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Ex-Ohio House speaker sentenced to 20 years in bribery scandal: 'Conned the people of Ohio'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:01 GMT

Watch above for a previous report on prosecutors' sentencing recommendationCINCINNATI, Ohio (WCMH) – A federal judge on Thursday sentenced former Ohio House speaker Larry Householder to 20 years in prison for helping orchestrate the largest public corruption scandal in state history.U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Black announced Householder’s sentence, three months after the ousted speaker was convicted on federal racketeering charges for accepting a $60 million bribe from Akron-based FirstEnergy in exchange for passing a $1.3 billion ratepayer-funded nuclear power plant bailout and squashing a referendum effort against it. In a scathing speech before the court, Black said Householder "conned the people of Ohio and then tried to con the jury, too.""Those voters deserved a representative who would look out for them, and you took that away," Black told Householder. "And then there's the money. How many scholarships could that have provided? How many small businesses could that have...

Fear of an 'internet apocalypse' is brewing: How likely will upcoming solar storms wreak havoc?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:01 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Could a future solar storm knock out the internet and plunge us all into the pre-dial-up days of yore?Sure, it’s possible. But it might not be very likely.In recent weeks, users on social media have been deliberating the possibility of a widespread internet outage caused by a coronal mass injection — one so powerful that it causes a geomagnetic storm that could knock out online communication for months and cause devastation to the worldwide economy.Concerns over such a scenario were partially fueled by a recent NASA article detailing the space agency’s efforts to predict especially powerful solar storms that potentially could have disruptive effects on telecommunications, satellites and power grids.“In addition, the risk of geomagnetic storms and devastating effects on our society is presently increasing as we approach the next ‘solar maximum’ — a peak in the Sun’s 11-year activity cycle — which is expected to arrive sometime in 2025,” wrote Vanessa Thomas, a science wri...

Council member: DPS may focus, in part, on downtown upon return to Austin

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:01 GMT

Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for June 30, 2023AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As the Texas Department of Public Safety gears up to resume its patrols in Austin Sunday, some business owners hope troopers can help with downtown crime. "It would be great to see DPS add patrols downtown," Craig Staley, the owner of Royal Blue Grocery, told KXAN last week when someone assaulted one of his employees while trying to steal from the shop. How does DPS traffic stop data differ from APD’s? The Austin Police Department said the DPS deployment will look different this time around. Troopers will still focus on crime hot spot areas and high-traffic roadways - but will also assist in sectors with the lowest APD staff levels.Council Member Mackenzie Kelly also said public safety officials told her there "may be more focus on downtown because of crime in the area."APD uses a data-driven approach to decide where to deploy troopers. KXAN is still waiting to hear back from th...

UT Austin is No. 4 among US public universities, global rankings show

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:01 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The University of Texas at Austin ranked No. 4 among public universities in the U.S., according to QS World University Rankings. The university also ranked No. 58 in the world.Among both public and private universities in the U.S., UT Austin ranked No. 19 and was named the best in Texas, according to a release from UT.The rankings were based on several factors, which included:Academic reputationFaculty-student ratioCitations per faculty memberSustainabilityEmployabilityInternational research collaboration“The results draw on the analysis of more than 17 million academic papers and the expert opinions of 240,000 academic faculty members and employers,” UT said.UT was not the only Texas university listed among the best. Other Texas universities featured in the rankings included Texas A&M at No. 32, Rice University at No. 34 and The University of Texas at Dallas at No. 86.

Thousands expected on Lady Bird Lake during Austin fireworks

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:01 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Thousands of paddleboarders and kayakers are expected on Lady Bird Lake ahead of the Fourth of July fireworks show in Austin, Texas. While many locals bring their own boards and equipment, hundreds also rent. Many, if not all, Water Sports Equipment Services are expected to sell out of their rentals at some point during the day on the 4th. While a few don't accept reservations ahead of time, many companies do. What you need to know for the Austin Symphony July 4th Concert Meteorologist Sean Kelly spoke with one popular rental service Texas Rowing Center. Owner Matt Knifton said this was not only the biggest week in rentals that he sees over the course of the entire year, but the Fourth of July Holiday was when they see the most customers. So busy in fact, year after year they sell out of their rented equipment. This year is expected to be no different. Knifton encourages interested customers to reserve their water equipment a few days out in advance to ensure the...

A new pro women’s hockey league is set to launch in January in North America, ending a long standoff

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:01 GMT

By JOHN WAWROW and STEPHEN WHYNO (AP Hockey Writers)Organizers announced plans Friday to launch a new women’s professional hockey league in January that they hope will provide a stable, economically respectable home for the sport’s top players for years to come.The North American league has many unanswered questions — how many teams, where they will play, will the economic model work after earlier leagues fell short — but an initial framework is in place. The effort also has deep pockets behind it: Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Mark Walter and wife Kimbra, team President Stan Kasten and tennis legend Billie Jean King will help run the league.“Over the past four years, we have worked tirelessly to close the gap on what young girls and boys dream to become in this sport,” said U.S. women’s star Kendall Coyne Schofield, a member of the Professional Women’s Hockey Players’ Association. The agreement ends a long standoff between the se...

Missing St. Paul woman’s boyfriend charged after dismembered remains found in Woodbury storage facility

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:01 GMT

The search for a missing St. Paul woman has ended with her remains found and her boyfriend charged Friday with murder.Manijeh “Mani” Starren was reported missing to police by her father May 1. She last had contact with her family around April 21.Manijeh “Mani” Starren (Courtesy of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension)Starren was killed between April 21 and May 16, and investigators believe Joseph Steven Jorgenson dismembered her, according to the murder charge and criminal complaint against Jorgenson. Starren was 33 and would have have turned 34 on May 23.“Our hearts go out to the victim’s family and friends,” Ramsey County Attorney John Choi said in a statement. “The tireless work of our partners in law enforcement, especially the St. Paul Police Department, made charging this tragic and horrific case possible.”Starren lived in the 1400 block of East Seventh Street and apartment management told police on May 24 they’d found surveillance video ...

Who's on when at GEMFest in Glens Falls

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:01 GMT

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) - On Friday and Saturday, July 21-22, Glens Falls is getting taken over by live music and local art - across two different parts of town. The Glens Falls Entertainment & Music Festival - GEMFest for short - is coming back to town, with artists set to do their handiwork while local bands raise the roof. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! This year's GEMFest is being hosted across two venues. Friday's lineup plays at the Queensbury Hotel, with Saturday taking the Glens Falls Shirt Factory by storm. A Saturday Night Club Pass gets visitors access to DJ acts at Downtown Social, 42 Degrees Tavern, and Mean Max Brew Works on Saturday. Find out who's coming to play and paint this year.Friday, July 21 musiciansChestnut GroveCapital ZenPrecious MetalsJason IrwinSaturday, July 22 musiciansJoe Mansman & The Midnight Revival BandSly Fox & The HustlersSeize AtlantisTravis GrayReese FullmerFrozen SunGr...

Pittsfield releases outdoor summer movie lineup

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:01 GMT

PITTSFIELD, Mass. (NEWS10) -- The “Summer Outdoor Movie Series” is returning to Pittsfield. The free series returns on July 7 in Clapp Park and runs each Friday through July 28. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! LineupJuly 7: "Trolls"July 14: "Frozen ll"July 21: "Lightyear"July 28: "Moana"The family-friendly movies are scheduled to begin around 8:30 p.m. at the park, which is located at 233 West Housatonic Street. If it rains, the movie will be canceled.

Cohoes man arrested on drug charges

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:34:01 GMT

COHOES, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Cohoes man has been arrested following a drug activity investigation, according to police. Phillip Harris, 46, is facing multiple charges. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! On June 28, police were preparing to execute a search warrant on Harris’s Remsen Street apartment when he was spotted by law enforcement on Saratoga Street as a passenger in a vehicle. Officers conducted a stop, and found that the driver had a suspended license. Police discovered Harris to be in possession of narcotics. He and the driver were taken into custody without incident, and Harris now faces the following charges:ChargesThird-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance Two counts of fourth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance Fifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance Three counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substance Troy man sentenced for murdering w...