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Transgender Texan, family start new life in New Zealand

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:01 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Lauren Rodriguez has a limit of 20 boxes to pack up everything that matters most to her ahead of a big move from the Austin area next month. One already contains dozens of figurines she collected since childhood, which she said will help make where she's headed next feel much more like home. "I'm excited, but I've got a million little things to do between now and then," Rodriguez said from the short-term rental where she's staying temporarily outside of Austin. Texas Democrat faces censure, primary challenger after vote on health care ban for transgender minors Last year she talked to KXAN about putting what she called her "dream home" on the market, and someone finally bought it in April. The sale is allowing her to leave Texas, perhaps for good, and reunite with her transgender son, Greyson. While sitting on the bed in her cramped rental, she scrolled to a picture on her phone showing her son before he boarded a flight in February. "This is at the Austin airport...

Texas may soon have a process to remove local prosecutors who won’t pursue abortion, election cases

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:01 GMT

AUSTIN (Texas Tribune) — The Texas Senate passed a bill Friday that would allow locally elected prosecutors who choose not to enforce certain laws to be removed for misconduct.The bill is part of a larger effort by Republicans to rein in “rogue” district attorneys in Texas’ large, left-leaning counties who have said they do not intend to prosecute abortion cases and, in some cases, have adopted policies about prosecuting low-level theft and drug offenses.“There must be a mechanism in place in Texas to remove prosecutors who simply refuse to enforce Texas laws which have been made by this Legislature or any legislature,” bill sponsor state Sen. Joan Huffman, R-Houston, said on the floor Friday.The version of House Bill 17 that passed the House last month included caveats to explicitly protect prosecutors from removal for things like diversion programs, in which people accused of low-level crimes like drug possession can take classes instead of going to jail. The Senate remo...

Movie review: New additions give ‘Fast X’ boost, but franchise may be running on fumes

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:01 GMT

In the last exciting installment of the “Fast and Furious” franchise, 2021’s “Fast 9,” the gang drove a car into space, tangled with a long-lost brother and pushed the physical limits of various vintage Dodge Chargers in far-flung locations around the globe, as Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) is wont to do.Since then, there have been a few external shake-ups in the “Fast” world: Longtime director Justin Lin departed the franchise only a week into filming on “Fast X,” which is now being billed as part one of a three-part finale, and he’s been replaced with a franchise super fan: “The Transporter” director Louis Leterrier, who swooped in to save the day like a member of Dom’s family piloting a muscle car out of an aircraft.But rest assured, family, in “Fast X,” the Coronas are cold, the booties are shaking and the sleeves remain optional. Leterrier, working with a script credited to Lin and Dan Mazeau, takes to his turn behind the wheel with the enthusiasm of a kid who just g...

Saratoga Springs woman accused of assaulting child

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:01 GMT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Saratoga Springs woman is accused of abusing a child. Police said Gloria Rhodes, 50, was taken into custody Friday morning after staff at the alleged victim's school noticed the child was injured. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The child was treated a a hospital. Police said a safety plan was put in place with help from the New York State Office of Child Protective Services.Rhodes is charged with second degree assault and is being held in jail on bail.

Fairground Park pool vandalized, won't open before Memorial Day

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:01 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Vandals recently damaged one swimming pool at a St. Louis municipal park, leading to some major cleanup and a delayed opening. The St. Louis Mayor's Office reports the pool at Fairground Park has been vandalized. Much of the metal components, like plumbing, pool filtration and sinks, have suffered major damage. Road rage fight sends 73-year-old man to hospital with life-threatening injuries It's unclear when this vandalism might have occurred. No suspect information is available at this time. Contractors are working to make repairs at the facility. The pool will not be open for Memorial Day weekend, as first anticipated. It will remain closed until cleanup is complete.To keep track of other pools around the City of St. Louis, click here.

Extreme weather is wreaking havoc in the St. Louis region

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:01 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- From destructive tornadoes to historic rainfall and flooding, extreme weather events persist across the country and in our area. In recent months, we've witnessed large hail, damaging winds, and an EF1 tornado in Salem, Ilinois. The St. Louis area was hit by a remarkable 12 tornadoes on April 15th.Expert predicts extreme weather events driven by global warming. In February, Professor Michael Wysession from Washington University made a bold prediction. He highlighted the unmistakable link between global warming and the recent surge in temperature changes.The rate of warming witnessed today is unprecedented in our planet's history, and greenhouse gases provide the only plausible explanation. Professor Wysession, an expert in geophysics, emphasizes that as we continue to pump more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, we can expect a rise in extreme weather events.Blaming greenhouse gases and global warming for the erratic and extreme weather is only the first step. It's c...

State Track and Field Day 2 Highlights: Denver East’s Rosie Mucharsky hits “Beast Mode” in 800-meter run; University’s Whyrick sweeps 3A throwing events

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:01 GMT

LAKEWOOD — In order for Denver East sophomore Rosie Mucharsky to hit “Beast Mode” during the Class 5A 800-meter run with a loaded field Friday at JeffCo Stadium, she knew she had to empty the tank.She did just that as the sophomore stunned the field with a winning time of 2 minutes, 9.57 seconds. “Beat Mode” was Mucharsky’s motto this year and she wore a bracelet as a reminder of how last year’s team captains — her sister, Ellison, and Annabel Flippini — drove her. She said the win exemplified the work ethic she put in to get to the top of the podium.Rosie Mucharsky of Denver East high school smiles after crossing the finish line winning the 5A girls 800 meter run during the second day of the 2023 Colorado state track and field championships at Jeffco Stadium on Friday May 19, 2023. (Photo by Eric Lutzens/The Denver Post)“I ran this last year and didn’t do how I wanted to, but I trained really hard and coming back I had a l...

WNBA suspends Hammon 2 games for player’s allegation she was bullied for being pregnant

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:01 GMT

By DOUG FEINBERG and MARK ANDERSON (AP Sports Writers)The WNBA suspended Las Vegas coach Becky Hammon, one of the league’s marquee figures, for two games Tuesday after former Aces player Dearica Hamby said she had been bullied and manipulated for being pregnant.Hammon, who in her first season last year led the Aces to the WNBA championship, was suspended without pay after a monthslong investigation into Hamby’s allegations.The WNBA did not disclose details, but said Hammon violated league and team “respect in the workplace” policies.The league also rescinded the Aces’ first-round pick in the 2025 draft for a different issue — a violation of league rules regarding impermissible player benefits involving Hamby, who was traded to the Los Angeles Sparks on Jan. 21. It’s the first time in league history that the WNBA has taken a draft pick from a team.That means Las Vegas may not have a first-round pick for two consecutive seasons. The Aces trade...

Yucaipa High School teacher arrested for having sex with student

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:01 GMT

A Yucaipa High School teacher has been arrested for allegedly having sex with a 16-year-old male student, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department announced.Tracy Vanderhulst, 38, was arrested on Thursday and booked into the county detention center on a charge of unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor. She was being held in lieu of $30,000 bail.Authorities say the Yucaipa Calimesa Joint Unified School District “worked cooperatively” with its investigation.Detectives say they believe there may be more alleged victims. Anyone with tips was urged to contact Detective Rachel Young of the Specialized Investigations Division, Crimes Against Children Detail at (909) 890-4904. Callers wishing to remain anonymous may call the We-Tip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME (27463).

3 people hospitalized after Irvine pileup

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:01 GMT

Three people were hospitalized after a violent multi-car collision in Irvine on Friday.The crash, which involved four vehicles, happened around 2:20 p.m. on Jamboree Road at the Main Street intersection, according to Irvine Police.Photos from the scene show a white SUV sustained the most serious damage and rolled onto its side. The three other vehicles had rear-end damage.Firefighters had to extricate two people from their cars, according to the Orange County Fire Department. The conditions of those injured were not available.Southbound Jamboree Road was closed between Kelvin Avenue and Main Street for about two hours.The cause of the crash remains under investigation.