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Drag artists and LGBTQ+ advocates sue to block Texas law expanding ban on sexual performances

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:06 GMT

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A group of drag performers and LGBTQ+ rights advocates have filed a federal lawsuit seeking to block a new Texas law that expands what is considered an illegal public performance of sexual conduct, arguing it is meant to target drag shows and could also criminalize ballet and even cheerleading.The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. district court in Houston by the American Civil Liberties Union on behalf of plaintiffs, contends that the law is unconstitutional and threatens the “livelihood and free expression of many Texans, including drag performers across our state.” It seeks to block the from taking effect Sept. 1. The law approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature was part of a broader effort in Texas and other conservative states to crack down on drag shows and limit LGBTQ rights. Such laws have already run into trouble in other states, including Florida and Tennessee, where judges put drag performance bans on hold.Like Texas, Arkansas has a new law re...

US judge blocks water pipeline in Montana that was meant to boost rare fish

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:06 GMT

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — A U.S. judge blocked a proposed water pipeline through a wilderness area in southwest Montana that was intended to help a rare fish species that’s in sharp decline due to habitat loss, warming temperatures and other pressures.The mile-long pipeline was intended to move oxygenated water that’s beneficial for fish from a creek to a lake in the Red Rock Lakes Wilderness — winter home for one of the last few populations of Arctic grayling in the Lower 48 states. The fish are prized by many anglers and known for their sail-like dorsal fins.U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy said in a Wednesday ruling that environmentalists who sued to stop the pipeline raised valid concerns that its construction would disturb the wilderness area, where motor vehicles, roads or structures are largely prohibited under federal law.The number of grayling in Montana’s Centennial Valley, which includes the Red Rock Lakes area, plummeted from 1,131 fish in 2015 to 73 fish...

Reportan 2 balaceras a media hora de diferencia en la misma calle en Manassas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:06 GMT

La policía reportó dos tiroteos con 30 minutos de diferencia en una misma comunidad de Manassas el martes por la noche. En el segundo incidente, una persona resultó herida en el cuello.Hacia las 6 p.m., en el vecindario Georgetown Sur, se registró un disparo desde un vehículo en movimiento. Allí rebotó en el suelo y golpeó la parte trasera de un auto. Otros dos vehículos también recibieron disparos.El vídeo de vigilancia capta ligeramente el sonido de los disparos y muestra a una persona huyendo.“Sinceramente, no me siento bien”, afirmó un residente que pidió permanecer en el anonimato. “Esta zona tenía un mal historial, pero oí decir de todo el mundo que estaba mejorando”.Los agentes de policía rodearon el barrio y se dirigieron a una casa adosada, pero no se localizó a ninguna víctima ni se detuvo a nadie.La policía despejó la escena, pero media hora más tarde estaban de vuelta.Una persona había recibido un disparo en el cuello en el mismo adosado del que l...

Pittsburgh synagogue gunman has been sentenced to die in the nation’s deadliest antisemitic attack

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:06 GMT

PITTSBURGH (AP) — The man who killed 11 congregants at a Pittsburgh synagogue was formally sentenced to death Thursday, one day after a jury determined that capital punishment was appropriate for the perpetrator of the deadliest attack on Jews in U.S. history.U.S. District Judge Robert Colville imposed the sentence on Robert Bowers, a 50-year-old truck driver whose vicious antisemitism led him to shoot his way into a place of worship and target people for practicing their faith.“I have nothing specific that I care to say to Mr. Bowers,” Colville said, before issuing the formal sentence. “I am however convinced there is nothing I could say to him that might be meaningful.”Bowers ranted about Jews online before carrying out the attack at Tree of Life synagogue on Oct. 27, 2018, and told police at the scene that “all these Jews must die.” He has since expressed pride in the killings.Jurors were unanimous in finding that Bowers’ attack was motivated by his hatred of Jews, and that he ch...

I-70 closed through Glenwood Springs? Here's how to detour

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:06 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Monsoon season means the possibility of trip-altering closures on Interstate 70, especially through the Glenwood Springs area, where rain on the Grizzly Creek burn scar heightens the risk of mudslides.While mudslides closed the interstate for weeks in July 2021, there was "very little flooding" last summer, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation. Travel officials expect even fewer closures in the canyon this summer.Still, the risk remains. Here's what to know if your travels are derailed because of an I-70 closure.When will I-70 be closed?CDOT has updated the thresholds for when I-70 will be closed through Glenwood Canyon this summer.I-70, Glenwood Canyon rest areas and recreation path will close under these circumstances:If a flash flood warning is issued for the Grizzly Creek burn scarIf 1 inch of rain is in the forecast for the next hourIf 0.6 inches of rain is in the forecast for the next 30 minutesIn the event of a closure, all traffic will be ev...

$1 awarded for illegal search verdict: Lawsuit follows Colorado Police Reform Act

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:06 GMT

AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) -- Christopher Mosley asked an Arapahoe County jury to award him $1, and that's exactly what it did. The 33-year-old sued Aurora Police Officer Brendan Daves for violating his civil rights when Daves searched Mosley's car without a legal justification.According to Mosley's attorney, he is the first person to successfully sue a police officer under the state's Enhance Law Enforcement Integrity Act, passed as part of Senate Bill 20-217 in response to the George Floyd and Elijah McClain protests. Colorado prison escapee caught living ‘flashy’ life in Florida after 5 years "The new law is great because now it allows for us regular people to have a fighting chance against law enforcement," Mosley said.Aurora officer illegally searched carMosley was driving to his home in Aurora on April 25, 2021, when he was pulled over for not having license plates on his car.Instead of writing Mosley a ticket or deciding to have his car towed, Daves asked him to sit on the curb a...

Denver-area home prices may stay flat or decline for the rest of 2023

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:06 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- The Denver metro area housing market is cooling with the weather, having dodged the record prices seen last spring.The Denver Metro Association of Realtors released its August report on Thursday, covering the real estate trends in the 11-county Denver metro area as of July. It's still a seller's market, but the lack of housing inventory and high interest rates are slowing the market. Denver's new mayor announces first homeless sweep of his administration Prices are dropping in the metro. In July, the median sales price for a detached single-family home was $650,000, which is down from the June price. Prices have been rolling down since May after rising since January."Would-be buyers and sellers are weighing the 'golden handcuff' dilemma," the report reads. "They love their historically low interest rates on their home, but no longer love their home. To give some context, 91.8% of mortgages in the U.S. are under 6%, while 82.4% are under 5%. To showcase this curren...

Bear cub rescued from dumpster in Douglas County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:06 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- A distressed bear cub was stuck in a dumpster when a Douglas County Sheriff's deputy came to its rescue.Deputy Lee Jazombek worked with Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers to come up with a plan to help get the bear out, without causing harm to the animal or putting the public in danger, according to a DCSO news release. This animal shelter is reducing adoption fees in August DCSO released body camera footage of the July 15 rescue. In the video, you can hear the bear roaring for help, to which the deputy responds, "I know! You're so cute!""We both heard the noise and I couldn't believe the fact that that was coming out of such a small cub," Jazombek said in an interview. "He or she must have been anywhere between 30 to maybe 40 pounds max."Jazombek and CPW officers used a nearby chain-link fence to create a bridge for the bear to climb to safety.The bear continued roaring, and the deputy said, "We gave you a way out, buddy."A distressed bear cub was stuck in a du...

Danish PM: Banning burning of the Quran would not reduce freedom of expression

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:06 GMT

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen spoke out for the first time on the burning of the Quran in her country, saying that a potential ban on setting fire to the religious text would not limit freedom of expression. “I don’t consider it a restriction on freedom of expression that you can’t burn other people’s books,” Frederiksen said in an interview published Thursday. “It is not a slippery slope,” she added, referring to a debate triggered after the Danish government announced a potential ban on Quran burnings on Sunday.Last week, far-right protesters organized anti-Islam demonstrations and burned copies of the Quran in front of the Egyptian and Turkish embassies in Copenhagen. On Sunday, Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen condemned these acts and said the small number of people responsible did not represent Danish society or values.“There is a concrete security risk. And then there is a risk that we will become isolated on the i...

How Julian Edelman is helping Patriots QB Mac Jones in ‘interesting’ way

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:55:06 GMT

FOXBORO — Julian Edelman has the itch.Retirement has treated the Patriots legend well since he hung up his cleats two years ago, but as he returned to the back fields at Gillette Stadium as a special guest at Thursday’s training camp practice, there was something about it that got his juices flowing.“Of course you get the itch. I’m a football player,” Edelman said. “You love football. Especially when you get to see a group of guys that are coming together and working hard. It’s not too hot today and the practice wasn’t too long, it’s a little different from when I was playing. But it’s still football, so you definitely miss it.”Edelman has and will continue to avoid scratching that itch, but as he continues his post-playing media career, he still loves the Patriots. He’s doing his best to help them from afar.That includes giving Patriots quarterback Mac Jones some helpful advice – and in a unique method.“Jules has been awesome. I always text him. He sends voice memos, it’s kind of i...