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WATCH LIVE | NASA celebrates anniversary of Webb Space Telescope: reveals moment of stellar birth, dramatic close-up of 50 baby stars

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:07:00 GMT

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The Webb Space Telescope is marking one year of cosmic photographs with one of its best yet: the dramatic close-up of dozens of stars at the moment of birth.NASA unveiled the latest snapshot Wednesday, revealing 50 baby stars in a cloud complex 390 light-years away. A light-year is nearly 6 trillion miles (9.7 trillion kilometers).The region is relatively small and quiet yet full of illuminated gases, jets of hydrogen and even dense cocoons of dust with the delicate beginnings of even more stars.All of the young stars appear to be no bigger than our sun. Scientists said the breathtaking shot provides the best clarity yet of this brief phase of a star’s life.“It’s like a glimpse of what our own system would have looked like billions of years ago when it was forming,” NASA program scientist Eric Smith told The Associated Press.Smith pointed out that the starlight visible in the image actually left there 390 years ago. On Earth in 1633, Italian astronomer Ga...

A third of student borrowers spent money they thought would be forgiven: poll

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:07:00 GMT

More than a third of student loan borrowers spent money they otherwise would not have when they believed a portion of their debt would be forgiven by the Biden administration, according to a new poll. Most borrowers surveyed by Intellingent.com were confident they would receive some student debt relief as part of the Biden administration’s plan to forgive at least $10,000 for federal borrowers and up to $20,000 for those who received a federal Pell Grant while in school. The Supreme Court struck down the president’s forgiveness plan at the end of June. Student debt: White House faces backlash for restarting interest on loansThe survey conducted from July 6 to July 10 measured the responses of 977 respondents who qualified for Biden’s student loan forgiveness program   Among borrowers who spent additional money expecting some debt relief, 9 percent spent between $5,000 and $7,501 extra, while another 17 percent spent $5,000 more than they would have had they not e...

Police searching field for leads related to Raul Meza, potential 'serial killer'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:07:00 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for July 12, 2023. AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Federal Bureau of Investigation, Austin Police and Pflugerville Police are searching a field off FM 1825 in Pflugerville, following leads related to possible serial killer Raul Meza Jr., according to Pflugerville police.Meza, 62, was arrested by the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force on May 25. He faces four charges and has combined bonds amounting to more than $3 million. MORE: What to know about Raul Meza Jr.’s arrest, criminal history Meza confessed to murdering his roommate, Jesse Fraga, 80, and implicated himself in the murder of Gloria Lofton, 66, in 2019, three years after he was released from the Travis County Jail, per Austin police.APD said it is looking into eight to 10 more cold cases Meza may be connected with but said this number could rise higher as it continues investigating. Meza is currently in the Travis County Jail. Meza told police once he was arrested that h...

Integral Care to open northeast Austin facility, setting out to serve black and brown community

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:07:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Neighbors who live in northeast Austin are at higher risk for hospitalization and early death. That's according to Integral Care and its partners. It's why in it worked for nearly a decade to open a new healthcare facility in a location right off I-35. It's about equity and access for the group and its partners. Patients will have access to primary and mental health care, counseling and wellness programs, a pharmacy and other referral resources. This is all available to community members without insurance or who may be considered low-income. The money that pays for this comes from state grants, and millions of dollars invested by the City of Austin and Travis County, according to Integral Care. There was a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the new facility Wednesday. Integral Care ribbon cutting, Northeast Austin facility. (KXAN photos/Jala Washington).This story will be updated by Multicultural Reporter Jala Washington.

Property tax cuts hit the fast track as Texas Senate advances long-awaited agreement

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:07:00 GMT

AUSTIN (Texas Tribune) — A key portion of an $18 billion legislative package to cut land-owning Texans’ property taxes received unanimous approval in the Texas Senate on Wednesday, moving the long-awaited compromise deal along a fast track to the governor’s desk after months of agonizing negotiations among the state’s top Republicans.The House is expected to vote on the legislation Thursday.The agreement, which was announced Monday, would lower taxes for the state’s 5.7 million homeowners and add a temporary cap on appraisal increases for some non-homesteaded properties.It would also cut franchise taxes for small businesses and send billions of dollars to school districts so they can cut their taxes for all property owners and shift a portion of their operations costs to the state. However, the package would give no new funding to schools.On Wednesday, the Senate approved Senate Bill 2, the property tax cuts bill, and Senate Bill 3, a franchise tax relief bill.Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick a...

The Eagles add second Xcel Energy Center show on the band’s farewell tour

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:07:00 GMT

Due to overwhelming demand for tickets, classic rockers the Eagles have added a second show on their farewell tour in six cities, including St. Paul, where they will now headline Xcel Energy Center on Nov. 17 and 18.Tickets for both nights go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday through Ticketmaster. Neither the promoter nor the venue announced ticket prices. Several presales are currently happening for Nov. 17 and dynamically priced seats are available, including $1,750 tickets for the fifth row. Presales for Nov. 18 start at 10 a.m. Thursday. Steely Dan will open.One of the biggest bands of the ’70s, the Eagles performed what they said would be their final concerts together in 2015. Band member Glenn Frey died the following year, seemingly putting an end to the group.But in 2017, Don Henley — the sole founding member remaining in the band — hired country star Vince Gill and Frey’s son Deacon to join a new version of the Eagles alongside guitarist Joe Walsh and bassist Timothy B. ...

Baby swans to return to village of Manlius Swan Pond

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:07:00 GMT

MANLIUS, N.Y. (WSYR) — Manny, the lone adult swan from the manlius Swan Pond, is about to be reunited with his four babies for the first time since mate Faye was killed by three teens around Memorial Day, according to Police. An uncertain future now looks a bit more promising. Beloved swan from NY pond killed, eaten; 3 teens charged in her death "The babies are ours and Manny and that, and they belong here," said Sherry Denbleyker, a resident of Kirkville."I am hopeful now that we get them back soon," said Marcia Morris, a Manlius native.Many got their wish. The four cygnets are coming home to the Manlius swan pond. "The four babies have a permit now to stay here until January. We are going to apply to extend that for another year, because they are too young to breed next year. They will live happily on that pond for another year," said Michael Bean, the local biologist caring for the four baby cygnets. Beloved swan from NY pond killed, eaten; 3 teens charged in her death Bean s...

Albany man arrested with over 40 lbs of Cannabis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:07:00 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- On Wednesday morning, New York State Police arrested Olandise L. Warren, 29, following a traffic stop on I-787 in Albany. Warren was charged with Criminal Possession of Cannabis in the first degree. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Troopers that stopped Warren discovered that he did not possess a valid driver's license. Further investigation uncovered 44 pounds of illegally possessed cannabis in the vehicle and a large amount of U.S. currency.Warren was arraigned at the Albany City Court. He was released under the supervision of the Albany County Probation Department.

Giant panda gives birth to squirming, squealing twins at South Korean theme park

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:07:00 GMT

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — A giant panda delivered healthy twin girls at a South Korean theme park. Ai Bao gave birth to her cubs last Friday at the Everland theme park near Seoul, the park’s operator said Tuesday. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! It released video of the birth and the mother caring for her newborns, as well as veterinarians examining the tiny cubs. They are the first panda twins born in South Korea, Samsung C&T Resort Group said. Both Ai Bao and her newborns are in good health, the resort group said in the statement.Decades of conservation efforts in the wild and study in captivity saved the panda species native to China from extinction, increasing its population from fewer than 1,000 at one time to more than 1,800 in the wild and captivity. The life expectancy of a giant panda in the wild is about 15 years, but in captivity they have lived to be as old as 38. Cats overwhelm homeowner in Johnstown This...

Colorado man held in hourslong Las Vegas standoff faces kidnapping, fugitive charges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:07:00 GMT

LAS VEGAS — A Colorado man jailed on kidnapping and other charges after a Las Vegas Strip standoff where furniture was thrown from a 21st-floor window at Caesars Palace also faces a felony charge as a fugitive from another state, records showed Wednesday.Matthew John Ermond Mannix, 35, of Golden, was arrested after he was accused of taking a woman hostage for more than five hours Tuesday and claiming that he had a gun, according to his police arrest report.“The male made threats to arriving security (that) ‘if they enter the room he will shoot someone,’” police said, and “advised arriving police officers and security, ‘if you don’t leave it will end badly.’”Through the door, the woman also told police the man had a knife, the report said.Police said a knife was found, but did not report finding a gun, and said Mannix identified the woman as his girlfriend. He is scheduled for an initial court appearance Wednesday on felony charges including coercion with the threat of force, d...