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Biden plan to sell land leases for conservation gets pushback

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:47 GMT

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Biden administration officials on Monday sought to dispel worries they want to exclude oil drilling, livestock grazing and other activities from vast government-owned lands, as they faced pushback from Republicans and ranchers and over a contentious proposal to put conservation on equal footing with industry.The proposal would allow conservationists and others to lease federally owned land to restore it, much the same way oil companies buy leases to drill and ranchers pay to graze cattle. Leases also could be bought on behalf of companies such as oil drillers who want to offset damage to public land by restoring acreage elsewhere.But more than a century after the U.S. started selling grazing permits and oil and gas leases, the proposal is stirring debate over the best use of public land, primarily in the West. Opponents including Republican lawmakers and agriculture industry representatives are blasting it as a backdoor way to exclude mining, energy developmen...

South Elgin girl abducted at 9 years old found safe 6 years later

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:47 GMT

SOUTH ELGIN, Ill. — A girl who was abducted from South Elgin when she was nine years old was found safe in North Carolina Monday — six years later — according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.Kayla Unbehaun when she was 9 years old, shortly before she went missing in 2017.Kayla Unbehaun was abducted by her mother — Heather Unbehaun — on July 5, 2017 while on a camping trip in South Elgin. After going on the trip with her daughter, the two dropped out of sight.Ryan Iserka, Kayla's dad, was supposed to pick up his daughter from her Mother's Wheaton home, but neither turned up. Several weeks later, a felony warrant for kidnapping was on July 29, 2017. 2018 PREVIOUS COVERAGE: South Elgin dad asks for public’s help on anniversary of 10-year-old’s abduction Iserka issued the following statement through the NCMEC:“I’m overjoyed that Kayla is home safe. I want to thank @ElginPDFD, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children and all of the law enforce...

Prosecutor ends probe of FBI's Trump-Russia investigation with harsh criticism, but no new charges

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:47 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — A special prosecutor found that the FBI rushed into its investigation of ties between Russia and Donald Trump's 2016 campaign and relied too much on raw and unconfirmed intelligence as he concluded a four-year probe that fell far short of the former president's prediction that the “crime of the century" would be uncovered.The report Monday from special counsel John Durham represents the long-awaited culmination of an investigation that Trump and allies had claimed would expose massive wrongdoing by law enforcement and intelligence officials. Instead, Durham's investigation delivered underwhelming results, with prosecutors securing a guilty plea from a little-known FBI employee but losing the only two criminal cases they took to trial.The roughly 300-page report catalogs what Durham says were a series of missteps by the FBI and Justice Department as investigators undertook a politically explosive probe in the heat of the 2016 election into whether the Trump campaign...

Chicago's shooting victims are increasingly its youngest residents

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:47 GMT

Meet Mekhi.He was 8-years-old when he was shot and paralyzed while attending a baby shower in Englewood in 2019.The bullets weren't intended for him. They were meant for someone down the street. But that's the thing about bullets. They don't consider innocence or intent. More Coverage: WGN Investigates Mekhi was one of 238 kids shot in Chicago that year who survived. WGN Investigates reviewed police data that found the number of juveniles 17 and younger climbed to 324 in 2020 and 374 in 2021 before declining slightly last year.“It happens so commonly and it happens every day that no one cares: 'Just another black kid shot," his mom Miranda Randle-McGruder said.Mekhi's message to those doing the shooting: "Instead of going and trying to hurt someone you should first try to go and love someone. You can ruin their life; but my life is not ruined."The victims of gun violence in Chicago are increasingly some of the city’s youngest residents.  Police data show 59 juveniles sho...

Florida teacher under investigation after showing students Disney movie

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:47 GMT

WEEKI WACHEE, Fla (WFLA) — A fifth-grade teacher in Florida is currently under investigation after she showed a Disney movie that featured a gay character in class. Jenna Barbee, who teaches at Winding Waters K-8 in Brooksville, says she originally thought the movie, "Strange World," was appropriate for students to watch since it is rated PG. Despite the rating, school district policy states all movies must first get approval from school leadership before they can be viewed by students."I was showing a movie to my students about Earth because that's our current lessons in science," Barbee said. DeSantis curtails diversity, equity and inclusion programs in Florida state colleges Disney's description of the film states it's a movie about a family of explorers trying to save their world from a strange power outage. The film features a gay teenager, which is what sparked concern for a parent and Hernando County School Board member Shannon Rodriguez."Movies such as this, they assist te...

On target: Highland Park Elementary archery team wins national title

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) - The archery team at Highland Park Elementary School has had a lot of success in recent years, consistently placing in the top 10 at national tournaments. At this year's championship in Sandy, Utah, the Scotties from Highland Park made some history."Our school's never done something like that," said Augie Burns. "I think when we first found out, we were like 'Oh my gosh, that's so crazy. We just broke a school record.'"MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersThe Highland Park group of fifth graders took home the national championship for the first time at the end of April. Since winning the title, life has changed for the young archers."It's sort of like being a celebrity," said Wyatt Gray. "Everybody at school will come and ask you what happened.""We were all just like trying to explain," said Mack Reeder about the questions she was getting. "One of my friends ...

San Marcos CISD school board approves 3% teacher, nurse pay raise

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:47 GMT

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — Teachers with San Marcos CISD will be getting more money. On Monday night, the school board approved a 3% increase for teachers and nurses, along with a longevity plan. RELATED COVERAGE: Austin ISD looking to fill over 200 vacancies for 2023-24 year, holding career fair Saturday "Not only a percentage increase, but we're also looking at longevity increases. So the longer you stay in San Marcos, we want to take care of you," SMCISD Chief of Communications Andrew Fernandez said. SMCISD said it's just one of the ways it's trying to recruit and retain teachers as several districts across Central Texas deal with vacancies. Another way the district is addressing openings is through a program with Texas State University. "They come in and take over some of our classrooms, and it gives them a first-year experience while they're still seniors in college," Fernandez said. Fernandez said they've hired a dozen of those "student-teachers" this school year, including...

South St. Paul girl, 15, dies of gunshot wound after Saturday arrival at west metro hospital

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:47 GMT

Homicide detectives are asking for the public’s help after a 15-year-old South St. Paul girl arrived at a west metro hospital with a gunshot wound and later died.Marleisha Victory Davenport died shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday at North Memorial Medical Center, an hour after she arrived, according to the Hennepin County medical examiner’s office.She had been shot in the back, apparently in North Minneapolis, according to media reports.Anyone with information is encouraged to call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Tips may also be submitted electronically at www.CrimeStoppersMN.org. All tips are anonymous and anyone providing information leading to an arrest and conviction may be eligible for a financial reward.Related ArticlesCrime & Public Safety | Man fatally shot in St. Paul’s Dayton’s Bluff ID’d as 35-year-old Crime & Public Safety | Antoine Suggs sentenced to more than 100 years in St. Paul quadruple murder ...

Rudy Giuliani sued for $10 million over sexual assault allegations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:47 GMT

A former associate of Rudy Giuliani accuses the ex-Trump attorney of demanding sexual favors from her in a bombshell lawsuit alleging "unlawful abuses of power, wide-ranging sexual assault and harassment, wage theft and other misconduct."Noelle Dunphy, former director of business development for several Giuliani-owned companies, filed a lawsuit Monday before the Supreme Court of the State of New York.Dunphy is seeking $10 million in compensation from Giuliani, who allegedly subjected her to constant sexual remarks, demands and threats.“He made clear that satisfying his sexual demands—which came virtually anytime, anywhere—was an absolute requirement of her employment and of his legal representation,” the lawsuit reads.Giuliani “worked aggressively” to hire Dunphy in 2019, according to the lawsuit, and allegedly began abusing her “almost immediately” after she started work. “Giuliani began requiring Ms. Dunphy to work at his home and out of hotel rooms so that she would be at hi...

Cleanup underway in south St. Louis County after heavy rain flooded homes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:32:47 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - We are under a flash flood watch, and many have been dealing with excess water all weekend. Cleanup in south St. Louis County is underway, where it was hit the hardest.The Cedar Creek Lodge Apartments have flooded at least three times since 2017. Over the weekend, emergency crews responded to dozens of calls for help as cars were stuck in floodwater.Devon Emspon lives in the apartment complex and provided dozens of photos of the flooding.“I started knocking on all my neighbors' doors to let them know they probably should move their car," he said. "It was pretty frightening, because this is the worst one I've seen yet. It was going very fast. One minute, it was raining really hard. The next thing I know, nobody could get in or get out." The apartment also flooded in 2017 and 2019. Missouri AG: Gardner was at nursing school during contempt of court hearing Residents evacuated as authorities prepared for the historic crest of the river. It flooded many homes a...