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Democrats push legislation for Supreme Court ethics

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:57 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Democrats are pushing for a more stringent ethics code at the Supreme Court after recent reports highlighted questionable ties between some justices and donors.Democrats are advancing efforts to beef up oversight at the Supreme Court."This legislation will be a crucial first step for restoring confidence in the court,” said Sen. Dick Durbin, D-IL.Durbin said ethics reforms are needed after reports revealed conservative justice Clarence Thomas and others failed to disclose gifts and dealings with donors. Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse said Congress has an obligation to step in."This can't go on," said Whitehouse. "Because the highest court in the land has the lowest standard of ethics anywhere in the federal government.”The bill would require Supreme Court justices to adopt a code of conduct and create new methods to investigate alleged violations. Senate committee approves a bill to impose stronger ethics standards on Supreme Court just...

Daughter of retired MLS player dead after being thrown from boat

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:57 GMT

HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) - The daughter of a retired professional soccer player is dead following a boating accident in South Carolina, her family has confirmed. Olivia Knighton, 11, of Massachusetts was among nine people thrown overboard when their 23-foot boat was hit by a large wake from another boat on the Intracoastal Waterway Wednesday, according to the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. There were 12 people on the boat at the time, and no one else was hurt.Knighton was hit by the propeller after being thrown overboard, the DNR said. She died at a local hospital after the incident, according to Horry County Fire Rescue."We are in the process of a detailed inquiry that includes collecting witness statements, examining the boat and working to develop a complete picture of what happened," the DNR said. "Our thoughts are with the child’s family and loved ones." Former NFL quarterback Ryan Mallett dies in apparent drowning in Florida Brad Knighton, a former goalie f...

Delayed flight strands passengers at NYC airport for 30 hours: 'It's been a circus'

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:57 GMT

NEW YORK (WPIX) – A delayed flight caused Hawaiian Airlines passengers to be stranded at JFK Airport for more than a day, according to two sources at the airport on Wednesday. Jeff White told Nexstar's WPIX that he and his fellow passengers were stuck at John F. Kennedy International Airport for more than 33 hours. ‘This is not American’: Sheryl Crow responds to Jason Aldean’s controversial song “It’s been a circus,” White said. “There are small children … elderly people, and mothers with newborns who were unable to retrieve their baggage due to this delayed flight.” White said he and fellow passengers have been shuffled between gate 18B and A9. He also claimed the only compensation they received was a $12 food voucher. White said the airline would not give passengers their luggage back so they could get on the next flight to Hawaii and would not exchange the tickets for another company.Passengers were told the cause of the delay was a problem with the aircraft involving...

Big 12 basketball: Texas men play Houston twice, women take on Iowa State once in 2023-24

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the Texas Longhorns embark on their final season as members of the Big 12 Conference, conference officials announced the breakdown of conference games for both men's and women's basketball on Thursday.No times or dates have been announced, but both Texas programs know who they'll play twice plus the team they'll play only once during the conference season.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/newslettersWith 14 teams in the Big 12 this year before the Longhorns and Oklahoma depart for the Southeastern Conference, Texas will play five teams twice and the other eight once for 18 conference games.Texas men's Big 12 opponentsHome-and-away: Baylor, Houston, Oklahoma, Texas Tech, West VirginiaHome only: UCF, Iowa State, Kansas State, Oklahoma StateAway only: BYU, Cincinnati, Kansas, TCUTexas women's Big 12 opponentsHome-and-away: Baylor, Oklahoma, Kansas State, TCU, Texas ...

Austin enacts new speed zones near 3 school campuses

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:57 GMT

Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN Live’s top headlines for July 20, 2023AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin City Council voted Thursday to reduce speed limits and enact new school zones in areas surrounding three school campuses in east and south Austin. Police, housing, homelessness: Austin City Council back from summer break The first change would establish a maximum speed of 20 miles per hour during designated times along a portion of Pecan Brook Drive in east Austin. The new zone would run along Pecan Brook Drive from 920 feet west of Lazy Creek Drive to 520 feet west of Lazy Creek Drive.The changes will reduce speeds near Magnolia Montessori for All as a supplementary school zone to the existing school zone near LBJ High School.New school zone near Magnolia Montessori for All in east Austin (Courtesy: City of Austin)A second change will create a maximum speed of 15 miles per hour on segments of Escarpment Boulevard, Trissino Drive and Bernia Drive for students attending Bear Cree...

4th hottest year to date, but isolated weekend storms on the horizon

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As the heat rolls on, Austin is experiencing it's 4th hottest year-to-date with no meaningful relief from the heat expected.We tied the record high at Austin's Camp Mabry, reaching 106º like we did on this date last year.We also set another record warm low temperatures this morning with Austin's Camp Mabry only dropping to 80º, beating the previous record warm low of 78º from 2019 and 2011.In case you missed it: Austin set an all-time record for number of consecutive days with highs of 105°+. The streak is now at 10 days, but we may drop below that magical number by the middle of next week.Thursday afternoon forecast highsExcessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories have been extended yet again, this time through Friday at 8 p.m. These heat alerts will likely be extended into the weekend and beyond.Heat alerts in effect through 8 p.m. FridaySlim rain chances return for the weekend with Sunday bringing the "best" rain chances. Still, most areas get no rain and tempera...

How a combination of COVID lawsuits and media coverage keeps misinformation churning

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:57 GMT

By Darius Tahir, KFF Health NewsPublic health has had its day in court lately. And another day. And another day.Over the course of the pandemic, lawsuits came from every direction, questioning public health policies and hospitals’ authority. Petitioners argued for care to be provided in a different way, they questioned mandates on mask and vaccine use, and they attacked restrictions on gatherings.Historically, “there’s been nothing but a cascade of supportive deference to public health,” said Lawrence Gostin, a professor specializing in public health law at Georgetown University. That changed during the pandemic. “It’s the opposite. It’s been a torrent.”Even as COVID-19 wanes, lawyers representing the health care sector predict their days in court aren’t about to end soon. A group of litigators and media companies, among others, are eyeing policy changes and even some profits from yet more lawsuits.Because such groups can reach millions of people, public health advocates like Gostin...

Nicholas Kristof: When children are bought and sold

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:57 GMT

More than a decade ago, I met a scared 15-year-old who was trying to recover her life after having been kidnapped by a pimp and sold for sex.Melanie Thompson recalled the day her life changed: She and two other girls in New York City ran into some older boys who invited them to hang out. The girls did so, the boys provided alcohol, Melanie blacked out — and she says she woke up to being raped. She told me how a pimp then locked her with another girl in an abandoned house, and she had a new job: having sex with strangers against her will.She was 13.When we spoke two years later, she was in a residential program for formerly trafficked girls. She was thoughtful, charming and fond of poetry, but I wondered if she would be able to rebuild her life. Then I lost track of her, until a message arrived from her this spring. We met, and she filled me in on her bumpy journey — and her campaign against what she sees as misguided liberalism that would legalize pimping.Melanie spent years in fost...

Senate committee approves a bill to impose stronger ethics standards on Supreme Court justices

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:57 GMT

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court would have to abide by stronger ethics standards under legislation approved on Thursday by the Senate Judiciary Committee, a response to recent revelations about donor-funded trips by justices. The bill faced united opposition from Republicans, who said it could “destroy” the court.The legislation has little chance to make it through the full Senate.The panel voted along party lines to set ethics rules for the court and a process to enforce them, including new standards for transparency around recusals, gifts and potential conflicts of interest. Democrats first pushed the legislation after reports earlier this year that Justice Clarence Thomas participated in luxury vacations and a real estate deal with a top GOP donor — and after Chief Justice John Roberts declined to testify before the committee about the ethics of the court.Since then, news reports also revealed that Justice Samuel Alito had taken a luxury vacation with a GOP donor. And The Associat...

Albany Police seek help locating a suspicious vehicle

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:01:57 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Albany Police Department is seeking assistance in locating a vehicle following suspicious activity reported on July 18. Police say the vehicle is described to be a dark-colored SUV. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Investigations determined that around 1:20 p.m. on July 18, a driver tried to talk to a child not known to him. This reportedly happened in the area of Whitehall Road and McDonald Road.The child went home and notified a parent, who then called the police. The driver is described as a Hispanic male. He is approximately 40 years old with a black beard or goatee.Anyone with information is asked to contact the Albany Police Department’s Children and Family Services Unit at (518) 447-8780. Anonymous tips may also be submitted to Capital Region Crime Stoppers online by visiting www.capitalregioncrimestoppers.com or by downloading the free P3 Tips mobile app.