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Texas county where Juneteenth began ordered to redraw maps after Voting Rights Act challenge

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:29 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Newly drawn county election districts in Galveston, where Juneteenth began, illegally weaken the voting power of Black and Latino residents and must be redone, a federal judge in Texas ruled Friday in the latest case of a court striking down a Republican-drawn political map.The decision by U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, adds to victories voting rights groups have notched in the South this year over maps that Black voters say dilute their political power. Last month, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a surprising 5-4 ruling in favor of Black voters in a congressional redistricting case from Alabama.In Texas, Brown ruled that Galveston County leaders redrew local political districts in a way that violated the federal Voting Rights Act. Black and Latino residents make up about 38% of the county’s eligible voters, many of whom lived in a precinct that was dismantled by the new maps. “This is not a typical re...

Lexi Thompson falls short in her bid to make PGA Tour cut in Las Vegas

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:29 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Lexi Thompson delivered star-power moments built for a stage like Las Vegas, and when she poured in a pair of long birdie putts Friday, she was on the cusp of history.Thompson was 4 under with seven holes to play. In her sights was a chance to become the first woman in 78 years to make a 36-hole cut on the PGA Tour.One poor swing, one mediocre chip and one missed putt at end left her on the outside of the cut at the Shriners Children’s Open, but no less proud of two days she won’t soon forget. She wanted to inspire kids to chase their dreams, and she did all of that at the TPC Summerlin.“Playing with the guys — amazing feeling,” Thompson said after a 2-under 69. “Growing up with guys, I’ve always wanted to be out on a PGA Tour event and tee it up. But the biggest thing was seeing the kids out there outside the ropes and then meeting a few of the Shriners ambassadors. That was the most special.”Her golf was a close second.Thompson made five birdies ...

New York officers won’t face charges in death of man who caught fire after being shot with stun gun

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:29 GMT

Police officers in upstate New York will not face criminal charges in connection with the death of a man who doused himself with hand sanitizer and then caught on fire when one of the officers shot a stun gun at him, the state attorney general’s office said Friday.Jason Jones, 29, was taken off life support in December 2021 after having spent six weeks in intensive care following the fire at the Catskill police station. Attorney General Letitia James’ office released a report on Jones’ death and the officers’ actions, concluding that a prosecutor would not be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the officers committed crimes. The report also recommended that police officers receive new training on using stun guns safely.“Officers attempted to subdue Mr. Jones with a device that is not usually lethal to take him to a hospital, believing he was a danger to himself or others,” James’ office said in a statement. “The investigation showed that their traini...

11 sent to hospital after ammonia leak at Southern California building

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:29 GMT

BUENA PARK, Calif. (AP) — An ammonia leak at a Southern California business sent 11 people to the hospital Friday morning, authorities said.The leak was reported shortly before 9:15 a.m. in a commercial building in Buena Park, the Orange County Fire Authority said.The building was evacuated and 12 people were decontaminated, with 11 being sent to hospitals where they were in stable condition, the fire authority said.A hazardous materials team determined that the chemical released was ammonia, firefighters said.Exposure to high levels of ammonia in the air can irritate the skin, eyes, throat and lungs and cause coughing and burns, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.There was no immediate word on what caused the leak.The Associated Press

Judge authorizes attempted murder trial in shooting over Spanish conquistador statue

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:29 GMT

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A judge on Friday ordered an attempted murder trial for a New Mexico man accused in the shooting of a Native American activist amid confrontations about aborted plans to reinstall a statue of a Spanish conquistador outside a government office.State District Court Judge Jason Lidyard found sufficient evidence to support charges of attempted murder and assault with a deadly weapon against 23-year-old Ryan David Martinez in connection with the shooting that was recorded by bystanders with cell phones and by surveillance cameras.Martinez was arrested on Sept. 28 after chaos erupted and a single shot was fired at an outdoor gathering in Española over canceled plans to install a bronze likeness of conquistador Juan de Oñate, who is both revered and reviled for his role in establishing early settlements along the Upper Rio Grande starting in 1598.The shooting wounded Jacob Johns, of Spokane, Washington, a well-traveled activist for environmental causes and an advocate...

Montana judge keeps in place a ban on enforcement of law restricting drag shows, drag reading events

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:29 GMT

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — A federal judge in Montana is continuing to block enforcement of a law that puts restrictions on drag shows and bans drag reading events in public schools and libraries, saying Friday that the law targets free speech and expression and that the text of the law and its legislative history “evince anti-LGBTQ+ animus.”The preliminary injunction, granted by U.S. District Court Judge Brian Morris, prevents enforcement of the law while a lawsuit filed on July 6 moves through the court process. Morris heard arguments over the injunction on Aug. 28.In briefs, the state argued “the Legislature determined sexually oriented performances and drag reading events to be indecent and inappropriate for minors,” and potentially harmful. Protecting minors from divergent gender expression is not the same as protecting minors from obscene speech, attorney Constance Van Kley argued for the plaintiffs during the Aug. 28 hearing.Montana law already protects minors from exposure t...

Evanston mother, daughter being held hostage by Hamas

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:29 GMT

CHICAGO -- A mother and daughter from Evanston visiting family in Israel were reportedly taken hostage by Hamas, according to the family's rabbi.Judith Tai Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter Natali, a recent graduate of Deerfield High School, traveled to Nahal Oz, Israel, near the Gaza border, to celebrate a relative's 85th birthday and Jewish holidays on Monday, Sept. 2.The family’s rabbi told WGN-TV the Israeli government contacted Judith’s sister in Israel and Natalie’s dad in Illinois with confirmation the two were taken hostage by Hamas. It’s not known where they’re being held.The Hamas militant group attacked the community in Israel where they were staying nearly a week ago, the Israeli government confirmed. Palestinians flee northern Gaza after Israel orders 1 million to evacuate as ground attack looms Hamas, the militant group that controls Gaza, launched attacks over the weekend against Israel, which prompted a counterattack from Israeli forces.Counterattacks from Israel...

McCarthy supports Jordan for Speaker: 'Jim was a great ally to me'

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:29 GMT

(The Hill) — Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said he supports House Judiciary Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) for Speaker, after Republicans nominated him on Friday before recessing for the weekend.“I support Jim Jordan fully, Jim was a great ally to me. He worked hard,” McCarthy told host John Catsimatidis in an interview on the "Cats and Cosby" radio show. “We came into Congress together.”The former Speaker referenced Friday’s secret ballot vote, calling it what the public “would think is the primary ... inside the conference.” The vote came one day after Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.), who secured the nomination originally, dropped out after not receiving enough support from Republicans. Israel’s deadline for Gaza evacuation closes in: What to know As it stands, Jordan earned 152 votes, beating out Rep. Austin Scott (R-Ga.) who entered a last-minute bid, but still falling short of the 217 needed to clinch the gavel.“We’ve got some people not there yet,” McCarthy said. “We j...

Indianapolis teacher goes missing in Puerto Rico

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:29 GMT

NAGUABO, Puerto Rico (WXIN) — An Indiana woman and local elementary teacher has gone missing while on vacation in Puerto Rico, according to family friends and local police.Friends of Amanda Webster, an Indianapolis resident and art teacher at Thompson Crossing Elementary School in Franklin Township, confirmed Friday that the 44-year-old has not returned from a vacation on the island. Local Police Commissioner Antonio Lopez Figueroa activated an "Ashanti Alert" on Friday asking Puerto Rican citizens to help search for Webster, who reportedly went missing earlier this week. Over 238,000 Ford Explorers recalled over rear axle bolt after US opens investigation "Amanda Lynn Webster was reported missing on Wednesday by the landlord of the place she is staying at, after realizing she failed to leave the home as agreed upon and left her belongings and a rented car on the property," an English translation of a post from local police reads. According to police, Webster is a 5'6," 147-pound...

River Grove man sentenced to over 5 years for bribery scheme with former Illinois lawmaker

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 10:14:29 GMT

CHICAGO -- A federal judge has sentenced the manager of a sweepstakes gaming company to five and a half years in prison for participating in a bribery scheme with an Illinois state lawmaker.James Weiss, 44, of River Grove, paid thousands of dollars in bribes to then-Illinois State Representative Luis Arroyo in 2018 and 2019, according to the FBI. PREVIOUS: Chicago businessman convicted of bribing two state lawmakers The bribes were paid from Weiss’s gaming company, Collage LLC, in the form of checks made payable to Spartacus 3 LLC, Arroyo’s private lobbying firm in Chicago. In exchange for the bribes, Arroyo promoted legislation in the Illinois General Assembly related to the sweepstakes industry and advised other state lawmakers to support the legislation. In August 2019, Arroyo offered to have bribe payments made to an Illinois State Senator in return for the Senator’s support of sweepstakes-related legislation.As part of the scheme, Weiss agreed to conceal the bribe p...