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Thousands of residents return to Yellowknife as wildfire evacuation order lifted

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:31 GMT

YELLOWKNIFE — Thousands of Yellowknife residents have returned home this week as a wildfire evacuation order was lifted.The nearby fire forced the city’s 20,000 residents out of their homes about three weeks ago.The order for the capital of the Northwest Territories, which also included the First Nation communities of Dettah and N’Dilo, was downgraded Wednesday to an evacuation alert.Officials say about 1,000 people, including 630 essential workers, had been flown back to the territorial capital by the end of Wednesday and repatriation flights continued today.At least 1,700 vehicles have also returned to the city this week, although it’s unknown how many people were travelling in each vehicle.They say about 7,000 vehicles left the city after the evacuation order came into effect on Aug. 16.There are still thousands of people from Hay River and Fort Smith, who were ordered out days before Yellowknife, that are not able to go back due to wildfires.This report by The Canadi...

New Mexico governor seeks federal agents to combat gun violence in Albuquerque

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:31 GMT

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The governor of New Mexico is asking the U.S. Justice Department to deploy more federal agents to the state in the aftermath of the shooting death of an 11-year-old boy outside a minor league baseball stadium.New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham on Thursday sent a letter U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland requesting aid in efforts to stem gun violence and human trafficking. The governor says she has repeatedly requested federal law enforcement deployments since June 2022.An 11-year-old was killed and a woman critically injured Wednesday as their vehicle was peppered with bullets in an apparent road-rage incident, as crowds departed an evening baseball game, Albuquerque Police Chief Harold Medina said. The governor said federal resources are needed to help curb “escalating violence and drug and human-trafficking activity that is ravaging our great state.” She also issued an emergency health order that taps into $750,000 to shore up public safety.“The nature...

Biden to use G20 summit and Vietnam visit to highlight US as trustworthy alternative to China

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:31 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden wants to show the world at the Group of 20 summit in India and during a stop in Vietnam that the United States and its like-minded allies are better economic and security partners than China. White House officials said Biden, who departed Thursday evening for New Delhi, will use the annual G20 gathering as an opportunity for the U.S. to highlight a proposition for developing and middle-income countries that would increase the lending power of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund by some $200 billion. That is an attempt to offer a significant, albeit smaller, alternative to China’s massive Belt and Road infrastructure initiative, which the U.S. views as a Trojan horse for China-led regional development and military expansion. Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to skip the summit, where Premier Li Qiang will represent the country.After the summit, Biden and Vietnamese General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong will meet in Hanoi and are ex...

De'Ondre White sentenced to 30 years for role in mass shooting on Sixth Street

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:31 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – De'Ondre White, 21, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for the murder of Douglas Kantor in the Sixth Street mass shooting on June 12, 2021, according to the victim's attorney. Before deciding on a punishment for White, jurors heard from witnesses Thursday. The jury found White guilty of murder late Wednesday night. Prior to the decision, state prosecutors asked the jury to take into account the whole picture when deciding, including the 14 people injured. They argued White should serve at least 40 years in prison. Meanwhile, White’s Defense team asked for five years and no more than 20. They argued White was a good kid in a bad situation. In the end, the jury decided on 30 years late Thursday night. Sentencing testimony The state called several witnesses prior to the sentencing, including many of the people who had been shot in 2021.”Everything came crashing down,” Adriana Salazar said through tears while describing the shooting. She was out with a friend at the tim...

'Crippled or killed': Austin ER doctor talks about treating first Xylazine patients

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:31 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- After the Travis County Medical Examiner announced he had detected Xylazine -- a horse tranquilizer -- for the first time in people who died of overdoses, an Austin emergency room doctor is talking about his experience treating some of those patients. Dr. Daniel Walk, an emergency physician in Austin and member of the Texas Medical Association committee on emergency services and trauma, said he's already seeing Xylazine patients in his emergency room with symptoms ranging from extreme drowsiness, in the most mild cases, to cardiac arrest."I have seen multiple deaths so far, one from a mass casualty, within the past year. Unfortunately many lives have been cut short by this new drug," Walk said. Xylazine is a sedative approved for use in large animals. Though it is not approved for human use, it's being mixed into other illicit drugs. Walk said it creates a concoction that's very difficult to treat. First Xylazine-related overdose deaths reported in Travis County,...

Witnesses face intense questioning in Paxton Impeachment Trial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:31 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Day three of the impeachment trial saw two key whistleblowers take the stand, sharing fears and shedding tears as they recounted their experience under suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton, who they reported to the FBI for bribery and corruption.The day opened with Rusty Hardin, the lead prosecutor for the House's impeachment team, examining witness Ryan Bangert. Bangert is a former deputy first assistant attorney general who reported Paxton to the FBI.Bangert's testimony provided a new eyewitness account of how whistleblowers believed Paxton was pressuring the office to improperly benefit Nate Paul, an Austin real estate investor and Paxton campaign donor. Bangert said Paxton was adamant the office hire outside counsel to interfere in Nate Paul's private legal troubles. BACKGROUND: Who is Nate Paul, and how is he involved with Paxton "The attorney general was insisting that we move forward with outside counsel," Bangert said. "It was clear to me that hiring ou...

Driver’s written test appointments for those without citizenship documents now available

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:31 GMT

Written test appointments under Minnesota’s new Driver’s License for All initiative are now available online, the state Department of Public Safety said Thursday. The initiative eliminates the need to show proof of citizenship to get a standard driver’s license in Minnesota.Although the program takes effect Oct. 1, Minnesotans can now schedule appointments for the written test for a state class D driver’s license, instruction permit or standard identification card. Although people don’t have to show proof of being in the country legally, they still must be Minnesota residents, provide proof of identification, and take the required tests.Appointments for the written test can be made online up to 30 days in advance and are required when applying for a driver’s license or ID card.“Driver’s License for All is an important step to increasing licensed, trained and insured drivers,” said Department of Vehicle Services Director Pong Xiong in a news release. “It...

30 years later: Remembering Mark Whiten's four-home run game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:31 GMT

ST. LOUIS - On the eve of the anniversary of Mark McGwire's record-breaking home run comes another homer-happy milestone five years earlier. On Sept. 7, 1993, exactly three decades ago, "Hard-Hittin" Mark Whiten slugged his way into the history books with the only four-home run game in St. Louis Cardinals history. Whitten hit four round-trippers in the nightcap of a road doubleheader against the Cincinnati Reds at the now-defunct Riverfront Stadium. In order, the big blasts came as followed: First inning: Grand slam, two outs vs. Larry Luebbers (4-0 Cardinals lead)Sixth inning: Three-run home run, no outs vs. Mike Anderson (8-2 Cardinals lead)Seventh inning: Three-run home run, two outs vs. Mike Anderson (12-2 Cardinals lead)Ninth Inning: Two-run home run, one out vs. Rob Dibble (15-2 Cardinals lead)The Cardinals won in blowout fashion, 15-2, and Whiten ended up with 12 RBI in the game. It tied a record for the most RBI in one single game, fittingly matching a mark from former Cardi...

UPDATE: Police arrest Clayton kidnapping and sexual assault suspect

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:31 GMT

CLAYTON, Mo. - As of Thursday evening, Clayton police have arrested a man wanted for kidnapping and sexual assault in Oak Knoll Park last week. The Clayton Police Department shared an update earlier Thursday starting that detectves were looking for Jose Gomez-Velasquez, 25. He was wanted on several charges. Gomez-Velasquez was taken into custody Thursday in south St. Louis. While searching for him, police increased patrols of Oak Knoll Park and surrounding neighborhoods. ‘It didn’t seem real’: Friends reflect on loss of teens in fatal crash Court documents state that the victim was walking in a Richmond Heights neighborhood on Aug. 30 when she was taken against her will to a nearby gas station. Gomez-Velasquez is accused of punching her in the face and then committing sexual assault in a secluded area of Oak Knoll Park.Gomez-Velasquez choked the woman there before abandoning her. She spoke with police from an area hospital with the help of a translator. The victim is an immigrant ...

Kiszla: Beating the hated Raiders is must win for new Broncos coach Sean Payton

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:15:31 GMT

After throwing everybody in Broncos Country except Miles the Mascot under the bus and seizing control of a $4.65 billion NFL franchise like he owns it, irascible Sean Payton has no choice but to get this retooled orange-and-blue bandwagon rolling in high gear right out of the gates.Coach Crabbypants won’t be granted a second chance to make a big first impression.Beating da hated Rai-duhs in his debut as Broncos coach is nothing less than a must-win game for Payton.Things have changed around here and Payton has all the answers?Well, prove it, Coach.Not next month. Immediately. On Sunday. Against Las Vegas.“Obviously,” Payton said, “you want to play well. It’s a home game. It’s a division game. It’s our first game.”I expect the Broncos to not only end their six-game losing streak to the Raiders, but beat Vegas so badly that little Josh McDaniels suffers five-day bruises to his ego.Like Payton, my expectation is for this Denver team to make the playoffs.But no matter how I do the math,...