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Judge blocks Florida 'anti-drag' law in response to Hamburger Mary's lawsuit

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:47 GMT

ORLANDO, Fla. (WFLA) — A federal judge in Orlando has temporarily blocked the enforcement of a Florida law that opponents say stifles the free expression of drag artists, according to newly released court documents. On Friday, Judge Gregory A. Presnell ordered a preliminary injunction in response to a lawsuit challenging the bill, which was filed by a drag-themed restaurant, Hamburger Mary's, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed SB-1438, titled "Protection of Children Act," into law last month. State leaders say the legislation aims to shield children from obscene "adult live performances." Opponents of the bill say it is "anti-drag." Any business caught violating the statute is subject to fines and could have their operating or liquor licenses revoked by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR). ‘Gender identity is real’: Federal judge blocks Florida transgender healthcare ban for some children The l...

ERCOT can’t be sued over power grid failures during 2021 winter storm, Texas Supreme Court rules

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:47 GMT

AUSTIN (Texas Tribune) — The Supreme Court of Texas narrowly decided Friday that sovereign immunity, which largely shields government agencies from civil lawsuits, also protects the operator of the Texas electric grid.The 5-4 opinion will likely free the nonprofit corporation from lawsuits filed by thousands of Texans for deaths, injuries and damages following the deadly 2021 winter storm, unless lawyers find another way forward.The Electric Reliability Council of Texas, which manages the power supply for most of Texas, qualifies for immunity because it “provides an essential governmental service,” Chief Justice Nathan Hecht wrote in the majority opinion. State law intended for ERCOT to have the power of an “arm of the State government,” Hecht wrote. If anyone is going to hold ERCOT accountable for its actions, Hecht wrote, it should be state regulators or the Legislature, not the courts.Freezing temperatures gripped the state during the 2021 winter storm, straining the power supply...

City of Austin: Courts will decide 'Death Star' bill's impact

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A City of Austin spokesperson said that it could be years before the full extent of HB 2127, also called the "Death Star" bill or Texas Regulatory Consistency Act, is known. ‘Death Star’ bill signed by Gov. Abbott, here are some of the impacts in Austin The new law preempts Texas municipalities from making or enforcing ordinances on matters that fall under the state's codes for agriculture, business & commerce, finance, insurance, labor, natural resources, occupations and property.Bill author Rep. Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, said that it provides "important consistency to Texas businesses by rolling back burdensome and overreaching regulations.""The question of whether the Legislature has pre-empted a specific ordinance or regulation will likely have to be settled by the Courts, and the extent of the pre-empts likely will not be known for years as the Court define the scope of the pre-emption," the spokesperson said. LULAC denounces Texas ‘Death Star’ bill, c...

Explainer: Are the cracks in your road from extreme heat?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As Austin hits record-breaking temperatures this summer, the City of Austin says they're working to keep roads from being impacted. Here's what you need to know: How do I know if a road is impacted by heat? According to Pirouz Moin, assistant director of Public Works operations for the City of Austin, if you find a large, isolated crack in the road, that's likely to be be an issue with something underneath the road, not heat. "The temperature and the rain, and the way that it applies to the surface kind of evenly, you would see the cracks everywhere," Moin explained. One last day of 90s ahead of a new round of triple digits Central Texas has seen an alternation between extreme heat and heavy rain this week, that's something that can be damaging for Austin roads over time, Moin explained. Long periods of heat dry out the materials -- like clay and dirt -- underneath streets, which creates cracks above. Rain then gets into those cracks and makes them more extreme. ...

State natural area north of San Antonio to expand by more than 500 acres

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A state natural area in Comal County is expanding by more than 500 acres, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department has announced.The Honey Creek State Natural Area, about 30 miles north of San Antonio, will grow by 515 acres, thanks to a partnership with The Nature Conservancy in Texas, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation and landowners Ronnie and Terry Urbanczyk.TPWD purchased the land for $25 million, made possible by the Land and Water Conservation Fund, state funding for land acquisition and private donations."This acquisition is a wonderful example of what we can achieve through public-private partnerships and conservation-minded landowners who want to help preserve the last, best places in Texas for future generations," said TPWD Executive Director David Yoskowitz."The natural area is considered a "pristine stream," according to a press release from TPWD. The area supports a "healthy and diverse ecosystem and meets an exceptional aquatic life-use category," ...

Questions remain for Harbour Point Gardens landlords amid emergency evacuation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:47 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- More than 100 people remain displaced after Troy Mayor Patrick Madden issued a state of emergency declaring their apartment buildings at Harbour Point Gardens unsafe. Construction crews getting down to business Friday to tear down the crumbling brick facades."The gutters actually run towards the other buildings the way they’re designed, so as the water runs towards the building, it kind of undermines some of the footings in different areas," explains Dave Hartman, co-owner of Daveco Masonry which has been contracted to remove the dangerous brickwork."That brick is just a veneer and there’s not enough brick ties underneath, so the veneer was pulling out away from the rest of the building and pulled the windows out about six inches as well," he shows NEWS10's Mikhaela Singleton as his crew was hard at work.Hartman says while they've only just started, the first facade came down within the day and he hopes the process taking down the rest can be finished within t...

YouthBuild Program students graduate with industry-recognized construction credentials

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:47 GMT

ST. LOUIS - About a dozen at-risk and disadvantaged youth graduated Saturday from a construction skills training program, giving them another chance to build a better future for themselves.Ranken Technical College's auditorium was filled with joy, cheers, and applause as students received their high school certifications and industry-recognized construction credentials from the YouthBuild Program."YouthBuild St. Louis City is for ages 16 to 24 young adults who have found themselves in some unfortunate situations and have dropped out of high school," said Fredrecka McGlown, executive director of the St. Louis Agency on Training and Employment (SLATE).For Dor Lisa Buford, faith, patience, and perseverance are what helped her get through the program. Buford said she was in a terrible car accident and wasn't sure if she could finish the program."The hardships with dealing with the education and the construction part—I just stayed determined, I kept faith to push to the end, and I made i...

4 out of 10 Californians say they are 'seriously considering' leaving state, poll shows

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:47 GMT

For the third straight year, California's population declined amid rising housing costs and people feeling like their money just doesn't go as far as it used to. Now a new statewide poll shows that the trend might continue, as the financial divide in California is forcing many residents to seriously consider leaving the Golden State.The poll, conducted by Strategies 360 in partnership with the Los Angeles Times and three community organizations, found that 40% of Californians are seriously considering moving out of the state.More than 1,300 people were included in the poll and were asked to weigh in on several topics, including the state's diversity, economy and overall satisfaction with living in California.While more than two-thirds of people polled said they were happy calling California home, 4 in 10 said they were thinking about leaving, with a large majority saying the state's considerable cost of living is the main driver.Of those who were considering moving, 61% said it was ...

Avelo launching Burbank to Bozeman flights next week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:47 GMT

Avelo Airlines is launching 20 new flights this month, including one out of Hollywood Burbank Airport.Beginning June 28, travelers can fly with the budget airline from Burbank to Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport in Bozeman, Montana.The flights will operate twice-weekly on Mondays and Fridays, with passengers riding aboard a Boeing "Next-Generation 737" aircraft.Avelo has been flying out of Hollywood Burbank Airport since it began operating under its current corporate identity in 2021.The airline previously offered a Burbank to Bozeman flight at the time of its launch in Burbank, but those flights were dropped within months as the coronavirus pandemic continued to hamper travel across the globe.Just last month, Avelo began offering direct flights from Burbank to another Montana travel destination. On May 22, flights began taking off connecting Burbank to Kalispell, Montana, just a short drive from Glacier National Park.The Bozeman flights will put California travelers within...

Nicki Minaj Hidden Hills petition a possible hoax

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:52:47 GMT

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect new information about the source of the online petition.An online petition calling for Nicki Minaj to leave her Hidden Hills residence is a hoax. The petition was started by a fan of rapper Cardi B and is unaffiliated with both women personally. TMZ found that the Twitter account CleverlyCardi2 mentioned starting the petition in a tweet dated December 2022, the same month Minaj and her husband Kenneth Petty moved in. They paid a whopping $19.5 million for the property, according to TMZ.The petition was started in December by a person named "Beverly Bardan," in a tweet the user admitted to using the alias. "Garbz are so slow Beverly Bardan… cleverly cardi… I had to make it sound familiar to my Twitter user while sounding like a real name," the tweet read from the user in December.The user also admitted to starting the petition in a tweet. "We, as Nicki antis, can turn the residents of Hidden Hills AGAINST Nicki and her ... husband...