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Defense set to begin in impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:59:04 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Lawyers for impeached Attorney General of Texas Ken Paxton were set to begin presenting their defense Thursday as the trial that will determine whether the Republican is removed from office winds down.Attorneys for the bipartisan group of lawmakers prosecuting Paxton’s impeachment rested their case Wednesday after a woman who was expected to testify about an extramarital affair with Paxton made a sudden appearance at the trial, but never took the stand. The affair is central to the historic proceedings and accusations that Paxton misused his power to help Austin real estate developer Nate Paul, who was under FBI investigation and employed the woman, Laura Olson. One of the 16 articles of impeachment against Paxton alleges that Paul’s hiring of Olson amounted to a bribe. Olson was called to the stand Wednesday morning in the Texas Senate and waited outside the chamber. But her testimony was delayed for hours before Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who is acting as the...

Chilly Thursday morning, but sunshine continues in Chicago; indication of summer-like warmth setting up for next week. Little rain in the forecast

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:59:04 GMT

Thursday Morning ChillClear skies, light winds a perfect recipe for a cool morning—many areas away from the residual warmth of Lake Michigan  see lows dip into the 40s early Thursday morning: FORECAST THURSDAY MORNING LOWS Summer-Like Warmth Stages ComebackWhile still several days away, growing indications of 80 degree-plus temperatures returning to the area next week, as early as Tuesday for parts of the area, more likely on WednesdayFORECAST TUESDAY HIGH TEMPERATURESFORECAST WEDNESDAY HIGH TEMPERATURESTemperatures to be near or slightly below normal through the weekend and into early next week before significant warming occurs Forecast temperature anomalyMassachusetts Gov. Maura Healey issued a state of emergency Tuesday night following the “catastrophic flash flooding and property damage”Rain created several sinkholes in Leominster, Massachusetts, including one where several cars were swallowed up. CONTINUE READINGLee Approaching New EnglandSource: Meteorologist Matt DevittTrop...

5 states' residents got richer, but 17 states' got poorer, new Census data shows

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:59:04 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – 2022 was a rough year for many Americans, newly released U.S. Census Bureau data indicates. While the median household income climbed in five states, far more saw that metric drop last year. Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin all saw household income take a dip in 2022. Nationwide, the median household income was $74,755 in 2022 – nearly 1% lower than the year before when you account for inflation. Income inequality also increased. Alabama, Alaska, Delaware, Florida, and Utah were the lucky five states where the median family saw income grow. Social Security beneficiaries can expect a 2024 increase: reports The other 28 states, plus Puerto Rico and D.C., didn't see a statistically significant change, according to the Census Bureau. The nation's capital got the honor of having the highest median household in the country: $101,0...

The 10 most expensive reported home sales in Fremont the week of Sep. 4

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:59:04 GMT

A house in Fremont that sold for $3 million tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Fremont in the past week.In total, 12 residential real estate sales were recorded in the area during the past week, with an average price of $2 million, $853 per square foot.The prices in the list below concern real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of Sep. 4 even if the property may have been sold earlier.10. $1.6 million, single-family residence in the 4500 block of La Salle Ave.The sale of the single-family house in the 4500 block of La Salle Ave., Fremont, has been finalized. The price was $1,550,000, and the new owners took over the house in July. The house was built in 1954 and has a living area of 1,583 square feet. The price per square foot was $979. The house features three bedrooms and two bathrooms.9. $1.6 million, detached house in the 3600 block of Turner CourtThe property in the 3600 block of Turner Court in Fremont has new owners. Th...

Two Bay Area cities among nation's best for working parents: study

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:59:04 GMT

(KRON) -- It can be very tough to balance raising a child with a professional career. But for those who must do so, two Bay Area cities might be ideal to call home. Data from a new study by Coworking Cafe shows that San Francisco and Fremont are two of the top 10 cities nationwide for working parents. Washington D.C., Arlington, VA, and Seattle made up the list's top 3. San Francisco and Fremont came in at No. 4 and No. 6, respectively. Irvine was the only other California city in the top 20, coming in at No. 15. The study used a number of factors to come up with how cities fare in education, work and health. That includes childcare affordability, the total of remote workers and air quality. San Francisco graded out well in the "work" factors. It has the third-highest number of coworking spaces per square mile, and 77% of workers have remote-eligible jobs, per Coworking Cafe's study. It also has among the highest totals of pediatricians per capita and above-average air quality. ...

Father of murdered DC teen says he feels like he’s ‘in a nightmare’

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:59:04 GMT

The father of a 17-year-old boy who was shot and killed in Northeast D.C. this week called the victim, Antonio Cunningham, a “very playful young man” who had a passion for sports and loved to joke around.“I’m pretty much just numb,” said Cunningham’s father, Antonio Davis. “I just feel like I’m in a nightmare right now.”Davis was shot and killed on his way to work Monday afternoon in the Brentwood neighborhood.As of Wednesday, there was no word on any suspects or a motive, although it may have been an attempted robbery, according to Cunningham’s family.Police are still investigating the murder.“I’m still in shock that I actually have to go through this,” said Davis. “Nobody should be burying their child.”A vigil is planned for Friday at 6 p.m. on Brentwood Road in Northeast, just off 13th Street.Davis encouraged everyone who’s going to bring candles and blue or white balloons.“This ...

Michael Massey homers for second straight game, Royals beat White Sox 7-1

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:59:04 GMT

CHICAGO (AP) — Michael Massey homered for the second straight game, Salvador Perez had three hits and two RBIs and the Kansas City Royals beat the Chicago White Sox 7-1 on Wednesday night.Four pitchers combined to limit Chicago to one run on five hits while striking out nine. Kansas City won its second straight against Chicago and took the season series 7-6.Rookie Steven Cruz opened with two scoreless, two-hit innings in his first career start. Fellow rookie Alec Marsh (1-8) followed, allowing one run on three hits in 4 1/3 innings for his first major league victory.“That was probably the best we’ve seen with him as far as his execution of pitches, the quality the shape of the pitched, the competitiveness,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said.James McArthur got five outs, and Tucker Davidson tossed a 1-2-3 ninth to preserve the win for Marsh, who pitched in his 14th game. The 25-year-old righty started eight of them since being recalled from Omaha and making his debut June ...

Poland’s conservatives need the rural vote to stay in power. Will it hold up?

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:59:04 GMT

KOLBUSZOWA, Poland — The heart of Europe isn’t in Brussels, it’s in the small town of Kolbuszowa in the southeast of Poland — that’s at least if you take the country’s Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki at his word.“I often talk to the greats of this world, in Europe, in America — they consider themselves the navel of the world,” he said at a recent political rally there. “For me, what’s most important is not Berlin, Brussels or Moscow — it’s places like Kolbuszowa.”Despite the grandeur of the event — some of the 2,000 spectators had arrived two or three hours early in anticipation of Morawiecki’s visit last month, many dressed in their Sunday best and carrying Polish flags — you’d be forgiven for not having heard of Kolbuszowa.Located 30 kilometers north of regional capital Rzeszów, and surrounded by rolling farmland and patches of forest, the town has no major industry. Many of its 9,000 residents work in furnit...

Israel’s finance minister now governs the West Bank. Critics see steps toward permanent control

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:59:04 GMT

ASA’EL, West Bank (AP) — With attention focused on its contentious judicial overhaul, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has quietly taken unprecedented steps toward cementing Israel’s control over the West Bank — perhaps permanently.Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a leader of the settlement movement, assumed new powers over the occupied territory in his coalition agreement with Netanyahu. Smotrich moved swiftly to approve thousands of new settlement homes, legalize previously unauthorized wildcat outposts and make it more difficult for Palestinians to build homes and move about.As the first government minister to oversee civilian life in the West Bank, his role amounts to a recognition that Israel’s 56-year military occupation is not temporary but permanent, observers say. “If Smotrich keeps this position for four years we will be at a point of no return,” said Ilan Paz, former head of Israel’s Civil Administration, a military body overseeing civilian affairs i...

Sydney blanketed by smoke for a 4th day due to hazard reduction burning

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 12:59:04 GMT

SYDNEY (AP) — Sydney was blanketed under thick wood smoke for a fourth consecutive day on Thursday due to hazard reduction burns in preparation for the wildfire season.Australia’s most populous city after Melbourne has recorded some of the world’s worst air quality readings since the controlled burning of fuel loads in the surrounding landscapes began on Sunday.Fire authorities have only carried out 14% of planned hazard reduction burns across New South Wales state as of this week and are attempting to catch up before what is forecast to be a hot and dry Southern Hemisphere summer.New South Wales Rural Fire Service Inspector Ben Shepherd said the burns were suspended on Thursday and Friday because of excessive pollution levels and that Sydney’s air was expected to clear soon.“It’s mostly due to the smoke,” Shepherd said of the postponements.“For the next 48 hours, we’ll give this smoke a chance to clear without fire agencies adding additional smoke to it,” Shepherd added.Rain had pr...