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Key witness testifies against Paxton as impeachment court returns

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:57 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- Day two of the impeachment trial of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton is underway in the Senate, where senators are considering 16 different impeachment articles against the Republican, that accuse Paxton of bribery, misuse of office and corruption.Paxton did not appear in the Senate chamber for the second day, and left by the afternoon break on Tuesday. Proceedings kicked off just before 10 a.m. on Wednesday, picking back up with the first witness, whose testimony began Tuesday. Jeff Mateer is one of prosecution's key sources for detailing Paxton's relationship with friend and campaign donor Nate Paul, who is central to many of the impeachment articles. As former first assistant attorney general, a hand-picked Mateer serves as Paxton's hand-picked second-in-command as former first assistant attorney general. Mateer took the stand in front of prosecutor Rusty Hardin Tuesday afternoon before proceedings abruptly adjourned over procedural disagreements between ...

Wanna bet? Austin, Tuscaloosa mayors make friendly wager ahead of Texas, Alabama football game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Mayor Kirk Watson and City of Tuscaloosa Mayor Walt Maddox placed a friendly wager ahead of the Texas Longhorns-Alabama Crimson Tide football game.According to the wager, if Alabama wins, Watson said he would send Maddox and his team Central Texas barbecue from Micklethwait Craft Meats. If Texas wins, Watson said Maddox would send a spread from Dreamland BBQ to him and his team.“Texas is fired up and ready for a rematch,” Mayor Watson said. “I look forward to trying some of Tuscaloosa’s best BBQ after we beat Alabama. All that said, this will be a good game between two iconic college football programs in what’s likely an early chapter in a budding rivalry.”The Texas Longhorns and The University of Alabama Crimson Tide will face off at Bryant-Denny Stadium on Saturday.

High school football: Quentin Cobb-Butler is Woodbury’s return ace, and so much more

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:57 GMT

Prior to the opening kickoff of the football season last week, Woodbury’s return men said that no matter who received the kick, that player was going to score.The kick went to Quentin Cobb-Butler — Roseville’s first mistake.“I saw the ball when it was going up that it was coming to me,” Cobb-Butler said. “I took a couple of steps to the left, and then our blockers in front made a couple of good blocks and a hole opened up.”And he slashed through it, going 95 yards for a season-opening touchdown.And later in the quarter, he did it again, this time from 90 yards out.“They kicked it in the same exact spot and the same stuff happened,” the Royals senior said. “Good blocks from the guys up front and then returned another one.”Yes, twice in the opening quarter of the season, Cobb-Butler took kick returns to the house. To many, that would seem unlikely. To Cobb-Butler, it’s the expectation.He returned two kickoffs for touchdowns last fall, and matched that total already in Week 1 this fall...

Twins test out new roles for Louie Varland, Edouard Julien

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:57 GMT

CLEVELAND — It was a day of firsts for the Twins on Wednesday at Progressive Field.The Twins have talked of their plans to shift starting pitcher Louie Varland to the bullpen for the rest of the season and to use rookie Edouard Julien at first base. On Wednesday, they did both.Varland, called up on Monday after making one relief appearance with the Saints, got the ball for two innings in the middle of the 2-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians, and Julien made his first start at the new position.Varland followed Joe Ryan into the game and tossed three-plus scoreless innings. He threw three perfect frames before running into some trouble at the beginning of his fourth inning of work, and his fastball played up in the new role, touching 98.9 miles per hour.“It’s the same process: get outs, hit your spots, execute,” Varland said.And he did.Manager Rocco Baldelli said the Twins weren’t intending to use him in a “long-man type role,” but Varland was so efficient that they just kept sending ...

New public safety law increases training hours for police, more money for recruiting 

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:57 GMT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Governor Mike Parson put pen to paper Wednesday inside the Missouri State Capitol, signing off on a large public safety package.With more than 40 provisions in this one piece of legislation, there are multiple measures aimed at the law enforcement community. Besides raising the minimum number of basic training hours needed to become a licensed police officer, the state is also mandating a 40-hour training course for new police chiefs."We see it across the state that a lot of chiefs get into these positions, and they have no clue what they are supposed to be doing," executive director of the Missouri Police Chiefs Association Robert Shockey said. "When you become the chief, it's your ballgame now."The goal is to better prepare the top dog for anything thrown his or her way. It's part of a new law the governor ceremonially signed Wednesday, requiring new police chiefs to take a 40-hour class within the first six months on the job."We get those calls every week an...

In ‘brutal’ US Open heat, Daniil Medvedev warns during his win that a player is ‘gonna die’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:57 GMT

By HOWARD FENDRICH (AP Tennis Writer)NEW YORK (AP) — Soaked with sweat as the temperature neared 95 degrees Fahrenheit (35 Celsius) on the hottest day at this year’s U.S. Open, 2021 champion Daniil Medvedev walked slowly to towel off between points of his victory Wednesday, looked into a courtside camera and issued what sounded like a mix between a warning and a plea.“You cannot imagine,” he said. “One player (is) gonna die, and they’re gonna see.”“The only thing that is a little bit, let’s call it dangerous, is that the question is: How far could we go?” Medvedev, a 27-year-old Russian seeded No. 3, said after eliminating Andrey Rublev 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 to reach the semifinals at Flushing Meadows for the fourth time.“I’m not sure what can we do. Because probably we cannot stop the tournament for four days — because it’s been, what, three, four days it’s been brutal like this? — because then ...

Another Republican jumps into crowded race against Rep. Lauren Boebert

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:57 GMT

The field of candidates facing conservative firebrand Rep. Lauren Boebert next year has grown again with the entry Wednesday of Delta County business owner — and fellow Republican — Curtis McCrackin.Curtis McCrackin, a Delta County business owner, is seeking the Republican nomination in the 3rd Congressional District in 2024. (Provided by Curtis McCrackin)McCrackin is the third Republican to launch a primary campaign against Boebert in the 3rd Congressional District, joining Jeff Hurd and Russ Andrews. Five Democrats are vying for that party’s nomination and the chance to go head-to-head with the second-term congresswoman on Nov. 5, 2024 — assuming she prevails over her GOP challengers.For 20 years, McCrackin has overseen a number of real estate and construction businesses in the Surface Creek Valley near Delta.“I’m running because few people in Washington seem to be concerned about the $31 trillion in debt,” McCrackin said in a campaign announcement. “...

EPA orders Suncor to pay more than $700,000 for selling dirty gasoline in Colorado

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:57 GMT

For the second time in a month, the Environmental Protection Agency has fined Suncor Energy for violations at its Commerce City oil refinery.Suncor will pay $760,000 after it produced gasoline that did not meet federal standards for reducing ozone pollution during the summer months. The Canadian company will pay a $160,000 financial penalty for the violations, plus an additional $600,000 to fund a program to buy electric lawn equipment for local governments, schools and residents in Commerce City and north Denver, according to a consent agreement approved by the EPA’s Environmental Appeals Board.The money for the electric-powered lawn equipment will be distributed to the community in 2024 by the Regional Air Quality Council, the agency announced Wednesday.“We want to acknowledge right off the bat we can’t undo damage that’s done by a polluter,” said David Sabados, spokesman for the air quality council. “What we’re able to do is go into a com...

Rockies squander four-run first inning in blowout loss at Arizona

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:57 GMT

Looking to play the role of spoilers, the Rockies instead spoiled a strong start in the rubber match of their three-game set in Arizona.Spotted a four-run lead before even taking the mound, Colorado starter Chris Flexen was nonetheless unable to make it stand up in a 12-5 loss to the Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Wednesday afternoon.The loss dropped the Rockies to 3-13 in their last 16 games and 51-88 overall. They are now on pace to finish a franchise-worst 59-103, with a trip to San Francisco for a three-game set up next.After pitching at least five innings in each of his last six starts, Flexen (1-7) failed to make it out of the third inning on Wednesday. The right-hander was pulled after Alek Thomas drilled an 88 mph cutter 395 feet to right field for a three-run home run and 6-5 D-backs lead. The bomb punctuated a five-run frame for Arizona, which never relinquished the lead after that.Thomas drove in five runs and Tommy Pham had three hits, three RBIs and three runs scored fo...

8 Colorado high school football games to watch in Week 3

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:56:57 GMT

CLASS 5ANo. 1 Cherry Creek (2-0) vs. Chatfield (2-0)When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at Jeffco StadiumLast meeting: Cherry Creek 28, vs. Chatfield 5, Sept. 9, 2022The Bruins’ quest for a 5A five-peat hits the road for the first time this fall with a date against the Chargers at Jeffco Stadium. If Chatfield has one advantage — other than playing at home — it’s the fact that they’ve had two weeks to prepare for a Creek program that hasn’t lost a regular-season nonleague game in six years. The key for the Creek defense: finding a way to contain junior Brock Narva, who had 176 yards and two touchdowns on 27 touches against Cherokee Trail his last time out.No. 2 Regis Jesuit (2-0) vs. No. 7 Arapahoe (2-0)When/where: 7 p.m. Friday at LPS StadiumLast meeting: Regis Jesuit 23, vs. Arapahoe 10, Sept. 9, 2022After knocking off a pair of heavyweights (Valor Christian and Washington’s Kennedy Catholic) by three points apiece, Regis locks horns with one of the stingiest de...