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Biden’s pick to lead FAA withdraws  

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:01:23 GMT

WILMINGTON, Del. — President Joe Biden’s choice to run the Federal Aviation Administration has withdrawn his nomination, a setback for the administration that comes after Denver International Airport CEO Phillip Washington appeared to lack enough support in the closely divided Senate.Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg confirmed Washington’s withdrawal in a tweet Saturday night, calling him “an excellent nominee” and blaming undeserved and partisan attacks.Republicans were united in opposition to Washington, calling him unqualified because of limited aviation experience. Democrats and allied independents still might have pushed the nomination through, but key senators on their side balked at supporting Biden’s pick.Washington’s fate appeared settled when Senate Commerce Committee Chair Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., abruptly called off a scheduled vote last Wednesday — a sign that she lacked enough votes to move the nomination out of committee. She ...

West Reading chocolate factory explosion: Fourth body pulled from rubble

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:01:23 GMT

NEW STORY: West Reading chocolate factory explosion death toll rises to 5The death toll from the Friday explosion of a West Reading chocolate factory has risen to four.During a Sunday morning press briefing, Police Chief Wayne Holben announced that a fourth body had been pulled from the rubble of the R.M. Palmer Co. plant on South Second Avenue in the early hours of the day.Officials have not released any details about the individuals who lost their lives in the incident.Three people believed to have been inside the plant at the time of the blast are still unaccounted for, Holben said. There have been no official updates on the casualty toll since Sunday morning.The explosion took place just before 5 p.m. Friday, rocking the borough with a loud, quick blast. Rescue crews have been working around the clock since, digging through the debris in hopes of finding survivors.One survivor was discovered early Saturday morning. Holben said Sunday that a woman was pulled from the rubble after...

SDSU advances to Final Four after beating Creighton

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:01:23 GMT

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) --  The San Diego State University Men’s Basketball team is headed to the Final Four of the NCAA Tournament for the first time in team history.Darrion Trammell converted a go-ahead free throw after he was fouled on a floater with 1.2 seconds left, and San Diego State muscled its way into its first Final Four, grinding out a 57-56 victory over Creighton on Sunday in the NCAA Tournament's South Region final.Lamont Butler scored 18 points and Trammell had 12 for the fifth-seeded Aztecs (31-6), who slowed down the high-scoring, sixth-seeded Bluejays (24-13) and became the first Mountain West Conference team to reach the national semifinals.The experienced Aztecs, in their sixth season under coach Brian Dutcher, will play the surprising East Region champion, ninth-seeded Florida Atlantic, on Saturday in Houston for a spot in the national title game.With the game tied at 56-all on San Diego State’s final possession, Trammell drove toward the free-throw line, elevated ...

2 officers killed in Louisiana police helicopter crash

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:01:23 GMT

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Two Baton Rouge police officers died Sunday when their helicopter crashed into a sugarcane field, Louisiana authorities said. The Robinson R-44 helicopter went out at 2 a.m. to help with pursuit and never returned, local media reported. The aircraft’s disappearance wasn’t noticed for several hours, when a search was launched. The wreckage was found before 11 a.m. The names of the officers have not been released. “On behalf of the City of Baton Rouge, I extend my deepest condolences to the families and colleagues of the BRPD officers who tragically lost their lives,” Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome said on Twitter. Baton Rouge police officials did not immediately return a call seeking comment. The National Transportation Safety Board said it is investigating the crash. The Associated Press

Is ‘David’ porn? See for yourself, Italians ask Fla. parents

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:01:23 GMT

ROME (AP) — The Florence museum housing Michelangelo’s Renaissance masterpiece the “David” invited parents and students from a Florida charter school to visit after complaints about a lesson featuring the statue forced the principal to resign.Florence Mayor Dario Nardella also tweeted an invitation for the principal to visit so he can personally honor her. Confusing art with pornography was “ridiculous,” Nardella said. The incredulous Italian response highlights how the U.S. culture wars are often perceived in Europe, where despite a rise in right-wing sentiment and governance, the Renaissance and its masterpieces, even its naked ones, are generally free of controversy.But the board of the Tallahassee Classical School pressured Principal Hope Carrasquilla to resign last week after an image of the “David” was show to a sixth-grade art class. The school has a policy requiring parents to be notified in advance about “controversial” topics being taught. Carrasquilla believes the board t...

Biden’s visit an ‘authentic’ expression of Canada’s importance to U.S.

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:01:23 GMT

WASHINGTON — The federal Liberals aren’t the only ones declaring U.S. President Joe Biden’s visit to Ottawa a triumph for Canada-U.S. relations: Washington’s envoy, too, described it Friday as an “overarching success.”Biden got what he wanted on several issues, including a clear timeline on key aspects of upgrading Norad, progress on critical minerals and signs the two countries are ever more aligned on China, said U.S. ambassador David Cohen.On Norad, “the lingering issue of ongoing discussion — it wasn’t a point of contention — was the timing of some of the commitments and what some of the commitments meant in terms of … dollars,” Cohen said.Those commitments include a $7-billion plan that includes the first of new over-the-horizon radar systems within the next five years, with other upgrades to be completed in time for Canada to welcome its new F-35 fighters.“For the first time, there is a clear date attached to the oper...

Why sitting with crossed legs could be bad for you

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:01:23 GMT

(The Conversation) - Are you sitting comfortably? Just pause for a moment and without adjusting, notice your posture. What are your legs doing? Are they crossed? And are you a right or left crosser? Some 62% of people cross right over left, 26% go the other way and 12% have no preference.There are typically two ways to sit in a chair and cross your legs, one is at the knee and the other is at the ankle. But as comfy as it may be to sit with your legs crossed, is it bad for your health and posture? Let’s take a look at the evidence.For a start, research shows that sitting cross-legged can increase the misalignment of the hips, with one being higher than the other.And it changes the speed at which blood moves through the blood vessels in the lower limbs, which can increase the risk of blood clots.Most of the research suggests crossing at the knees is worse than the ankles. Indeed, sitting this way can cause an increase in your blood pressure due to the pooling of blood in the vei...

What Happened On This Day, March 26, 1978?

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:01:23 GMT

Low severe weather risk late Monday

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:01:23 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Very spotty showers remain possible in our far eastern counties, otherwise we should be dry the rest of the day. We'll continue to see more clouds east, while the Metro Counties and the Hill Country see plenty of sun to wrap up the afternoon. High temperatures should reach the low to mid 80s in most places with a bit more humidity in the air.Clouds thicken up tonight as more moisture returns to the area. Overnight lows drop into the upper 50s.Tonight's forecastA cloudy start to Monday will give way to a partly sunny sky for the afternoon. A low storm chance develops for the Hill Country Monday afternoon, but most of the daylight hours look dry.Storms appear a bit more likely Monday evening and Monday night, even for the Metro. Still, widespread rain is not yet expected, but 30% rain chances will bring at least isolated to scattered storms to move of the area.Monday, Monday Night, and TuesdayThe Storm Prediction Center has put all of the KXAN viewing area at a Margin...

Man convicted of murder, sentenced to 15 years in prison

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 21:01:23 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man was convicted of murder March 17 by a jury in Travis County related to a December 2020 road rage incident that resulted in a death.According to court documents, Jonathan Zavala pleaded guilty to the murder charge the same day he was convicted. A judge sentenced him to serve 15 years in a state prison related to the case. RELATED: 2 men arrested in connection to 2020 road rage homicides; police say they could be tied to over 11 incidents Per previous reports, Zavala was involved in a road rage incident at the corner of East St. Elmo and South Pleasant Valley Road that resulted in the death of 21-year-old Miranda Gloria Lopez three days later.