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Boston City Council split on new redistricting map ahead of vote

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:31:13 GMT

The City Council may have finally built a new redistricting map, but what’s not clear is how many councilors will actually vote to approve it on Wednesday.Five councilors voiced their dissent Tuesday with a handful of precinct changes the map tentatively agreed upon a day earlier would make in District 5, saying that they would undo decades of advocacy to make D5 an “opportunity district,” which allows communities of color to elect a candidate of their choice.The most vocal opposition came from City Councilors Ricardo Arroyo and Kendra Lara, who stated that the new proposal could land the City Council, which saw the map it approved last fall thrown out for constitutional violations, back in court.“The Voting Rights Act of 1965 prohibits any redistricting plans that result in the dilution of minority voting strength,” said Arroyo, who represents District 5.Arroyo and Lara spoke at length about their dissatisfaction with the removal of Mattapan precincts, 14-5 and 14-14 from District ...

Sheriff's investigate inappropriate use of social media allegations against substitute teacher

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:31:13 GMT

ALPINE, Calif. -- Authorities were investigating allegations of inappropriate use of social media by a substitute teacher in East County, according to law enforcement.The San Diego County Sheriff's Department was informed about the allegations against a substitute teacher at Joan MacQueen Middle School within the Alpine Unified School District, Lt. Anthony O'Boyle stated in a release Tuesday. Former ‘Teacher of the Year’ accused of having sex with a student "The Alpine School District and the Sheriff's Department are taking these allegations very seriously and are actively investigating this incident," O'Boyle said. "Due to the sensitive nature of the investigation, no other information is available at this time."Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Sheriff's Child Abuse Unit at (858) 285-6293 or after hours at (858) 565-5200. You can remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at (888) 580-8477.

Chief Justice Roberts says Supreme Court can do more on ethics, but offers no specifics

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:31:13 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Chief Justice John Roberts said Tuesday that there is more the Supreme Court can do to “adhere to the highest standards” of ethical conduct, an acknowledgment that recent reporting about the justices’ ethical missteps is having an effect on public perception of the court.Speaking at a law dinner where he was honored with an award, Roberts provided no specifics but said the justices “are continuing to look at the things we can do to give practical effect to that commitment.”He said he is “confident there are ways to do that consistent with our status as an independent branch of government and the Constitution’s separation of powers.”The court has resisted adopting an ethics code of its own, and Roberts has raised questions about whether Congress could impose a code of conduct on the court.All nine justices recently signed a statement of ethics that Roberts provided to the Senate Judiciary Committee. His remarks Tuesday suggested he knows that statement is not ...

Trump lawyers seek meeting with Garland as Mar-a-Lago investigation shows signs of winding down

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:31:13 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawyers for Donald Trump on Tuesday asked for a meeting with Attorney General Merrick Garland as a Justice Department investigation into the former president’s handling of classified documents shows signs of winding down.In the letter, which Trump posted on his Truth Social platform, attorneys John Rowley and James Trusty asserted that Trump is “being treated unfairly” and asked for a meeting to discuss “the ongoing injustice that is being perpetrated by your Special Counsel and his prosecutors.” The language echoed some of Trump’s own complaints in recent months about the investigations being led by special counsel Jack Smith.It was not immediately clear what specifically prompted the letter, but the yearlong documents probe appears to be nearing an end. Agents and prosecutors have interviewed a broad cross-section of witnesses, including attorneys for Trump, former White House officials and other close aides.The investigation is seeking to determine w...

As India’s electrical grid strains, rural hospitals and clinics find reliable power in rooftop solar

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:31:13 GMT

RAICHUR, India (AP) — In the searing heat that often envelops Raichur, an ancient town in southern India, a ceiling fan that spins without interruption brings sweet relief for the newborn babies and their mothers at the Government Maternity Hospital.But such respite wasn’t always guaranteed in a region where frequent power cuts to India’s overmatched electrical grid can last hours. It wasn’t until the hospital installed rooftop solar panels a year ago that it could depend on constant electricity that keeps the lights on, patients and staff comfortable and vaccines and medicines safely refrigerated.The diesel generator that used to provide emergency backup — spewing planet-warming gases and toxic smoke within breathing distance of newborns every time it was running — is gone. So is the need to use flashlights to see during one of the hospital’s roughly 600 births per year, as staff sometimes had to do amid a sudden blackout if the old generators weren’t ...

Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific sacks crew members accused of discriminating against non-English speakers

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:31:13 GMT

HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong’s Cathay Pacific Airways has dismissed three cabin crew members after a passenger accused them of discriminating against non-English speakers, in a case that drew criticism from Chinese state media. Airline CEO Ronald Lam expressed his apologies Tuesday to the passenger and the community over the incident, which occurred on a flight from Chengdu in southwest China to Hong Kong on Sunday. He reiterated his company’s “zero tolerance” of any serious breach of its policies and code of conduct. “There is no compromise for such violations,” he said in a statement. The sacking came after the passenger complained in an online post that some crew members were disrespectful to passengers who did not speak English or Cantonese, the language widely spoken in Hong Kong. The person accused them of making fun of passengers’ English ability when they asked for blankets and other disrespectful behavior.Cathay issued an apology on Monday on the Chinese soc...

Residents sound off at city meeting on plan to move migrants to Wilbur Wright College during summer

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:31:13 GMT

CHICAGO — City, public safety and educational officials gathered at Wilbur Wright College Tuesday evening to discuss the City's plans to move hundreds of asylum seekers to the institution over the summer.The meeting was at capacity, with more than 500 people estimated to be in attendance inside the college's gym, and City leaders explained asylum seekers will be coming to Chicago as early as Saturday."I will level with you, there is a bus on the way from Laredo, Texas right now that is going to arrive in Chicago tomorrow afternoon," said Matt Doughtie, emergency coordinator for the OEMC. "As it stands right now, we don’t know exactly where we’re putting these people. That’s why it’s so critical today to help expand capacity across the system.”Chicago police officials at the meeting said more than 800 asylum seekers have been staying at police stations, necessitating the need for more facilities being available to house them so officers can perform the jobs they are employed to do."O...

Teen fights off mom to save sister from being drowned after 2nd sister killed: sheriff

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:31:13 GMT

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — A mother drowned one of her daughters in their South Carolina home and was trying to kill another child when the oldest daughter was awakened by screams and managed to save her sister, a sheriff said.Jamie Bradley Brun, 37, was charged with murder and attempted murder after the attack early Friday in their home on St. Helena Island, Beaufort County Sheriff P.J. Tanner said at a news conference.Brun has talked to investigators and Tanner called it a horrific crime but told reporters he wouldn't say why Brun wanted to kill her children.“I’m not a mental health expert. It’s not my job to determine if someone has a mental health problem," the sheriff said.Brun's 16-year-old daughter was asleep around 1:30 a.m. Friday when her 8-year-old sister's screams woke her up. The sheriff wouldn’t detail how the mother was trying to drown her child, but said the girl's cries were coming from the bathroom.The teen went into the bathroom and managed to wrest her sister away fro...

Overnight storms may bring gusty winds, hail and lightning

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:31:13 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Isolated severe thunderstorms early Tuesday evening brought quarter to egg size hail to Jonestown, with the top hail report measuring 2 inches in diameter. Those storms have since weakened, but we are focused now on an additional round of severe weather possible overnight. BLOG: Summer forecast released: When do 100º days begin Severe Thunderstorm Watch in effect for San Saba and Lampasas counties until 2 a.m.After midnight, a second complex of strong to severe thunderstorms will enter the northwestern Hill Country. Hail is possible, but gusty winds and lightning appear to be the main things to watch for.Tonight's severe storm riskClouds/radar forecast at 4 a.m. with storms in the Hill CountryThe complex of storms will likely weaken below severe criteria as it enters the Austin Metro area, most likely between 4-6 a.m. Wednesday. Heavy rain and gusty winds are expected in some areas. The rain will likely clear by your morning commute.Clouds/radar forecast at 6 a.m....

Pflugerville police identify man found dead in home, identify person of interest in case

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 12:31:13 GMT

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) -- The Pflugerville Police Department is investigating after a man was found dead inside a home on Saturday. Officers responded to a welfare check call around 12:30 p.m. Saturday in the 700 block of Campfire Trail. When they entered the house, officers found a man dead.In a news release Tuesday, police identified the man as Jesse Fraga, 80, of Pflugerville.Pflugerville PD said it was an isolated incident, and there is no known threat to the public. Image of Raul Meza Jr. provided by the Pflugerville Police DepartmentImage of Raul Meza Jr. provided by the Pflugerville Police DepartmentPolice also identified the person of interest in the case as Raul Meza Jr. Meza was last seen driving a gray Toyota Tundra owned by Fraga, which has since been recovered by police, the release said.Anyone with information about this incident should contact Pflugerville PD at (512) 990-6700, [email protected], or by visiting its website.