little Rock, Ark., and Miller reported from Oklahoma City. Associated Press journalists Jay Reeves in Newnan, Ga.; Rebecca Santana in New Orleans; Andrew DeMillo in Little Rock, Ark.; Adrian Sainz in Memphis, Tenn.; Margery Beck in Omaha, Neb.; Jonathan Mattise in Nashville, Tennessee; Emily Wagner Pettus in Jackson, Mississippi; and Terry Wallace in Dallas contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/alex-jones-agrees-appear-deposition-sandy-hook-case/
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Alex Jones agrees to appear at deposition in Sandy Hook case
Published: Mar. 31, 2022 at 1:55 PM CDT
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Infowars host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones has agreed to appear at a deposition in Connecticut to answer questions in a lawsuit by relatives of some of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting victims.
That’s according to new court filings by his lawyers Thursday, a day after a judge ordered fines against Jones for defying orders to attend a deposition last week despite his claim of illness.
Jones now says he can answer questions on April 11 and is asking the judge to put a hold on the fines.
There was no immediate ruling on Jones’ requests.
The families are suing him for calling the school massacre a hoax.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/arians-retires-bucs-coach-bowles-promoted-top-spot/
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Arians retires as Bucs’ coach, Bowles promoted to top spot
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Bruce Arians unexpectedly retired as coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, a stunning move Wednesday night that the 69-year-old who guided the team to its second Super Bowl title says is not related to health.
It’s the second major retirement announcement for the Bucs this offseason, following Tom Brady’s announcement in February that he was ending his career. Brady, a seven-time Super Bowl champion quarterback, returned 40 days later, saying he would return for a 23rd season and noting he had “unfinished business.”
But instead of Arians, Brady will be playing for Todd Bowles after the defensive coordinator was promoted as the coach’s successor.
Arians, a two-time cancer survivor, stepped down as coach of the Arizona Cardinals due to medical concerns in 2017, only to be lured back to the sideline by the then-struggling Bucs two years later. This time, he said, he exits feeling the best he has in “many years” and is looking forward to transitioning into a front-office position working with general manager Jason Licht.
“This team is in a much better place than it was three years ago due to Jason’s great work and the Glazer family’s commitment to winning,” Arians said in a lengthy statement issued by the team.
“I want to focus on what I can give back to this incredible game that has provided so much for me and my family,” Arians added. “I really began thinking about my personal transition plan earlier this offseason. I wanted to ensure when I walked away that Todd Bowles would have the best opportunity to succeed.”
Arians, who will turn 70 this coming season, coached the Bucs to the Super Bowl title in the 2020 season — Brady’s first with Tampa Bay. The Bucs were 31-18 in Arians’ three seasons there and he was 80-48-1 in eight years as a head coach overall when adding in five seasons with the Cardinals from 2013 to 2017.
NBC Sports and the Los Angeles Times first reported Arians’ decision and that Bowles would be replace him.
“I have spent most of the last 50 years of my life on the sidelines as a football coach in one form or another,” Arians said. “I love football. I love the relationships, the strategy, the competition — everything. It has been one hell of a ride, but I know this is the right time for me to make this transition.”
Bowles becomes the sixth minority head coach currently in the NFL, joining Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, Washington’s Ron Rivera, the New York Jets’ Robert Saleh, Houston’s Lovie Smith and Miami’s Mike McDaniel. He also is the fourth Black coach in Bucs’ history, joining Tony Dungy, Raheem Morris and Smith.
Brady, in an Instagram post Wednesday night, said Arians was a major part of his decision to play for Tampa Bay and that he’ll be “forever grateful.”
“You are an incredible man and coach, and it was a privilege to play for you,” Brady wrote. “You are a true NFL legend and pioneer for all the work you have done to make the league more diverse and inclusive. Smart, tough, and loyal are a few of the words to describe your style. I will always remember the conversations we had when you recruited me two years ago and all of the things we discussed came true.”
There was no public indication at the NFL’s annual meetings on the Atlantic side of the state in Palm Beach, Florida, that such a move was coming. Arians was there, briefly, and did an interview with NFL Network about what the team would have done to replace Brady if the quarterback hadn’t changed his mind. Licht addressed reporters for a short time during the meetings, as did team co-owner Joel Glazer.
Arians did not do a group interview there, with the team saying he was leaving for personal reasons. He was also one of the four coaches who opted to not be part of the annual group photo of all NFL head coaches at the meetings.
Bowles was an interim head coach in Miami for three games in 2011, and went 24-40 in four seasons with the New York Jets from 2015 through 2018.
“I am appreciative of the Glazer family and Jason Licht for having faith in me to take on this role, and to Coach Arians for his support and guidance over the past four decades,” Bowles said. “Tampa has become home for my family, and we are excited to remain part of this community for years to come. ... I am eager to get started with our players, coaching staff, and front office in preparation for the 2022 season.”
Bowles was Arizona’s defensive coordinator for a portion of Arians’ tenure with the Cardinals. He reunited with his old boss in Tampa Bay after the Jets fired Bowles following the 2018 season.
Arians said timing of his decision to step away — along with’s Brady return — should serve Bowles well.
“So many head coaches come into situations where they are set up for failure, and I didn’t want that for Todd,” Arians said. “Tom’s decision to come back, along with Jason and his staff doing another great job of keeping the core of this team intact during free agency, confirmed for me that it was the right time to pass the torch.”
Licht said he’s excited to continue working with the former coach.
“Bruce established a culture here that set the foundation for a Super Bowl championship,” Licht said. “In my opinion, he is a Hall of Fame coach, so it is difficult for our football team to lose that type of leader. However, I am excited to have him continuing his contributions to our franchise in his new capacity.”
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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/pro-32 and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/body-18-year-old-abducted-walmart-parking-lot-found/
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Body of 18-year-old abducted from Walmart parking lot found
FERNLEY, Nev. (KOLO/Gray) - Authorities in Nevada recovered the body of 18-year-old Naomi Irion, who was abducted from a Walmart parking lot more than two weeks ago, according to the sheriff’s office.
The Churchill County Sheriff’s Office confirmed recovery of Irion’s body Wednesday night. A tip led them to a gravesite in a remote part of Churchill County on Tuesday, the sheriff’s office said. The next day, the body was confirmed to be that of the 18-year-old. Her family has been notified, KOLO reports.
The Washoe County Medical Examiner’s Office conducted an autopsy and confirmed the identity, the sheriff’s office said.
The sheriff’s office said no more information will be released, and the investigation continues.
“We would like to extend our sympathy and condolences to the Irion family and thank all the volunteers for their hard work in trying to find Naomi and bring closure to the family,” the sheriff’s office said. “The Churchill County Sheriff’s Office and the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office will continue to work closely on these cases.”
Irion was kidnapped March 12 while sitting in her car at a Walmart in Fernley, waiting for the shuttle to take her to Panasonic at the Reno Tahoe Industrial Center where she worked. A suspect is seen on surveillance video walking outside Walmart moments before getting into Irion’s car and driving off with her inside.
Deputies found the car March 15 in a Fernley industrial park. They say evidence found inside suggested her disappearance was criminal in nature.
Troy Driver, 41, is accused of kidnapping Irion. He made his first court appearance via Zoom on Wednesday afternoon. He is charged with first-degree kidnapping and is being held on $750,000 bail.
He was arrested Friday, as authorities continued to search for Irion.
If Driver’s bond is posted, he will not be released from custody until a GPS monitoring bracelet is installed. No contact is allowed with Irion’s family, and he will not be allowed to use drugs or alcohol.
His next hearing is set for April 5.
Copyright 2022 KOLO via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/colin-kaepernick-named-honorary-captain-upcoming-spring-game-michigan/
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Colin Kaepernick named honorary captain for upcoming spring game at Michigan
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (Gray News) – The University of Michigan’s football teamed announced on Twitter that former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick has been named an honorary captain for Saturday’s Maize and Blue Spring Game.
The scrimmage is one of the 15 practices allowed under NCAA rules and is free for all fans, according to the university.
Kaepernick last played in the NFL in 2016, the same year he started kneeling during the national anthem to protest racial injustice.
He led the San Francisco 49ers to Super Bowl XLVII in 2013, where they fell short to the Ravens by three points. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh was coaching the 49ers from 2011-2014.
The quarterback is hoping to play in the NFL again and most recently spoke with Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll.
While Carroll believes Kaepernick deserves a second chance, he cautioned it may not be with the Seahawks, according to the Associated Press.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/cute-endangered-blue-eyed-black-lemur-born-florida-zoo/
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Cute! Endangered blue-eyed black lemur born in Florida zoo
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Gray News) – The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in Florida has a new arrival – a baby blue-eyed black lemur.
The zoo said this is the second successful birth of a blue-eyed black lemur at the facility.
The Madagascar native is considered critically endangered, so every new blue-eyed black lemur born is said to be vital to the survival of the species.
They are one of only a few primates with blue eyes, according to the zoo.
Zookeepers haven’t announced a name yet and won’t know the gender until a health check. They want to give the new parents time to bond first.
“We have many reasons to celebrate this new infant. He or she will further enrich the social environment and experience of the zoo’s amazing mixed-species lemur group and strengthen the sustainability of the blue-eyed black lemur population,” said Tracy Fenn, Assistant Curator of Mammals.
The little primate will stay behind the scenes until it’s old enough to join the other lemurs in the zoo’s exhibit later this year.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/dashcam-video-shows-rider-pointing-gun-uber-driver-before-her-slaying/
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Dashcam video shows rider pointing gun at Uber driver before her slaying
ALLEGHENY COUNTY, Pa. (Gray News) - Chilling dashcam video shows the moments leading up to an Uber driver’s slaying.
Allegheny County police said the suspect got into the car Feb. 11 with the intent to rob the driver.
Prosecutors played what could be their most compelling evidence against Calvin Crew, 20 minutes of dashcam footage from Christi Spicuzza’s Uber, showing the last moments her family will see her alive.
Police said Crew is seen getting into the backseat of Spicuzza’s Uber.
In the video, the suspect’s hood is up, and he’s wearing an all-black face mask that covers all but his glowing eyes. He sits still, only muttering a word or two.
Ten minutes into the ride, Spicuzza cheerfully asks a question. He mumbles, and Spicuzza says, “That’s good.”
Eighteen minutes into the ride, police said Crew is seen inching to the middle of the back seat, pulling out a gun, grabbing Spicuzza’s ponytail and pressing the pistol to the back of her head.
Detectives on the case said the video was heart-wrenching to watch but acknowledged it could be key to getting justice for her and her family. She was a mother of four.
“She tried to reason with him and tried to plead to his humanity,” said detective Laurie McKeel with Allegheny County Homicide.
It was hard “knowing what’s coming, watching what Crew is doing without Christina even know what’s coming,” said detective Greg Renko of Allegheny County Homicide.
She is heard on the video pleading for her life: “I have four kids. What are you doing?”
When the dash camera is ripped off the windshield, the ride doesn’t end.
Police said Spicuzza was forced to drive for another hour while Crew accessed her financial apps like Venmo, PayPal, Dollar Bank and Square.
Police said Spicuzza was taken to a wooded part on Monroeville and was shot once in the back of the head.
Crew has been charged with criminal homicide, robbery and tampering with evidence.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group. All rights reserved. WPXI via CNN Newsource contributed to this report.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/dnc-clinton-campaign-agree-steele-dossier-funding-fine/
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DNC, Clinton campaign agree to Steele dossier funding fine
NEW YORK (AP) — Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign and the Democratic National Committee have agreed to pay $113,000 to settle a Federal Election Commission investigation into whether they violated campaign finance law by misreporting spending on research that eventually became the infamous Steele dossier.
That’s according to documents sent Tuesday to the Coolidge Reagan Foundation, which had filed an administrative complaint in 2018 accusing the Democrats of misreporting payments made to a law firm during the 2016 campaign to obscure the spending.
The Clinton campaign hired Perkins Coie, which then hired Fusion GPS, a research and intelligence firm, to conduct opposition research on Republican candidate Donald Trump’s ties to Russia. But on FEC forms, the Clinton campaign classified the spending as legal services.
“By intentionally obscuring their payments through Perkins Coie and failing to publicly disclose the true purpose of those payments,” the campaign and DNC “were able to avoid publicly reporting on their statutorily required FEC disclosure forms the fact that they were paying Fusion GPS to perform opposition research on Trump with the intent of influencing the outcome of the 2016 presidential election,” the initial complaint had read.
The Clinton campaign and DNC had argued that the payments had been described accurately, but agreed, according to the documents, to settle without conceding to avoid further legal costs.
The Clinton campaign agreed to a civil penalty of $8,000 and the DNC $105,000, according to a pair of conciliatory agreements that were attached to the letter sent to the Coolidge Reagan Foundation.
The documents have not yet been made public, and FEC spokeswoman Judith Ingram said the FEC has 30 days after parties are notified about enforcement matters to release them.
The Steele dossier was a report compiled by former British spy Christopher Steele and financed by Democrats that included salacious allegations about Trump’s conduct in Russia and allegations about ties between the Trump campaign and Russia.
Documents have shown the FBI invested significant resources attempting to corroborate the dossier and relied substantially on it to obtain surveillance warrants targeting former Trump campaign aide Carter Page.
But the dossier has been largely discredited since its publication, with core aspects of the material exposed as unsupported and unproven rumors. A special counsel assigned to investigate the origins of the Trump-Russia probe charged one of Steele’s sources with lying to the FBI and charged a cybersecurity lawyer who worked for Clinton’s campaign with lying to the FBI during a 2016 meeting in which he relayed concerns about the Russia-based Alfa Bank.
Trump, who has railed against the dossier for years, released a statement celebrating the agreement and once again slamming the dossier as “a Hoax funded by the DNC and the Clinton Campaign.”
A DNC spokesperson played down the decision, saying: “We settled aging and silly complaints from the 2016 election about ‘purpose descriptions’ in our FEC report.” The lawyer representing both the campaign and the DNC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The letter was first reported by the Washington Examiner.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/four-cenla-athletes-named-2022-lhscalbca-all-star-team/
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Four Cenla athletes named to 2022 LHSCA/LBCA All-Star team
CENTRAL LOUISIANA (KALB) - Four high school baseball stars will be representing Central Louisiana on the 2022 LHSCA/LBCA All-Star Team.
On the team from the East, Tioga’s Hayden Toal was one of seven pitchers selected. The senior southpaw is currently committed to playing collegiate ball at Louisiana Tech.
For the West team, three local stars will be teaming up. At first base, Rosepine’s Ethan Frey was one of two athletes selected for that position. The former ACA Athlete of the Week selection recently posted a game where he hit three homeruns. Frey is committed to playing at LSU.
Calvin’s Wayne Huckaby was one of six players selected in the outfield. A multi-sport athlete for the Cougars, Huckaby helped lead his team to the state championship in basketball earlier this month.
Lastly, Many’s AJ Manasco was picked as one of two all-star designated hitters for the West. The Many senior is committed to playing at LSU-Shreveport.
The All-Star Game will be May 20-21 at Louisiana Christian University.
Click here to report a typo. Please provide the title of the article in your email.
Copyright 2022 KALB. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/fox-news-hires-caitlyn-jenner-contributor-commentator/
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Fox News hires Caitlyn Jenner as contributor and commentator
NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News Channel says it has hired Caitlyn Jenner as a contributor, with her first appearance set for Thursday on Sean Hannity’s program.
Jenner, the former Olympic decathlete, ran an unsuccessful campaign for California governor last year. The network said she’ll offer commentary and analysis across various Fox News Media platforms.
“Caitlyn’s story is an inspiration to us all,” said Suzanne Scott, Fox News Media CEO. “She is a trailblazer in the LGBTQ+ community and her illustrious career spans a variety of fields that will be a tremendous asset for our audience.”
Jenner won the Olympic gold medal in the decathlon in 1976. She later came out as a transgender and identifies as a female.
She said in a statement she was “humbled by this unique opportunity” to speak directly to Fox’s audience.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/goff-killian-highlight-2022-lswa-class-c-all-state-basketball-team/
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Goff, Killian highlight 2022 LSWA Class C All-State basketball team
CENTRAL LOUISIANA (KALB) - The Louisiana Sports Writers Association released its 2022 Class C All-State Basketball team.
Atlanta’s Princis Goff claimed Outstanding Player honors after averaging an eye-popping 36 points, 19 rebounds, five assists and four steals per game in her season campaign. The former ACA Athlete of the Week passed the 1,000 point milestone this year while recording eight 40 point games and two 50 point games.
Hornbeck’s Matthew Killian also earned Class C Coach of the Year after leading the Hornets to its first state tournament appearance since 2010. Killian led his alma mater to a 22-12 record this past season.
The Class C State Champions, Hicks, placed two players on the all-state team.
Below is the full all-state team list. In bold are the players/coaches from Central Louisiana.
BOYS:
OUSTANDING PLAYER: John-Paul Ricks - Jehovah Jireh
COACH OF THE YEAR: Isaac Fontenot-Amedee - Family Christian
FIRST TEAM
- John-Paul Ricks - Jehovah Jireh
- Terrance James - Gibsland Coleman
- Bryson Martin - Family Christian
- Joseph Adams - Calvin
- Derwin Ancar - Phoenix
SECOND TEAM
- Chance Martin - Family Christian
- Braxton Basco - Simpson
- Brady Alexander - Hornbeck
- Dontarias Coleman - Gibsland Coleman
- Wayne Curtis Huckaby - Calvin
HONORABLE MENTION
A.J. Allen - Claiborne Christian; Brayden Cutts - Simpson; Quay Seaberry - St. Joseph Plaucheville; Jaggar Thibodeaux - Northside Christian; Tyren Johnson - Plainview; C.J. Scott - Pleasant Hill; Rondell Battle - Phoenix; Jaren Mitcham - Hornbeck
GIRLS:
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: Princis Goff - Atlanta
COACH OF THE YEAR: Matt Killian - Hornbeck
FIRST TEAM:
- Princis Goff - Atlanta
- Lauren Quinn - Hicks
- Samora Sampson - Gibsland Coleman
- Malaysia Tate - Summerfield
- Hannah Dahlhoff - Hornbeck
SECOND TEAM:
- Avery Coffman - Hicks
- Lexy Robinson - Claiborne Christian
- Lauren Rachal - Family Christian
- Zoey Fee - Plainview
- Riley Haus - Evans
HONORABLE MENTION:
Jamiya Addison - Phoenix; Kennedie Harrison - Starks; Hope Cauthron - Reeves; Olivia Rabalais - St. Joseph Plaucheville; Camryn Cartinez - Ebarb; Ke’Honesty Williams - Gibsland Coleman; Alaysia Combs - Summerfield; Emily Head - Claiborne Christian
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Copyright 2022 KALB. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/gop-lawmakers-call-out-rep-cawthorn-over-orgy-remarks/
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GOP lawmakers call out Rep. Cawthorn over ‘orgy’ remarks
(CNN) - Republican leaders have met with a GOP congressman who alleged drug use and orgies are taking place in Washington.
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and House Minority Whip Steve Scalise called Rep. Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C., into a meeting Wednesday.
The face-to-face was to address allegations Cawthorn made on a podcast that he was invited to an “orgy” and had seen cocaine use firsthand.
Cawthorn did not suggest any fellow lawmakers were involved in the actions but referenced people he “looked up to.”
GOP lawmakers complained during a closed-door party meeting Tuesday that they were receiving questions from constituents about it.
McCarthy said Cawthorn admitted in the meeting that his allegations were untrue or exaggerated.
“I just told him he’s lost my trust. He’s going to have to earn it back, and I laid out everything that I find is unbecoming,” McCarthy said. “And should - you can’t just say, ‘You can’t do this again.’ I mean, he’s got a lot of members very upset.”
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/got-dime-businesses-seek-treasury-help-with-coin-circulation/
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Got a dime? Businesses seek Treasury help with coin circulation
WASHINGTON (AP) — Got a dime you can spare? Coins are in short supply — again.
Retailers, laundromats and other businesses that rely on coins want Americans to empty their piggy banks and look under couch cushions for extra change and “get coin moving.”
A group of trade associations that represent individual businesses including banks, retail outlets, truck stops, grocery stores and more is asking the Treasury Department for more help convincing Americans to get coins back in circulation.
The consequences of the circulation slowdown hit people who don’t have an ability to pay for items electronically, they say.
“If retailers are not able to offer change for cash purchases consumers who rely on cash will be vulnerable,” the associations said in a letter to Treasury.
For example, people who do their laundry at coin laundry mats could have a harder time finding change to wash their clothes. And on a larger scale, people who don’t have cash access aren’t able to patronize certain card-only businesses.
It’s not a coin shortage America faces, but a lack of circulation.
“We can’t print our way out of this problem,” said Austen Jensen, a senior vice president for government affairs at the Retail Industry Leaders Association.
Jensen’s group, along with the American Bankers Association, National Association of Convenience Stores, and National Grocers Association, is trying to meet consumer demand and wants a new public campaign to increase coin circulation.
Jensen said his group is also encouraging member retailers to find creative ways to deal with the shortage of coins, including rounding-up purchases for charity promotions. And he says businesses with multiple locations could send coins from one store to another.
This is not the first time during the pandemic that the issue of low coin circulation has arisen.
The coronavirus disrupted consumers’ buying habits and shifted purchases largely to plastic cards to such an extent that in July 2020, the Federal Reserve restricted coin orders by financial institutions.
The Fed also convened a U.S. Coin Task Force, made up of representatives from various federal agencies, which led to a campaign encouraging the public to get coins into circulation.
This February, the task force issued a State of Coin report, which said pandemic lockdowns slowed small transactions that generated change and there was a temporary aversion to cash for perceived hygienic reasons. The report also said the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Mint contracted with a third party consultant to review the coin supply chain.
Coin deposit volumes began to increase gradually starting in the summer of 2020, but businesses say the problem has come up again as people have stopped using coins and have stuck to plastic cards.
The issue has had the biggest impact on people who don’t have bank accounts. An estimated 22 percent of U.S. Americans were “unbanked” or “underbanked” in 2019, according to the Federal Reserve.
The Treasury Department has yet to respond to the letter. The government encourages people to help get coin moving by spending it with retailers, taking it to their banks and credit unions, or using a coin recycling kiosk like the ones found at grocery stores.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/graphic-man-gets-27-years-prison-hiring-woman-create-torture-videos-his-sexual-pleasure/
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GRAPHIC: Man gets 27 years in prison for hiring woman to create torture videos for his sexual pleasure
WARNING: The details in this story may be disturbing to readers.
(Gray News) – A Vermont man has been sentenced to 27 years in prison for a brutal murder-and-kidnap-for-hire scheme in which he paid a woman in Venezuela to make snuff videos of children and adults for his sexual pleasure.
The United States Department of Justice announced the sentencing Wednesday for 38-year-old Sean Fiore.
According to court documents, Fiore paid a woman in Venezuela $600 to make a video that showed the “sadistic abuse” of a young child. After Fiore received that video, he then paid the woman $4,000 for another video, this time involving an adult victim in which Fiore demanded the victim be killed.
The DOJ said for the second video, Fiore sent the woman a 600-word script with details of exactly what he wanted the video to show, including her hitting and kicking the victim, burning him with cigarettes, urinating and defecating on him, filling his mouth with feces, wrapping his head with plastic, and smothering him to death by sitting on his face. Fiore then received a 58-minute video, in which, at the end, the adult male victim appeared to be dead.
Court documents also show that Fiore possessed other videos and images depicting “sadistic sexual abuse” of young children.
Fiore pleaded guilty in October 2021 to conspiracy to kidnap and kill a person overseas, murder-for-hire, conspiracy to produce child pornography, and possession of child pornography. He was sentenced Wednesday to 27 years in prison.
“Fiore committed some of the darkest, most heinous deeds humanity can imagine,” said Special Agent in Charge Matthew Millhollin for HSI in New England. “Today’s sentence ensures that he will be locked away, unable to repeat the depraved crimes he has admitted to. We are grateful to our partners here in Vermont and around the world who worked tirelessly alongside us to investigate and prosecute this case.”
The woman in Venezuela, identified as Moraima Escarlet Vasquez Flores, 39, of Colombia, is charged with conspiracy to murder and kidnap a person in a foreign country, conspiracy to produce child pornography, production of child pornography, and aiding and abetting the receipt of child pornography. She was arrested in Colombia in September 2020, and Colombia recently approved her extradition to the U.S.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/high-school-senior-takes-great-grandmother-her-first-prom/
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High school senior takes great-grandmother to her first prom
WATFORD CITY, N.D. (KFYR/Gray News) - A high school senior in North Dakota told his parents he didn’t have anyone he wanted to ask to his senior prom until his father told him to take his great-grandmother.
KFYR reports Watford City senior Dakota Wollan made his great-grandmother’s night by taking her to her first prom.
“I couldn’t believe I was out there,” said Wollan’s great-grandmother Madeline Miller.
Wollan said it all started with a prom proposal.
“I have an old truck she gave me, it’s a 1985 Ford she handed down to me, and I got it running again. So, I took that truck and made a sign,” he said.
The sign read: Can I take you to prom in this old truck?
“I was just wondering why he would want a 92-year-old going to prom with him when so many young girls are at the school,” Miller said.
Wollan said he was nervous to ask his great-grandmother.
“If she would have said no, I wouldn’t have gone, but thanks to her, I got to make a memory for my last prom and her first prom,” Wollan said.
And the two said their prom night was pretty special.
“Walking beside my great-grandson, listening to the music as we walked, and people clapping and hollering were some of the best moments,” Miller said.
Wollan and Miller danced the first dance, and then Wollan took his date home.
“We brought tears to many people’s eyes,” Wollan said.
Copyright 2022 KFYR via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/inflation-gauge-surged-64-february-fastest-pace-since-1982/
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Key inflation gauge sets 40-year high as gas and food soar
WASHINGTON (AP) — An inflation gauge that is closely monitored by the Federal Reserve jumped 6.4% in February compared with a year ago, with sharply higher prices for food, gasoline and other necessities squeezing Americans’ finances.
The figure reported Thursday by the Commerce Department was the largest year-over-year rise since January 1982. Excluding volatile prices for food and energy, so-called core inflation increased 5.4% in February from 12 months earlier.
Robust consumer demand has combined with shortages of many goods to fuel the sharpest price jumps in four decades. Measures of inflation will likely worsen in the coming months because Thursday’s report doesn’t reflect the consequences of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which occurred Feb. 24. The war has disrupted global oil markets and accelerated prices for wheat, nickel and other key commodities.
Squeezed by inflation, consumers increased their spending by just 0.2% in February, down from a much larger 2.7% gain in January. Adjusted for inflation, spending actually fell 0.4% last month. The decline partly reflected a shift away from heavy spending on goods to a focus on services, such as health care, travel and entertainment, which consumers had long avoided during the worst of the pandemic.
Spending on such services grew 0.6%, the most since July, while purchases of autos, furniture, clothes and other goods dropped 2.1%. Many economists had previously suggested that a shift away from goods purchases might loosen supply chain snarls and cool inflation. But prices are still rising rapidly for goods, including a 1.1% increase in February.
Americans’ overall incomes rose 0.5% in February, the highest gain since November and up from just 0.1% in January. Wages and salaries jumped 0.8%, the most in four months.
Businesses have been raising pay to attract and keep employees — a trend that is benefiting workers but also giving employers cause to raise prices to offset their higher labor costs. That cycle is helping fuel inflation.
Last month, food costs climbed 1.4%, the most in nearly two years. Energy costs spiked 3.7%, the biggest such increase since October.
The Federal Reserve responded this month to the inflation surge by raising its benchmark short-term interest rate by a quarter-point from near zero, and it’s likely to keep raising it well into next year. Because its rate affects many consumer and business loans, the Fed’s rate hikes will make borrowing more expensive and could weaken the economy over time.
Michael Feroli of JPMorgan is among economists who now think the Fed will raise its key rate by an aggressive half-point in both May and June. The central bank hasn’t raised its benchmark rate by a half-point in two decades, a sign of how concerned it has become about the persistent surge in inflation.
On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.6% from January to February, up slightly from the previous month’s increase of 0.5% and matching the highest monthly figure since 2008. Core prices rose 0.4%, down from a 0.5% increase in January.
Gas prices have soared in the past month in the aftermath of Russia’s invasion, which led the United Kingdom and the Biden administration to ban Russia’s oil exports. The cost of a gallon of gas shot up to a national average of $4.24 a gallon Wednesday, according to AAA. That’s up 63 cents from a month ago, when it was $3.61.
Michael Pearce, an economist at Capital Economics, estimated that the gas price spike will cost Americans an annualized $100 billion in March.
Americans will likely dig into their savings to cover the higher gas costs in the near term, he said. “But if higher gasoline prices are sustained, that will eventually weigh on spending in other areas.”
On Thursday, President Joe Biden is expected to order the release of up to 1 million barrels of oil a day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve in an effort to reduce gas prices.
Thursday’s report follows a more widely monitored inflation gauge, the consumer price index, that was issued earlier this month. The CPI jumped to 7.9% in February from a year ago, the sharpest such increase in four decades.
Many economists still expect inflation to peak in the coming months. In part, that’s because price spikes that occurred last year, when the economy widely reopened, will begin to make the year-over-year price increases appear smaller. Yet Fed officials project that inflation, as measured by its preferred gauge, will still be a comparatively high 4.3% by the end of this year.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/louisiana-medicaid-launches-phone-campaign-encourage-members-update-contact-information/
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Louisiana Medicaid launches phone campaign to encourage members to update contact information
Members will be receiving calls between 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., Monday through Saturday
The following has been provided by the Louisiana Department of Health:
Louisiana Medicaid has launched a phone campaign to encourage its members to update their contact information. Automated calls will go out to members between the hours of 3 p.m. and 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The calls will remind members to update their phone number, mailing address and email address.
“When the federal COVID-19 public health emergency ends, we will be reaching out to our members through the mail to complete renewals and to verify eligibility. We don’t know when the public health emergency will end so we are preparing now. It’s critical that we have accurate information to be sure that members receive important notices related to their healthcare coverage,” said Patrick Gillies, Medicaid Executive Director. “We are sharing this information as we begin the phone calls campaign because we want our members to know these calls are legitimate and not a scam. These are recorded messages only. There will not be a Medicaid representative on the phone and we will not be asking for any personal information. The calls will be spread out over the next four to eight weeks.”
If you receive a call, the caller ID will show Louisiana Department of Health.
Members can update their contact information anytime by visiting
mymedicaid.la.gov or by emailing mymedicaid@la.gov.
It is very important for Medicaid beneficiaries to read and respond to all correspondence received from the Louisiana Department of Health during this critical time.
Click here to report a typo. Please provide the title of the article in your email.
Copyright 2022 LDH. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/lsua-cltcc-sign-22-articulation-mou-business/
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LSUA and CLTCC sign 2+2 Articulation MOU for Business
The following has been provided by LSUA:
LSU of Alexandria and Central Louisiana Technical Community College have signed a “2+2 Business Articulation” memorandum of understanding (MOU) that creates a clear and guaranteed transfer pathway from CLTCC’s Associate of Science in Business Administration to LSUA’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
CLTCC students who have met the requirements of the Associate of Science in Business Administration and who apply and are admitted to LSUA will be able to transfer all 60 of their earned hours to LSUA’s Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
“CLTCC students entering LSUA’s Business Administration program can specialize in a variety of concentrations such as management, marketing, entrepreneurship, financial analysis, international business, information systems, and agribusiness,” said College of Business Dean, Dr. Randall Dupont.
The MOU was developed in the spirit of the attainment goal established by the Board of Regents in its most recent Master Plan. The plan calls for 60% of all working-age adults (ages 25-64) in Louisiana to hold a degree or high-value credential by 2030. Both LSUA and CLTCC hope that the transfer pathway created by the agreement will contribute to statewide efforts to meet this goal.
“Many students enter CLTCC with the intent of transferring from our community college to a 4-year college. Unfortunately, the path to college graduation can be challenging for some students,” said Dr. Heather Poole, Executive Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs at CLTCC. “This agreement with LSUA will help students navigate the transfer pitfalls to ensure an easier, more successful transition. This partnership will save the students time and money.”
“Our goal at LSUA is to reach every CENLA student we can who is interested in pursuing a career requiring a 4-year degree,” said LSUA Chancellor Paul Coreil. “Partnering with CLTCC to achieve this goal is a significant step forward that will result in major benefits to students and to advancing workforce development across the region.”
Click here to report a typo. Please provide the title of the article in your email.
Copyright 2022 LSUA. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/nearly-5000-increase-seized-fentanyl-laced-pills-us-between-2018-2021-study-says/
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Nearly 5,000% increase in seized fentanyl-laced pills in the US between 2018 and 2021, study says
(CNN) - A new study found the number of illicit pills containing fentanyl seized by United States law enforcement jumped a whopping 4,850% between 2018 and 2021.
According to U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration data, more than 42,000 fentanyl-laced pills were seized in 2018 and nearly 2.1 million were seized in 2021.
Fentanyl can be found in counterfeit versions of drugs such as oxycodone and hydrocodone.
The rise in fentanyl seizures parallels a fatal overdose crisis driven by synthetic opioids.
The National Institute on Drug Abuse funded the study and said when a pill is contaminated with fentanyl, as is now often the case, poisoning can easily happen.
A co-author of the study said widespread education is needed about the risk of the pills that don’t come from a pharmacy. He said the immediate message is that illegally obtained pills can contain fentanyl.
The study was published in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence on Thursday.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/new-gender-option-x-coming-us-passports/
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New gender option ‘X’ coming to US passports
(CNN) - Americans who do not consider themselves male or female will soon have a new option on their passports.
Starting April 11, citizens can use “X” as a gender marker, according to a statement from Secretary of State Antony Blinken. He says this is an attempt to be “respectful of individuals’ privacy while advancing inclusion.”
The official designation of the “X” marker is “unspecified or another gender identity.”
This is the first time a federal government agency has offered this sort of marker on an identity document.
The “X” option is expected to be available on other forms sometime in 2023.
President Joe Biden made the announcement Thursday as a part of commemorating Transgender Day of Visibility.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/pandemic-took-toll-teen-mental-health-us-study-says/
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Pandemic took a toll on teen mental health, US study says
NEW YORK (AP) — More than 4 in 10 U.S. high school students said they felt persistently sad or hopeless during the pandemic, according to government findings released Thursday.
Several medical groups have warned that pandemic isolation from school closures and lack of social gatherings has taken a toll on young people’s mental health.
“This really gives us the evidence to say with certainty that the pandemic was incredibly disruptive for young people and their families,” said Kathleen Ethier of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The reports are based on anonymous online surveys of about 7,700 public and private high school students from 128 schools during the first six months of 2021. It is based on a similar survey the CDC conducts every other year in schools,
Among the findings:
- 44% reported feeling persistently sad or hopeless during the past year. A similar survey before COVID-19 hit put the figure at 37%.
- 66% said they found it more difficult to complete their schoolwork.
- 29% said a parent or other adult in their home lost a job and 11% said they experienced physical abuse by a parent or other adult at home.
- 24% said they went hungry during the pandemic because there was not enough food at home.
There likely was some underreporting, especially for certain questions about emotional or physical abuse in the home. Teens might be afraid that an abusive parent or other adult might see their responses, said Ilan Cerna-Turoff, a Columbia University researcher who studies children’s mental health.
CDC officials said that the pandemic did not affect teens equally. LGBT youth reported poorer mental health and more suicide attempts than others. About 75% said they suffered emotional abuse in the home and 20% reported physical abuse. By comparison, half of heterosexual students reported emotional abuse and 10% reported physical abuse, the CDC said.
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The Associated Press Health & Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/path-pros-former-menard-star-makes-1st-career-nfl-start/
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Path to the Pros: Former Menard star makes 1st career NFL start
ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - John Leglue is currently living out his dream of playing in the NFL. He bounced around the league, playing for the Broncos, Saints and Packers before finding a home with the Pittsburgh Steelers. Before playing under the brightest lights, he said the love of the game came from being around his siblings.
“I have two older brothers, and I always used to play backyard football with them,” said Leglue. “I also grew up going to LSU games, watching that environment. It’s been a great experience, especially watching the pregame warm-up. I have always dreamed of it being on the big stage, and I’m happy to be there now”.
John was one of the biggest kids on the Menard Eagles and is grateful for former Head Coach Freddie Hallman, who pushed him to maximize his full potential.
“It was a great opportunity to come out here to play for Coach Hallman,” said Leglue. “He pushed me to become a better player. During my sophomore year, he told me that I have the potential to play college football and honestly that’s what pushed me to work harder, and I ended up getting a scholarship to Tulane.”
New Orleans can be a culture shock coming from Alexandria, but it is an experience worth having.
“It was super cool to be able to go from a small town to a big town like that and see some cultural differences,” said John. “I feel like it definitely enabled me to grow as a person on and off the field.”
His time at Tulane University gave him the utmost confidence to pursue the NFL.
“Good things come to those who that work hard,” said John. The moment I knew I had a shot to pursue my dream is when a couple of agents called me to represent me on the next level.”
John Leglue’s start to the NFL was rough, but he did not give up, as he continues to play with the best of the best from all over the world.
“So I went undrafted to Denver,” said John. “Then I had an opportunity to sign to the practice squad with the Saints. After that, I signed with the Green Bay Packers and was activated in week 15, and we lost in the divisional round of the playoffs. After my time with the Packers, the Pittsburgh Steelers signed me, and I was with them ever since.”
Leglue played with three future Hall Of Fame quarterbacks: Drew Brees, Ben Roethlisberger and Aaron Rodgers. He said that they have all played a huge part in his career, even though he spent a small amount of time with them.
“Drew was the first one in and the last one out,” said Leglue. “There was one time where I thought I was the only person in the building, and he was already there watching a film. Aaron Rodgers was always nice. I didn’t think he knew my name, but around Christmas time he gave me a gift and along with the other linemen, and it’s the small things that go a long way. Ben was amazing he was a leader and in his last year in the Black and Gold, he would always preach about doing things the right way. He took the young guys under his wing and I can’t be more thankful for his leadership.”
John Leglue said no matter the size of the town you come from, it is the extra hours and the drive that you have that will get you to where you want to be.
“It’s super cliche, but hard work never goes unnoticed,” said Leglue. “If you have a chance to go to college, go. It doesn’t matter the level because only five percent get the opportunity, Sports have taken me to a lot of places where I have never imagined going. Make sure you do well in the classroom because the degree will never go away even when sports do.”
Click here to report a typo. Please provide the title of the article in your email.
Copyright 2022 KALB. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/pittsburgh-woman-celebrates-111th-birthday-about-have-great-great-grandchild/
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Pittsburgh woman celebrates 111th birthday, about to have great-great-grandchild
PITTSBURGH (WTAE) - A special birthday party was held in Pittsburgh for a woman who has surpassed the average life expectancy for an American woman by 33 years.
On Tuesday, Janet Wharton celebrated her 111th birthday, and her family helped with the celebration.
“This is awesome. I am honored to be here and speak on her behalf, and it’s just amazing she’s 111-years-old, the oldest in our family,” said Wharton’s granddaughter Cynthia Wilson.
Wharton is simply known as “Nanny” among her family members. She was born on March 29, 1911, in South Carolina and raised in Pittsburgh.
Wharton has also lived in New York, where she married Jimmy Vaughn and became a beautician. She also said she went to school for nursing and cared for others in that capacity a few days a week.
But her most significant legacy is her family, as not many people get to see this many future generations.
Wharton has one child, two grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
And her family said she’s about to have a great-great-grandchild – a baby boy who is expected to arrive in June.
Wharton has short-term memory recall issues, but she could go on and on about the older memories from her life, like her favorite vacation.
“That’s the most beautiful place you’ll ever go. If you ever get the chance to go to Hawaii,” Wharton said.
Her family said they feel blessed to celebrate another year with their “Nanny.”
“It’s surreal and overwhelming. I can’t believe it because she doesn’t look 111,” Wilson said.
Copyright 2022 WTAE via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/pluto-has-giant-ice-volcanoes-that-spew-water-instead-lava/
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Pluto has giant ice volcanoes that spew water instead of lava
(CNN) -- While Earth’s volcanoes are spewing lava, scientists say Pluto had much cooler volcanic eruptions.
A new study reveals the dwarf planet has giant ice volcanoes that were active as recently as 100 to 200 million years ago.
The discovery was made during NASA’s New Horizons mission.
Researchers point to a region of Pluto largely made of bumpy water ice and filled with volcanic domes.
One volcano is similar in volume to one of Earth’s biggest volcanoes: Mauna Loa in Hawaii.
Still, researchers say the volcanoes on the frigid planet look nothing like what they have already seen in other parts of the solar system.
They believe when Pluto’s volcanoes erupted, a cold mixture of ice and water flowed out like toothpaste onto the planet’s surface.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/puppy-who-lost-his-leg-after-horse-stepped-him-is-up-adoption/
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Puppy who lost his leg after a horse stepped on him is up for adoption
Published: Mar. 31, 2022 at 1:48 PM CDT
(Gray News) – A puppy who had to have his leg amputated after he was stepped on by a horse is up for adoption, according to an Ohio animal shelter.
From Heaven to Earth Rescue in New Philadelphia, Ohio, said the five and a half week old border collie mix, who’s name is Happy, was injured March 27 after a horse stepped on him and broke his left front leg.
The shelter said the veterinarian was unable to repair his leg, and had it amputated instead.
Happy will be up for adoption soon, according to the shelter.
For more information on the shelter, or to adopt Happy or one of the shelter’s other animals, you can visit From Heaven to Earth Rescue’s website.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/restorative-justice-resolves-alleged-assault-indiana-lake/
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Restorative justice resolves alleged assault at Indiana lake
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - A judge says restorative justice was successfully used in Indiana to remediate a confrontation in which a Black man said a group of white men assaulted him and threatened to “get a noose” while at a southern Indiana lake more than a year ago.
The alleged assault gained national attention in July 2020 when Vauhxx Booker, a local civil rights activist and member of the Monroe County Human Rights Commission, said he called 911 after five men assaulted him and pinned him to a tree at Lake Monroe, just south of Bloomington.
Judge Lance Hamner, who presided over the case, said it was the first time he’s seen a criminal case resolved through restorative justice, a process that includes a conference between the offender and victim and which gives the offender an opportunity to apologize.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/scientists-finally-finish-decoding-entire-human-genome/
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Scientists finally finish decoding entire human genome
(AP) - Scientists say they have finally assembled the full genetic blueprint for human life, adding the missing pieces to a puzzle nearly completed two decades ago.
An international team described the first-ever sequencing of a complete human genome – the set of instructions to build and sustain a human being – in research published Thursday in the journal Science. The previous effort, celebrated across the world, was incomplete because DNA sequencing technologies of the day weren’t able to read certain parts of it. Even after updates, it was missing about 8% of the genome.
“Some of the genes that make us uniquely human were actually in this ‘dark matter of the genome’ and they were totally missed,” said Evan Eichler, a University of Washington researcher who participated in the current effort and the original Human Genome Project. “It took 20-plus years, but we finally got it done.”
Many — including Eichler’s own students — thought it had been finished already. “I was teaching them, and they said, ‘Wait a minute. Isn’t this like the sixth time you guys have declared victory? I said, ‘No, this time we really, really did it!”
Scientists said this full picture of the genome will give humanity a greater understanding of our evolution and biology while also opening the door to medical discoveries in areas like aging, neurodegenerative conditions, cancer and heart disease.
“We’re just broadening our opportunities to understand human disease,” said Karen Miga, an author of one of the six studies published Thursday.
The research caps off decades of work. The first draft of the human genome was announced in a White House ceremony in 2000 by leaders of two competing entities: an international publicly funded project led by an agency of the U.S. National Institutes of Health and a private company, Maryland-based Celera Genomics.
The human genome is made up of about 3.1 billion DNA subunits, pairs of chemical bases known by the letters A, C, G and T. Genes are strings of these lettered pairs that contain instructions for making proteins, the building blocks of life. Humans have about 30,000 genes, organized in 23 groups called chromosomes that are found in the nucleus of every cell.
Before now, there were “large and persistent gaps that have been in our map, and these gaps fall in pretty important regions,” Miga said.
Miga, a genomics researcher at the University of California-Santa Cruz, worked with Adam Phillippy of the National Human Genome Research Institute to organize the team of scientists to start from scratch with a new genome with the aim of sequencing all of it, including previously missing pieces. The group, named after the sections at the very ends of chromosomes, called telomeres, is known as the Telomere-to-Telomere, or T2T, consortium.
Their work adds new genetic information to the human genome, corrects previous errors and reveals long stretches of DNA known to play important roles in both evolution and disease. A version of the research was published last year before being reviewed by scientific peers.
“This is a major improvement, I would say, of the Human Genome Project,” doubling its impact, said geneticist Ting Wang of the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, who was not involved in the research.
Eichler said some scientists used to think unknown areas contained “junk.” Not him. “Some of us always believed there was gold in those hills,” he said. Eichler is paid by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, which also supports The Associated Press’s health and science department.
Turns out that gold includes many important genes, he said, such as ones integral to making a person’s brain bigger than a chimp’s, with more neurons and connections.
To find such genes, scientists needed new ways to read life’s cryptic genetic language.
Reading genes requires cutting the strands of DNA into pieces hundreds to thousands of letters long. Sequencing machines read the letters in each piece and scientists try to put the pieces in the right order. That’s especially tough in areas where letters repeat.
Scientists said some areas were illegible before improvements in gene sequencing machines that now allow them to, for example, accurately read a million letters of DNA at a time. That allows scientists to see genes with repeated areas as longer strings instead of snippets that they had to later piece together.
Researchers also had to overcome another challenge: Most cells contain genomes from both mother and father, confusing attempts to assemble the pieces correctly. T2T researchers got around this by using a cell line from one “complete hydatidiform mole,” an abnormal fertilized egg containing no fetal tissue that has two copies of the father’s DNA and none of the mother’s.
The next step? Mapping more genomes, including ones that include collections of genes from both parents. This effort did not map one of the 23 chromosomes that is found in males, called the Y chromosome, because the mole contained only an X.
Wang said he’s working with the T2T group on the Human Pangenome Reference Consortium, which is trying to generate “reference,” or template, genomes for 350 people representing the breadth of human diversity.
“Now we’ve gotten one genome right and we have to do many, many more,” Eichler said. “This is the beginning of something really fantastic for the field of human genetics.”
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/severe-storms-pummel-south-after-7-hurt-arkansas-tornado/
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Severe storms pummel South killing at least 2 in Florida
(AP) - A line of severe storms packing isolated tornadoes and high winds ripped across the Deep South overnight — killing at least two in the Florida Panhandle, toppling trees and power lines and leaving homes and businesses damaged as the vast weather front raced across several states.
In Florida, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday morning that two were killed and two injured when a tornado touched down in the western Florida Panhandle.
Two homes were destroyed and powerlines were knocked down, according to Washington Country Emergency Management spokeswoman Cheryl Frankenfield. The county’s Facebook page showed at least one home that was obliterated, as well as trees down on another home. No other details were immediately available.
The Florida Division of Emergency Management has employees in the area to help, spokesperson Samantha Bequer said. She said neighboring Jackson County also had property damage.
“It’s a nasty day, but thankfully these storms are moving quickly,” she said.
At least two confirmed tornadoes injured several people Wednesday, damaged homes and businesses and downed power lines in Mississippi and Tennessee after earlier storm caused damage in Arkansas, Missouri and Texas.
About 185,000 customers were without electricity Thursday morning in the wake of the storm along a band of states: Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Ohio and Michigan, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks utilities.
The worst of the weather Thursday morning appeared to be at the southern end of the storm front, which was expected to bring heavy rain and high winds all along the U.S. East Coast later in the day. Much of the Florida Panhandle was under a tornado watch, according to the National Weather Service in Tallahassee.
Widespread damage was reported in the Jackson, Tennessee, area as a tornado warning was in effect. “Significant damage” occurred to a nursing home near Jackson-Madison County General Hospital and the Madison County Sheriff’s Office in Jackson, said Madison County Emergency Management Director Jason Moore.
In Nashville, Tennessee, paneling fell five stories from the side of a downtown hotel Wednesday evening and onto the roof of a building below. The fire department warned that debris could become airborne as high winds continued, and some hotel guests were moved to other parts of the building due to concerns the roof would become unstable. No injuries were immediately associated with the collapse.
Daylight revealed widespread wind damage across Alabama.
One person suffered minor injuries when a storm hit the University of Montevallo campus south of Birmingham, damaging three buildings, officials said, and a woman was injured when a manufactured home rolled over in rural Bibb County. A school bus was flipped at a high school in south Alabama, and part of the roof was missing from a church in northwest Alabama.
Elsewhere, a warehouse roof collapsed as the storms moved through Southaven, Mississippi, near Memphis, police said. The building had been evacuated and no injuries were reported.
The Mississippi Senate suspended its work Wednesday as weather sirens blared during a tornado watch in downtown Jackson. Some employees took shelter in the Capitol basement.
Rander P. Adams said he and his wife, Janice Delores Adams, were in their home near downtown Jackson when severe weather blew through during a tornado warning Wednesday afternoon. He said their lights flashed and a large window exploded just feet from his wife as she tried to open their front door.
“The glass broke just as if someone threw a brick through it,” he said. “I advised her then, ‘Let’s go to the back of the house.’”
Adams said the storm toppled trees in a nearby park, and a large tree across the street from their house split in half. “We were blessed,” he said. “Instead of falling toward the house, it fell the other way.”
Earlier Wednesday, a tornado that struck Springdale, Arkansas, and the adjoining town of Johnson, about 145 miles (235 kilometers) northwest of Little Rock, shortly after 4 a.m. injured seven people, two critically, according to Springdale Mayor Doug Sprouse.
Sprouse said in a statement that one of those critically injured had improved and was in stable condition and the other five were released from a hospital.
“Our first responders have completed door-to-door searches, and we believe everyone has been accounted for,” Sprouse said.
The National Weather Service in Tulsa said Thursday that the tornado has been rated an EF-3, up from an initial assessment of EF-2, with wind speeds between 136-165 mph (219-265 kph). The tornado reached a peak speed of about 145 mph (233 kph) and 5 miles (8 kilometers) while on the ground for about eight minutes, according to the weather service.
In northwest Missouri, an EF-1 tornado with wind speeds around 90 mph (145 kph) struck St. Joseph on Tuesday night, damaging two homes.
A small tornado also touched down briefly on the eastern edge of Dallas, according to the National Weather Service in Fort Worth. The tornado struck just after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday near McClendon-Chisolm with top winds of about 100 mph (161 kph) and damaged homes, but no injuries were reported, according to the weather service.
The storms come a week after a tornado in a New Orleans-area neighborhood carved a path of destruction during the overnight hours and killed a man.
Strong winds in Louisiana overturned semitrailers, peeled the roof from a mobile home, sent a tree crashing into a home and knocked down power lines, according to weather service forecasters, who did not immediately confirm any tornadoes in the state.
The National Weather Service office in New Orleans said Thursday that teams would be out in Tangipahoa and St. Tammany Parishes in southeastern Louisiana and in Jackson County in southeastern Mississippi surveying damage. They said the highest wind speed recorded in the office’ coverage area was 67 mph (108 kph) at the New Orleans Lakefront airport with winds in Baton Rouge reaching into the high 50 mph (80 kph) range.
Firefighters, meanwhile, have been trying to get handle on a wildfire spreading near Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee, amid mandatory evacuations as winds whipped up ahead of the approaching storm front.
The fire, which was not contained, had expanded to about 250 acres (more than 100 hectares) as of Wednesday afternoon. One person was injured, and a plume of smoke rose above one community not far from where 2016 wildfires ravaged the tourism town of Gatlinburg, killing 14 people and damaging or destroying about 2,500 buildings.
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Wagster Pettus reported from Jackson, Mississippi, and Mattise from Nashville, Tennessee; many other Associated Press journalists contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/suave-deodorant-sprays-recalled-due-elevated-levels-benzene-carcinogen/
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Suave deodorant sprays recalled due to elevated levels of benzene, a carcinogen
(Gray News) - Unilever is voluntarily recalling two Suave 24-Hour Protection Aerosol Antiperspirants due to slightly elevated levels of benzene, a carcinogen, in the products.
Benzene is not an ingredient in the recalled products, but a review showed unexpected levels of benzene came from the propellant that sprays the product out of the can.
The following products are part of the recall:
Suave 24-Hour Protection Aerosol Antiperspirant Powder scent
- 4 oz. and 6 oz. cans
- UPC codes 079400751508; 079400784902
- Expiration date through September 2023
Suave 24-Hour Protection Aerosol Antiperspirant Fresh scent
- 6 oz. cans
- UPC code 079400785503
- Expiration date through September 2023
The FDA says exposure to benzene can occur by inhalation, orally, and through the skin; it can result in cancers including leukemia and blood cancer of the bone marrow and blood disorders.
The FDA says consumers should throw away the recalled products. If you have further questions about the recall, contact Unilever at (866) 204-9756.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/tornado-confirmed-toledo-bend/
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Tornado confirmed at Toledo Bend
The National Weather Service is surveying damage across the region from Wednesday’s storms
Published: Mar. 31, 2022 at 1:24 PM CDT
ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - The National Weather Service has confirmed that a tornado touched down on Wednesday at the southern end of the Toledo Bend Reservoir.
An EF-1 tornado with peak winds of 110 mph touched down on the Texas side of the reservoir, traveling for 1.9 miles between 11:41 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. Wednesday.
Ten homes and camps sustained roof damage, as well as several boat docks and barns. Numerous pine trees were also snapped.
The National Weather Service also announced plans to conduct a storm survey in southern Sabine Parish on Thursday.
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Copyright 2022 KALB. All rights reserved.
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Two kids with special needs left outside of Iowa school unsupervised
DES MOINES, Iowa (KCCI) - A family in Iowa is speaking out after their two special needs children were left outside of a school unsupervised on Tuesday.
“The only thing I could think about was the what-if’s, and this needs to be addressed and not happen again,” mother Gina Hernandez said.
She said her children, Victor, 10, and Angel, 7, were left outside of their elementary school after their after school program for about 15 minutes.
Victor has autism, and Angel has cerebral palsy and epilepsy.
Angel said his teachers told him and his brother that their dad was out front, and they were sent out the door without an adult seeing them off.
“Me and Victor were told to go outside and when we went outside, there was nobody,” Angel said.
The brothers wandered the parking lot looking for their dad’s truck, and when they realized he was not there, they tried to get back into the school.
“We knocked on the doors and no one answered,” Angel said.
Hernandez said her husband found the boys by the dumpsters.
She said the gap in time between her boys being alone and their dad showing up is terrifying because of what Victor has done in the past.
“He wanders. There’s an interstate right there,” Hernandez said, “When he’s mad, he’ll go up and try to make it onto the interstate, and teachers have to stop him.”
Des Moines Public Schools said in a statement that parents text the Metro Kids Program when they arrive to pick up their child. In this case, the employee walked the wrong kids to the door and failed to stay with Victor and Angel until they were in the care of their parent.
The employee has been put on leave as the school district investigates.
In the meantime, Gina says she does not know what they will do about after school care.
“We don’t know that we can continue to entrust them in the care they’re getting at the school,” she said.
According to the school district, the children were left outside for about five minutes before staffers realized there had been a mistake and employees notified the parents immediately.
The district said it takes the safety of the children in the Metro Kids Program very seriously.
Copyright 2022 KCCI via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/ukraine-nuclear-operator-russian-troops-leave-chernobyl/
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Ukraine nuclear operator: Russian troops leave Chernobyl
LVIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian troops were leaving the Chernobyl nuclear power plant and heading towards Ukraine’s border with Belarus, the Ukrainian nuclear operator company said.
The operator, Energoatom said that the Russian military was also preparing to leave Slavutych, a nearby city where power plant workers live.
Energoatom also said reports were confirmed that the Russians dug trenches in the Red Forest, the 10-square-kilometer (nearly four-square-mile) area surrounding the Chernobyl plant within the Exclusion Zone, and received “significant doses of radiation.”
The Russian troops “panicked at the first sign of illness,” which “showed up very quickly,” and began to prepare to leave, the operator said. The claim couldn’t be independently verified.
Energoatom said the Russians have signed a document confirming the handover of the Chernobyl plant and stating that the plant’s administration doesn’t have any complaints about the Russian troops who were “guarding” the facility.
“It turns out that the occupiers ‘guarded’ the station for more than five weeks, and even so well that there are no complaints,” Energoatom said in a statement on Telegram.
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Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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US returns to World Cup despite 2-0 loss at Costa Rica
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica (AP) - Christian Pulisic walked across the field with a towel draped around his head, angry after another U.S. defeat.
“We’re competitors, man. We hate to lose. In the moment I was frustrated,” he said. “It took me a little bit for it to sink in, that the qualification hit.”
Nearly 4 1/2 years after Pulisic buried his head in his hands to hide tears of failure, the U.S. rebounded to qualify for this year’s World Cup. A 2-0 loss to Costa Rica on Wednesday left the Americans in third place after the final night of qualifying, the final guaranteed berth from North and Central America and the Caribbean.
For Pulisic, DeAndre Yedlin, Kellyn Acosta and Paul Arriola, smiles of relief broke out after an unrelenting burden was lifted.
“This is whatever I’ve always wanted to be, and right now emotions are a bit crazy,” Pulisic said, his voice quavering.
On the 1,267th day after a 2-1 loss at Trinidad and Tobago ended the Americans’ streak of seven straight World Cup appearances, Yedlin addressed the team before the kickoff.
“I just thanked each and every one of them for giving me a second opportunity to redeem myself, and the country a second opportunity to redeem itself,” said the 28-year-old defender, the only American left from the 2014 tournament.
The U.S. remained winless in 12 qualifiers at Costa Rica, with 10 defeats and two draws.
Juan Pablo Vargas got behind Walker Zimmerman and headed Brandon Aguilera’s corner kick past goalkeeper Zack Steffen in the 51st minute, and Anthony Contreras knocked in Jewison Bennette’s cross off a scramble in the 59th after Steffen palmed Aguilar’s free kick toward Contreras and blocked Contreras’ initial shot.
Coach Gregg Berhalter, who played for the U.S. at the 2002 World Cup, congratulated the players in the locker room. Starting lineups in the 14 qualifiers averaged an American-record low of 23 years, 302 days.
“Being the youngest team in the world to qualify for the World Cup is no easy task,” he said. “It’s a proud moment for the team, proud moment for U.S. Soccer, and we’re looking forward to competing in the World Cup again.”
A sellout crowd of about 35,000 in National Stadium came to life with the goals, but the Americans’ 5-1 rout of Panama at home last weekend gave them a huge goal-difference margin over Costa Rica. That meant the U.S. merely had to avoid losing by six goals or more in order to claim an automatic berth.
Canada, which had clinched its first World Cup trip since 1986 with a win Sunday, finished first in the group with 28 points after a 1-0 loss at Panama, ahead of Mexico on goal difference. El Tri clinched its eighth straight World Cup berth with a 2-0 home win over El Salvador, while the U.S. (25 points) finished third with a plus-11 goal difference to plus-five for Costa Rica (also 25 points).
Ticos coach Luis Fernando Suárez benched six starters from Sunday’s win at El Salvador who carried yellow cards, not wanting to risk a suspension for a June playoff against Oceania champion New Zealand.
As Berhalter spoke to his team, 24-year-old defender Erik-Palmer Brown popped open the first bottle of Duet Mosseux Brut, starting a brief bubbly and beer celebration before some players caught a charter flight to London. Berhalter headed with staff for a red-eye flight to New York and a connection for Qatar ahead of Friday’s draw.
U.S. bench players walked onto the field at the final whistle and exchanged handshakes and hugs with their teammates, while home fans cheered the Ticos. Then American players put on ski goggles and let loose.
“The party is going. I think we have run out of beer,” said Zimmerman, a 28-year-old defender who didn’t play in the first three qualifiers, then started 10 of the last 11. “Coming into the locker room, everyone just decided, you know what, we realized our goal, which was to qualify, and we did that, so everyone kind of forgot about tonight. We put ourselves in that position, where we could afford to do that.”
The U.S. finds out at Friday’s draw which three nations it will face in the group stage, which starts Nov. 21 at a tournament pushed back five months to avoid summer desert heat. A growing and increasingly hypercritical fan base is hoping to see Pulisic & Co. reach the quarterfinals for the first time since 2002.
“Now we have to test ourselves against the best players in the world, the best teams in the world,” said midfielder Tyler Adams, who came off at halftime with a bruise above his left knee from a tackle. “This was only the first stage in our development.”
Pulisic, the first American to play in and win a Champions League final, had been consumed with trying to lift the U.S. back to a World Cup. He led the team with five of its 21 goals despite making just seven starts due to COVID-19, a sprained ankle and shaky form when he first came back from the injury.
“Looking at the big picture, we’re obviously so proud to represent our country at a World Cup, so we’re thrilled for that. In a couple of days, I don’t think we’ll be thinking about this game,” he said. “I think we can do a lot of damage, man. I think we’re a confident bunch of guys, and, yeah, I think the country will get behind us.”
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More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sport
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Woman mauled by dogs on life support continues to fight for her life, family says
ABBEVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WHNS/Gray News) - A South Carolina woman continues to fight for her life at a local hospital after being attacked by three dogs earlier this month.
The Abbeville County Sheriff’s Office said a woman, later identified as Kyleen Waltman, was viciously attacked outside of a home in Abbeville County on March 21.
WHNS reports on March 23, her family wrote that she was in critical condition and that doctors were closely monitoring her, according to an update on a GoFundMe account for Waltman.
Initially, deputies said a witness was able to scare the dogs away from Waltman to stop them from mauling her further.
On Sunday, her family wrote that doctors were keeping Waltman sedated so she didn’t aggravate her spinal cord by trying to move.
Waltman was also on a ventilator, according to the family. She is doing most of the work herself. However, her blood pressure does go high while her oxygen levels drop.
On Tuesday, the family said doctors woke Waltman, and she could see and talk to her daughters and mother.
Waltman was scheduled to get a prosthetic on her right arm. However, according to her family, doctors had to remove her arm to her shoulder due to an infection detected.
The woman’s sister said Waltman is a mother of three and recently became a grandmother. At times, she has done well while at the hospital but ultimately has been placed back on life support.
The dogs in the attack were seized by Abbeville County Animal Control, and police said their investigation remains ongoing.
Copyright 2022 WHNS via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/after-house-vote-insulin-price-cap-bill-faces-uncertain-future-senate/
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After House vote, insulin price cap bill faces uncertain future in Senate
President Biden’s call for Congress to cap the price to $35 per month has been answered by House Democrats: but the Senate still needs the support.
WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Weeks after President Joe Biden called on Congress to cap the price of insulin, the House passed legislation to do exactly that, capping the out-of-pocket cost for the essential drug at $35 per month for people with private insurance and Medicare.
At a press conference before Thursday’s vote, Rep. Dan Kildee (D-Mich.) said too many people living with diabetes are finding life-saving insulin to be out of reach because they can’t afford it.
Kildee said, “The idea that some families don’t have even access to a 100-year-old drug, it’s just unconscionable.”
What happens in the Senate is still unknown.
Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) already introduced the Affordable Insulin Now Act in the Senate. The bill has support from 34 senators, but no Republicans yet.
Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said she is working on a separate, bipartisan bill, with Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), to lower the overall cost of insulin which would also help those who don’t have insurance.
Collins said, “We want to produce as comprehensive bill as possible that will help as many people who are insulin dependent as possible.”
Sen. Collins’ office said there’s an agreement on the framework of the bill, but they are still ironing out the legislative text. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that he supports both efforts to lower the cost of insulin, and wants a vote after Easter.
Copyright 2022 Gray DC. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/biden-planning-tap-oil-reserve-control-gas-prices-2/
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Biden oil move aims to cut gas prices ‘fairly significantly’
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Thursday ordered the release of 1 million barrels of oil per day from the nation’s strategic petroleum reserve for six months, a bid to control energy prices that have spiked after the United States and allies imposed steep sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.
The president said it was not known how much gasoline prices could decline as a result of his move, but he suggested it might be “anything from 10 cents to 35 cents a gallon.” Gas is averaging about $4.23 a gallon, compared with $2.87 a year ago, according to AAA.
“The bottom line is if we want lower gas prices we need to have more oil supply right now,” Biden said. “This is a moment of consequence and peril for the world, and pain at the pump for American families.”
The president also wants Congress to impose financial penalties on oil and gas companies that lease public lands but are not producing. He said he will invoke the Defense Production Act to encourage the mining of critical minerals for batteries in electric vehicles, part of a broader push to shift toward cleaner energy sources and reduce the use of fossil fuels.
The actions show that oil remains a vulnerability for the U.S. Higher prices have hurt Biden’s approval domestically and added billions of oil-export dollars to the Russian government as it wages war on Ukraine.
Tapping the stockpile would create pressures that could reduce oil prices, though Biden has twice ordered releases from the reserves without causing a meaningful shift in oil markets. Biden said Thursday he expects gasoline prices could drop “fairly significantly.”
Part of Biden’s concern is that high prices have not so far coaxed a meaningful jump in oil production. The planned release is a way to increase supplies as a bridge until oil companies ramp up their own production, with administration officials estimating that domestic production will grow by 1 million barrels daily this year and an additional 700,000 barrels daily in 2023.
The markets reacted quickly with crude oil prices dropping about 6% in Thursday trading to roughly $101 a barrel. Still, oil is up from roughly $60 a year ago, with supplies failing to keep up with demand as the world economy has begun to rebound from the coronavirus pandemic. That inflationary problem was compounded by Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which created new uncertainties about oil and natural gas supplies and led to retaliatory sanctions from the U.S. and its allies.
Stewart Glickman, an oil analyst for CFRA Research, said the release would bring short-term relief on prices and would be akin to “taking some Advil for a headache.” But markets would ultimately look to see whether, after the releases stop, the underlying problems that led to Biden’s decisions remain.
“The root cause of the headache is probably still going to be there after the medicine wears off,” Glickman said.
Biden has been in talks with allies and partners to join in additional releases of oil, such that the world market will get more than the 180 million barrels total being pledged by the U.S.
Americans on average use about 21 million barrels of oil daily, with about 40% of that devoted to gasoline, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. That total accounts for about one-fifth of total global consumption of oil.
Domestic oil production is equal to more than half of U.S. usage, but high prices have not led companies to return to their pre-pandemic levels of output. The U.S. is producing on average 11.7 million barrels daily, down from 13 million barrels in early 2020.
Republican lawmakers have said the problem results from the administration being hostile to oil permits and the construction of new pipelines such as the Keystone XL. Democrats say the country needs to move to renewable energy such as wind and solar that could reduce the dependence on fossil fuels and Putin’s leverage.
Sen. Steve Daines, R-Mont., blasted Biden’s action to tap the reserve without first taking steps to increase American energy production, calling it “a Band-Aid on a bullet wound.″
Daines called Biden’s actions “desperate moves″ that avoid what he called the real solution: “investing in American energy production,″ and getting “oil and gas leases going again.”
The administration says increasing oil output is a gradual process and the release would provide time to ramp up production. It also wants to incentivize greater production by putting fees on unused leases on government lands, something that would require congressional approval.
Oil producers have been more focused on meeting the needs of investors than consumers, according to a survey released last week by the Dallas Federal Reserve. About 59% of the executives surveyed said investor pressure to preserve “capital discipline” amid high prices was the reason they weren’t pumping more, while fewer than 10% blamed government regulation.
In his remarks Thursday, Biden tried to shame oil companies that he said are focused on profits instead of putting out more barrels, saying that adding to the oil supply was a patriotic obligation.
“This is not the time to sit on record profits: It’s time to step up for the good of your country,” the president said.
The steady release from the reserves would be a meaningful sum and come near to closing the domestic production gap relative to February 2020, before the coronavirus caused a steep decline in oil output.
Still, the politics of oil are complicated with industry advocates and environmentalists both criticizing the planned release. Groups such as the American Petroleum Institute want to make drilling easier, while environmental organizations say energy companies should be forced to pay a special tax on windfall profits instead.
The administration in November announced the release of 50 million barrels from the strategic reserve in coordination with other countries. And after the Russia-Ukraine war began, the U.S. and 30 other countries agreed to an additional release of 60 million barrels from reserves, with half of the total coming from the U.S.
According to the Department of Energy, which manages it, more than 568 million barrels of oil were held in the reserve as of March 25. After the release, the government would begin to replenish the reserve once prices have sufficiently fallen.
News of the administration’s planning was first reported by Bloomberg.
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Associated Press writers Alex Veiga, Darlene Superville, Matthew Daly and Michael Balsamo contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/covid-pandemics-end-may-bring-turbulence-us-health-care/
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COVID pandemic’s end may bring turbulence for US health care
WASHINGTON (AP) — When the end of the COVID-19 pandemic comes, it could create major disruptions for a cumbersome U.S. health care system made more generous, flexible and up-to-date technologically through a raft of temporary emergency measures.
Winding down those policies could begin as early as the summer. That could force an estimated 15 million Medicaid recipients to find new sources of coverage, require congressional action to preserve broad telehealth access for Medicare enrollees, and scramble special COVID-19 rules and payment policies for hospitals, doctors and insurers. There are also questions about how emergency use approvals for COVID-19 treatments will be handled.
The array of issues is tied to the coronavirus public health emergency first declared more than two years ago and periodically renewed since then. It’s set to end April 16 and the expectation is that the Biden administration will extend it through mid-July. Some would like a longer off-ramp.
Transitions don’t bode well for the complex U.S. health care system, with its mix of private and government insurance and its labyrinth of policies and procedures. Health care chaos, if it breaks out, could create midterm election headaches for Democrats and Republicans alike.
“The flexibilities granted through the public health emergency have helped people stay covered and get access to care, so moving forward the key question is how to build on what has been a success and not lose ground,” said Juliette Cubanski, a Medicare expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, who has been researching potential consequences of winding down the pandemic emergency.
MEDICAID CHURN
Medicaid, the state-federal health insurance program for low-income people, is covering about 79 million people, a record partly due to the pandemic.
But the nonpartisan Urban Institute think tank estimates that about 15 million people could lose Medicaid when the public health emergency ends, at a rate of at least 1 million per month.
Congress increased federal Medicaid payments to states because of COVID-19, but it also required states to keep people on the rolls during the health emergency. In normal times states routinely disenroll Medicaid recipients whose incomes rise beyond certain levels, or for other life changes affecting eligibility. That process will switch on again when the emergency ends, and some states are eager to move forward.
Virtually all of those losing Medicaid are expected to be eligible for some other source of coverage, either through employers, the Affordable Care Act or — for kids — the Children’s Health Insurance Program.
But that’s not going to happen automatically, said Matthew Buettgens, lead researcher on the Urban Institute study. Cost and lack of awareness about options could get in the way.
People dropped from Medicaid may not realize they can pick up taxpayer-subsidized ACA coverage. Medicaid is usually free, so people offered workplace insurance could find the premiums too high.
“This is an unprecedented situation,” said Buettgens. “The uncertainty is real.”
The federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, is advising states to take it slow and connect Medicaid recipients who are disenrolled with other potential coverage. The agency will keep an eye on states’ accuracy in making eligibility decisions. Biden officials want coverage shifts, not losses.
“We are focused on making sure we hold on to the gains in coverage we have made under the Biden-Harris administration,” said CMS Administrator Chiquita Brooks-LaSure. “We are at the strongest point in our history and we are going make sure that we hold on to the coverage gains.”
ACA coverage — or “Obamacare” — is an option for many who would lose Medicaid. But it will be less affordable if congressional Democrats fail to extend generous financial assistance called for in President Joe Biden’s social legislation. Democrats stalling the bill would face blame.
Republicans in mostly Southern states that have refused to expand Medicaid are also vulnerable. In those states, it can be very difficult for low-income adults to get coverage and more people could wind up uninsured.
State Medicaid officials don’t want to be the scapegoats. “Medicaid has done its job,” said Matt Salo, head of the National Association of Medicaid Directors. “We have looked out for physical, mental and behavioral health needs. As we come out of this emergency, we are supposed to right-size the program.”
TELEHEALTH STATIC
Millions of Americans discovered telehealth in 2020 when coronavirus shutdowns led to the suspension of routine medical consultations. In-person visits are again the norm, but telehealth has shown its usefulness and gained broader acceptance.
The end of the public health emergency would jeopardize telehealth access for millions enrolled in traditional Medicare. Restrictions predating COVID-19 limit telehealth mainly to rural residents, in part to mitigate against health care fraud. Congress has given itself 151 days after the end of the public health emergency to come up with new rules.
“If there are no changes to the law after that, most Medicare beneficiaries will lose access to coverage for telehealth,” the Kaiser Foundation’s Cubanski said.
A major exception applies to enrollees in private Medicare Advantage plans, which generally do cover telehealth. However, nearly 6 in 10 Medicare enrollees are in the traditional fee-for-service program.
TESTS, VACCINES, TREATMENTS, PAYMENTS & PROCEDURES
Widespread access to COVID-19 vaccines, tests and treatments rests on legal authority connected to the public health emergency.
One example is the Biden administration’s requirement for insurers to cover up to eight free at-home COVID-19 tests per month.
An area that’s particularly murky is what happens to tests, treatments and vaccines covered under emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration.
Some experts say emergency use approvals last only through the duration of the public health emergency. Others say it’s not as simple as that, because a different federal emergency statute also applies to vaccines, tests and treatments. There’s no clear direction yet from health officials.
The FDA has granted full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for those 16 and older and Moderna’s for those 18 and older, so their continued use would not be affected.
But hospitals could take a financial hit. Currently Medicare pays them 20% more for the care of COVID-19 patients. That’s only for the duration of the emergency.
And Medicare enrollees would have more hoops to jump through to be approved for rehab in a nursing home. A suspended Medicare rule requiring a prior three-day hospital stay would come back into effect.
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra recently told The Associated Press that his department is committed to giving “ample notice” when it ends the public health emergency.
“We want to make sure we’re not putting in a detrimental position Americans who still need our help,” Becerra said. “The one that people are really worried about is Medicaid.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Crews work to contain Tennessee wildfire
PIGEON FORGE, Tenn. (AP) — Firefighters from across Tennessee continued working Thursday morning to contain a wildfire near the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that spread overnight despite rain from storms that passed through the area, officials said.
The blaze, which began as a brush fire Wednesday morning in the Hatcher Mountain area of Wears Valley, had spread to more than 3,700 acres (1,497 hectares) and had impacted more than 100 structures, Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters said during a press conference. Around 11,000 homes in the area had been evacuated. Three injuries were reported during the blaze, but Waters said no fatalities or missing people had been reported.
He said a coordinated response from emergency personnel, firefighters, forestry officials and others helped mitigate damage in the area.
“This fire could have been much more devastating had we not had this team in place. They were able to, even with the winds and the low humidity, they were able to stay ahead of it as much as possible,” he said.
Officials had warned early Wednesday that warm temperatures, low humidity and strong winds increased the risk of fire danger. Waters said the conditions were similar to those in 2016 when wildfires ravaged the tourism town of Gatlinburg, killing 14 people and damaging or destroying about 2,500 buildings.
Firefighters from more than 70 agencies helped respond to the blaze and many worked through the night in an effort to keep it from spreading. It was only 5% contained, but fire lines drawn overnight helped keep the blaze from spreading into the city of Pigeon Forge, Waters said.
Rain early Thursday from storms passing through did not put the fire out, but officials said it helped the situation and the current weather conditions were more favorable for containing the fire.
Evacuation orders remain in effect until the fire is under control. Schools in the area were closed Thursday as a precaution, officials said.
The fire was in what the state Agriculture Department described as steep and difficult terrain. The cause is still undetermined.
At least three shelters were established for those evacuated, authorities said. More than 100 people stayed overnight at the Pigeon Forge Community Center, Sharon Hudson, executive director of the Eastern Tennessee chapter of the American Red Cross. told the Knoxville News Sentinel.
A line of severe storms packing isolated tornadoes and high winds ripped across the Deep South overnight, killing at least two in the Florida Panhandle, toppling trees and power lines and leaving homes and businesses damaged as the vast weather front raced across several states.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Expert explains why there is a cat food shortage
AMES, Iowa (KCCI) - There’s a cat food shortage, and an Iowa State University professor says COVID-19 supply chain issues are to blame.
Specifically, supply chain professor Jonathan Phares points to the shortage of meat used in cat food.
He also said there has been an increase in cat adoptions since the pandemic began in 2020.
Most pet adoptions saw a spike and dropoff. Cats, however, continue to be adopted at the same rate as their pandemic highs.
“What we know in supply chains is that small changes have big impacts, and they can be very hard to recover from because demand doesn’t decrease,” Phares said.
Phares also said aluminum, which most wet cat food is packaged in, is also in short supply.
He notes online pet retailers like Chewy have done away with aluminum packaging to fight the cat food shortage.
Copyright 2022 KCCI via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/explainer-what-is-strategic-petroleum-reserve/
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EXPLAINER: What is the Strategic Petroleum Reserve?
DALLAS (AP) — President Joe Biden is again dipping into the nation’s petroleum stockpile to try to corral rising energy prices.
The White House announced Thursday that Biden ordered the daily release of 1 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve for the next six months. Biden will also ask Congress to penalize oil and gas companies that lease public land but aren’t producing energy.
The administration hopes that tapping the petroleum reserve will buy time and tamp down gasoline prices long enough until domestic producers can boost output.
Global oil prices were rising even before Russia invaded Ukraine in February. When Biden announced a ban on Russian oil imports in early March, he acknowledged it would come at a cost to American consumers.
This is the third time Biden has turned to the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in a little over four months. Back in November, he ordered the release of 50 million barrels of oil. Then, in his state of the union speech in March, Biden announced another 30 million barrels as part of a multi-nation effort to boost the oil supply.
Tapping the reserve is among the few things a president can do alone to try to control inflation, which makes Americans poorer and often creates a political liability for the party in control of the White House.
Here is a look at what’s involved:
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WHAT IS THE PETROLEUM RESERVE?
America’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve is a collection of underground salt caverns in Texas and Louisiana that can hold more than 700 million barrels of oil, although it is not currently full. The reserve held about 568 million barrels last week, down from more than 650 million barrels in mid-2021, according to the U.S. Energy Department.
The reserve was created after the 1970s Arab oil embargo to give the United States a supply that could be used in an emergency.
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WHY IS IT USED?
The U.S. now exports more oil than it imports, but the reserve remains and has been tapped for various reasons, from offsetting the impact of hurricanes and ship-channel closings to raising money for deficit reduction.
In 1991, President George H.W. Bush authorized withdrawing nearly 34 million barrels during the Gulf War, although only 17 million barrels were used. In 2011, President Barack Obama approved the release of 30 million barrels to offset the disruption of supply from Libya.
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HOW DO THEY GET THE OIL OUT?
Oil is lighter than water — that’s why disasters like those caused by the Exxon Valdez tanker and the Deepwater Horizon drilling rig create slicks on the surface. To remove oil from the reserves, water is pumped into the salt caverns, making the crude float to the surface, where it is captured and sent through pipelines to refineries.
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WHY IS BIDEN TAPPING THE RESERVE?
Supply and demand. Biden is hoping that by releasing more oil on the market, prices will fall. Prices did dip for nearly two weeks after Biden’s initial announcement about tapping the reserve back in November but then resumed their steep climb. U.S. crude is up almost 40% this year and has grown even more volatile in the past month.
Whether Biden’s latest move works will depend on several factors. One factor to keep in mind: Even though 1 million barrels a day is a huge amount of oil, the U.S. consumed nearly 20 million barrels a day last year, and worldwide consumption topped 97 million barrels a day.
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WILL GASOLINE GET CHEAPER?
What most people want to know is what’s going to happen to prices at the pump. Many factors go into the price of gasoline. Refineries buy crude oil in advance, so they could still be working with more expensive oil. States have differing tax rates that affect the price that motorists pay.
On Thursday, the national average price for a gallon of regular was more than $4.22, down about a dime from the peak earlier in March, according to auto club AAA.
The average is still under $4 a gallon in many states in the middle of the country, but it’s higher in the Northeast and highest in the West. In California, it’s an eye-popping $5.90 a gallon.
Even if those prices don’t drop, Biden can argue that by tapping the reserve he tried to help.
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WHO GETS HURT MOST?
Gasoline prices are regressive — lower-income people are more likely to spend a higher percentage of their money on gasoline than are affluent Americans — so increases hurt the most price-sensitive consumers. Kevin Book, managing director at Clearview Energy Partners, says those consumers might not show up in measures of the nation’s economy, “but they show up in vote counts ... if we get down to it, that’s really what this is about.”
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WHY DOES OIL MATTER?
The future of oil and gas in the U.S. is a political flashpoint and source of tension, especially as companies and government agencies grapple with climate change and the transition to cleaner sources of energy.
On one hand, the U.S. oil and gas industry has been praised by some political leaders for creating energy independence. Where the U.S. once relied heavily on imports, other nations now rely on the U.S. for oil. It’s also a job supplier: The oil and gas industry employs more than 10 million people in the U.S. and contributes about 8% of the nation’s gross domestic product, according to the American Petroleum Institute.
Companies that supply oil benefit from higher prices. But consumers don’t like it when those higher prices trickle down to the pump.
The institute has previously said that any release of oil from the strategic reserve should be paired with policy measures that encourage more U.S. energy production. That collides with Biden’s promise to reduce dependence on fossil fuels that contribute to climate change.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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Hermit ‘River Dave’ a no-show at disputed woodlot hearing, faces fines
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A former hermit in New Hampshire who went back to live on the wooded property he was ordered to leave realizes that his time there is drawing to a close — but he appears willing to keep fighting against his removal for now.
David Lidstone, who just turned 82, failed to show up for a contempt of court hearing Thursday in his tug-of-war with a Vermont landowner over a patch of forest near the Merrimack River that he’s called home for 27 years before his cabin burned down in an accidental fire.
Given his history of not appearing at hearings until he’s arrested, a judge on Thursday interpreted Lidstone’s no-show as a “seemingly deliberate” move and imposed costs to cover some of the landowner’s expenses. He said Lidstone would face a $500-a-day fine if he doesn’t leave the woodlot by April 11.
“I am not sure why he missed it,” said Jodie Gedeon, a kayaker who befriended Lidstone years ago. A phone message was left for Lidstone.
A judge issued an injunction in 2017 for “River Dave” — as Lidstone is known — to leave after the landowner, Leonard Giles, sued him. But there have been delays in the case: Besides the pandemic, Lidstone hasn’t always shown up for court and he’s been in and out of jail as he resisted the injunction.
Court records say the undeveloped property has been in the Giles family since 1963 and is used for timber harvests. Lidstone had claimed that years ago, the current owner’s father gave his word — but nothing in writing — allowing him to live there. He also has disputed whether he’s on the property in the first place.
“I have a great deal of sympathy for Mr. Lidstone,” Judge Andrew Schulman said Thursday, “but it is what it is.”
Giles’ attorney, Lisa Snow Wade, responded, “I look at it from a different perspective. The person who should have the sympathy here is Mr. Giles, who’s an 86-year-old veteran who’s been put through this. This is not that easy for him emotionally, or you know, financially.” She said he’s paid over $39,000.
Snow Wade had suggested a financial penalty for Lidstone, saying time in jail did not seem to change his behavior.
Earlier this month, Lidstone told The Associated Press “I know my days are numbered here,” a day after he was arrested and pleaded not guilty to a trespassing charge on the land. “Eventually I’m going to have to move.”
Lidstone, who became known as a friendly face to kayakers and an advocate for keeping the river clean, wasn’t sure what he would do next or where he would go, even though he’s had offers of other places to live and more than $200,000 in donations.
A leader of a group that has helped organize fundraisers for Lidstone posted on its “Help local legend David Lidstone ‘River Dave’” Facebook site that the page would be taken down, saying the group has done what it can for him.
“Dave has the means at this point to get a place for the remainder of his years and has a large local support group to reach out to when he needs us,” Darrin Apichell wrote.
Lidstone, a logger by trade, is accused of squatting in a rustic cabin he built on the land in Canterbury. The wooden, two-level A-frame cabin had solar panels, a small, cluttered kitchen with pots hanging from the ceiling, and curtains on the windows. His porch had a footstool with a base made of stacked beer cans. He converted a wood stove into a beehive. He attached lights, a mirror and a pulley for a clothesline to logs supporting the cabin. He also had a vegetable garden.
But while Lidstone was in jail over the property dispute, his cabin burned down in August as it was being dismantled at Giles’ request. The Canterbury fire chief said the fire was accidental.
Lidstone, who has been representing himself, was ordered to pick up his remaining possessions and leave. An outpouring of support followed. He didn’t think he could go back to being a hermit and lived with some friends. But by late fall, he had turned a shed that survived the fire into a makeshift home, outfitted with a solar panel and a wood stove.
Lidstone was given permission last year to hire a surveyor to give him “peace of mind,” Schulman said, but he has been unable to get someone to come out yet.
It hasn’t been easy to serve Lidstone with a notice to appear in court. There’s no road access to the property, which is about a mile and half into the woods. In January, one process server slipped, fell down an embankment, and injured his leg in his attempt to reach Lidstone at the woodshed, according to a motion filed by Snow Wade.
“Mr. Lidstone has been painted as a sympathetic figure in the media because he is an 81-year-old veteran wanting to live a romanticized life off-the-grid,” another plaintiff’s motion from December said. “That does not excuse his conduct of returning to Mr. Giles’ land, again, and again, and again.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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History teacher removed after hanging Black doll in classroom
CHICAGO (WLS) - A heated exchange between two teachers at a Chicago high school is being investigated after one of the teachers hung a Black doll from a cord in a classroom.
It took place in front of students, and a picture of the incident circulated on social media.
On Wednesday, the school day ended at Whitney Young Magnet High School with a special listening session after the apparent racial incident.
“He [the teacher] definitely should have thought about it because that could be really sensitive, especially with it being an African American doll and something that could cause suicidal thoughts,” said high school sophomore William Schetz.
According to a letter from the school’s principal Joyce Kenner to parents, a teacher hung a small stuffed African American football doll by a pull-down string from a projector screen in their classroom. The teacher indicated he found the doll in his room and wanted the students to see if someone would claim it.
When another teacher confronted that teacher about the hanging doll, the two reportedly got into a fight.
Kenner said Chicago Public School officials have taken over the investigation of the incident and removed the history teacher.
“I believe he should be removed from the school, and his teaching degree should be taken away,” said Michelle Donegan, a student’s parent.
A spokeswoman for the Chicago Teachers Union said practices that mitigate the harm of racial biases must be ongoing and consistent in our schools.
“He knows what lynching is. He knows what hanging the doll would represent,” Donegan said.
Copyright 2022 WLS via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved.
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Ivermectin does not prevent COVID-19 hospitalization, study finds
(Gray News) - A recent study conducted in Brazil found that ivermectin, a medication used to treat certain parasitic infections, didn’t reduce the risk of hospitalization from COVID-19.
The study was published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine after researchers in Brazil studied more than 1,300 patients, half of which received ivermectin and the other half a placebo.
There were no significant differences between the ivermectin and placebo groups concerning viral clearance at day seven, according to the study. And there were no significant differences between the groups in the risk of hospitalization or clinical recovery.
Researchers wrote they did not find a significant or clinically lower risk of medical admission to a hospital or prolonged emergency department observation with ivermectin administered for three days than with the placebo.
Upon conclusion of the study, researchers found that ivermectin did not result in a lower incidence of medical admission to a hospital or prolonged emergency department observation for COVID among outpatients at high risk for serious illness.
Ivermectin has been the topic of several discussions and other trials throughout the pandemic regarding coronavirus treatment.
The Associated Press reported that Australian researchers published a study in June 2020 that found ivermectin inhibited the replication of SARS-CoV-2 in a laboratory setting. But that was not the same as testing the drug on humans or animals.
Following that Australian study, the FDA released a letter out of concern warning consumers not to self-medicate with ivermectin products intended for animals.
“If there is one thing we have learned in the pandemic is that we cannot jump the gun as far as determining or making assumptions about the effectiveness of potential agents,” said Dr. Nasia Safdar, medical director of infection prevention at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Hospital.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/lake-charles-man-accused-possession-child-pornography/
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Lake Charles man accused of possession of child pornography
Published: Mar. 31, 2022 at 11:49 AM CDT
LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - A Lake Charles man has been arrested after being accused of possessing child pornography, according to the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office.
John Roark, 63, of Lake Charles, was arrested and booked into the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Facility on March 29, 2022, for 20 counts of possession of child pornography involving juveniles under the age of 13.
His arrest was the result of a joint investigation with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Copyright 2022 KPLC. All rights reserved.
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Lake Charles man accused of sexual abuse of an animal and 100 counts of possession of child pornography
Published: Mar. 31, 2022 at 11:56 AM CDT
LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - A Lake Charles man has been arrested after being accused of possessing child pornography and sexually abusing an animal, according to the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office.
Stephen Simons, 42, of Lake Charles, was arrested and booked into the Calcasieu Parish Correctional Facility on March 30, 2022, for 10 counts of sexual abuse of an animal and 100 counts of possession of child pornography of a juvenile under the age of 13.
His arrest was the result of a joint investigation with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, the Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, and Homeland Security Investigations.
Copyright 2022 KPLC. All rights reserved.
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LSWA announces Class B All-State basketball team
CENTRAL LOUISIANA (KALB) - The Louisiana Sports Writers Association announced the Class B All-State team with many players and coaches from Central Louisiana represented.
Fairview’s Rylee Cloud not only won her third straight state title this past season, but she picked up Outstanding Player honors. In her senior campaign, Cloud averaged 26 points, five rebounds, four assists and four steals per game. Despite all the success on the hardwood, Cloud is signed to play collegiate softball at Arkansas. Fairview also placed two more on the all-state team.
Oak Hill’s Coach Kaci West earned Coach of the Year honors after a record-setting year for the Lady Rams. This past season, Oak Hill set a school record for the most wins in a single season and made the state tournament for the first time.
Below is the full all-state team list. In bold are the players/coaches from Central Louisiana.
BOYS:
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: Jordan Crawford - Simbsoro
COACH OF THE YEAR: Micah Rasberry - Lacassine
FIRST TEAM
- Jordan Crawford - Simsboro
- Kenneth Montgomery - Zwolle
- Dustin Welch - Anacoco
- Nick Maryland - Simsboro
- Aaron Garcia - Lacassine
SECOND TEAM
- Jamaria Clark - Doyline
- Chilaydren Newton - Simsboro
- Bret Jinks - Fairview
- Chris Williams - Choudrant
- Ethan Roberts - Saline
HONORABLE MENTION
Brylon Tyler - J.S. Clark; Jamaria Markray - Doyline; Jake Forbes - Holden; Steve Seamons - Forest; Gage Remedies - Florien; Tyren Thomas - Zwolle; Landon Strother - Fairview; Conner Ashford - Lacassine; Bennett Briggs - Christ Episcopal; Decorien Dixon - Country Day University Academy; Alex Kovall - Episcopal of Acadiana; Chase Taylor - Anacoco
GIRLS:
OUSTANDING PLAYER: Rylee Cloud - Fairview
COACH OF THE YEAR: Kaci West - Oak Hill
FIRST TEAM
- Rylee Cloud - Fairview
- Alexis Dyer - Oak Hill
- Bailey Davis - Anacoco
- Madison Suire - Hathaway
- Reesie Jinks - Fairview
SECOND TEAM
- Chloey Guidry - Hathaway
- Latoya Holmes - Florien
- Bella Smith - Fairview
- Cambree Courtney - Holden
- Natalie Yancy - Glenmora
HONORABLE MENTION
Jalexia Caldwell - Castor; Kylee Portilloz - Choudrant; Cali Deal - Quitman; Ikeia Brown - Simsboro; Lexi Parker - Family Community; Maggie Walker - Stanley; Olivia Sepulvado - Zwolle; Emma Tucker - Oak Hill; Gracie Miller - Midland; Sydnie Cooley - Lacassine; Kaiya Causey - Negreet; Paige Mayo - Anacoco
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Copyright 2022 KALB. All rights reserved.
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Man used dating apps to target single moms to get to their children, police say
(Gray News) - A man in Texas used dating apps to target single moms in order to get close to their children, officials say.
According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Epifanio Adolfo Jimenez asked women he met on dating apps to spend time with them and their children. He used the alias of “Harley” for his dating profile.
Officials did not specify which dating apps Jimenez used.
The sheriff’s office conducted an investigation for aggravated sexual assault of a child, and ultimately, Jimenez was taken into custody.
Investigators believe there may be additional victims out there. They are asking anyone who may have met with Jimenez or allowed him to have contact with their children to call the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office at 936-760-5800.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Search intensifies for Florida mom missing since Sunday
Published: Mar. 31, 2022 at 3:54 PM CDT
PENSACOLA, Fla. (Gray News) - A mom in Florida has been missing since Sunday night.
The Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office said that Cassie Carli, 37, was last seen on Navarre Beach in Pensacola on Sunday evening near a restaurant called Juana’s.
Detectives confirmed that her daughter, 4-year-old Saylor, is safe.
Carli’s vehicle was also recovered Tuesday, but she is still missing.
Carli is 5′5″ and approximately 150 pounds with blonde hair.
A missing persons poster reads, “There is grave concern for Cassie’s safety.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office at 850-983-1190.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Skippy issues voluntary recall of more than 9,300 cases of peanut butter
(Gray News) – Skippy Foods, LLC has issued a voluntary recall of more than 161,000 pounds of peanut butter.
According to the company, 9,353 cases of reduced fat creamy, reduced fat chunky and creamy peanut butter blended with plant based protein are being recalled due to the possibility some of the jars may contain fragments of stainless steel from manufacturing equipment.
The affected jars of peanut butter were shipped to 18 states, and all retailers have been properly notified.
Skippy Foods, LLC said there have been no consumer complaints so far associated with this recall.
Check the top of the jar for the following recalled code dates:
If your jar has a different “BEST IF USED BY” date than what is listed, it is not part of the recall.
Impacted jars of peanut butter can be returned to the store where it was purchased for an exchange or call Skippy Foods Consumer Engagement at 1-866-475-4779, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Central Time.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Students accidentally served milk cartons filled with sanitizer
CAMDEN COUNTY, N.J. (Gray News) - Health officials in New Jersey are investigating after students at four separate schools were accidentally served milk cartons filled with sanitizer.
The Camden County Health Department reported the Camden Schools Early Childhood Development Center called 911 Wednesday morning after 25 students had ingested an unknown substance with an “antiseptic-like odor.”
None of the children had reportedly gotten sick from the substance but were taken to the hospital as a precaution, according to the school district’s Twitter page.
They also reported they immediately stopped serving the milk once the contamination was discovered.
The health department said first responders were also called to another early development center, Riletta Twyne Cream Early Childhood Development Center, where more children had reportedly ingested the substance.
Five children from that center were taken to the hospital, and 15 were looked over by doctors on site.
All of the impacted children were discharged by Wednesday afternoon, the health department said, and no illnesses related to the contamination have been reported.
The health department reported at least four schools have been impacted by the contamination, and testing is being conducted.
It was determined an unknown quantity of cartons had been filled with “non-toxic consumable sanitizer,” sealed, and shipped along with the milk typically served to students.
Since the cartons were sealed, the contamination was not discovered until the milk was served to the students. School officials identified the supplier of the milk as Guida’s Dairy, per NJ.com.
The Connecticut Department of Agriculture said it was investigating an incident involving the New Britain company, regarding 1% low-fat half-pint milk cartons with a sell by date of April 11 that contained diluted sanitizer. It stated the milk had limited distribution in New Jersey and only was sold to institutional customers; the affected product was not sold for retail.
The investigation so far indicated the issue was limited to milk within a time range of 4:30 and 7:30 and code stamped on the cartons. The agency said Guida’s Dairy was cooperating with officials and had asked all its customers to throw out the product with an April 11 date on it out of an abundance of caution.
An initial investigation conducted by the Camden County Hazmat Team reported the substance is used in the manufacturing and packaging of the milk.
The health department said they are in contact with the milk company and are working with them to find and remove all impacted products.
The Camden County School District reported they will stop serving milk until the investigation is complete.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
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Texas man arrested for theft of livestock in Allen Parish
The following has been provided by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry:
A Texas man was arrested on Monday, March 28, by the Livestock Brand Commission Inspectors regarding an investigation involving theft of livestock in Allen Parish.
Saxon V. Beck, 33, of Muldoon, TX, was arrested in Allen Parish on a warrant for theft of livestock. The arrest was a result of an investigation by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry’s (LDAF’s) Livestock Brand Commission. During the investigation, it was determined that Beck received twenty-five (25) head of livestock on three occasions and failed to render proper payment to a local livestock market as required by law. The alleged theft occurred during the month of October 2021.
“The law is specific when dealing with the purchase of livestock. The failure or refusal to pay for livestock acquired is a crime and a violation of the theft of livestock statute,” said LDAF Commissioner Mike Strain, D.V.M.
The Livestock Brand Commission was assisted in this investigation by the Special Rangers of the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raiser Association and the 33rd Judicial District Attorney’s Office.
At this time, a bond amount has not been set, and the livestock has not been recovered.
The Livestock Brand Commission maintains a 24-hour Crimestoppers hotline at (800) 558-9741 for the public to report thefts.
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Copyright 2022 LDAF. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/time-paddle-up-louisiana-dragon-boat-races/
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Time to Paddle Up for the Louisiana Dragon Boat Races
The following was released to us by LSUA and the Alexandria Museum of Art:
ALEXANDRIA, La. - After a two-year break, it is time to Paddle Up for the Louisiana Dragon Boat Races™! This signature event, sponsored by the Alexandria Museum of Art (AMoA), is back on the water at Lake Buhlow in Pineville on Saturday, May 7. This will be the 10th year that local sponsors will awaken the Dragons once again on the morning of race day to compete for trophies, medals, spirit awards, and bragging rights. Many of the long-time participants, as well as several new teams, are excited to team up for this friendly competition that has been on hiatus since 2019. Folks are ready to participate this year, with twenty-three teams already registered and several more committed.
Catherine McCrory Pears, Executive Director of AMoA, commented on this year’s race, “We have had a great response to the return of Dragon Boat Racing to Central Louisiana! Most teams that registered in 2020 (when we had to cancel) have returned as well as some new teams and returning sponsors. I think folks are just ready to enjoy time together for a fun event like this.”
After two years without fundraisers, the Museum is so grateful for the folks who have been supporters of AMoA through this event over the years and is especially grateful to our sponsors and teams who stepped up again this year. The sponsors are: Rapides Regional Medical Center, Boise Cascade, Ratcliff Construction, CLECO, Red River Bank, Walker Automotive, and the Alexandria Pineville Convention and Visitors Bureau.
There is still time to gather your friends and coworkers and register your team for the race on May 7. The museum will take registrations at louisianadragonboatraces.com until two weeks before the race when the schedule and team tent areas will be finalized for final event planning. It takes 20 paddlers and one drummer to form a team. At least 8 paddlers must be women. The cost to participate is $2100 per team - essentially $100 per person. All teams get an hour-long practice scheduled on an evening during the week leading up to the race. Each team will sign up for a timeslot so that they can work with one of the helmsmen from 22 Dragons (who facilitate the race) to learn the best techniques for a successful run in the Dragon Boat Race. On race day, the races usually begin around 8 am and run until late in the afternoon. Onlookers are welcomed during practices and strongly encouraged on race day.
Teams will compete in three heats for the final awards. Teams will also compete for Spirit Awards for Best Dressed Drummer, Best Team Spirit, and Best Tent Area.
Pears fondly noted, “All of these teams have such a great time costuming, paddling, and tailgating on race day! The food the teams cook is incredible. For next year, we have considered adding a category for that too!”
Copyright 2022 LSUA. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/03/31/zoo-passes-available-check-out-rapides-parish-library/
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Zoo passes available for check-out at Rapides Parish Library
The following has been provided by the Rapides Parish Library:
During the 2021 Summer Reading Program, themed Tails and Tales, the Rapides Parish Library and the Alexandria Zoological Park partnered to bring a series of virtual educational programs to the Rapides Parish community. This year, the partnership continues with the perfect opportunity to allow a sampling of the premier educational and recreational options offered to those lucky enough to call Rapides Parish home.
Community members “otter” know that beginning April 1, 2022, family passes to the Alexandria Zoo will be available for check out at all Rapides Parish Library locations.
Rapides Parish Library Director Celise Reech-Harper stated, “Offering zoo passes for checkout cements a decades-long partnership between two cherished community assets.”
The pass will allow a family of two adults and up to four children to visit the Zoo as many times as they would like during the checkout period. They will be available on a first-come, first-served basis with two passes available at each library branch.
The RPL staff and administration are thrilled to continue providing a sea of educational opportunities, such as a visit to the Zoo, especially on the brink of the Oceans of Possibilities-themed 2022 Summer Reading Program. Dive right in to the fun!
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Copyright 2022 KALB. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/04/01/22-year-old-battling-muscular-dystrophy-dies-one-week-after-tornado-ravaged-home/
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22-year-old battling muscular dystrophy dies one week after tornado ravaged home
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Maria Celeste Burke, a 22-year-old who was rushed to the hospital after an EF-3 tornado destroyed her home, has died, according to family members.
Burke was rushed to the hospital with internal bleeding after the tornado struck. She was stabilized last Thursday. She passed one week later.
The cause of her death is unknown at this time.
Her parents say they were sitting on the couch when rain and wind pushed their home off its cinder blocks, crashing 20 feet away.
The tornado tossed Burke onto the floor, trapping her under furniture. She was helped out of her bedroom window by emergency responders.
Burke battled muscular dystrophy, complicating both her rescue and recovery.
Her parents have been staying with another daughter while they clean up and find a new place to live. They launched a GoFundMe to help with expenses.
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Copyright 2022 WVUE. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/04/01/alaska-airlines-cancels-dozens-flights-pilots-picket/
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Alaska Airlines cancels 9% of its flights over staffing woes
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Alaska Airlines canceled dozens of U.S. West Coast flights Friday as off-duty pilots picketed in several major cities over an impasse in nearly three years of contract negotiations, and the airline said more cancellations were possible through the weekend.
More than 120 Alaska Airlines flights were canceled — about 9% of its operations — and about 15,300 passengers were affected, the airline said in a statement. Canceled flights included 66 in Seattle; 20 in Portland, Oregon; 10 in Los Angeles; and seven in San Francisco, according to the flight tracking website flightaware.com.
At the same time, pilots held a rally and picket line in all those cities, according to a union website. Pilots with the Air Lines Pilots Association also protested last week in New York City outside the airline’s Investor Relations Day in a precursor of Friday’s picket. Those on the picket line Friday said they were off-duty and were not to blame for the canceled flights.
“It takes everyone at Alaska to run a successful and reliable operation. Today, we fell short. We’re grateful for all employees who are working hard to get our guests to where they need to go,” the airline said in the statement that did not mention the picketing.
The cancellations come as air travel rebounds to pre-pandemic levels and demand is surging as many Americans head off on spring break for long-delayed vacations. Frustrated travelers vented on social media about botched vacation plans and reported that there was up to a 10-hour wait to speak with an airline representative about rescheduling flights. Many said they couldn’t fly out for a day or two.
Robyn Dold, of Battle Ground, Washington, had planned to fly to Missouri on Friday with her husband, daughter and son-in-law to attend her father-in-law’s funeral. The family received an email from Alaska at midnight — six hours before they were to take off — that said their flight was canceled.
Dold spent hours Friday on hold with the airline, and then in line at Portland International Airport, only to learn Alaska could not get them to the funeral on time — or even to a city within 10 hours’ driving distance.
“We’d go with the flow if it was a vacation, but this is something that has a due date that we can’t change and it’s heartbreaking,” she said in a phone interview. “My husband is beside himself. His father was his very best friend.”
Dold, who was to deliver the eulogy, will instead watch the funeral on a one-way livestream with her husband from home, she said.
“What I think really irritates me the most, honestly, is that we weren’t given any notification ahead of time that this was a possibility. We could have made other arrangements,” said Dold. “That’s what’s really disappointing.”
Pilots on a picket line at Los Angeles International Airport said the cancellations were the result of understaffing by Alaska Airlines, which cut back during the pandemic and reacted too slowly when travel demand resumed.
“Everybody here is on their days off. Alaska Airlines is having staffing issues. They may not want to say that, but they’re having staffing issues,” said Steve Van Metre, an Alaska Airlines captain.
“We’ve had several pilots leave for other airlines because of the quality-of-life issues at this company.”
Pilots have been in contract negotiations with the airline for nearly three years and the two sides are at an impasse.
The union says Alaska Airlines did not adequately prepare for a return to air travel after the pandemic and didn’t take the necessary steps to retain or attract pilots as demand bounced back. Issues that still need to be resolved include job security, work rules and quality-of-life provisions that provide flexibility and reasonable schedules, it said in a statement, and the current pilot contract falls well behind those at comparable airlines in several key sections.
Alaska Airlines said Friday it values its pilots and respects their right to picket, but it also needs to negotiate a deal that allows the airline to maintain growth and profitability. The airline is working to recover $2.3 billion in losses from the COVID-19 pandemic, it said in a statement.
“A new pilot contract remains atop priority for Alaska,” Jenny Wetzel, vice president of labor relations for Alaska Airlines, said in a statement. “We’ve put a package on the table that’s competitive and addresses the issues most important to our pilots.”
The airline said it offers competitive salaries for its pilots. For example, an Alaska Airlines captain’s average salary is $341,000 per year, the airline said.
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Associated Press videographer Eugene Garcia in Los Angeles contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/04/01/alex-jones-loses-bid-avoid-fines-sandy-hook-case/
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Alex Jones loses bid to avoid fines in Sandy Hook case
WATERBURY, Conn. (AP) — A Connecticut judge on Friday rejected Infowars host Alex Jones’ bid to avoid escalating daily fines for missing a deposition in a lawsuit by relatives of some victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, who sued the conspiracy theorist for saying the massacre was a hoax.
Judge Barbara Bellis in Waterbury kept in place her ruling that fines Jones $25,000 per weekday, beginning Friday, and increasing by $25,000 each weekday until he appears at a deposition.
Jones had asked Bellis to put her ruling on hold while he appeals the fines to the state Supreme Court. His lawyers said he plans to attend a deposition in Connecticut on April 11. If he does not appear until then, his fines would total $525,000.
Jones said he did not attend a deposition scheduled last week in Austin, Texas, where he lives, because he was too ill to attend. Bellis said there was not enough evidence Jones was too ill to appear at the deposition.
Twenty first graders and six educators were killed in the 2012 shooting in Newtown, Connecticut.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/04/01/amazon-workers-nyc-vote-unionize-first-company/
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Amazon workers in NYC vote to unionize in historic labor win
NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon workers in Staten Island, New York, voted to unionize on Friday, marking the first successful U.S. organizing effort in the retail giant’s history and handing an unexpected win to a nascent group that fueled the union drive.
Warehouse workers cast 2,654 votes — or about 55% — in favor of a union, giving the fledgling Amazon Labor Union enough support to pull off a victory. According to the National Labor Relations Board, which is overseeing the process, 2,131 workers — or 45% — rejected the union bid.
The 67 ballots that were challenged by either Amazon or the ALU were not enough to sway the outcome. Federal labor officials said the results of the count won’t be verified until they process any objections — due by April 8 — that both parties may file.
The victory was an uphill battle for the independent group, made up of former and current workers who lacked official backing from an established union and were out-gunned by the deep-pocketed retail giant. Despite obstacles, organizers believed their grassroots approach was more relatable to workers and could help them overcome where established unions have failed in the past. They were right.
Chris Smalls, a fired Amazon employee who has been leading the ALU in its fight on Staten Island, bounded out of the NLRB building in Brooklyn on Friday with other union organizers, pumping their fists and jumping, chanting “ALU.” They uncorked a bottle of Champagne, and Smalls hailed the victory as a call to arms for other Amazon workers across the sprawling company.
“I hope that everybody’s paying attention now because a lot of people doubted us,” he said.
Smalls hopes the success in New York will embolden workers at other facilities to launch their own organizing campaigns. Even his group will soon shift their attention to a neighboring Amazon warehouse on Staten Island, where a separate union election is scheduled to be held in late April. Organizers believe Friday’s win is going to make it easier for them to win there, too.
Amazon posted a statement on its company website Friday saying that it was evaluating its options following the election.
“We’re disappointed with the outcome of the election in Staten Island because we believe having a direct relationship with the company is best for our employees,” the post said. “We’re evaluating our options, including filing objections based on the inappropriate and undue influence by the NLRB that we and others (including the National Retail Federation and U.S. Chamber of Commerce) witnessed in this election.”
The company did not elaborate but it signaled it might challenge the election based on a lawsuit filed in March by the NLRB, which sought to force Amazon to reinstate a fired employee who was involved in the union drive.
NLRB spokesperson Kayla Blado responded to Amazon’s statement by noting that the independent agency has been authorized by Congress to enforce the National Labor Relations Act.
“All NLRB enforcement actions against Amazon have been consistent with that Congressional mandate,” she said.
Mark Cohen, director of retail studies at Columbia University, said he doesn’t see how workers will benefit from a unionized Amazon facility and called the overall push to unionize companies misguided. He said that Amazon is a “highly disciplined and regimented” business willing to pay premium wages and good benefits, but it also demands tremendous output from its workers who work 10-hour shifts.
“Amazon is not going to change their culture because there is now a union in their midst,” Cohen said. “”They might be forced to let people work eight hours but those people will make less money.”
The successful union effort on Staten Island stood in contrast to the one launched in Bessemer, Alabama by the more established Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. Workers at an Amazon warehouse there appeared to have rejected a union bid but outstanding challenged ballots could change the outcome. The votes were 993-to-875 against the union. A hearing to review 416 challenged ballots is expected to begin in the next few days.
The union campaigns come at a time of widespread labor unrest at many corporations. Workers at more than 140 Starbucks locations around the country, for instance, have requested union elections and several of them have already been successful.
But Amazon has long been considered a top prize for the labor movement given the company’s massive size and impact. The results in Staten Island reverberated all the way to the White House.
“The president was glad to see workers ensure their voices are heard with respect to important workplace decisions,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at Friday’s briefing about the vote. “He believes firmly that every worker in every state must have a free and fair choice to join a union and the right to bargain collectively with their employer.”
John Logan, director of labor and employment studies at San Francisco State University, said the union win was a potential tipping point two years into a pandemic that has shifted the labor landscape.
“We knew that unions were having a moment, but this is much bigger,” Logan said “There is no bigger prize than organizing Amazon.”
He added that the ALU’s win defies traditional thinking that only national unions can take on big companies. But the group might still have a fight ahead of it, according to Erin Hatton, a sociology professor at the University of Buffalo in New York.
“Getting Amazon to the bargaining table will be another feat all together,” Hatton said. “Oftentimes the union will fizzle out because the company doesn’t come to the bargaining table in good faith as they’re obliged to do.”
Rebecca Givan, professor of labor studies at Rutgers University, said the victory is just the first step in a likely protracted battle against Amazon.
“It’s clear Amazon will keep fighting, they’re not conceding that workers have a right to organize,” she said. “It looks like the legal questions they’ve raised this afternoon suggest they’re trying to undermine entire authority of NLRB.”
Amazon has pushed back hard in the lead-up to both elections in Staten Island and Bessemer. The retail giant held mandatory meetings, where workers were told unions are a bad idea. The company also launched an anti-union website targeting workers and placed English and Spanish posters across the Staten Island facility. In Bessemer, Amazon has made some changes to but still kept a controversial U.S. Postal Service mailbox that was key in the NLRB’s decision to invalidate last year’s vote.
Both labor fights faced unique challenges. Alabama, for instance, is a right-to-work state that prohibits a company and a union from signing a contract that requires workers to pay dues to the union that represents them.
The union landscape in Alabama is also starkly different from New York. Last year, union members accounted for 22.2% of wage and salary workers in New York, ranked only behind Hawaii, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. That’s more than double the national average of 10.3%. In Alabama, it’s 5.9%.
Amazon workers in Staten Island are seeking longer breaks, paid time off for injured employees and an hourly wage of $30, up from a minimum of just over $18 per hour offered by the company. The estimated average wage for the borough is $41 per hour, according to a similar U.S. Census Bureau analysis of Staten Island’s $85,381 median household income.
Ross Harrison, who voted in favor of organizing on Staten Island, was hopeful that the union could improve things at work, but was unsure about its greater impact.
“Life is a lot bigger than a union,” said Harrison as he reported for his shift Friday. “Amazon’s a great job, and the union is a great opportunity for the people that’s looking forward to it.”
Tinea Greenaway voted against unionizing but said she would reserve judgment for now.
“We can’t take back our votes,” she said. “I’ll give things a chance, but let’s see if they deliver on what they promised.”
—
Associated Press staff writer Mae Anderson in New York contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/04/01/apd-seeking-husband-stabbing-victim/
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Alexandria stabbing suspect surrenders in Alabama
ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - Update: The Alexandria Police Department has stated that Kevin Brown, the Alexandria man wanted for the stabbing of a relative, has surrendered himself to police in Alabama. He will be extradited back to the city.
ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - Alexandria police are asking the public for help with locating an Alexandria man wanted in connection with the stabbing of a relative on March 31, 2022.
At around 1:05 p.m. on Loblolly Lane, a woman was found inside her residence with multiple stab wounds. She was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries.
Detectives are looking for Kevin Brown, 54, on the charges of attempted second degree murder. Brown is described as a Black male, approximately 5′ 6″ and 190 pounds.
He was last seen leaving the scene of the incident in a gray or silver Kia 4-door sedan with 20-inch chrome wheels and a temporary license plate.
If anyone knows the whereabouts of Kevin Brown, or has any information about this incident, or any other crimes in the Alexandria area, please contact the Alexandria Police Detective Division at (318) 441-6460, or APD Dispatch at (318) 441-6559.
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Copyright 2022 KALB. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/04/01/bolton-bears-win-first-ever-powerlifting-championship-schools-history/
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Bolton Bears win first-ever powerlifting championship in school’s history
ALEXANDRIA, La. (KALB) - The Bolton Bears have brought back a championship for the first time since 1987.
The Bears won Class 4A Powerlifting Championship, scoring a total of 44 points.
They finished seventh in the class last year and Head Coach Matthew Carmouche said he saw the potential of this team and just felt they needed an extra push.
“Anybody with a consistent work ethic makes the average person be great,” said Carmouche. “It doesn’t matter where you come from, it doesn’t matter the economic or social background differences. These kids hold the pen in their hands, and they are writing the story of their life, and they ended it perfectly with a championship.”
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Copyright 2022 KALB. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/04/01/childrens-advocacy-network-recognizes-child-abuse-prevention-month/
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Children’s Advocacy Network recognizes Child Abuse Prevention Month
PINEVILLE, La. (KALB) - April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month. It’s a time to raise awareness of child abuse and neglect and recognize the importance of families and communities working together to prevent child abuse.
The Children’s Advocacy Network works to make a difference in the lives of abused and neglected children every day. The agency holds an annual prayer vigil on the first day of April, inviting the community to join and pray for children and families in the community who have been impacted by abuse and neglect.
Community leaders, members of local law enforcement agencies and children’s advocacy network advocates attended this year’s vigil at the Pineville flagpole on the riverfront.
“I think one of the biggest things that we desire to do is just the awareness of it,” said Darcy James, a Children’s Advocacy Network board member.
The Children’s Advocacy Networks serves the entire Central Louisiana region. James said the network serves an estimate of over 500 children each year in Rapides Parish alone.
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Copyright 2022 KALB. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/04/01/closing-arguments-next-michigan-gov-whitmer-kidnap-plot/
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Jury gets case of 4 men charged in Gov. Whitmer kidnap plot
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A prosecutor urged jurors Friday to convict four men in a plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, saying they were anti-government extremists “filled with rage” and intent on touching off a civil war in the final weeks of the polarizing 2020 general election.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Nils Kessler summed up the evidence on the 15th day of trial, tracing the group’s secretly recorded words as well as testimony from agents, an extraordinary informant and two star witnesses who pleaded guilty.
Defense attorneys, meanwhile, panned the government’s case: One said the men were turned into “terrorists” by rogue investigators, while another pleaded with jurors to put the brakes on the FBI.
After listening to hours of closing arguments, the weary jury said its deliberations would start Monday.
Kessler began his final remarks by saying there are boundaries when it comes to scorn for people in power.
“If you don’t like your elected representatives, you can vote them out at the ballot box. That’s what makes this country great,” Kessler told the jury. “What we can’t do is kidnap them, kill them or blow them up. That’s also what makes America great.”
Adam Fox, Barry Croft Jr., Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta are charged with conspiracy to kidnap. Three of them also face charges related to weapons.
The men were arrested in October 2020 amid talk of raising $4,000 for an explosive that could blow up a bridge and stymie police responding to a kidnapping, according to trial evidence. Fox twice traveled to northern Michigan to scout the area; one of those trips included Croft and undercover agents.
Kessler said the group’s motive was to spark the “boogaloo,” a reference to a U.S. civil war, by kidnapping Whitmer.
“That’s what bound these defendants together. ... They were filled with rage,” the prosecutor said. “They were paranoid because they knew what they were doing was illegal and were afraid of getting caught.”
The four men deny any scheme to abduct Whitmer from her vacation home, though they clearly were livid with the government and with restrictions imposed by the governor during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ty Garbin, who pleaded guilty and testified against the men, said the goal was to get Whitmer before the election and create enough chaos to stop Joe Biden from winning the presidency.
Kessler took the jury back to events in summer and fall 2020: a national meeting of militias in Ohio, training in Wisconsin and Michigan, and a September night excursion to see the governor’s property on Birch Lake and inspect the bridge.
The men had constructed a crude “shoot house” in Luther, Michigan, to replicate Whitmer’s home and practiced going in and out with guns, according to evidence.
The investigation began when Army veteran Dan Chappel joined a militia, the Wolverine Watchmen, to maintain his firearm skills. Chappel testified that he was alarmed when he started hearing talk about attacking police and agreed to become an FBI informant.
“Thank God for Dan Chappel. ... He went back at great personal risk,” Kessler told the jury.
But jurors got a different view from the defense. Fox’s attorney, Christopher Gibbons, hammered away at Chappel, who was paid roughly $50,000 by the FBI, including expenses, and talked to Fox almost daily for months, recording their conversations.
Gibbons said Fox was a hapless man living in the basement of a Grand Rapids-area vacuum shop, smoking marijuana whenever possible — and totally incapable of leading the wild plot.
“The plan was utter nonsense. It wasn’t real to Adam Fox. He was LARPing,” Gibbons said, using an acronym for live action role playing. “Adam Fox is usually impaired. He’s just playing his game. ... A person cannot accidentally enter into a conspiracy.”
He accused the government of “radicalization.”
“Inviting citizens that they think are susceptible to a theater where they are given full senses of who and what they are, and somebody rattles the chains, somebody beats the drum and gets them all worked up,” Gibbons said.
“That’s unacceptable in America,” he said. “That’s not how it works. They don’t make terrorists so we can arrest them.”
Croft, a trucker from Bear, Delaware, vented on social media about hanging governors for treason, and he was repeatedly recorded talking about violence and explosives. Prosecutors noted that he made four trips by car to the Midwest.
His attorney, however, called it “crazy talk” from a “stoned pirate,” referring to marijuana and Croft’s three-cornered hat, not a plan to attack Whitmer.
“I am ashamed of the behavior of the leading law enforcement agency in the United States. ... This investigation was an embarrassment,” Joshua Blanchard told the jury.
Lawyers for Harris and Caserta emphasized that neither man went to Elk Rapids with Croft and Fox to surveil Whitmer’s home during the training weekend in Luther.
Julia Kelly said Garbin and Kaleb Franks, who both testified against the group, are “liars,” though they pleaded guilty and are facing prison.
The defense used a big screen to complement closing remarks. Some jurors smiled when attorney Michael Hills showed a cartoon bobblehead dog to highlight that Caserta supposedly nodded in agreement to the kidnapping plan but wasn’t recorded as saying he was in.
Whitmer, a Democrat, rarely talks publicly about the plot, though she referred to “surprises” during her term that seemed like “something out of fiction” when she filed for reelection on March 17.
She has blamed former President Donald Trump for fomenting anger over coronavirus restrictions and refusing to condemn right-wing extremists like those charged in the case. Whitmer has said Trump was complicit in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.
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Find AP’s full coverage of the Whitmer kidnap plot trial at: https://apnews.com/hub/whitmer-kidnap-plot-trial
___
White reported from Detroit.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/04/01/federal-tax-probe-into-bidens-son-hunter-moves-forward/
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Federal tax probe into Biden’s son, Hunter, moves forward
WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal grand jury has heard testimony in recent months about Hunter Biden’s income and payments he received while serving on the board of a Ukraine energy company, according to two people familiar with the probe.
It remains unclear whether he might be charged. But the grand jury activity underscores that a federal tax investigation into President Joe Biden’s son that began in 2018 remains active as prosecutors continue to examine foreign payments and other aspects of his finances.
A lawyer for Hunter Biden did not return a phone message and email seeking comment on Friday. A Justice Department spokesman deferred a request for comment to the U.S. attorney’s office in Delaware, which is handling the investigation. A spokesperson for the office did not return a phone message seeking comment.
The people familiar with the investigation could not discuss details of the ongoing probe publicly and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.
No matter how the investigation resolves, it has already presented a political headache for the Biden administration and could lead to an even bigger one, particularly if Republicans who have seized on the probe to attack the president retake control of the House in midterm elections later this year. Republicans would then control congressional committees and shape the focus of any investigations.
A White House that has sought to deflect questions about law enforcement matters to the Justice Department was asked this week whether it stood by the president’s assertion in a 2020 debate that his son had not had unethical business dealings with Ukraine or China. White House communications director Kate Bedingfield said yes.
The investigation could also force a delicate decision for the Justice Department, which has sought to assert its independence and has publicly stressed its willingness to let the facts and evidence, not political decisions, guide its investigative and charging decisions.
Attorney General Merrick Garland has not shed any light publicly on the investigation. But the Justice Department did leave in place the top federal prosecutor in Delaware — David Weiss, a Trump administration holdover — presumably as a way to ensure continuity.
Hunter Biden confirmed the existence of an investigation into his taxes in December 2020, one month after the presidential election. He said in a statement at the time that he was “confident that a professional and objective review of these matters will demonstrate that I handled my affairs legally and appropriately, including with the benefit of professional tax advisors.”
The Associated Press reported later that month that a subpoena served on the younger Biden sought information related to more than two dozen entities. One was Burisma, a Ukrainian gas company whose board he had joined when his father was vice president. That move sparked concerns about a potential conflict of interest given that elder Biden was deeply involved in U.S. policy toward Ukraine during the Obama administration.
The breadth of the subpoena highlighted the wide-ranging scope of the investigation into Hunter Biden, though there is no indication that the probe includes any scrutiny of the president himself. Biden has said he did not discuss his son’s international business dealings with him and has denied having ever taken money from a foreign country.
Witnesses in recent months have been questioned about payments Hunter Biden received while serving on the Burisma board, the people familiar with the probe said.
Republicans tried making Hunter Biden’s business dealings in Ukraine a prominent issue during the 2020 presidential election.
A year earlier, then-President Donald Trump tried pressuring his Ukrainian counterpart, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, to launch investigations into the Bidens at the same time Zelenskyy was seeking military aid from the U.S.
Trump was later impeached by the House over the phone call but was acquitted by the Senate.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/04/01/fema-announces-additional-6m-funds-hurricane-laura-recovery/
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FEMA announces additional $6M in funds for Hurricane Laura recovery
Published: Apr. 1, 2022 at 11:59 AM CDT
LAKE CHARLES, La. (KPLC) - FEMA has announced an additional $6 million in grant funding for Hurricane Laura recovery in Louisiana, according to U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D.
The funding is part of nearly $38 million in additional federal grant funding for COVID-19 pandemic relief, as well as natural disaster relief for multiple cities, hospitals, and agencies being made available to Louisiana.
A breakdown of the funding earmarked for Hurricane Laura recovery is as follows:
- $1,143,687.43 to the City of Iowa for Hurricane Laura debris removal.
- $2,456,550.00 to the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA) for infrastructure repairs as a result of Hurricane Larua.
- $2,505,462.48 to the Louisiana Department of Military for emergency protective measures that were taken as a result of Hurricane Laura.
The funding will be allocated to the State of Louisiana which will be responsible for distributing the funds.
Copyright 2022 KPLC. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/04/01/hope-solo-arrested-dwi-child-abuse-charges/
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Hope Solo arrested on DWI, child abuse charges
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) — Former U.S. women’s national team star goalkeeper Hope Solo was arrested after she was found passed out behind the wheel of a vehicle in North Carolina with her 2-year-old twins inside, police said.
A police report said Solo was arrested on Thursday in a shopping center parking lot in Winston-Salem and charged with driving while impaired, resisting a public officer and misdemeanor child abuse. She has been released from jail and has a court date of June 28, the report indicated.
According to an arrest warrant, a passerby noticed Solo passed out behind the steering wheel for more than an hour with the vehicle’s engine running and the two children in the backseat. A responding officer could smell alcohol, and the warrant said that Solo refused a field sobriety test and her blood was drawn instead.
Rich Nichols, a Texas-based attorney who represents Solo, released a statement Friday but didn’t respond to specific questions on the charges and said his client wouldn’t respond, either.
“On the advice of counsel, Hope can’t speak about this situation, but she wants everyone to know that her kids are her life, that she was released immediately and is now at home with her family, that the story is more sympathetic than the initial charges suggest, and that she looks forward to her opportunity to defend these charges,” Nichols said.
Solo was dismissed from the national team following the 2016 Olympics in Brazil after calling the Swedish team “cowards” for taking a defensive stance against the defending gold medalists, ending a laudable playing career that was also marred by controversy.
She was suspended for 30 days in early 2015 after she and husband Jerramy Stevens were pulled over in a U.S. Soccer-owned van and Stevens was charged with DUI. She was also benched after publicly questioning coach Greg Ryan’s decision to start Briana Scurry against Brazil during the 2007 World Cup, comments many saw as a slight against Scurry.
Solo was also involved in an altercation with family members in 2014 that resulted in Solo’s arrest, although charges in that case were eventually dropped.
Solo made 202 appearances with the national team, with 153 wins and an international-record 102 shutouts. She won a World Cup title and two Olympic gold medals with the team.
During the 2015 World Cup championship run, she allowed just three goals in seven games with five shutouts.
She was elected to the U.S. Soccer Hall of Fame in January. The induction ceremony is set for May 21.
Solo married Stevens, a former tight end for the Seattle Seahawks and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in 2012. The couple have twins, Vittorio Genghis and Lozen Orianna Judith Stevens, born on March 4, 2020.
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AP Sports Writer Anne M. Peterson contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kalb.com/2022/04/01/house-approves-bill-that-would-decriminalize-marijuana/
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House votes to decriminalize marijuana, but Senate fate dim
WASHINGTON (AP) — Marijuana would be decriminalized at the federal level under legislation the House approved Friday as Democrats made the case for allowing states to set their own policies on pot.
The bill is unlikely to become law since it is expected to die in the Senate. That would mirror what happened when a similar House-passed measure removing marijuana from the list of federally-controlled substances went nowhere in the Senate two years ago.
Still, Friday’s vote gave lawmakers the chance to state their view on a decriminalization push that appears to have broad support with voters across the country.
The 2020 election showed how broadly accepted marijuana has become, with measures to legalize recreational pot breezing to victory in progressive New Jersey, moderate Arizona and conservative Montana and South Dakota.
The House approved the bill Friday with a mostly party-line vote of 220-204. All but two voting Democrats backed the measure, while only three Republicans did.
The measure would require federal courts to expunge prior marijuana convictions and conduct resentencing hearings for those completing their sentences. It also authorizes a 5% tax on marijuana and marijuana products that would gradually increase to 8% over five years. The money would be used for grant programs focused on job training, legal aid, substance abuse treatment and loans to help disadvantaged small businesses get into the marijuana industry.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated that thousands of inmates would be released earlier than under current law, saving about $800 million over a 10-year period. Overall, the federal deficit would be reduced by nearly $3 billion over the next decade.
Democrats said the nation’s federal prohibition on marijuana has had particularly devastating consequences for minority communities. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., cited statistics that showed Black Americans were four times more likely than white Americans to be arrested for marijuana possession, even though they use it at similar rates.
“Those criminal records can haunt people of color and impact the trajectory of their lives indefinitely,” Hoyer said. “I regret that there are some members of our Congress who apparently think that’s not worthy of attention.”
“Make no mistake, yes, it is a racial justice bill,” said Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif.
Republicans who opposed the measure said marijuana is a gateway drug that would lead to greater use of opioids and other dangerous substances. They also said the pot sold today is far more potent than what was sold decades ago, leading to greater impairment for those who use it. They said decriminalization is not the priority that lawmakers should be focused on now, with the war in Ukraine and inflation driving up the cost of gas, food and other essential items.
“Yet the priority of this Congress now turns to expanding access to addictive, behavior-altering recreational drugs at a time when our country is also experiencing increased addiction, depression and suicide,” said Rep. Bob Good, R-Va.
Thirty-seven states and District of Columbia allow the medical use of cannabis products while 18 states and the District of Columbia have legalized recreational marijuana, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
“If states are the laboratories of democracy, it is long past time for the federal government to recognize that legalization has been a resounding success and that the conflict with federal law has become untenable,” said the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee.
In the Senate, Democrats including Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York asked colleagues in early February for their input on a marijuana decriminalization bill. He said after the House vote that they were still working on crafting the legislation, but he hoped it would be introduced “very soon.”
“Of course, we will need Republicans to pass a legalization bill in the Senate, and we will be working hard to try and get them,” Schumer said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
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