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Texas passes bill to let unlicensed chaplains serve as counselors in schools

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:31:58 GMT

(The Hill) - Texas lawmakers have passed a bill that will allow unlicensed chaplains into schools to serve in school counseling positions. The law, passed in a 84-60 vote in the state House Wednesday, will allow school districts to decide whether they want a chaplain who isn't certified by the state working alongside counselors and mental health services in their schools. The legislation already passed the Texas Senate and now will go to the desk of Gov. Greg Abbott (R), who is likely to sign it into law. The bill allows schools to use a volunteer or employ chaplains “to provide support, services, and programs for students as assigned by the board of trustees of the district or the governing body of the school.”A school district can use funds allocated for school safety and security to support chaplains in their role, the same funds used for other counselors. Schools now have six months to vote on policies to either deny or allow chaplains into their schools. The act ...

Nation's median age jumps to almost 39, while fewer babies born: census

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:31:58 GMT

The United States grew older, faster, last decade.The share of residents 65 or older grew by more than a third from 2010 to 2020 and at the fastest rate of any decade in 130 years, while the share of children declined, according to new figures from the most recent census.The declining percentage of children under age 5 was particularly noteworthy in the figures from the 2020 headcount released Thursday. Combined, the trends mean the median age in the U.S. jumped from 37.2 to 38.8 over the decade.America's two largest age groups propelled the changes: more baby boomers turning 65 or older and millennials who became adults or pushed further into their 20s and early 30s. Also, fewer children were born between 2010 and 2020, according to numbers from the once-a-decade head count of every U.S. resident. The decline stems from women delaying having babies until later in life, in many cases to focus on education and careers, according to experts, who noted that birth rates never recovered ...

10-year-old Ohio girl's abortion prompts discipline hearing against Indiana doctor

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:31:58 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An Indiana board is set to hear allegations Thursday that an Indianapolis doctor should face disciplinary action after she spoke publicly about providing an abortion to a 10-year-old rape victim from neighboring Ohio.The Medical Licensing Board’s hearing comes after Indiana's Republican attorney general accused Dr. Caitlin Bernard of violating state law by not reporting the girl’s child abuse to Indiana authorities. She's also accused of breaking federal patient privacy laws by telling a newspaper reporter about the girl’s treatment. Planned Parenthood to cut staff at national level in strategy shift Bernard and her attorneys maintain that the doctor followed Indiana’s child abuse reporting requirements as the girl’s rape was already being investigated by Ohio authorities. Bernard’s lawyers also say she didn’t release any identifying information about the girl that would break privacy laws.The Indianapolis Star cited the girl’s case in a ...

Texas 88th Legislative Session: Which bills died?

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:31:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- During Texas legislative sessions, thousands of bills are considered, but only a few survive to become law. As of Wednesday, only 10.1% of the bills filed during the session passed. Which bills made it to the governor’s desk? Due to the volume of bills, many never even receive a vote.House Bills 521 and 1744, which would have permitted pregnant women to use the high-occupancy vehicle lane, did not receive floor consideration in the House. Pregnant woman cited for HOV violation says fetus should count as passenger in Texas Bills can die at many other stages in the process. Some of the unsuccessful bills would have:Given a raise to state employees and retirees (HB 136)Reduced penalties for low-level marijuana possession (HB 218)Expanded medical marijuana access (HB 1805)Increased the legal age to buy assault rifles to 21 (HB 2744)Amendment the Texas Constitution to allow wagering on sports (HJR 102)Required public school classrooms to display the 10 commandments ...

Petersburg man arrested, accused of burglary

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:31:58 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Petersburg man was arrested and is accused of burglary at a multi-dwelling home in Petersburg. Paul Coleman, 61, faces multiple charges. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! On Thursday, May 18, state troopers responded to a multi-dwelling home on State Route 2 in Petersburg for a reported past burglary. Troopers say their investigation found Coleman had entered the home multiple times and stolen several items during the previous week.Coleman allegedly caused damage to the property in order to gain entry. Police say the stolen items have been recovered. Schenectady man pleads guilty to child pornography charges Charges:Second-degree burglaryFourth-degree criminal mischiefPetit larcenyColeman was arrested on Monday and was taken to Brunswick State Police for processing. He was arraigned at the Grafton Town Court and was released on his own recognizance.

Crash on Patroon Island Bridge closes one lane

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:31:58 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- According to 511 NY, a crash on I-90 westbound on the Patroon Island Bridge; near the Albany and Rensselaer County Line, has closed a left lane. Drivers in the area should expect delays. Check out NEWS10's traffic tracker. You can plan your route and see traffic delays in real-time!Stick with News10 as more information regarding this crash becomes available.

Crash on I-90 westbound in Albany cleared

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:31:58 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- According to 511 NY, a crash on I-90 westbound at Exit 6; US 9 in Albany has cleared.Check out NEWS10's traffic tracker. You can plan your route and see traffic delays in real-time!The crash initially shut down two left lanes of five.

Denver weather: Afternoon to bring cloudier conditions with possible scattered thunderstorms

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:31:58 GMT

Blue skies and warm temperatures will mark the mostly mild weather Thursday morning, shifting in the afternoon and evening to cloudier conditions with scattered thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service.A few of the storms rolling eastward off the mountains onto Colorado’s high plains may be severe, weather service forecasters said, bringing possible hail, gusts of wind at speeds up to 16 miles per hour, and heavy rain.The high temperature in metro Denver will be 81 degrees Thursday with light wind, forecasters said. The haze that hurt air quality over the past five days has decreased. Temperatures on Friday and Saturday are expected to hit 80 degrees.Starting Thursday, the possible afternoon thunderstorms anticipated through Saturday will raise risks of flash flooding in the mountain foothills areas northwest of Denver where wildfires in 2020 reduced vegetation. Weather service forecasters classified the risks as limited.Strong storms are expected Thursday on t...

Police search for man accused of stabbing Metro driver

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:31:58 GMT

Police are searching for a suspect who stabbed a Metro bus driver multiple times Wednesday night in Woodland Hills before fleeing on foot. Calls about the incident, located at Erwin Street and Topanga Canyon Boulevard, came in at around 5:15 p.m., officials with the Los Angeles Police Department said.The assault happened after a male suspect boarded the bus and began arguing with the driver. As the altercation escalated, it spilled out of the bus and onto the sidewalk where the MTA operator was stabbed multiple times in the upper torso by the suspect who then fled eastbound on Erwin Street, LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton said.  The 61-year-old bus driver was taken to Northridge Hospital in critical condition and remains in the intensive care unit. "The Department has mustered a number of night watch detectives and uniform personnel to investigate this senseless attack," LAPD Chief Michel Moore said. "Detectives are speaking with witnesses and gathering video evidence. Numerou...

The 2 reasons why California is unlikely to run short on electricity this summer

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 10:31:58 GMT

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California regulators say the state is unlikely to experience electricity shortages this summer after securing new power sources and a wet winter that filled the state's reservoirs enough to restart hydroelectric power plants that were dormant during the drought.The nation's most populous state normally has more than enough electricity to power the homes and businesses of more than 39 million people. But the electrical grid has trouble when it gets really hot and everyone turns on their air conditioners at the same time. It got so hot in August 2020 that California's power grid was overwhelmed, prompting the state's three largest utility companies to shut off electricity for hundreds of thousands of homes for a few hours over two consecutive days. Similar heat waves in 2021 and 2022 pushed the state to the brink again. State officials avoided blackouts by encouraging people to conserve energy and tapping some emergency gas-powered generators.The state's ele...