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Paxton's affair, bribery accusations begin second week of impeachment trial

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:25 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- Texas' Court of Impeachment reconvened Monday morning for the second week of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton's trial, leading off with key testimony from one of Paxton's top deputies. PREVIOUS: Texas Republicans weigh in on Paxton impeachment after week one of trial Former chief of staff says Paxton's alleged fair hurt office moraleHouse prosecutors' sixth witness, Katherine "Missy" Cary — the former chief of staff in the attorney general's office — was the first to testify at length about Paxton's alleged affair. She shared with the jury how she became aware of the affair and testified that the attorney general first identified the woman, Laura Olson, as his realtor.Paxton's alleged affair is mentioned in one of the articles of impeachment, accusing Paxton of accepting bribes because he “benefited from Nate Paul’s employment of a woman with whom Paxton was having an extramarital affair.”Cary said "my heart broke for her," referring to Paxton's wife — sta...

5 takeaways from Day 5 of Ken Paxton's impeachment trial

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:25 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The impeachment trial for suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton entered its second week Monday. RELATED COVERAGE: Ken Paxton impeachment trial enters second week Here are a few takeaways from Day five of the trial: 1. Jury could begin deliberations this weekThe prosecution and defense each have about 14 hours left to present and defend their case, as of Monday morning. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said both sides could run out of time by Thursday, meaning the jury of senators could begin deliberations Thursday or Friday.Patrick also said the jury will meet every day until a decision is made. 2. Another whistleblower testifiesMark Penley, another whistleblower and former deputy attorney general for criminal justice, took the stand Monday morning. He was one of the whistleblowers who sued Paxton, later leading to the impeachment trial. Witness Mark Penley, who served as the deputy attorney general for criminal justice under Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for one ye...

Johnson Bros. Liquors seeks relocation from St. Paul to former Blue Cross site in Eagan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:25 GMT

Johnson Brothers Liquor Co., the third largest wine distributor in the nation, is in talks with the city of Eagan to potentially relocate its St. Paul headquarters to a future six-story, 460,000-square foot warehouse distribution facility where the Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota campus currently sits on Blue Cross Road.Johnson Brothers Liquor Co. has proposed relocating its headquarters and distribution facility from 1999 Shepard Road in St. Paul to the former Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota campus in Eagan. (Courtesy of the City of Eagan)On Tuesday evening, the Eagan City Council will consider the company’s request to rezone a 55-acre swathe of the campus from office to industrial development, setting the stage for the liquor company’s arrival. Johnson Bros. also is eyeing some 230,000 square feet of potential future expansion space, including retaining a former Delta Dental office building to the south of the site largely as-is for its office headquarters....

Minnesota Court of Appeals to livestream arguments

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:25 GMT

The Minnesota Judicial Branch has announced that oral arguments made before the state appeals court will be available for viewing live and on-demand.Beginning Tuesday, which is the start of the court’s 2023-24 term, broadcasts of all in-person oral arguments heard at the Minnesota Judicial Center and also in greater Minnesota courtrooms will be available on the appeals court page — under the “Calendar tab” — at mncourts.gov.A recent survey found that litigants, attorneys and the public strongly support remote viewing of oral arguments, the state judicial branch said.RELATED: Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Natalie Hudson to make history as state’s next chief justiceEstablished in 1983, the appeals court reviews more than 2,000 decisions by trial courts, state agencies and local governments each year. Typically, about five percent of the appellate cases are accepted by the state Supreme Court for further review.The Minnesota Supreme Court began webcasting oral...

Report: Ladue students died in crash following aborted police chase

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:25 GMT

UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. - Three teenagers who died last week after their vehicle smashed into a vacant University City home were fleeing from police in the moments leading up to the fatal crash.New information from the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the University City Police Department also shows the crash occurred much earlier than previously reported.Investigators said a 2016 Hyundai Accent was traveling at a high rate of speed on the morning of Sept. 6 when the driver failed to negotiate a sharp curve in the 1000 block of Groby Road in University City and crashed into a home.The three teens, later identified as Deion Robinson, Johnnie Ursery, and Demetrius Ingram, were students at Ladue Horton Watkins High School. They were 15.The crash was initially reported to have occurred sometime after sunrise, since police did not receive a call about the crash until 6:30 a.m. On the day of the crash, the state patrol said authorities would seek out and analyze any surveillance video in th...

U.S. approves updated COVID vaccines to rev up protection this fall

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:25 GMT

WASHINGTON — The U.S. approved updated COVID-19 vaccines Monday, hoping to rev up protection against the latest coronavirus strains and blunt any surge this fall and winter.The Food and Drug Administration decision opens the newest shots from Moderna and Pfizer and its partner BioNTech to most Americans even if they’ve never had a coronavirus vaccination. It’s part of a shift to treat fall updates of the COVID-19 vaccine much like getting a yearly flu shot.There’s still another step: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must sign off. A CDC advisory panel is set to issue recommendations Tuesday on who most needs the updated shots. Vaccinations could begin later this week, and both the COVID-19 and flu shot can be given at the same visit.A third vaccine maker, Novavax, said its updated shot is still being reviewed by the FDA.COVID-19 hospitalizations have been rising since late summer although –- thanks to lasting immunity from prior vaccinations and infections –- not...

Broncos pass rush remains ineffective in loss to Las Vegas Raiders

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:25 GMT

Sometimes old habits die hard.That was true for the Broncos’ pass rush against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday afternoon.With the opportunity to start the season on the right foot, Denver struggled to generate pressure on quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo — continuing a run of poor production that dates back to the trade of Bradley Chubb to Miami after Week 8 last season.The Raiders faced third-and-7 with a one-point lead and two minutes left in regulation when Denver blitzed six defenders. But as had been the case all game, the pass rush failed to get home. Instead, Garoppolo stepped up in the pocket and scrambled eight yards for a first down, solidifying a 17-16 victory on Sunday.The Broncos finished the game with zero sacks and only three quarterback hits.“I do not feel like (Garoppolo) dropped back much early on,” outside linebacker Randy Gregory said. “I know for me that probably messed me up a little bit. As a pass rusher, you would like to get more opportunities for one-on-one rush...

Two Denver deputies suspended for not stopping jail shower assaults

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:25 GMT

Two Denver sheriff’s deputies will be suspended for 10 days for not stopping assaults on two inmates in the showers at the Denver County Jail in September 2022.Deputies Alana Majors and Samone Walker violated the department’s rules on “Full Attention to Duties” when they failed to see two inmates being attacked in the showers on surveillance video, according to decision letters issued by the Denver Department of Public Safety in August.Majors and Walker were tasked with watching video feeds of the facility and conducting regular rounds as part of their duties.Majors and Walker both told city officials they did not see any altercation among inmates during the time of the assaults.Descriptions of facility surveillance video detail how an inmate, PM, went to clean the showers just after 11 a.m. and was followed and attacked by other inmates. Six minutes later, an inmate identified as JH entered the showers and was also attacked.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Denve...

Jewish groups sue California school district

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:25 GMT

A coalition of groups representing the Jewish community has filed a lawsuit against the Santa Ana Unified School District alleging the school board adopted anti-Semitic curriculum, and did so without allowing for adequate input.Plaintiffs in the 86-page suit, which was announced on Monday, include the Anti-Defamation League, the American Jewish Committee and the Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law. The suit claims SAUSD violated the Brown Act, California’s open meetings law, and is demanding the court block the controversial curriculum.Among their claims is that SAUSD has allowed Ethnic Studies courses to include teachings that equate Israel with “settler colonialism,” and call Zionism “a nationalist, colonial ideology” that calls for the expansion of the Jewish state in “historic Palestine by any means necessary.”When they were developing the curriculum, plaintiffs allege, the school board committee discussed how to “address the Jewish question” – meaning potential ...

Man rescued 6 miles off coast after kayak capsizes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:20:25 GMT

A 49-year-old man from Los Angeles had to be rescued some six miles out to sea, off the Ventura County coastline over the weekend, officials announced on Monday.  Blair Boyle told first responders with the Ventura County Aviation Unit that he paddled his kayak to Anacapa Island Saturday morning and that when he was returning to Oxnard Harbor, he accidentally overturned the kayak.  “He attempted to right the kayak several times but was unsuccessful before using his cell phone to call for help,” a joint news release from the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office and Fire Department said.  At 2:20 p.m., fire officials received a 911 call requesting assistance in locating Boyle. A Ventura County helicopter was dispatched with a search and rescue team after receiving Boyle’s approximate GPS coordinates. A sheriff’s boat and a fire department boat were also dispatched to help locate the kayaker. “Ventura County Copter 9 responded to the area of the GPS coordinates and immediately loca...