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Kansas governor vetoes part of school funding bill, setting up likely legal battle with GOP

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:50 GMT

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ Democratic governor on Thursday vetoed parts of the Republican-backed $6 billion funding plan for the state’s K-12 schools, setting up a likely legal battle that will test her office’s powers.Gov. Laura Kelly, who won reelection in the conservative state in November, issued a statement explaining her decision to take the unprecedented step of vetoing parts of the proposed education budget, saying she objected to one provision, in particular, that she says would cut funding for rural public schools, which have been dealing with declining enrollment.“This provision pulls the rug out from rural school districts at the 11th hour,” Kelly said. “If the provision is enacted, it will bring dangerous and devastating consequences for our rural districts.”The spending plan, which would provide the bulk of the money that the state’s 286 school districts rely on, would also expand a program aimed at providing private school scholarships for low...

El Ninos are far costlier than once thought, in the trillions, study says — and one’s brewing now

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:50 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The natural burst of El Nino warming that changes weather worldwide is far costlier with longer-lasting expenses than experts had thought, averaging trillions of dollars in damage, a new study found.An El Nino is brewing now and it might be a big — and therefore costly — one, scientists said. El Nino is a temporary and natural warming of parts of the equatorial Pacific, that causes droughts, floods and heat waves in different parts of the world. It also adds an extra boost to human-caused warming.The study in Thursday’s journal Science totals global damage with an emphasis on lasting economic scars. It runs counter to previous research that found, at least in the United States, that El Ninos overall aren’t too costly and can even be beneficial. And some — but not all — outside economists have issues with the new research out of Dartmouth College, saying its damage estimates are too big.Study authors said the average El Nino costs the global economy abou...

George Goldhoff’s new job: Keep Atlantic City’s Hard Rock casino running fast

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:50 GMT

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) — It could be said that George Goldhoff, the new president of Atlantic City’s Hard Rock casino, has been handed the keys to a smooth-running, high-performance Ferrari that’s purring at nearly every turn.Goldhoff is in charge of one of the market’s top-performing properties. It won nearly a half-billion dollars from in-person gamblers last year, second only to the Borgata.And Goldhoff says it can be even better. Despite the casino’s success in its first five years, Goldhoff says there is not a single aspect of Hard Rock’s operations that can’t be improved.“Sometimes the last 10% is more difficult to achieve than the first 90%,” said Goldhoff, who has been on the job for about 60 days. “We have to earn it every day.”Hard Rock is the renovated successor to the Trump Taj Mahal casino. It opened in June 2018, on the same day as another revamped casino, the Ocean Casino Resort, which is the former Revel casino.Hard Rock and Ocean, along wit...

Former Auburn AD Jacobs retiring after nearly 4 decades in college athletics

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:50 GMT

GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Jay Jacobs’ first job was at a funeral home owned by his grandparents in Lafayette, Alabama. At age 12, Jacobs mowed the lawn, trimmed hedges, picked weeds and occasionally rode along on ambulance calls. He even helped out at burials.“Last man to let you down,” Jacobs jokes 50 years later.After working nearly every day since that summer in 1972, Jacobs is formally retiring following nearly four decades in college athletics. The 62-year-old, who spent 13 years as Auburn’s athletics director and won the 2010 national championship with coach Gene Chizik and Heisman Trophy winner Cam Newton, will step down at the end of June as Florida’s associate AD for external affairs.“It’s bittersweet,” Jacobs told The Associated Press. “Made some great relationships over the years. It’s tough to leave, but it’ll be fun what I’m about to do regardless of where I’m at geographically.”Jacobs spent the past five years in Gainesville with his wife, Angie. His day-to-day role inc...

Ted's Montana Grill closes Larimer Square location in Denver

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:50 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) – After two decades in business, the Larimer Square location of Ted’s Montana Grill has closed.According to a post on the business’s Facebook page, it was unable to come to a lease agreement with the landlord. Denver’s office vacancy highest in 6 years “We have made the difficult decision to close this location today as we were unable to negotiate an extended lease with Larimer Square’s current ownership, Asana Partners of North Carolina,” the post said.Ted’s isn’t the first business to close in this part of downtown. There are several other vacant storefronts on the square, which is located in the Union Station neighborhood on Larimer Street between 14th and 15th streets.In 2021, chef Troy Guard closed his flagship restaurant Tag, which had been open in the square for more than a decade. And last year Bistro Vendome moved from Larimer Square to Park Hill. Chef Frank Bonnano closed his underground cocktail bar-speakeasy, Green Russell, and Russell's Smokehouse at the...

Colorado auto theft returns to prepandemic levels in early 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:50 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Colorado's auto theft problem might be improving, but it's still miles away from good. Auto thefts fell in the first months of 2023 compared to the same time period in 2022. Auto thefts in the first quarter of 2023 were down 22% from the same quarter last year, which are close to the number from the first quarter of 2020.CSP reminds Coloradans not to get complacent since auto theft is still elevated from prepandemic level. “The noticeable decline of auto theft is a testament to the resiliency of our citizens and the collaborative effort of many law enforcement and key partners across the State,” Matthew C. Packard, chief of the Colorado State Patrol, said in a release. “However, now is no time to rest and relax your vehicle securities. CATPA and the Colorado State Patrol ask you to continue to stay in this fight to reduce auto theft and overall crime in your communities.”The Denver metro area, which is the area with the most auto theft, has seen one of the biggest d...

Air quality health advisory to affect multiple counties Thursday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:50 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- An air quality health advisory was issued Thursday morning as wildfire smoke affected northeast Colorado.Several counties were included in the advisory issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The advisory was in effect as of 10 a.m. Thursday and will last until 8 p.m. Severe storm threat for Denver area Residents are advised to remain indoors and avoid outdoor activities if smoke is thick or becomes thick in their neighborhood, especially for people with heart disease, respiratory illness, the youth and the elderly.If smoke is present indoors and is making you feel ill, the department recommends relocating to an area near you with better air quality.Here are the counties that were included in the advisory.Logan CountySedgwick CountyPhillips Morgan CountyWashington CountyYuma Countyeastern Weld CountyAccording to the department, if visibility through smoke is less than five miles then air quality has reached unhealthy levels.Air quality ...

Rep. Boebert says husband didn't 'sick dogs on' divorce process server

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:50 GMT

DENVER (The Hill) - Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) is defending her estranged husband, condemning what she calls “misrepresentations” cited in court documents about their impending divorce."I have always spoken highly of my marriage. I believe in marriage. I believe in the power our words hold," Boebert said in a statement posted on Twitter on Wednesday."Jayson, a man I spent half of my life with, did not sign up to be in the public limelight, and he certainly did not agree to be falsely accused of things he didn't do," the Colorado Republican added. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Rep. Boebert files for divorce from husband In court documents obtained by The Hill, a process server claimed in a sworn affidavit that the congresswoman’s husband, Jayson Boebert, was “drinking a tall glass of beer” and “cleaning a gun that was sitting on a table,” when approached with the paperwork.Describing Jayson Boebert as “extremely angry,” the process server said, “He started yelling and using profa...

20-year-old Eury Perez gets first MLB win, Marlins top Nationals 5-3 for series sweep

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:50 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Eury Perez pitched five solid innings for his first major league win, Bryan De La Cruz extended his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games, and the Miami Marlins swept the Washington Nationals with a 5-3 win Thursday afternoon.The victory stretched the Marlins’ winning streak to four games. With the New York Mets struggling, Miami (23-21) is second in the NL East behind Atlanta (27-16). Although it’s early, it’s a welcomed sign for a team that has had one winning season — the pandemic-shortened 2020 season — in 14 years.Perez made his MLB debut last Friday at 20 years and 27 days, becoming the youngest pitcher in team history. He allowed three hits, walked one and struck out six on Thursday. His fastball reached 98.3 mph.Perez is on an inning and pitch limit and was replaced by Matt Barnes in the sixth.Jeimer Candelario tagged Perez (1-0) in the fourth with a solo shot that went 443 feet to center for his fifth home run of the season.Trailing 4-1 in the ei...

North Miami Beach Police arrest city employee for theft of Publix gift cards

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:36:50 GMT

NORTH MIAMI BEACH (AP) — The North Miami Beach Police Department has arrested a City of North Miami Beach employee in connection with an investigation involving the theft of Publix gift cards. The gift cards, purchased by the city to distribute among North Miami Beach residents, were acquired using funding allocated through the American Rescue Plan. Authorities discovered that the stolen Publix gift cards were unlawfully utilized to purchase various food items and goods at different Publix locations across South Florida. In total, eight gift cards were used, amounting to a value of $1,137.82.During the course of the investigation, evidence pointed to Jennifer Hillmon, an employee of the City of North Miami Beach, as the individual responsible for the fraudulent use of the gift cards. Hillmon now faces charges of 1 count of Organized Scheme to Defraud and 1 count of Grand Theft in the third degree.Upon the discovery of Hillmon’s involvement, the City of North Miami Beach termin...