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White House estimates 20K Russians killed in Ukraine war since December

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:01 GMT

The Biden administration estimates that since December Russia has suffered 100,000 casualties, including more than 20,000 killed, White House national security council spokesman John Kirby said Monday.  Among those killed, Kirby estimates that nearly half were soldiers from the private military company Wagner Group, which is heavily involved in the grinding fight for Bakhmut in eastern Ukraine.  “Russia has exhausted its military stockpiles and its armed forces,” Kirby told reporters. “Just since December, we estimate that Russia has suffered more than 100,000 casualties, including over 20,000 killed in action. . . . It’s really stunning, these numbers.” Kirby said the source of the new 100,000 figure is “based on some downgraded intelligence that we’ve been able to collect,” though he did not elaborate. He would not give the estimated number of casualties for Ukrainians, deferring to Kyiv on the information.  “We've never talked about Ukrainian casualties in the war,” Kirby sa...

Giddings bus driver faces DWI charge after hit-and-run crash with 14 kids onboard

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:01 GMT

GIDDINGS, Texas (KXAN) — A Giddings ISD bus driver faces a charge of DWI with a child passenger after an incident Monday involving a hit-and-run accident.According to the Giddings Police Department, Sherry Francis, 65, was taken into custody after police received a report of a hit-and-run crash on North Orange Street at 7:47 a.m. At the time of the crash, officers said there were 14 children in the bus but no one was injured and damage to the car Francis hit was "minimal."GPD said during the investigation that "probable cause was established that Ms. Francis was impaired by a substance other than alcohol," and was then taken into custody. GPD said Francis consented to have her blood drawn for testing, and she was given a $7,500 bond and released on personal recognizance. The charge is a State Jail Felony, GPD said.

Austin bar builds bat homes with season underway

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:01 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A southeast Austin bar taught a class on how to care for some of our most loyal and beloved creatures.The Buzz Mill, in partnership with ecologist Merlin Tuttle's Bat Conservation, held a class on how to build bat houses. Tuttle dedicated his career to bat conservation, researching the species across the world for more than 60 years.The conservation said these houses are important, because bat populations are declining, in large part due to a lack of available roosts. How Austin Bat Refuge cares for bats affected by cold snap "When you have a bat house and it's occupied, it's a really fun activity to have friends over and watch the bats come out, and it's an easy way to teach people about how important bats are just to have them around," Teresa Nichta, who is a co-founder of Merlin Tuttle's bat conservation, said.Austin is home to the largest urban bat colony in the world. Texas Parks and Wildlife estimates there are about 1.5 million bats living under the Congres...

After latest burglary at Lowertown coffee shop and restaurant, owners find community support ‘amazing’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:01 GMT

A string of burglaries at a downtown St. Paul coffee shop and restaurant has been discouraging for the owners, but they’ve been buoyed by the outpouring of community support they’ve received.The latest incident — and the one that caused the most damage — happened early Friday at Lost Fox in Lowertown. The business’s motion detector went off about 4:30 a.m. Large windows to the building had been shattered, but not much was taken, said Annie Rose, who owns Lost Fox with her husband.After Friday’s break-in on Fourth Street, across from Union Depot and its Green Line light-rail station, a Lost Fox Facebook post displayed photos of the damage and read, “I am so tired. Come have a coffee this weekend so we can pay our deductible. We could probably use some words of encouragement.”The support has “been amazing,” Rose said Monday. “There’s been a line out the door. … We’ve had people come in to get a coffee,...

First Friday returns to Albany

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:01 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A community favorite is coming back to the Capital Region. First Friday in Albany is returning after being put on hold due to the coronavirus pandemic.It's a celebration of arts and culture that partners businesses with artists to promote their work and the creative economy. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "The arts transform. The arts challenge us. They make us better leaders, better people, so being able to celebrate that with First Friday, it's wonderful to have that leadership and bring that back," Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan said.Artists can sign up to participate online.

Polis signs bill that expands immunity protections for people who report overdoses

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:01 GMT

When lawmakers passed a lengthy bill last year to tighten criminal penalties for fentanyl users and dealers, they simultaneously undermined the state’s immunity protections for drug users who try to save people from overdoses.That loophole was closed Monday, when Gov. Jared Polis signed HB23-1167 into law. The measure expands criminal immunity protections to more substance users who try to stop overdoses as part of the state’s broader efforts to address its ongoing drug crisis, which killed more than 1,650 residents last year.“It’s going to save lives,” said Rep. Chris deGruy Kennedy, a Lakewood Democrat and co-sponsor of the bill. “It’s an important step to make sure that people who are struggling with addiction know that if they’re around a person who is facing an overdose, the only thing they have to worry about is saving that person’s life.”Under the state’s Good Samaritan law, a person who calls 911 and cooperates with autho...

3 students treated for possible overdose at L.A. middle school

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:01 GMT

Three students were hospitalized after apparently overdosing on an unidentified narcotic at Johnnie Cochran Middle School in Los Angeles on Monday.L.A. Fire crews responded to the school near Crenshaw and Washington boulevards around 11:30 a.m. after receiving reports of at least three children “with altered level of consciousness after possible exposure or ingestion of a yet unknown substance,” the department said.According to Sky5 reporter Rich Prickett, the students responded well after being administered Narcan, which reverses the effects of opioids. They were transported to an area hospital where "they arrived conscious and breathing in minor to moderate medical distress," officials said. After student’s death, LA schools to carry overdose antidote L.A. Unified School Superintendent Alberto Carvalho used the incident to encourage students and parents to report safety issues."We remain hopeful for a full recovery of our students ... who suffered from a medical incident earlier...

Hollywood writers' strike looms as deadline approaches

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:01 GMT

Hollywood writers are poised to strike as early as Tuesday morning if a deal is not reached between members of the Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers. “If there’s no deal tonight at 11:59 p.m., then the WGA is in position to go on strike at 12:01 a.m.,” Deadline Hollywood Senior Editor Dominic Patten told KTLA.  This would be the first WGA strike in more than 10 years with more than 11,000 television and film writers prepped to walk off the job.  “You’re going to see picket signs going up in front of studios, in front of various other offices, as well as you’re going to start seeing a number of shows shut down instantly,” Patten added.  ‘SNL,’ late-night shows and more to be impacted by looming WGA strike WGA and AMPTP have been in talks for more than a month. If a contract agreement is not reached by midnight, a strike could have a ripple effect on restaurants, parking attendants, dry cleaners and so many other businesses tha...

All Los Angeles County beaches under ocean water warnings due to rain

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:01 GMT

Officials are urging residents planning to head to Los Angeles County beaches this week to stay out of the water.All L.A. County beaches have been placed under an ocean water quality rain advisory since “bacteria, chemicals and other public health hazards from city streets and mountain areas” could have contaminated ocean waters due to recent rainfall. More rain, mountain snow move into Southern California The advisory will be in place until Thursday at noon and could be extended depending on further rainfall, a news release said.The infamous “May Gray” weather has descended upon Southern California as meteorologists expect another late-season storm to make its way across the region.Residents in the area should expect to see cloudy and damp conditions along with gusty winds throughout the week before temperatures increase, leading into the next work week.This weather comes after multiple storms battered Southern California during the winter season.Residents can get more informati...

Oakland mayor: New budget proposal will save city from drastic cuts amid record shortfall

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:42:01 GMT

OAKLAND — Facing the largest-ever shortfall in the city’s general fund, Mayor Sheng Thao on Monday proposed a two-year, $4.2 billion budget that would avoid drastic spending cuts by leaving jobs unfilled, including in the police department, and merging city services.The majority of the City Council has already indicated some support for Thao’s plan, which would keep Oakland’s spending roughly equal to the city’s expected revenues, and avoid layoffs, even as recession fears loom nationwide. The budget’s public review starts Tuesday.“Unlike the budget crisis of the past, we have achieved a balanced budget without resorting to government closures or layoffs which disrupt critical services to residents,” the mayor said Monday in a memo introducing the proposal.The city’s overall shortfall over the next two years totals $360 million, or about a fifth of the general purpose fund, which pays for most of the city’s salaried positio...