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Student loan payments are coming back: 5 things to know

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:08 GMT

(The Hill) – Student loan payments return on Oct. 1 with hope, confusion and fear clouding the restart after a three-year pause. The Biden administration is hoping to provide some relief to borrowers with a new income-driven repayment plan and an “on-ramp” repayment program, but the on-switch also comes as Congress is struggling to keep the government funded. A shutdown could hurt student loan servicers already struggling to handle more than 45 million accounts getting turned on at once after a break that began in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic. Here is what borrowers need to know as student loan payments begin:Borrowers have an 'on-ramp' repayment optionWhile student loans are restarting, the typical consequences for missing payments will not be enacted until October of next year. The Biden administration is offering an “on-ramp” repayment option for the upcoming year that allows borrowers to miss payments with few financial consequences. Borrowers w...

Government shutdown odds grow as Senate and House advance separate plans

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:08 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) -- Despite the fact that the Senate just advanced a measure to fund the government through November, a government shutdown is set to begin Sunday."Speaker McCarthy is saying he cares more about the whims of the hard right, the hard hard right, than avoiding a shutdown," says Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY).Schumer says the U.S. should not be on the brink of a government shutdown, because Democrats and Republicans reached an agreement on spending back in June."We all shook hands on this deal," added Schumer. "But now the speaker and only the speaker is going back on his word."The Senate voted to advance a short-term measure to fund the government through November 17th. This includes $6 billion for disaster relief and another $6 billion in aid for Ukraine.But this week, Speaker Kevin McCarthy said he would not consider the Senate measure. "All the damage done from that rests on Kevin McCarthy's shoulders," said Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), who lambasted t...

Florida teen dies after being struck by lightning while hunting with her father

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:08 GMT

PUTNAM COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — A 16-year-old girl who was struck by lightning while hunting with her father in Florida Tuesday has died, authorities said. Baylee Holbrook and her father, Matthew Holbrook, were hunting in the woods in Putnam County on Sept. 26 when lightning struck a tree, hitting both of them, according to a press release from the Putnam County Sheriff's Office. Michael Gambon, who played Dumbledore in later ‘Harry Potter’ films, dies at 82: publicist The strike caused Matthew to fall unconscious, and when he awoke, he discovered that his daughter wasn't breathing. Matthew called 911 and started CPR until rescue personnel arrived. The teen was taken to a trauma center, where she was listed in critical condition. "Pray for my baby. Every single person put your knees on the ground and pray," Matthew Holbrook posted on Facebook Tuesday. The sheriff's office also said they were rallying around the teen and her family. "We stand with our community as we rally for this t...

2 Round Rock high schools on lockdown after 'anonymous threat'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:08 GMT

ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — Round Rock ISD said McNeil and Round Rock High School are on lockdown Thursday afternoon while authorities “investigate an anonymous threat."According to a letter sent to parents, the lockdown was initiated at 3 p.m. while RRISD’s police department investigated an alleged threat."All students and staff are safe and secure throughout the entire process," the letter reads.As of 4 p.m., the lockdown was still in place, according to the district. The spokesperson said parents would be notified when the lockdown was lifted.This is a developing story. Check back with KXAN for updates.

Hot final days of September, but welcome rain late next week

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:08 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Today the warmth continues with temperatures giving way to mid 90s again for the afternoon. We'll average about 8-10º warmer than normal into early next week.A slim (10%) rain chance returns this afternoon and early evening for today and this weekend, but most of us miss out on these very isolated showers.Your Friday looks mostly dry and mostly sunny as we stay in the mid 90s again with rain chances less than 10%.Both days of the weekend see a slightly higher chance for a spotty shower or storm, but rain chances aren't high enough to rearrange your plans over. As we head toward the middle of next week we're seeing better rain chances popping up as early as Wednesday. Eventual rain may come with a cold front that could knock highs out of the 90s into the 80s by the end of the next week.First Warning: October cold front to bring more consistent 80sWetter and cooler and, dare we say it, "fall-like," weather may finally come to Central Texas next week. Read about it on ...

When Vikings get Marcus Davenport back, nobody will be happier than Brian Flores

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:08 GMT

Marcus Davenport worked alongside Danielle Hunter at the start of practice on Thursday at TCO Performance Center. A good sign for the Vikings as they hope to get Davenport back in time for Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers.After signing with the Vikings this offseason, Davenport suffered an ankle injury that has limited his playing time. He missed the Week 1 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, played a few snaps in the Week 2 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, then missed the Week 3 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.Whenever head coach Kevin O’Connell has been asked about some of the struggles on defense this season, he has leaned on the fact that the Vikings have been without Davenport for most of this season. It was a similar tone from defensive coordinator Brian Flores.“He would bring an element that we need,” Flores said. “When we get him back, nobody will be happier than me.”What exactly does Davenport bring?He has the perfect combinatio...

Vikings ignoring outside noise calling for team to tank to get future No. 1 draft pick Caleb Williams

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:08 GMT

Kevin O’Connell called it less than 24 hours after the Vikings dropped to 0-3 last Sunday.Talking to reporters on Monday at TCO Performance Center, the 38-year-old head coach hypothesized that the Vikings were going to hear a lot of outside noise in the coming weeks.“There’s going to be a lot of doubt,” he said. “And rightly so.”In some ways, O’Connell can understand the reaction, sympathizing with those who are frustrated with how this season has started.“I think we share the frustrations of our fans,” he said. “We have high expectations for ourselves as a football team.”They still do. That’s why the Vikings are ignoring the outside noise. All of it.Never mind that rumors continue to swirl imploring for the Vikings to trade quarterback Kirk Cousins to the New York Jets. Those in favor of that type of move have already shifted their focus to next season. As far as those people are concerned, the Vikings would be...

David French: Being there

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:08 GMT

I want to begin this column by sharing with you one of the worst things I ever did. I was only 18 years old, but that was no excuse. Late one night I got a call from a close friend. “My dad’s on the way to the hospital,” he said. “It’s really bad.” His voice was shaking.I was shocked. I didn’t know what to say. More important, I didn’t know what to do. I told my friend that I was so sorry. I told him I’d pray for him. And then I went to sleep. I called my friend the next morning. No answer. I asked around. He was at the hospital.The same pattern repeated for two long days: I’d call. No answer. I’d ask about him and find out he was at the hospital. But I didn’t go. To this day, I can’t replicate the thought processes that kept me away. I remember feeling some irrational confidence that his father would be fine. I remember being busy. I remember feeling not quite prepared to face such pain and loss. Then I got the call: My friend’s father had died.I did go to the visitation. I knew — ...

Julia Stoyanovich: Google has been force-feeding us ads. Now one big antitrust case could change the internet forever

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:08 GMT

The feds are coming after Google. In January, the Department of Justice filed an antitrust lawsuit alleging that the technology giant monopolized the lucrative space of digital advertising. A sure-to-be exhaustive trial under way in the U.S. District Court in Washington is expected to last until November.The lawsuit focuses on three key players: advertisers, publishers and vendors of ad tech tools that match publishers with advertisers and orchestrate ad targeting and delivery.However, monopolization also affects another key group that remains largely unprotected by U.S. laws: you and me, the end users.Google’s dominance has led to a singular method of how ads target us, and we’ve been left with little choice and with no legal safeguards in the current setup.On the ‘open web’Many of us are familiar with incessant social media ads on Facebook and Instagram. That’s called “closed web” advertising and is operated in-house by those companies. Bu...

21 arrests made in Glens Falls assaults

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 20:11:08 GMT

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) – A group of teens, accused of raising havoc in Glens Falls over the summer, have been arrested. Some of their parents were also arrested after their children were charged with committing several crimes.Glens Falls patrol officers arrested 21 people in connection to incidents that included assaults. The charges range from misdemeanors to felonies. 16 juveniles and five parents were arrested over the course of the summer.In August the police department released a press release that notified the public it was investigating multiple reports of juveniles committing crimes, mainly in the downtown area.Police Chief Jarred Smith said there is normally ebbs and flows in the summertime, when youth are out, but he called these reports unusual and alarming. He said they received a large number of complaints.“They come in weekly. Usually it’s just the minor traffic calls, they’re blocking traffic and harassing motorists. When the motorists or bystanders confront the y...