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Nebraska governor stands firm on rejection of federal money to feed food-insecure children

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:49 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska’s Republican governor on Friday reiterated his rejection of $18 million in federal funding to help feed children who might otherwise go hungry while school is out.Nebraska will not participate in the 2024 Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children — or Summer EBT — program, Gov. Jim Pillen said in a written statement. That statement came as advocates for children and low-income families held a news conference outside the Governor’s Mansion in Lincoln to call on Pillen to change his mind before the Jan. 1 deadline to sign up for the program.The program — part of federal assistance made available during the COVID-19 pandemic — would provide pre-loaded EBT cards to families whose children are eligible for free and reduced-price lunches at school. Those families would receive $40 per eligible child per month over the summer. The cards can be used to buy groceries, similar to how SNAP benefits are used.“COVID-19 is over, and Nebraska taxpayers expe...

US citizen inspired by Hamas sought to wage jihad against ‘No. 1 enemy’ America, prosecutors say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:49 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — A U.S. citizen living in Egypt sought to join the al Shabaab terrorist organization and wage violent jihad against America and its allies in the wake of Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel, federal prosecutors said Friday.Karrem Nasr, 23, of Lawrenceville, New Jersey, was arrested Dec. 14 after flying from Egypt to Nairobi, Kenya, where prosecutors say he was planning to meet with al Shabaab members before traveling to train in Somalia, where the terror group is based.Nasr was returned to the U.S. on Thursday and was scheduled to appear Friday before a federal magistrate in Manhattan. He is charged with attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.Court records did not list a lawyer who could speak on Nasr’s behalf.Nasr, also known as Ghareeb Al-Muhajir, expressed his desire to join al Shabaab in online postings and communications with a paid FBI informant who was posing a...

Trump ballot decision leads Maine lawmaker to call for impeachment of top state election official

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:49 GMT

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s top election official could face an impeachment attempt in the state Legislature over her decision to keep former President Donald Trump off the Republican primary ballot.At least one Republican lawmaker has vowed to pursue impeachment against Democratic Secretary of State Shenna Bellows despite long odds in the Democratic-controlled Legislature. Bellows said Friday that she had no comment on the impeachment effort, but said she was duty-bound by state law to make a determination on three challenges brought by registered Maine voters. She reiterated that she suspended her decision pending an anticipated appeal by Trump in Superior Court.“Under Maine law, I have not only the authority but the obligation to act,” she said. “I will follow the Constitution and the rule of law as directed by the courts,” she added.Bellows’ decision Thursday followed a ruling earlier this month by the Colorado Supreme Court that removed Trump from the ballot unde...

Medical marijuana dispensary licenses blocked in Alabama amid dispute over selection process

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:49 GMT

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) — A judge temporarily blocked Alabama from issuing licenses to medical marijuana dispensaries amid an ongoing legal battle over how the state selected the winning companies. Montgomery Circuit Judge James Anderson issued a temporary restraining order late Thursday to stop the Alabama Medical Cannabis Commission from issuing licenses to the four dispensaries. The licenses will be on hold while he hears a challenge to the selection process. The court order is the latest development in an ongoing legal battle that has plagued the start of Alabama’s medical marijuana program. Alabama lawmakers voted to allow medical marijuana in the state in 2021. Commission officials are aiming to make the products available in 2024 after a series of delays. The ruling affects only the dispensaries. Brittany Peters, a spokeswoman for the commission, said Friday that the commission has issued licenses to other companies that were selected to cultivate, transport, and test mar...

Pair of former Detroit Tigers scouts sue team alleging age discrimination

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:49 GMT

DETROIT (AP) — A pair of former Detroit Tigers scouts sued the team, alleging age discrimination over their terminations after the 2020 season.Gary Pellant and Randall Johnson filed the suit Thursday in U.S. District Court in Detroit, claiming a shift toward analytics was accompanied by a “false stereotype” that older scouts lacked acumen for newer scouting tools.They claim wrongful termination and post-termination employment interference in violation of the Age Discrimination and Enforcement Act of 1967 and violations of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, a Michigan law that took effect in 1977. They also alleged disparate treatment age discrimination and/or disparate impact age discrimination in violation of the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act.They asked for back pay, front pay and compensatory and punitive damages.The Tigers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.Seventeen former Major League Baseball scouts sued the league, its teams and Commissioner Rob Manfred ...

Florida woman sues Hershey's over Reese’s candy without faces

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:49 GMT

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) -- A Florida woman filed a hefty class-action lawsuit against The Hershey Company, claiming the chocolate maker used "false and deceptive advertising" for its Reese's candies. According to court documents, Cynthia Kelly is suing Hershey's "on behalf of herself and all other similarly situated individuals who purchased a Reese's Peanut Butter product based on false and deceptive advertising."The complaint, filed on Thursday in Florida's Middle District Court, alleges that Hershey's violated Florida's Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.The issue is not how they taste, but how they look. In the lawsuit, Kelly claimed the Reese's Peanut Butter products were "falsely" represented as "containing explicit carved out artistic designs when there are no such carvings in the actual products."According to the suit, Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins are depicted in the label as having carved-out eyes and a mouth to resemble a jack-o-lantern. But the actual pro...

AMC apologizes to civil rights leader kicked out of 'The Color Purple' screening

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:49 GMT

(The Hill) — AMC Theatres has apologized to North Carolina civil rights leader Rev. William Barber after he was not allowed to use his own chair at a screening of “The Color Purple.”Barber, the former chair of the North Carolina NAACP, suffers from ankylosing spondylitis, a type of arthritis that requires him to use a cane and prevents him from sitting in low-bottomed seats. Barber, who attended the Tuesday screening in Greenville with his 90-year-old mother, was told he could not place his own chair in the section of the theater reserved for disabled customers. Theater management called the Greenville Police, who said that Barber left voluntarily after they arrived and spoke with him. Symptoms of RSV, strep, flu, COVID: How to tell them apart He told local station WNCT that there was no signage indicating the chair would not be allowed, and that he has brought his own chair to numerous other venues without incident.“[W]hether I’m on Broadway, the White House, the S...

Oswego man charged in connection with South Side shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:49 GMT

CHICAGO — Charges have been filed against an Oswego man accused of shooting another man in the face during a fight on Wednesday night.According to Chicago police, 21-year-old Quijuan Waters has been charged with attempted first-degree murder in connection with the shooting, which left the 24-year-old man critically injured. Residents rescued during North Side high-rise fire; 2 hospitalized Authorities say the shooting unfolded just before 11:30 p.m. in the 5600 block of South Michigan Avenue.Officers say Waters and the victim got into a fight in the area before Waters allegedly pulled out a gun and shot the victim in the face. The victim was then transported to a nearby hospital in critical condition. Body found in suburbs concludes search for missing St. Louis mother; ex-boyfriend charged with murder According to police, Waters was located by officers less than 15 minutes later in the 5600 block of South Wabash Avenue and taken into custody.Waters appeared in court on Friday fo...

APD: Man dies after being attacked, beaten in north Austin earlier this week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:49 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department said it's investigating a man's death as a homicide after police say he was beaten and attacked in north Austin on Dec. 26. The victim was identified as Hector Diaz-Esparza, 28, according to a release APD put out Friday. His death is Austin's 73rd homicide of 2023, according to the department. APD said officers responded to a check welfare call at 1708 W. Braker Lane on Dec. 26. The caller said a man, who was bleeding and not responding, was lying on the ground in an alley. Once officers got there, APD said they found the man, later identified as Diaz-Esparza, with "visible injuries." Medics tried to revive him, but APD said Diaz-Esparza was pronounced dead at 6:06 a.m. Homicide Unit and Crime Scene specialists were called to investigate what happened. APD said it was determined the victim had been attacked by unidentified people who fled the scene.Police said Diaz-Esparza also had clear signs of physical assault "and appeared to have be...

APD arrests teen in fatal northeast Austin crash involving bicyclist

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 21:12:49 GMT

Editor’s note: The above video shows KXAN’s morning headlines for Friday, Dec. 29, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Police arrested a teen in connection with a Dec. 12 fatal crash that killed a bicyclist in northeast Austin.APD said 19-year-old Alexis Acevedo was charged with possession of a controlled substance and failure to stop and render aid.Mugshot of Alexis Acevedo | APD photoAt approximately 1:30 a.m. Dec. 12, APD officers responded to a crash involving two vehicles and a bicycle in the 5600 block of East Parmer Lane. The bicyclist, later identified as 31-year-old Ashton Hutchison, died on the scene, according to police.APD said one of the drivers stayed on the scene and was cooperating with the investigation, but the other driver, later identified as Acevedo, left the scene.Travis County jail records show Acevedo was booked Dec. 12 and held on bonds totaling $60,000.Police said the crash is being investigated as Austin's 87th fatal crash of 2023.