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Steve Murdock, Texas scholar who headed Census Bureau, dies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:25:50 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — Steve Murdock, a former state demographer of Texas who served one year as the director of the U.S. Census Bureau, during which he helped keep the 2010 census on track, has died. He was 75.Murdock died last Friday, according to Rice University in Houston, where he spent nearly a decade until his retirement in 2019.After being nominated to head the nation’s largest statistical agency by President George W. Bush, Murdock served in the job from January 2008 to January 2009, when he vacated the position with a change in administrations following the election of President Barack Obama.“When he accepted the job, Dr. Murdock knew that it would only be for one year until a new president took over and made his own appointee – a terrific example of someone who puts public service above personal gain or personal needs,” Robert Santos, the current director of the Census Bureau, said in a statement.Murdock was the first state demographer of Texas from 2001 to 2007. He also he...

Arkansas Gov. Huckabee Sanders signs parole changes into law

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:25:50 GMT

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders approved an overhaul of the state’s sentencing laws Tuesday that will eliminate parole eligibility for certain violent offenses.The Republican governor signed into law legislation that will require anyone convicted of any of 18 violent offenses, including capital murder and rape, to serve 100% of their sentences. That section takes effect next year, so it doesn’t impact people sentenced before 2024.Another part of the law that takes effect in 2025 will require offenders convicted of several other offenses to serve at least 85% of their sentences.“No more letting violent offenders back on the street without serious prison time,” Sanders said at a bill signing ceremony at State Police headquarters.The sentencing overhaul comes as parts of Arkansas have seen a spike in crime in the past year. Arkansas’ capital of Little Rock reported a record number of homicides last year.Republicans in a number of states h...

What we know so far on the leaked Pentagon documents

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:25:50 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — It’s been less than a week since news of highly classified military documents on the Ukraine war surfaced, sending the Pentagon into full-speed damage control to assure allies and assess the scope of the leak. The information on scores of slides has publicized potential vulnerabilities in Ukraine’s air defense capabilities and exposed private assessments by allies on an array of intelligence matters, raising questions about whether the leak will erode allies’ trust in sharing information with the U.S. or impact Ukraine’s plans to intensify the fight against Russia this spring. Overall, the leaked documents present a “very serious risk to national security,” a top Pentagon spokesman told reporters Monday.This is a look at what the documents are, what is known about how they surfaced, and their potential impact. WHAT ARE THEY? The classified documents — which have not been individually authenticated by U.S. officials — range from briefin...

Tribes want US protection for areas next to the Grand Canyon

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:25:50 GMT

PHOENIX (AP) — Tribal leaders in Arizona said Tuesday they hope to build on the momentum of President Joe Biden’s recent designation of a national monument in neighboring Nevada to persuade the administration to create similar protections for areas adjacent to the Grand Canyon, which they consider sacred.“This designation is of the highest priority to the Hopi people,” said Timothy Nuvangyaoma, chairman of the tribe in northern Arizona. “We have to protect the beauty and grandeur of this place many tribes call home.” Tribes in Arizona are looking to persuade Biden to use his authority under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to make the designation for a little more than 1 million acres (404,686 hectares), or about 1,560 square miles (4,000 square kilometers).The announcement during a virtual news conference came days before Interior Secretary Deb Haaland is scheduled to visit Nevada. The state is home to Avi Kwa Ame, a newly designated monument on a desert mountain northwest of Laug...

Bodycam video released from Louisville bank shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:25:50 GMT

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Police body camera video released Tuesday shows Louisville officers being fired upon as they arrive at the bank where five people were killed and the harrowing minutes while officers confront the shooter and work to rescue a wounded colleague.Two patrol officers who responded to the shooting were wounded, one of them struck in the head by a bullet in the Monday morning shooting. Louisville Metro Police Department Deputy Chief Paul Humphrey walked reporters through edited footage and still photos at a news conference Tuesday.One still image from surveillance video showed the shooter holding a rifle inside the building, surrounded by broken glass. Police said he set up an ambush position to attack officers as they arrived.To watch the bodycam video, click here. Louisville attack shows challenge of curbing violent videos Officer Cory Galloway’s body camera shows him perched behind a stairway outside the building after rookie Officer Nickolas Wilt was ...

Search continues for Chicago Police Department Superintendent

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:25:50 GMT

CHICAGO -- Tuesday will be the first of four public hearings for the Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability.The public hearings are being held to receive feedback from the community on what qualities community members would like to see in Chicago's next top cop. Interim Chicago police superintendent: Officer who shot, killed Adam Toledo should be fired The Community Commission for Public Safety and Accountability holds the responsibility for finding and selecting a list of candidates to take over as Chicago Police Department's Superintendent.The CCPSA has 120 days to conduct a nationwide search, recruit candidates, review applications, perform background checks, conduct interviews, and select three finalists for Mayor-elect Brandon Johnson. The entire process must be complete by July 14.From there, Mayor-elect Johnson will have 30 days to either select one of the three finalists or refuse the recommendations. If that occurs, the commission must start the entire ...

PAWS Chicago to bring 30-plus rescued dogs and cats from tornado-ravaged Tennessee

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:25:50 GMT

CHICAGO — A Chicago animal shelter is bringing nearly three dozen dogs and cats from a Tennessee shelter to help with newly displaced animals arriving there after tornadoes ravaged the area around the shelter last week. In all, PAWS Chicago is welcoming 21 dogs and ten cats. Included in the arrivals will be a mother cat with three 2-week-old kittens who were found in a Memphis-area barn, two 6-week-old kittens found inside the wall of an abandoned apartment, and a litter of eight puppies that had been living outside during the storm in a small doghouse.Rescue from Tennessee shelterRescues from Tennessee shelterRescue from Tennessee shelterRescue from Tennessee shelterRescue from Tennessee shelterRescues from Tennessee shelterAccording to the PAWS Chicago, they reached out to the Tennessee shelter to offer their help after last week's tornado outbreak in the state. Volunteers will begin the drive back on Wednesday morning and arriving at the PAWS Chicago Medical Center sometime Wedne...

Police call Minnesota mother's disappearance 'suspicious and involuntary'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:25:50 GMT

(NewsNation) — As police call off a search for missing Minnesota mom Madeline Kingsbury, her family and friends still hope she will be found.Kingsbury disappeared on March 31, according to Winona Police. The last person to see her was the father of her two children while she was dropping them off at daycare. He says he borrowed her van and hasn't seen her since.The last known communication from Kingsbury was a funny text to her sister. She never showed up to pick her children up from daycare and her phone, ID, and wallet were left at home. Police have called her disappearance "suspicious and involuntary" and thousands of people turned out to search for her. Missing woman found alive in Jeep submerged in Texas lake While police have called off the ground search in Winona, a southern Minnesota city located along the Wisconsin border, the investigation into Kingsbury's disappearance is ongoing. Kingsbury's mother, Krista Naber, said the family is hoping someone will come forward with...

2 siblings killed in Queens fire caused by e-bike: FDNY

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:25:50 GMT

NEW YORK (WPIX) – Two siblings were killed in a fire at a Queens home that was caused by an exploding e-bike battery Monday afternoon, officials said.The fire happened at a home on 46th Street in Astoria just after 2 p.m., according to FDNY. The fire started in the first-floor vestibule and traveled up the stairs to the second floor.A father and his five children were in their home on the second floor at the time of the fire, officials said. Two of the siblings died while the rest of the family was able to escape by jumping from the front and rear windows. Walmart removes T-shirt from sale after shoppers notice vulgar acronym A contractor working across the street said he came outside to get something from his car and noticed children screaming from one of the smoke-and-fire-filled windows on the second floor."We tried to open the door, and it was all fire from the first floor to the second floor," said Ayoub Boussaid, who said one of the children jumped out of a window into his a...

Strong Winds, unseasonable Warmth bring Fire Weather Watch to Chicago Area

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:25:50 GMT

My National Weather Service-Chicago colleagues have issued A FIRE WEATHER WATCH for the GREATER CHICAGO AREA in effect from 11am to 7pm Wednesday.The combination of STRONG WINDS, UNSEASONABLE WARMTH, SUNSHINE AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITIES (as low as 20-25%)--all of which are to be present under sunny skies Wednesday--will create a situation in which any fire outdoors can spread quickly.Care in the disposal of smoking materials and holding off on outdoor burning reduced the threat of fire going out of control.PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...A Fire Weather Watch means that critical fire weather conditionsare forecast to occur. Listen for later forecasts and possibleRed Flag Warnings.Here are the predicted RELATIVE HUMIDITIES predicted at 2 p.m. CDT Wednesday:CLICK TO VIEW SLIDESHOW OF WEDNESDAY'S CONDITIONS:WEDNESDAY'S PREDICTED HIGH TEMPSPREDICTED WEDNESDAY HIGH TEMP DEPARTURES FROM NORMAL showing Chicago highs will come in MORE THAN 20-deg ABOVE NORMALThe Wednesday afternoon pred...