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Senate bill gives detailed look into Republicans' plans for 'school choice'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — State Senator Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), chair of the Senate Committee on Education, filed Senate Bill 8 Friday evening, giving a detailed look into top Republicans' priority to use state money to subsidize private education.Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick chose Senate Bill 8 to carry one of his top 30 priorities of "empowering parental rights -- including school choice." Governor Greg Abbott has advocated for creating state-funded "education savings accounts" that will give money to Texans to pay for education-related expenses, including private school tuition.Sen. Creighton said the goal is to provide as much as $8,000 to families with education savings accounts."I think we're in a different day and time in the outlook on educational opportunities than we even were five years ago. And I think that's why there's been a grass fire across this nation for parental choice and educational empowerment," Sen. Creighton said. "This is education freedom, this is making...

SXSW means big bucks for hosts, but are they licensed?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) —With thousands of people coming to Austin for South by Southwest, many will choose to stay in Airbnb's around the city, but there are rules if someone is operating one.Joe Arenella has been renting his Airbnb out for eight years, each year he makes sure to get his license to operate in Austin."We are booked for SXSW, ACL, Formula 1," said Arenella.He expects to make a lot of money during these big weekends. With so many people coming to town, Arenella said he is usually booked. Austin City Council members approve crackdown on short-term rentals, like Airbnbs "For locals in Austin, South by Southwest represents a significant economic opportunity with hosts collectively earning more than $13 million over lasts years festival," said Haven Thorn, a spokesperson for Airbnb.To operate a short term rental, the City of Austin requires owners to get a new license yearly.In December, the city's code department said there are about 11,000 short-term rentals in Austin, but only...

Simeon Woods Richardson hoping meditation, breathing exercises will help him on the mound

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

SARASOTA, Fla. — Simeon Woods Richardson was a major league pitcher for a matter of days last season, debuting in the second-to-last series of the year. Those few days with the big league club made an indelible impact on the starting pitcher, but going into the offseason as a big leaguer might have been even more exciting for those around him.“I think it was definitely fun for the family, I’d say. But I got back to work. I tried not to dwell on it too long even though I had a couple days up there,” Woods Richardson said. “Everybody knows it’s harder to stay up there than it is to get there. That’s all I’m trying to do day by day. Work on everything I need to work on to help the team win.”And so Woods Richardson, who gave up a pair of runs in two innings in Friday’s 5-5 tie against the Baltimore Orioles at Ed Smith Stadium, plunged back into work this offseason. Some of it was baseball focused — fixing and polishing his mechanics — and some of it was focused on what he could do to he...

Man reported missing out of Mechanicville

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

MECHANICVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Police in Mechanicville are looking for a man who's been missing since March 8. Daniel Murphy did not report for work and has not been heard from since. Get all of the latest news, weather, sports, and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Murphy is 41 years old, has balding hair, and blue eyes. He is described as 5'10" tall and around 240 lbs. He was last seen wearing blue jeans, a black hat, and a black sweatshirt. He has a history of addiction, and his family is concerned he may have relapsed. According to police, his vehicle was found abandoned in the city of Troy. Anyone with information is asked to contact Mechanicville Police at (518) 664-7383.

Rudy Carey, Denver East rout Mountain Vista to reach Class 6A boys basketball state title game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

Rudy Carey is going for history one more time.Denver East is heading back to the CHSAA state basketball title game for the first time in almost a decade after smothering Mountain Vista, the top seed in Class 6A, for an 86-67 win at Denver Coliseum on Friday.“It means so much for us to go out on top for us, and for him,” said senior forward Austin Mohr, whose 15 points and 12 rebounds helped fourth-seeded East keep control of the game while stars De’Aundre Samuels (16 points) and Gil Gonzalez (20 points) sat out much of the middle of the tilt with foul trouble.“It’s not his last season, but he’s at the end of his career …”It’s not?“I can’t say for sure,” Mohr laughed. “But I doubt it.”A win on Saturday against Fossil Ridge in the 6A title game would tie East (25-2) with Manual, Carey’s old school, for the most boys hoops championships in Colorado history (12). It would also give Carey the most state titles of any boys coach in state history. He’s currently tied with Merino̵...

Rockies spring training report: Outfielder Jurickson Profar on radar

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

With injuries to outfielders Sean Bouchard and Randal Grichuk, the Rockies are showing renewed interest in signing free-agent infielder/outfielder Jurickson Profar, a source confirmed to The Denver Post on Friday.Whether the Rockies can land Profar, a client of agent Scott Boras, remains to be seen. Money and the number of years on the contract could be sticking points.Profar, 30, hit 15 home runs and slashed .243/.331/.391 in 152 games for San Diego last season. He is currently playing for the Netherlands’ World Baseball Classic team. Hensley Meulens, the Rockies’ new hitting coach, is managing the Netherlands.Injury updates: Veteran outfielder Charlie Blackmon, who will be Colorado’s primary designated hitter, left Friday’s Cactus League game against the Giants in the first inning because of mid-back tightness. Blackmon started the game in right field. Outfield prospect Brenton Doyle replaced Blackmon.Position battles: Rookie third baseman Elehuris Montero,...

Search continues for suspect in Santa Clara hit-and-run

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

SANTA CLARA — Police are continuing to search for a hit-and-run driver who critically injured an electric bicyclist last month in Santa Clara.The collision was reported around 4:55 p.m. on Feb. 23 at El Camino Real and Lawrence Expressway, the Santa Clara Police Department said in a statement Friday.An investigation found the victim was riding a red electric bicycle in the dedicated bicycle lane of northbound Lawrence and preparing to make a left turn onto El Camino when they were hit by a driver traveling westbound on El Camino, police said.The driver did not stop at the scene and was last seen turning left onto southbound Lawrence, police said.The victim was taken to a hospital, where they remain in critical condition, police said.A witness described the suspect’s vehicle as a white pickup truck. Police said it may also have rear racks and a frame to transport glass as well as damage to the front driver side.Police asked the public not to try to contact or apprehend the owner of t...

Santa Rosa catholic diocese to file for bankruptcy in wake of nearly 200 sex abuse suits

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

SANTA ROSA, Calif. (BCN) -- The Diocese under the Roman Catholic Bishop of Santa Rosa will be filing for bankruptcy Monday due to the large number of lawsuits filed against it from people who allege they were sexually abused, Bishop Robert Vasa said Friday. The lawsuits came in the wake of a three-year window declared by Gov. Gavin Newsom beginning in 2020 and ending on Dec. 31, 2022 that overruled the normal statute of limitations and opened the floodgates for litigation. ‘Princess Diaries’ mansion in San Francisco listed for nearly $9M According to the Catholic News Agency, Newsom's move allowed for suits to be brought that have gone back up to 75 years. For the Santa Rosa Diocese, the number of suits could be as many as 200, with 115 dating back more than 30 years. "These cases are too numerous to settle individually and so they have accumulated until the closing of the three-year window," Vasa said Friday in his statement. "Now that the window is closed, we ...

Pat McCormick, 4-time Olympic diving champion, dies at 92

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Pat McCormick, who became the first diver to sweep the 3-meter and 10-meter events at consecutive Olympics, has died. She was 92.She died Tuesday of natural causes at an assisted living facility in the Orange County city of Santa Ana, her son, Tim, said Friday.McCormick won the springboard and platform events at the 1952 Helsinki Games. She accomplished the feat again four years later at the Melbourne Games. Tim McCormick was born just five months before the Olympics in Australia.Greg Louganis equaled McCormick’s accomplishment when he swept the 3-meter and 10-meter titles at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and again in 1988 at Seoul.McCormick’s daughter, Kelly Robertson, competed on the same Olympic teams as Louganis. She won a silver medal on springboard in 1984 and a bronze in the same event in 1988.Pat McCormick won the James Sullivan Award as the nation’s top amateur athlete in 1956, the second woman to do so.Born Patricia Joan Keller on May 12, 193...

No. 6 Marquette holds off No. 11 UConn in Big East semifinal

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:36 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Tyler Kolek and David Joplin each scored 17 points, and No. 6 Marquette moved into the Big East championship game for the first time by holding off No. 11 UConn 70-68 on Friday night.Playing with three key players on the bench in foul trouble for a large chunk of time down the stretch, the top-seeded Golden Eagles (27-6) opened a four-point lead on a 3-pointer by Olivier-Maxence Prosper with 3:39 left and then held on at raucous Madison Square Garden.UConn had a chance to tie or win in the final 10 seconds, but coach Dan Hurley elected not to call a timeout as his team brought the ball across halfcourt. Jordan Hawkins missed badly on a contested, desperation 3 at the buzzer — and Golden Eagles coach Shaka Smart jumped high and pumped his fist in celebration.Marquette limited the fourth-seeded Huskies (25-8) to two points over the final 3:50 and kept them scoreless for the last 2 1/2 minutes, winning for the first time in four semifinal appearances at the Big East Tou...