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White House, GOP both claim victory on student loans in debt limit bill

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:05:50 GMT

The hot-button issue of student loans has found its way into the high-stakes debt ceiling deal, with Republicans claiming a victory that the end of the pandemic-era payment pause is locked in, and the White House arguing that no concessions were made.The debt deal outlines that the pause ends 60 days after June 30 and removes the possibility of another extension, which advocates were hoping to extract from President Biden. Biden had outlined in November that payments would resume either 60 days after the Supreme Court rules on his student loan forgiveness plan or 60 days after June 30, whichever came first. But the final bill text doesn’t factor in the high court decision at all.The locked-in date is causing fury among student loan advocates who were looking for another reprieve and creates more concerns for borrowers as the bill faces hurdles on its way through Congress.“Borrowers got sold out. That's, I mean, the general feeling that I'm having, and I know a lot of our supporters ...

'Graduates over Guns' march for violence prevention ahead of summer break

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:05:50 GMT

CHICAGO — Some Chicago high school and elementary school students marched against gun violence on Wednesday as they head into their summer break. Locals who passed by Corliss High School in Chicago's Pullman neighborhood witnessed a stand for peace. There, area seniors asked incoming freshmen to step up and make their community a better place. Salutatorian Ivory Nola-Scoot and Valedictorian Vincent Smith passed the baton, so to speak, to students graduating from nearby Wendell Smith Elementary as part of the 'Graduates over Guns' program, which started in 2015.  Already a college graduate, CPS high schooler taking success to new degree  "We're just passing the torch to the next generation. Just setting a new tradition that started about seven years ago," Nola-Scott told WGN News. "We did this march to empower students to graduate high school and not pick up guns," Smith added. Co-founded by Umi Brooks, 'Graduates over Guns' aims to kickstart a commitment to a safe summer for every...

Teen riding bike critically injured after driver hits him in Batavia

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:05:50 GMT

BATAVIA, Ill. — A teenage boy is in critical condition after a driver hit him while he was riding a bike Wednesday afternoon in Batavia, police said.The boy was riding a bike around 2:30 p.m. near South Batavia Avenue and Union Avenue when the driver hit him, according to a news release from the Batavia Police Department. 5 children hospitalized after smoking substance at Chicago elementary school The boy was taken to a hospital in critical condition, according to the release. The driver of the car, who hasn't been identified, wasn't injured.Details surrounding the incident remain under investigation by police and the Kane County Accident Reconstruction Team.Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information is asked to call detectives at 630-454-2500.

Man pleads guilty to disturbing Yellowstone bison calf that later had to be killed by rangers

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:05:50 GMT

MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyo. (NEXSTAR) - A Hawaii man has pleaded guilty to disturbing a bison calf Yellowstone National Park rangers were later forced to kill earlier this month, the park announced Wednesday.The man, identified as Clifford Walters, was seen approaching the calf, which had been separated from its mother when the herd crossed the Lamar River, on Saturday, May 20. He then allegedly pushed the calf away from the river and onto a nearby roadway.According to Yellowstone visitors, the calf then walked up to and followed cars and people.Park rangers tried “repeatedly” to reunite the bison calf with its herd but “these efforts failed,” Yellowstone officials said earlier this month. “The calf was later killed by park staff because it was abandoned by the herd and causing a hazardous situation by approaching cars and people along the roadway,” authorities wrote in a news release. These are America’s deadliest national parks: data Walters pleaded guilty to one count of fee...

Biden preps for extreme weather as climate change fuels natural disasters

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:05:50 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – Ahead of hurricane and wildfire season, President Biden received the yearly extreme weather briefing as the government prepares to deal with extreme weather and continues fighting the climate change that fuels it.The National Hurricane Center is predicting a normal hurricane season, which NHC Director Michael Brennan says is not good news.According to Brennan, this includes "12 to 17 named storms of at least tropical strength or greater. Five to nine of those becoming hurricanes, and one to nine of those becoming major hurricanes."Climate change is making hurricanes stronger, fueling wildfires and making other weather events more disastrous and expensive.“Over the past two years, a third of Americans have been impacted by extreme weather conditions,” President Biden said.As we enter hurricane and wildfire season, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell explains that extreme weather is also becoming more erratic including California's atmospheric rivers in January a...

Oreo brings back beloved flavor after nearly a decade

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:05:50 GMT

(NEXSTAR) - The summer of 2015 brought songs like "Photograph" by Ed Sheeran, Paul Rudd in "Ant-Man," and a beloved Oreo flavor you probably haven't had since then. But that's about to change.After nearly a decade, Oreo is bringing back its Cotton Candy Oreos. Available starting June 5, Cotton Candy Oreos have side-by-side, "double-stuffed" pink and blue cotton candy flavored creme sandwiched between two golden cookies. It's a special offering fans have asked for time and time again, Oreo shared on its Instagram. In a video posted Tuesday, the company shows multiple messages to bring back a certain variation that's blurred out. Popular Android app reportedly started spying on users, making recordings Wednesday morning, Oreo confirmed the sandwiches reminiscent of a fair time favorite will be available once again after eight years. If you're hoping to snag your own package, you may need to act fast - the company says Cotton Candy Oreos will only be available while supplies last. O...

If someone stole your SNAP benefits, here's how you can replace them

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:05:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Texas Health and Human Services Commission announced Wednesday it received federal approval to replace stolen Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for people who were victims of fraud.According to an HHSC news release, Texas experienced increased reports of scams, including skimming and cloning. These are tactics that scammers use to obtain Lone Star Card numbers as well as Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) to gain access to the benefits. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Expanded SNAP benefits ended in March. Here’s who is affected in Central Texas “These benefit replacements will help those affected by fraud get their funds replaced so they have access to the food they need,” Wayne Salter, the HHS access and eligibility services deputy executive commissioner, said. “We’re doing all we can to help our customers detect and prevent fraud, and this is just another step in ensuring we’re helping those who have been scammed.”HHSC received the federal ap...

Hot, dry start to June

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:05:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A hot and dry end to May, but the pattern turns for the first weekend of June.High pressure will keep temperatures hot and skies mainly clear for all of Central Texas for the start of June. The rest of the week will consist of afternoon highs into the upper 80s and low 90s with a 10% chance of a thunderstorm Friday evening. BLOG: Summer forecast released: When do 100º days begin Rain chances and slight relief in temperatures return this weekend with Sunday and Monday bringing the highest chances for rain. Several heavy rain events may bring up to 1" in some areas.Forecast rainfall totals for the next 7 days. INVESTIGATION: LCRA didn't plan for climate change until KXAN investigation FIRST WARNING WEATHER: Stay up to date with your Central Texas forecast, sign up for our weather newsletter at kxan.com/newsletters Stay up-to-date with the First Warning Weather teamFollow the KXAN First Warning Weather team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.You can also follow our...

Longhorns nonconference game times set, Black Friday vs. Texas Tech under the lights

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:05:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns will start the regular season in the blazing September sun and end it under the lights on Black Friday.The Longhorns kick off the 2023 campaign at 2:30 p.m., Sept. 2 against the Rice Owls at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. The game will air on FOX and it will be the 97th meeting between the schools. The Longhorns have won 15 consecutive games against the Owls and lead the all-time series 74-21-1.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersTo close out the Big 12 schedule, the Longhorns and Red Raiders are set to play at 6:30 p.m., Nov. 24 on ABC. Texas is 32-7 against Texas Tech in Austin and 54-18 overall.Texas' final nonconference game against the Wyoming Cowboys is now set for 7 p.m., Sept. 16 on Longhorn Network. Texas is 5-0 all-time against the college that produced NFL superstar quarterback Josh Allen. Texas-Alabama kickoff time announced T...

Looking at fewer 100° days in June, hopefully

Published Wed, 19 Feb 2025 21:05:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- For many locations in Central Texas, the rain in May came and kept coming. For others, like Austin, the rain total was less than normal. May is the wettest month, on average, in Austin with 5.04". It looked promising that the month would end above normal when, by May 15, 3.30" had been measured.But the second half of the month was not nearly as wet with just 1.00" from the 19th through the 29th to end the month below normal at 4.30".Not enough rain in MayBy contrast, there were several rain gauges in the Hill Country where totals exceeded that 5.04" topped by 11.16" at a gauge 3 miles north-northeast of Mason. Rain was plentiful in Blanco County with a total of 8.31" at North Grape Creek near Johnson City. One of the gauges many look at is the one at the Pedernales River near Fredericksburg. Water from the Pedernales flows into Lake Travis. That gauge was above normal, but barely, with a total of 5.20".The higher-than-normal rains in the Hill Country did not make a ...