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First smoky air, now clouds of bugs. Winged aphids invade New York City

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:58:05 GMT

By BOBBY CAINA CALVAN (Associated Press)NEW YORK (AP) — By the time Martin DuPain got back home from a short walk Thursday afternoon, he was covered with a smattering of tiny flying critters. They were in his hair, on his shirt and in his nose.When he sneezed, the bugs came flying out.As if the smoke and haze sweeping in from wildfires in Canada weren’t enough, New York City has been invaded in recent days with plumes of flying insects that have become both a nuisance and a source of fascination — what were they, where’d they come from and will they ever go away? Another unwanted Canadian export?At first, DuPain, who lives in Queens, thought it might have been wind-driven ash, but he soon found out otherwise. Some were alive and flying. He quickly jumped in the shower.The startling scene was nothing short of a “gnatural disaster,” quipped a post on Twitter, which has been abuzz with reports of swarms in some neighborhoods, while others remain bug-...

Biden plots new course to get relief for student borrowers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:58:05 GMT

(The Hill) – On Friday, President Biden announced the next actions his administration intends to take to protect student loan borrowers following the Supreme Court ruling that struck down his student debt relief plan.On Friday, Biden announced two prongs of the White House's next tactics for student debt, which include 1) a new approach of forgiveness under the Higher Education Act and 2) the creation of a temporary 12-month On-Ramp Repayment Program. Supreme Court blocks student loan forgiveness: What should borrowers do now? While details are slim so far, Biden explained that approaching student debt relief under the umbrella of the Higher Education Act will allow U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona to forgive "compromise, waive or release" certain student loans. Biden said that while this path will take much longer, the administration is "moving on it."This path will require a public comment and notice period before it could go into effect. Biden did not offer further de...

New California Assembly speaker pledges to tackle the state’s biggest issues

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:58:05 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Assemblymember Robert Rivas was sworn in Friday as the next speaker of California’s state Assembly, becoming the first lawmaker from a rural district to hold the powerful office in the state’s modern history. Rivas, a 43-year-old Democrat representing the agricultural Central Coast area, replaces former Speaker Anthony Rendon after a monthslong power struggle last year. Rendon, the second-longest serving speaker in state history, terms out at the end of 2024 after serving as the California lower house’s leader the last seven years. Rivas, who had a quick rise to power, pledged to lead with “urgency and unity.” At his inaugural ceremony in the Capitol, he said his priorities are to tackle the state’s housing and homelessness crisis, improve public services and infrastructure and combat climate change. Democrats hold more than three-quarters of the Assembly’s 80 seats. “California is still the greatest state in the un...

It’s almost time to resume student loan payments. What happens if you don’t?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:58:05 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — After three years, the pandemic-era freeze on federal student loan payments will end this fall and more than 40 million Americans will have to start making payments again under the terms of a debt ceiling deal approved by Congress.Student loan interest will start accruing on September 1 and payments will restart in October. That means tough decisions for many borrowers, especially those in already-difficult financial situations.It might seem tempting, come autumn, to just continue not making payments, but the consequences can be severe, including a hit to your credit score and exclusion from future aid and benefits.Experts say that delinquency and bankruptcy should be options of last resort, and that deferment and forbearance — which pause payments, though interest may continue to accrue — are often better in the short term.WHAT HAPPENS IF I DON’T MAKE STUDENT LOAN PAYMENTS?Once the moratorium ends, borrowers who can’t or don’t pay risk delinquency and ev...

Suspected gunman in Texas shooting that killed 5 neighbors indicted on capital murder charge

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:58:05 GMT

CLEVELAND, Texas (AP) — A man accused of killing five neighbors in Texas after some of them complained that gunfire was keeping a baby awake was indicted Friday on a capital murder charge that could carry the death penalty. Prosecutors said they do not yet know whether they will seek the death penalty against Francisco Oropeza, 38, who is a Mexican national and had been deported multiple times in the years prior to the April attack outside Houston. “I think it’s a little too early for us to make that call,” San Jacinto County District Attorney Todd Dillon said.Dillon said he expects Oropeza to plead not guilty during a court appearance in August. A lawyer for Oropeza did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday.Police say Oropeza stormed into his neighbor’s house on April 28 after being asked by his neighbors to stop firing his AR-style rifle because a baby was trying to sleep. All five victims were from Honduras, including a 9-year-old boy.The shooting happened...

Delaware House approves bill allowing business entities to vote in town’s municipal elections

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:58:05 GMT

DOVER, Del. (AP) — States House lawmakers have approved legislation authorizing a small town in southern Delaware to allow business entities, including corporations and limited liability companies, to vote in municipal elections.Lawmakers voted 35-6 on Friday for the measure, which was sent to the Senate on the final day of this year’s legislative session.The bill authorizes a charter change for the city of Seaford, one of more than a dozen municipalities in Delaware that already allow nonresident property owners to vote. At least four allow corporate entities and trusts to vote in municipal elections, while others restrict such entities to voting in special elections such as annexations, referenda or bond issues.Charter changes requested by local governments in Delaware are typically approved in the General Assembly in perfunctory fashion without debate or controversy. Seaford’s charter change, which sets no precedent, nevertheless drew national attention because of media campaigns...

Tax break for offshore wind energy developer Orsted narrowly approved in New Jersey Legislature

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:58:05 GMT

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — A bill to let Danish offshore wind energy developer Orsted keep tax credits that it otherwise would have to return to New Jersey ratepayers was approved by the slimmest of margins in the state Legislature Friday afternoon and went to the desk of Gov. Phil Murphy, a strong supporter of offshore wind farms.The measure initially failed to gather enough support in the Senate but won one additional vote in a subsequent try — just enough to pass it.The bill to allow Orsted to keep federal tax credits was designed to help counter what lawmakers termed lingering economic effects on the developer from the COVID-19 pandemic and elevated inflation.It applies to Orsted’s first project in New Jersey, Ocean Wind I, which aims to generate enough electricity to power 500,000 homes.The New Jersey legislation highlighted a sharp partisan divide over offshore wind projects, with Republicans mostly opposing them as harmful to the environment, marine life and the fishing and tourism...

Fox News reaches $12M settlement with former Tucker Carlson producer who testified in Dominion case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:58:05 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Fox News will pay one of its former producers $12 million to settle her claims that she faced a discriminatory workplace and that the network coerced her into giving false or misleading testimony in Dominion Inc.’s defamation lawsuit, her lawyer said Friday.The payout to Abby Grossberg will settle all litigation that she brought against Fox Corp., Fox News Network and her former co-workers, including former Fox host Tucker Carlson.The settlement was revealed with the filing of a “Notice of Voluntary Dismissal” in a lawsuit she had brought this year in Manhattan federal court. The judge accepted the filing and closed the case.Although the notice did not reference the terms of the settlement, Grossberg’s attorney, Parisis G. Filippatos, said in an interview that his client will receive $12 million.In a statement, Fox News said: “We are pleased that we have been able to resolve this matter without further litigation.”Grossberg said in a statement that while ...

Saudi Arabia is being considered by the women’s tennis tour for possible business

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:58:05 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Like other sports, women’s tennis is looking into the possibility of getting into business with Saudi Arabia. And while holding a tournament there is not imminent, WTA Chairman and CEO Steve Simon said Friday that he visited that country with some players in February as part of the evaluation process.“It’s a very difficult and very challenging topic that’s being, obviously, measured by many, many different groups right now,” Simon said at an event in London to mark the 50th anniversary of the meeting that led to the founding of the WTA.He acknowledged there “are still tons of issues in Saudi Arabia” with regard to women’s rights and LGBTQ+ rights.Simon’s comments came a few days after the St. Petersburg, Florida-based WTA announced it was setting up a “pathway to equal prize money” so women earn the same as men at certain tournaments by 2027 and others by 2033. Simon said Tuesday additional money would come from incremental boosts by the events themselves a...

Commerical-grade fireworks found inside Joliet casino hotel room, parking garage

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:58:05 GMT

JOLIET, Ill. — A bomb squad on Friday determined what a housekeeper thought were explosives inside a casino hotel room in Joliet were commercial-grade fireworks.Just before noon, the housekeeper called Joliet Police Department officers after they found what they thought were unmarked explosives inside a guest's room. Why are fireworks illegal in Illinois? According to a news release from police, the Cook County Sheriff's Police Bomb Team determined they were commercial-grade fireworks.The team also found commercial-grade fireworks inside a vehicle in the casino's parking garage, according to the news release.Additional details haven't been released. Joliet police are still investigating.