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Connecticut lawmakers OK election monitor for Bridgeport after mayor race tainted by possible fraud

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Connecticut lawmakers voted Tuesday to approve $150,000 in funding for a special election monitor for Bridgeport, as the state’s largest city is enveloped in controversy after surveillance cameras recorded a woman stuffing pieces of paper into an absentee ballot drop box a week before the mayoral primary. Under the new legislation, the monitor will conduct inspections and investigations for the 2023 municipal election and the 2024 state election in Bridgeport. The possible electoral fraud incident is already the subject of a state elections investigation and a civil lawsuit filed by the candidate who lost the primary.The measure overwhelmingly cleared the House of Representatives and Senate during a special legislative session. Republicans in the Democratic-controlled General Assembly insisted Connecticut must take more steps to tighten its electoral laws and ensure confidence in elections across the state. “It’s necessary to show the people of Con...

India and Canada steer clear, in UN speeches, of their dispute over Sikh separatist leader’s killing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Indian and Canadian diplomats didn’t directly address their countries’ row over the killing of a Sikh separatist leader, but they obliquely underscored some key talking points as they addressed world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday.Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said that the world must not “countenance that political convenience determines responses to terrorism, extremism and violence.” Canadian U.N. Ambassador Robert Rae, by turn, insisted that “we cannot bend the rules of state-to-state relations for political expediency.”Relations between the two countries frayed after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said last week that India may have been involved in the June killing of a Canadian citizen in a Vancouver suburb.Canada has yet to provide any public evidence to support the claim about the slaying of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45. Killed by masked gunmen, Nijjar was a leader in what remains of a once-strong moveme...

Baby found abandoned in West Town

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

CHICAGO — An investigation is underway on Tuesday afternoon after authorities say a baby girl was found abandoned in West Town on Tuesday afternoon. Chicago police say the baby girl was found in the 1800 block of West Ohio Street around 3:48 p.m. Bucktown residents voice concerns after man beaten, robbed in broad daylight Police have not provided details on the child's age and say responding officers took the baby to Lurie Children's Hospital.Police have not yet said how the child was found or whether they had suffered any injuries.

Would a government shutdown impact SNAP, WIC food assistance?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — As Congress continues to try to avoid a government shutdown by the end of the week, it’s hard for many Americans to not worry about the impact it could have on their federal benefits. In many cases, those benefits will not be impacted if the government does, in fact, shut down. That includes Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, and many benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. But what about food stamps and other food assistance programs? Unfortunately, they won’t all be as lucky. On Monday, the White House warned a government shutdown would “jeopardize” federal food assistance for nearly 7 million mothers and young children who rely on WIC — the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.  Would a government shutdown impact Social Security, VA benefits? The program, overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, serves low-income pregnant women, women who are breastfeeding, postpartum women, infants, and ...

Last supermoon of 2023: What to know about this week's harvest moon

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Eyes up, skygazers, the harvest moon that rises this week will be the last supermoon of 2023.The bright, full moon will be visible between Thursday night and Friday morning, barring any cloud cover where you live.The "harvest moon" falls closest to the start of autumn and got its name before the advent of electricity, when farmers had to rely on the moon's light as they worked into the night harvesting their crops, according to NASA.You may also notice one or more of the three planets accompanying the harvest moon: Saturn, Jupiter and Mercury, according to Space.com. Blue supermoon photos: See images from around the world This year's harvest moon follows the rare blue supermoon, the closest full moon of the year, which lit up the sky in late August.A supermoon happens around the time when a full moon passes closest to Earth in its orbit. About a quarter of the full moons in a year will be supermoons, according to NASA.Thinking about relaxing inside and skipping this we...

More migrants arrive in Chicago from Texas-Mexico border

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

CHICAGO — Another group of migrants arrived Tuesday in Chicago from the Texas-Mexico border.It's not clear how many have arrived, but some migrants believe close to 150 migrants have arrived. Record number of migrant buses arrive in Chicago in single weekend; city discusses its response WGN-TV crews saw at least one bus from Texas packed with migrants.But the asylum seekers were dropped off near Vernon Park Place and Jefferson Street, where they were welcomed by city officials.WGN-TV spoke with Albert, who was on the bus from Eagle Pass.When he had only been in Chicago for a few hours, he said he believes it will be a better life than the one he was living in Venezuela. He spoke to WGN-TV in Spanish but said "I'm going to be able to go out and look for work, to be able to stabilize myself financially and help my family and get ahead with my goals."The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications said they expected eight buses to arrive on Tuesday. If all eight buses a...

Leander intersection sees frequent left-turn crashes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — Residents near the intersection of US 183 and Heritage Grove Road said they avoid the crossroads as it has a reputation for frequent crashes.Vehicles that pull up where Heritage Grove Road meets US 183 and need to turn left, must cross north and southbound traffic. At this intersection, there is only one stop sign at the end of the road.Viewers reported their concerns about the intersection to KXAN's ReportIt tip line this past week. They said there had been a left-turn related crash days before.The City of Leander said since March, there have been five crashes at the intersection -- two of which happened in August, the latest in September. All crashes involved vehicles making left-hand turns from both US 183 and Heritage Grove Road.Lawrence Lee moved into a subdivision near the intersection back in May. He said he's adjusted his commutes from his home to avoid the crossroad, especially at night."I feel like if there was a traffic light it could be more safe....

Affidavit: Man accused of holding food truck owner at knifepoint

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One man was arrested after he was accused of robbing a food truck owner at knifepoint in downtown Austin last week, according to an affidavit.The man was identified as Russell Bosley, 59, according to court records. He was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.Shortly after 10 a.m., on Sept. 23, a man told an Austin Police officer that the robbery occurred on Sept. 22 at his food truck in the 700 block of East Seventh Street, according to the affidavit. He told police he was too scared to report the crime right after it happened.Russell Bosley, 59Mugshot provided by Austin Police DepartmentCourt records said the incident took place around 6 p.m., when the truck owner was approached by a man, later identified as Bosley. According to the affidavit, the food truck owner said Bosley pulled a pocket knife on him and said, "bring me the money you are counting." After he took the money, Bosley said he would be back for more the next day.KXAN is ...

Austin Animal Center audit finds poor conditions, challenges with 'no kill' policy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin City Council members on the Audit and Finance committee will walk through an audit done on the Austin Animal Center Wednesday which shows the municipal shelter is facing many challenges. Austin City Council asked for the audit in July of 2022, KXAN previously reported.The audit focused on why the shelter is overcrowded, why intake has been restricted since September 2022, if the animal shelter is treating animals well and if the City of Austin's set "no kill" rate is sustainable. Austin’s animal shelter took in thousands fewer pets last year, so why is intake restricted? The City released a draft audit this week which found the following: The City's animal welfare priorities conflict with each otherAAC is not finding enough homes for animals and is overcrowded Relationships inside AAC and with groups outside of it are "strained"AAC is not doing well managing dataIt provided several recommendations to the City Manager and Don Bland, the Chief Animal Servic...

'Struggling to eat:' Thousands of Texans wait months for SNAP benefits

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:53 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas' Democratic Congressional Delegation is urging the federal government to take "corrective action" against the state Health and Human Services Commission, citing delays in processing food assistance applications that whistleblowers say have denied food assistance to thousands.In a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Monday, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett and 12 other U.S. House Democrats said Texas has failed to comply with federal requirements by delaying the administration of aid under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. They said Texas has not met a 30-day requirement for states to process SNAP applications and recertification since July 2021. KXAN INVESTIGATION: SNAP applications processing faster, backlog and concerns over benefit cuts continues The group of Texas Democrats alleges that families waited over 100 days for their applications to be assigned for review. Whistleblower employees inside the agency worry that wait could reach 200 days...