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Biden administration brainstorms how to help families 'stretch food dollars'

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:48:00 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — The Biden administration says it is rolling out new public-private initiatives to help Americans confronting high food prices."To make sure that everyone is fed and everyone is fed well," Secretary of Agriculture Tim Vilsack said.More than 34 million Americans, including 9 million children, are considered food insecure, according to the federal government. Administration officials met with anti-hunger groups at the White House Friday to talk about how to tackle the problem head-on."Figuring out ways in which we can help families stretch that food dollar. Looking for ways in which we can create what are called double-buck programs where basically every dollar you spend as a SNAP family gets matched by a nonprofit," Vilsack said.The Biden administration this month ended pandemic-era increases to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program food stamp benefits. Vilsack said that at the same time, his agency has ramped up resources for food banks, increased SNAP bene...

Florida principal resigns after parents complain about 'pornographic' Michelangelo statue

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:48:00 GMT

This story has been updated with additional commentary provided by Hillsdale College regarding its curriculum content.TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — The line between art and pornography is at the center of an education dispute after a Tallahassee charter school principal resigned, following accusations that middle school students were shown inappropriate adult content.At issue? Students in the school were shown images of a Renaissance period sculpture, the "David," leading to complaints that the children were shown pornographic material. ‘Toxic political ideology’: Florida English professor fired over racial justice unit blames DeSantis Tallahassee Classical School, a private institution focused on "training the minds and improving the hearts of young people through a content-rich classical education in the liberal arts and sciences, with instruction in the principles of moral character and civic virtue," gave its principal an ultimatum to quit or be fired after three parents complain...

Austin family in Paris amid protests of Macron's pension plan shift

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:48:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN/AP) -- More than a million people took to France's streets Thursday to protest a bill pushed through by President Emmanuel Macron that raised the retirement age from 62 to 64 without a vote in parliament, according to the Associated Press. Transportation, schools, restaurants, supermarkets, banks and trash collection are just some of the services being impacted by protests and strikes, the outlet reported. READ MORE: Violent French pension protests erupt as 1M demonstrate "We were out having dinner one evening and saw caravans of police vans going around town. That was our first introduction to that there was something going on," Austin-area woman Krista Wise said. She has been in Paris since last Thursday with friends and family for a holiday. Krista Wise and her friends and family are on vacation in Paris (courtesy of the family)Wise said the sight seeing they've wanted to do hasn't been impacted by protests so far, but Thursday, the largest demonstration seen in t...

Austin is experiencing a top 10 warmest start to the year

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:48:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Warmth has been no stranger to Central Texas so far in 2023.Through March 24, Austin (Camp Mabry) is experiencing its ninth-warmest start to the year on record. The average mean temperature, which accounts for the highs and lows of the day, is up to 59.2º year-to-date, which is over two degrees warmer than normal.Austin's weather statistics year-to-dateAustin's Camp Mabry has broken six heat records so far in 2023 but set no cold records.Camp Mabry heat recordsAustin-Bergstrom International Airport is also seeing heat records outnumber cold records this year.Austin-Bergstrom International Airport heat vs cold records We've also had two 90-degree+ days in Austin. We typically don't see our first 90º day of the year until April 3 on average.In-Depth: Heat records outpacing cold recordsWith data that goes back to the 1890s in Austin, you can see a clear trend for the last few decades thanks to Climate Central. New heat records are greatly outpacing cold records in Austi...

Jury convicts man in 2020 fatal stabbing

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:48:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Travis County jury convicted a man of manslaughter Feb. 28 in connection with the death of a 36-year-old man in southeast Austin in July 2020.Travis County records showed 37-year-old Vincent Serrato originally pleaded guilty to the original murder charge, but he was convicted on the lesser charge of manslaughter. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Suspect arrested in southeast Austin stabbing Court records showed a judge sentenced Serrato to serve 18 years in state prison for the death of 36-year-old Guadalupe Sanchez Jr., as well as pay court fees totaling $445.According to a past KXAN report, Austin police officers responded to a call in July 2020 for a man with stab wounds inside an apartment at the 6000 block of Fairway Street in southeast Austin.At the apartment, officers found Sanchez unresponsive and with obvious trauma to his body. He was later pronounced dead.

Who has the edge for the final Twins bullpen spot?

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:48:00 GMT

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Twins came into spring training with a relatively set roster and save for a couple injuries, not much has changed. But there does appear — at least publicly — to be at least one bullpen spot still up for grabs.Jhoan Duran, Griffin Jax, Jorge López, Caleb Thielbar and Emilio Pagán are locks. Jorge Alcala and Jovani Moran are safe bets, as well, which would leave just one spot remaining. And while the Twins have not tipped their hands, manager Rocco Baldelli has expressed his interest in having a long reliever on the roster.“I think there are a lot of scenarios that play out in a way where we have someone that can do that on the roster. There will be periods of time where we won’t. Sometimes that’s going to be a day or two,” Baldelli said last week. “ … In our mind, that’s going to be an important spot in our bullpen that I think we would like to have more times than not. I’m hoping that one guy, at least, in our bullpen can kind of fulfill that role and do a go...

Queen + Adam Lambert will return to Xcel Energy Center for the third time in October

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:48:00 GMT

Queen and “American Idol” vet Adam Lambert will return to St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center Oct. 27.Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. March 31 through Ticketmaster. Neither the promoter nor the venue announced prices. According to the news release, “the band (is) collaborating with the venues’ ticketing partners to restrict the ability to transfer tickets for the Rhapsody Tour so that they may only be transferred between fans at the original price … using a face value ticket exchange, including the Ticketmaster Face Value Exchange, which is free to use for buyers and sellers.”After Queen’s vocalist Freddie Mercury died in 1991 from complications of AIDS, surviving members Brian May (guitar), Roger Taylor (drums) and John Deacon (bass) staged a memorial concert at London’s Wembley Stadium in front of a crowd of 72,000 fans.Deacon retired from the group soon after, but May and Taylor kept Queen going through various archival record releases and one-off concert appearances with gue...

Third annual ‘Flavors of Our Community’ culturally relevant food drive delivers to food shelves across the Twin Cities and beyond

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:48:00 GMT

More than 5 million people across Minnesota visited food shelves in 2022, according to the nonprofit Hunger Solutions Minnesota, which was a record high and nearly more than 2 million from the previous year.The reasons include rising food costs, loss of food support programs such as stimulus payments and more, according to the group. The Greater Twin Cities United Way recognized that for the immigrant communities in the metro area, many may not be finding food they are familiar with. In response, they created the “Flavors of Our Community,” a culturally relevant food drive.This is the third year in a row that the United Way has partnered with various nonprofits in the state to create a food drive that has “essential items for Afghan, East African, Karen, Latinx, Indigenous and Southeast Asian Minnesotans,” according to a press release.The United Way and their partner nonprofit organizations, such as 360 Communities and Division of Indian Work, are developing 11 different kinds of fo...

Colonie man found guilty of sex and human trafficking

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:48:00 GMT

COLONIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) - A Colonie man accused of sex trafficking and human trafficking, including trafficking and coercing minors, was found guilty of all charges on Friday. Christopher Thomas, 36, was convicted on 16 counts on Friday in United States District Court, and is expected to face 15 years to life in prison, according to an announcement by Federal Bureau of Investigation and New York State Police officials, and U.S. Attorney Carla B. Freedman. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! First indicted in 2021, Thomas was found to have trafficked and exploited victims as young as age 16. Those victims were used for commercial sex enterprises in several states, including New York, Vermont, Connecticut and Massachusetts, for Thomas' own financial benefit. Thomas was first arrested in May 2020, and in police custody at Albany County Jail, but police previously said he had continued to operate while behind bars.Thomas was found g...

Joe Girard makes decision on basketball future

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 14:48:00 GMT

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) - After four years and over 1,600 career points at Syracuse, Joe Girard looks to have played his last game for the Orange. Friday, the Glens Falls native announcing that he'll go through the 2023 NBA Draft process but will maintain his collegiate eligibility. Girard also adding, that he plans to enter the transfer portal.Gods Plan, Got To Believe It To See It! #BeDifferent 🙌🏻🧡 pic.twitter.com/Q9iZ5SmCLD— Joseph Girard III (@JG3_____) March 24, 2023Joe Girard ranked sixth in the ACC this season, averaging over 16 points a game. His 297 three-point field goals made is third all-time in Syracuse history, only behind Gerry McNamara and Buddy Boeheim.If Girard opts out of the NBA draft, he will have a fifth year of collegiate eligibility due to the Covid year.