LIVE: Texas Attorney General Paxton under investigation for whistleblower settlement

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:04:50 GMT

LIVE: Texas Attorney General Paxton under investigation for whistleblower settlement AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- Texas House lawmakers tasked with investigating legal and ethical violations announced Tuesday they are investigating the Office of the Attorney General.The House General Investigating Committee has been investigating Attorney General Ken Paxton's legal settlement with whistleblowers since March. Early this legislative session, Paxton requested the legislature approve $3.3 million of state money so his office could pay a settlement to employees that were terminated after they raised ethical concerns about Paxton's conduct. Four former top aides sued Paxton for wrongful firing and retaliation after they accused him of using his office to help Nate Paul, an Austin-area real estate developer and Paxton campaign donor.In a public hearing Tuesday afternoon, the committee issued a letter directing the attorney general to preserve all documentation relating to the matter. "Please immediately suspend all of your destruction policies for all...

Dog on duty: Granite Shoals police add K-9 officer

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:04:50 GMT

Dog on duty: Granite Shoals police add K-9 officer GRANITE SHOALS (KXAN) — A small town in Central Texas will soon have its first K-9 police officer.During Tuesday night’s Granite Shoals City Council meeting, local leaders announced that they’ll soon have a furry friend helping crack down on crimes.The new K-9 unit was made possible through a $25,000 donation from Dr. Caesar DePaço and his wife Deanna.The New Jersey couple support law enforcement across the country, providing financial resources to fund police K-9 units.Granite Shoals Mayor Kiel Arnone is originally from New Jersey and played a pivotal part in organizing this arrangement.“Having this dog in our community is going to be huge,” he said. “It's going to help combat drug activity and hopefully clean up the drug activity that we currently have.”The donation will fully fund the purchase of the animal along with its specialized equipment, healthcare needs and food.As a result, the police department’s K-9 unit will come at no cost to local taxpayers.Zoe will soon undergo tra...

NYS announces allergy awareness initiative in food service

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:04:50 GMT

NYS announces allergy awareness initiative in food service ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The New York State Department of Health and New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets announced on Monday a new initiative to help restaurants and food services establishments increase awareness of food allergies in consumers. Establishments serving food must display a large allergy notice that is easily visible and accessible to employees when preparing food. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! All food service establishments, including internet-based food deliveries, are required to include an allergy notice on their menu as well, in addition to food prep areas. Steps for staff to follow when a customer says they have an allergy, how to prevent cross-contamination during food prep, and instructions to call 911 if a customer has an allergic reaction are also included. “For people with food allergies, eating something that has been cross-contaminated with potential allergens can have serious...

Bear struck and killed on I-55 near Festus

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:04:50 GMT

Bear struck and killed on I-55 near Festus FESTUS, Mo. - A bear is struck and killed by a car not far from a black bear sighting. Festus police confirmed that a black bear was struck and killed on Interstate-55 north. It happened less than a mile and a half from their department and about a half a mile from a bear sighting around 24 hours ago.Someone called police, explaining that a bear was on the side of the interstate just before exit 175. The location where the bear got struck is about a half-mile from the bear sighting in Festus Tuesday morning.FOX 2 spoke with a family who saw the large bear going through trash cans in a neighborhood off Hillcrest Road near the American Legion. Josh Johnson took video, which quickly went viral on social media. Who is Sai Kandula? Chesterfield man charged in White House crash Festus police spent the day working with the Missouri Department of Conservation trying to find the bear. They were telling people in the area to secure their trash bins and to put their trash cans out the day of...

Three women die in St. Louis County car crash

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:04:50 GMT

Three women die in St. Louis County car crash ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - A tragic crash kills three women in north St. Louis County. The tragedy unfolded on New Halls Ferry Road near Seven Hills Drive; two of the victims were coworkers.A moving tribute of a dove was released to honor three women killed in the car crash. Donovan Meeks works for different funeral homes across the country releasing doves at burial sites, and he said he knew two of the victims.“They watched me grow up as a kid. It’s very sad they died in such a tragic way," Meeks said. "It’s a big loss for me and the community."The crash happened Monday around 9 p.m. Who is Sai Kandula? Chesterfield man charged in White House crash A preliminary investigation revealed a Ford Fusion was traveling south on New Halls Ferry Road when it crossed the center line and struck an oncoming Cadillac SUV. Police said it's unclear what caused the driver of the Fusion to lose control.Friends said the two coworkers were in the Cadillac. They worked at a funeral home in St. Louis. C...

State lawmakers approve $2.5M study on new Missouri interstate

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:04:50 GMT

State lawmakers approve $2.5M study on new Missouri interstate ST. LOUIS - Missouri could soon have a new interstate highway.State lawmakers have approved $2.5 million to study the conversion of US Route 36 into Interstate 72. According to FOX 2's partners at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, the interstate would run between Hannibal in the east and St. Joseph in the west. Bear struck and killed on I-55 near Festus A representative from Hannibal says bringing Route 36 up to interstate standards would take pressure off of I-70, especially when construction to widen it gets underway.The Missouri legislature has approved nearly $3 billion to widen I-70 to at least three lanes across the state.

Denver weather: Smoke expected to leave Wednesday as storms enter area

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:04:50 GMT

Denver weather: Smoke expected to leave Wednesday as storms enter area Denverites will finally get a reprieve from the Canadian wildfire smoke Wednesday evening after thunderstorms bring heavy rainfall to clear the air.Storms will arrive in the afternoon after starting in the mountains Wednesday morning and bring heavy rainfall and some hail possibilities and strong winds. The storms are most likely to get to Denver after 3 p.m., and the smoke will depart soon after, improving Denver’s air quality.Good news…Smoke will be departing today!Look for a significant improvement in air quality behind the expected thunderstorms this afternoon and evening. #COwx— NWS Boulder (@NWSBoulder) May 24, 2023Denver will start the day with a high of 77 degrees before the storms arrive. Winds in the morning are between eight and 13 mph.Peak rainfall of one to 1.5 inches in 30 minutes can be expected in the strongest storms, increasing the risk of urban street flooding and burn area flash floods in the high country.A couple severe storms capable of produc...

Viral video shows Good Samaritans rescue CHP officer under attack

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:04:50 GMT

Viral video shows Good Samaritans rescue CHP officer under attack Cellphone video captured the moment three Good Samaritans jumped out of their vehicles to help a California Highway Patrol officer who was being attacked by a man on the side of a busy freeway onramp. The incident occurred on May 19 at around 5 p.m., at the Main Street northbound entrance to the 5 Freeway in Santa Ana.  CHP officers had been called to the area on reports of a man yelling at drivers and trying to take down a freeway sign. Officials said the officer was planning to let the man go with a warning when he suddenly attacked.  “Many of these situations, they end up becoming dangerous at a moment’s notice,” CHP Officer Anselmo Templado told KTLA. Just steps from the freeway onramp, the officer is seen on video getting tackled by the man. Moments later, the three Good Samaritans can be seen rushing to the officer’s aid.  Cellphone video captured the moment three Good Samaritans rushed to the aid of a CHP who was being attacked by a 33-year-old man ne...

Woman killed by hit-and-run driver while jogging in Tarzana

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:04:50 GMT

Woman killed by hit-and-run driver while jogging in Tarzana A woman out jogging was fatally struck by a hit-and-run driver in Tarzana Tuesday night.The woman, whose name has not been released, was running in the 4200 block of Reseda Boulevard at about 10:40 p.m. and tried to cross the street when she was struck, according to the Los Angeles Police Department.The Land Rover that hit her was heading south and fled the scene and is still outstanding, police said.The woman's husband arrived at the scene after she failed to return home, and police informed him of what happened.Alexis Lewis contributed to this report.

L.A. Metro report finds hundreds of homeless sleeping at stations overnight

Published Fri, 27 Dec 2024 06:04:50 GMT

L.A. Metro report finds hundreds of homeless sleeping at stations overnight Just after midnight at Los Angeles Union Station is when the building is cleared out and the Metro station shuts down for the night. Dozens of homeless people spill onto surrounding streets, clasping their belongings.  Behind the station on North Vignes Street, Amanda hunkers down on a corner with a friend, using some of their bags as a seat.  “I have to survive like this,” she said. “There’s nowhere for me to go right now.”  Overnight, everyone must get off the Metro trains so they can be cleaned and serviced. It’s a period known as the “end of line” policy.  Last month, Metro counted just how many homeless were seeking shelter overnight in their transit system. The report found an average of 555 unhoused people each night at stations when the end of line policy is enforced.  Union Station is among three stations within the city of Los Angeles that the Metro has designated as hotspots for homelessness between midnight and 3 a.m. According to the transit sys...