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Looming thunderstorms could threaten firefighting efforts in California-Nevada blaze

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

JEAN, Nev. (AP) — A brief but heavy downpour Tuesday helped firefighters battling a massive blaze in California and Nevada, but meteorologists warned of the potential for sudden and erratic wind shifts that could endanger crews later on.The York Fire was partially contained by Tuesday morning after igniting last week in the Mojave National Preserve in California and spreading into Nevada, while flames scorched tens of thousands of acres of desert scrub, juniper and Joshua tree woodland.Now the largest wildfire of the season in California, the blaze was mapped at roughly 125 square miles (323.7 square kilometers) on Tuesday, with 23% containment.While the 15-minute downpour early Tuesday helped firefighting efforts, thunderstorms could pose problems if they pass over the area, said Clay Morgan, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Las Vegas. If the storms miss the flames entirely, crews could face unstable wind conditions — with gusts up to 40 mph (64 kph) — and risk having th...

What would West African bloc’s threat to use force to restore democracy in Niger look like?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — The stance of West Africa’s regional bloc known as ECOWAS in the military takeover in Niger is clear: “We will stand with our people in our commitment to the rule of law,” its chairman, Nigerian President Bola Tinubu, said at the body’s meeting this week.The 15-nation bloc summoned its defense chiefs to discuss its threat to “take all measures necessary (that) may include the use of force” if ousted Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum is not reinstated within one week. ECOWAS is resolved to use military force after economic and travel sanctions used against the coup plotters failed, according to a Western diplomat in Niamey who did not want to be identified for security reasons.How the bloc would carry out its threat remains unclear given its lack of coordination in providing security regionally and formally with the U.S. State Department in Niger, said Aneliese Bernard, director of Strategic Stabilization Advisors. “There’s not enough actual trust among EC...

82-year-old man missing after going on bike ride in Roseland

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

CHICAGO — Family is looking for an 82-year-old man who went out for a bike ride in Roseland Monday morning and did not return.Leopoldo "Leo" Ambriz is missing from the 200 block of West 108th Street.Ambriz, 5'4", 150 lbs., went out for a bike ride at around 10:30 a.m., something he does twice a week, wearing a neon vest, biking gloves and a white helmet. He also had black compression shorts on, a black and brown backpack, and was riding a red and black bicycle.Family told WGN News he needs his blood pressure medication. They have been actively searching for him in the area.He frequently rides his bike along 107th, 108th and 111th streets. Ambriz speaks Spanish with limited English, family said.Anyone with information can call 911 or detectives at 312-747-8274.

COVID hospital admissions jump in what could be a new norm of summer surges

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

(The Hill) – Total COVID-19 hospital admissions jumped by 12.1 percent in the past week, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), marking the highest jump in admissions since last winter.This week's hospital admission rate follows last week's rise of more than 10 percent. While this data suggests more infections, a metric the CDC does not track anymore, it remains unclear how concerned people should be.While hospital admissions have risen by more than 10 percent in each of the past two weeks, the number of patients currently hospitalized has risen by a comparatively smaller degree. Compared to last week, the number of patients hospitalized for COVID this week rose by seven percent to 6,121. Deaths due to COVID-19 have also not changed in recent weeks as hospital admissions have risen. You’ll need this overlooked piece of info to file a Facebook settlement claim The most recent wastewater surveillance data from July found that the...

Judge rules Trump false election claims while in office covered by presidential immunity

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

(The Hill) -- A Pennsylvania state judge on Monday ruled that an election worker cannot sue former President Trump over statements he made sowing doubt in the 2020 election results while in office, finding the statements are protected by presidential immunity. Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas Judge Michael Erdos said Trump was immune for a tweet he issued and comments he made remotely from the White House during a Pennsylvania state Senate committee hearing in November 2020. The statements, made without evidence, claimed fraud in Pennsylvania's election tabulations.“Other legal proceedings may examine the propriety of his statements and actions while he was the President and whether, as the plaintiffs in this and other cases contend, it was this conduct which served as the actual threat to our democracy,” Erdos ruled. “But this case is not the proper place to do so. Here, Trump is entitled to Presidential immunity.”James Savage, a Pennsylvania voting machine supervisor...

Grass fires close portion of SH 130 in Pflugerville

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) -- Northbound State Highway 130 was shut down Tuesday morning due to two grass fires near the road, the Pflugerville Police Department and Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2 said.The fires are along SH 130 between State Highway 45 and County Road 138, Travis County ESD No. 2 said. The highway is closed beginning at Kelly Lane. Traffic near the fire is being moved to the service road, police said. Travis County ESD No. 2, Hutto Fire Rescue and Williamson County ESD No. 10 firefighters responded to the fires, Travis County ESD No. 2 said.Drivers are being asked to find different routes, if possible.This developing story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Austin's 25-day streak of consecutive 100° days is the 2nd-longest in recorded history

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin is currently experiencing one of the longest stretches of triple-digit heat in recorded history.Camp Mabry, Austin's official weather reporting site, has reached 100° or hotter every day since July 8.That means, as of Saturday, temperatures have reached the century mark for 25 days in a row. With records dating back to the 1890s, that ranks as the second-longest stretch of triple-digit temperatures ever recorded in Austin. MORE HEAT RECORDS: What is Austin's hottest month ever? The KXAN First Warning Weather team is currently forecasting at least seven more days at or above 100°, which would extend the streak past 30 days. That would surpass 2011 as the longest of all time. How often does Austin hit 100°? Here’s a breakdown by date, month, year and decade The record streak currently stands at 27 days, set between July 17 and Aug. 12, 2011. That summer went on to have a record-breaking 90 days of triple-digit heat.Meanwhile, Austin-Bergstrom International A...

Entering the hottest month of the calendar year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Even though July 2023 had fewer triple-digit highs (25) than July 2022 (29) this July still managed to become the hottest July ever. The average temperature was 90.8°. This was helped by an average high temperature of 103.5°The hottest July in Austin weather historyThere is one statistical entry in today's forecast that far exceeds any other. There is a 10% chance of late-afternoon and evening showers/isolated thunderstorms moving in from the east. Two of our high-resolution models are showing this rain.The Excessive Heat Warning today for 11 counties is for high temperatures at or above 105°. The Heat Advisory for the other four counties is for high temperatures up to 104° and the heat index up to 112°.Heat alerts continue until 9 p.m. TuesdayAll 15 counties in our KXAN viewing area remain under Burn Bans. These are verified as needed by the wildfire danger brought about by the dearth of rain along with depleted soil moisture.Wednesday wildfire danger outlook BLO...

Ken Paxton to appear in court in securities fraud case hearing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

HARRIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is set to appear in court this week after years of delays in a securities fraud case against him. The hearing is scheduled for Thursday in Harris County. Hearing set in Ken Paxton’s securities fraud case Paxton faces felony charges and is accused of defrauding investors in a tech startup. He was indicted in 2015.The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals ruled last month the case should remain in Houston, settling a key issue in the case as Paxton faces an impeachment trial in the Texas Senate later this year.The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, in a 6-3 ruling, overturned lower-court decisions that said Paxton’s trial had been improperly moved from Collin County, where he lives, to Harris County because the trial judge had lost jurisdiction over the matter, the Texas Tribune reported. However, the Texas Constitution and state law protected the judge’s authority over the case, the court ruled. Ken...

Austin FC's Diego Fagundez traded to LA Galaxy for Memo Rodriguez, cash: report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:20:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — According to a report from The Athletic, Austin FC winger Diego Fagundez had been traded.Tom Bogert, The Athletic's national soccer reporter, reports that Fagundez has been traded to the LA Galaxy for midfielder Memo Rodriguez plus up to $900,000 in general allocation money. Bogert said the breakdown of the money is a guaranteed $300,000 going to Austin FC with an additional $600,000 possible.Fagundez signed a 3-year contract with Austin FC in February with a club option through the 2026 season. According to the MLS Players Association salary guide, Fagundez is set to make $1.06 million this season — fourth-most on the team.Fagundez scored the first goal in Austin FC history and was part of the original roster when Verde and Black began MLS play in 2021. He's the franchise's leader in assists with 22 and he's scored 15 goals throughout his Austin FC career. This season, Fagundez has two goals and two assists.Rodriguez was in his first year with the Galaxy and notched...