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Student debt relief: Which way will the Supreme Court go?

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:19:33 GMT

The Supreme Court is set to release its decision on President Biden’s relief of up to $20,000 in student loan debt, with advocates and borrowers widely concerned the justices will strike down the plan.The court holds a strong 6-3 conservative majority that seemed skeptical of the administration’s ability to forgive the debt during oral arguments in February. But as several recent decisions show, the court sometimes hands down a surprise ruling, offering a sliver of hope to those wanting the forgiveness despite the widespread skepticism. Court watchers are closely eyeing how the justices rule on whether any of the challengers have legal standing to bring their lawsuits, an issue that the high court’s liberal wing and conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett in particular probed during oral argument.The situation has been a whirlwind for borrowers and will, one way or the other, come to an end soon.Why are borrowers fearful of the decision?President Biden delivers remarks on s...

How UT Austin students are looking for a workaround to maintain DEI

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:19:33 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — This summer, some University of Texas at Austin student leaders are starting to look for ways to make sure their campus is inclusive when everyone gets back from break.This comes after a new law was passed that bans diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) offices, staff and initiatives at public universities and colleges. Texas lawmakers find consensus on bill banning diversity, equity and inclusion offices in public universities "When DEI is under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!" a group of UT students chanted outside of the capitol, just steps away from where lawmakers voted to ban college DEI initiatives.UT's Students for a Democratic Society (SDS), led a small protest on Tuesday, just getting started with its plans for a workaround to move forward with DEI work."There is a greater coalition of UT students for DEI that we do some work with," Jules Lattimore with SDS said.According to Lattimore, that coalition is made up of cultural groups."We reached ...

Rare footage of great white sharks takes center stage in new Nat Geo special

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:19:33 GMT

Hundreds of great white sharks hunting seals close to shore along Cape Cod, and how local researchers are hoping to predict shark behavior, is the focus of a new National Geographic special for Sharkfest next week.The documentary Return of the White Shark includes “really rare footage” of three great whites feasting on a seal, and an apex predator attacking a seal in the surf zone.The Cape shark researchers in the show also revealed how many sharks have visited the region in a recent 5-year period, which is much higher than expected.“There was never a population estimate for white sharks in the Northwest Atlantic,” Atlantic White Shark Conservancy staff scientist Megan Winton said during the special. “It’s one of the most mysterious populations of white sharks on the planet.”The team of researchers, which includes Winton and Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries marine biologist Greg Skomal, now estimate that 800 to 900 individual sharks have visited the Cape’s waters in the re...

City of Blaine responsible for drying up residential wells, DNR says

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:19:33 GMT

The city of Blaine’s operation of unpermitted wells dried up dozens of private wells, according to a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources report.In the summer of 2022, residents of Blaine and Ham Lake discovered their private wells had dried up, and their homes no longer had running water. “Life is not possible without water,” one resident wrote in a complaint to the DNR. “I am not the only one going through the pain. Please help,” said another.A DNR investigation has concluded that increased pumping by the city caused 47 residential wells to dry up, and that three of the wells operated by the city did not have DNR-issued permits. The city ceased pumping from the unpermitted wells after receiving notices from the DNR last summer.Well interference can occur when a deeper, high volume pump causes water levels in the surrounding aquifer to go down, leaving shallower wells, such as residential wells, unable to reach water. The effects of Blaine’s...

Washington County driver gets probation in gun-pointing incident

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:19:33 GMT

A 19-year-old Scandia man has been sentenced to two years of probation after admitting to pointing a gun at a motorist during a road rage incident in West Lakeland Township.Adam Joseph Jaap (Courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office)Adam Joseph Jaap in April pleaded guilty to second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon in connection with the gun-pointing incident, which involved a Woodbury man in the area of 30th Street and Manning Avenue North on Sept. 3, 2022.A charge of threats of violence was dismissed as part of a plea agreement.Jaap “brake-checked” the other driver, then rolled down his window and put his arm out while holding a handgun, the complaint criminal said.Washington County District Judge Siv Mjanger sentenced Jaap to 364 days in jail on Friday, but stayed the time on the condition that he complete terms of two years of probation, which includes writing an apology letter to the victim.Mjanger also ordered Jaap to do 200 hours of community service, hal...

NYSDOT taking public input on reimagining I-787

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:19:33 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- For many who work in Downtown Albany, it may be hard to imagine their commute without I-787 as it is now. Advocates and lawmakers are proposing changes to the highway to create better access to green space and the waterfront, and the New York State Department of Transportation is listening. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Tuesday, hundreds of people packed into the MVP Arena for NYSDOT’s first-ever open house taking comments on the idea, as the department is in the midst of a $5.3 million study on what a new I-787 corridor may look like."Most people have said that they wanted to see a better connection to the riverfront, they want to see our neighborhoods reconnected, Downtown to the South End," said Derek Baranski, who contributes to the Albany Riverfront Collaborative, a group that has been developing proposals to reimagine the highway, "so it was really encouraging for the work that we do, and ho...

Trump wants to keep 'communists' and ‘Marxists’ out of the US. Here’s what the law says

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:19:33 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump has announced a new campaign proposal on U.S. immigration—barring “communists” and “Marxists” from entering the country. On Saturday, the Republican former president, making another bid in 2024, said he would use “Section 212 (f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act” to “order my government to deny entry to all communists and all Marxists.” Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The announcement was reminiscent of Trump’s ban on travelers from several predominantly Muslim countries during his first term, which was heavily criticized as anti-Muslim and ultimately revoked by President Joe Biden. Trump's proposal also raised questions about whether a decades-old law could actually be used to ban all communist and Marxist immigrants to the U.S., how it would work, and why Trump is so focused on these political theories in a country where few residents support them.“Those who come to enjoy our country m...

Amtrak train derails after striking vehicle in Moorpark

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:19:33 GMT

An Amtrak train partially derailed late Wednesday morning after striking a vehicle in Moorpark, officials said.The crash was reported at about 11:30 a.m. Footage from the scene showed what appeared to be a destroyed vehicle alongside the tracks, as well as an Amtrak train with multiple cars that had come off the rails.A train derailed after striking a vehicle in Moorpark on June 28, 2023. (KTLA)The Ventura County Fire Department said seven cars had derailed — that number was later increased to eight — and there were reports of a fire under at least one car. The Ventura County Sheriff's Office noted that the derailed cars were still upright.Local photographer Michael Coons said on Twitter that the vehicle was a truck belonging to the Ventura County Public Works Agency.The front of the train also sustained damage, footage showed, leaving dozens of people — likely passengers — standing in a dirt area alongside the track.As a result, Los Angeles Avenue was closed in the area between Hit...

Man arrested for sexual assault after threatening victim with rock: Ventura police

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:19:33 GMT

A man who allegedly threatened to “smash” a woman’s face with a rock if she didn’t respond to his advances was arrested on suspicion of sexual assault, Ventura police said.Police responded to the 4600 block of Telephone Road around 4:35 a.m. Tuesday regarding a report of suspicious activity.An investigation revealed that that a man and woman had met up with a group of people nearby. At some point the two separated from the group and walked to a secluded area to sleep, Ventura police detailed in a news release.While they were sleeping, the suspect, identified as 43-year-old Martin Moya, allegedly woke up the victim and demanded sex. The victim did not consent, and Moya allegedly picked up a large rock and “threatened to smash her face if she did not submit to his advances,” police said.The victim allegedly complied with Moya because she was under duress.Responding officers confronted Moya when they realized the victim was in distress and he violently resisted before being taken into ...

Mujiri Hayward is now open, bringing quality sushi at affordable prices

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 13:19:33 GMT

Mujiri, the shoe box-sized sushi joint in Oakland known for quality fish and low prices, has opened a sister restaurant in Hayward.While this a far cry from debuting an outpost at, say, San Francisco Airport, it’s a sign that word of this once-hidden gem has gone out far and wide.Mujiri Hayward, located at 22530 Main St., serves lunch and dinner and is take-out only at the moment. The restaurant needs to do renovations to accommodate dining service, which could take a few months, a staffer said. It’s also not serving alcohol as yet, unlike the original Oakland spot with its sprawling sake list. There’s yuzu and ume soda, sparkling water, Coke and unsweetened green tea.None of which will likely detract people from flocking here. The new restaurant is already posting notices on its website about selling out. It’s not hard to see why: The quality of the fish, sourced from Japan and elsewhere, is top notch. You probably will never look at ika (squid) nigiri the s...