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Austin theater part of 2nd lawsuit filed against Texas drag performance law

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:01 GMT

Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN Live's top headlines for Aug. 8, 2023AUSTIN (KXAN) — A theater company based in Austin for more than 30 years is part of a second lawsuit challenging a Texas law that some argue would amount to a ban on public drag performances. The VORTEX Repertory Company located in east Austin joined seven other plaintiffs suing Texas and local leaders to block Senate Bill 12 from going into effect next month. The other plaintiffs include four actors as well as the Greater Houston LGBTQ Chamber of Commerce, the San Antonio LGBT Chamber of Commerce and the North Texas LGBT Chamber of Commerce. Their lawsuit comes almost a week after five plaintiffs, including the Austin-based drag performer Brigitte Bandit, filed a separate case over the same law. Austin performer joins new lawsuit to block Texas drag performance law Bonnie Cullum, the co-founder and producing artistic director of The VORTEX, released a statement explaining why her company is joining th...

Travis County approves $860K in overdose prevention funding

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:01 GMT

Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN Live's top headlines for Aug. 8, 2023AUSTIN (KXAN) – Travis County commissioners approved Tuesday the allocation of $860,000 to assist with opioid overdose prevention and mitigation resources.The $860,000 in funding comes from the Texas Opioid Abatement Fund Council. Travis County received and accepted roughly $1.4 million from the council during Tuesday's meeting, with projected distributions of an estimated $7.5 million in opioid crisis funding to be made available over the next 18 years.However, that funding figure is fluid and could change as the state of Texas receives funding from opioid crisis court rulings.Under action taken Tuesday, the $860,000 in funds will be divvied up in the following ways:$175,000 for the purchase of NARCAN$350,000 for two-year contract with Communities for Recovery to cover the costs of two peer recovery specialists (one at Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center and one at The Other Ones Foundation-Esperanza Comm...

COVID-19 hospitalizations in the US are on the rise again, but not like before

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:01 GMT

By CARLA K. JOHNSON (AP Medical Writer)Here we go again: COVID-19 hospital admissions have inched upward in the United States since early July in a small-scale echo of the three previous summers.With an updated vaccine still months away, this summer bump in new hospitalizations might be concerning, but the number of patients is far lower than before. A look at what we know:HOW BAD IS THE SPIKE?For the week ending July 29, COVID-19 hospital admissions were at 9,056. That’s an increase of about 12% from the previous week.But it’s a far cry from past peaks, like the 44,000 weekly hospital admissions in early January, the nearly 45,000 in late July 2022, or the 150,000 admissions during the omicron surge of January 2022.“It is ticking up a little bit, but it’s not something that we need to raise any alarm bells over,” said Dr. David Dowdy, an infectious disease epidemiologist at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.It’s likely that infections are rising too, but the data is s...

Albany man arrested following a police chase

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:01 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A 19-year-old was arrested following a pursuit and a brief foot chase on Monday evening. The chase began when police attempted to pull over a vehicle on Corning Hill Road in Glenmont for violating a vehicle and traffic law. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The driver did not comply and sped away. Bethlehem Police pursued the vehicle into Albany. The vehicle stopped in the area of 700 S. Pearl Street where the driver attempted to flee on foot.Police apprehended Da-Ivion N. Hale and located a loaded 9mm handgun in his possession. Hale was charged with criminal possession of a weapon, criminal possession of a firearm, and unlawful possession of ammunition feeding devices. Hale was arraigned in the Bethlehem Town Court and remanded to the Albany County Jail in lieu of a $10,000 cash, or $20,000 bond. Investigations are ongoing.

Rensselaer County to vote on purchase of new senior center building

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:01 GMT

HOOSICK FALLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Rensselaer County leaders will vote Tuesday night on whether to move forward with the purchase of a new location for a senior center in the Hoosick area. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Rensselaer County Legislators Bruce Patire and Jeff Wysocki agree with County Executive Steve McLaughlin that the Murphy building on Church Street, which currently serves as a senior center, is deteriorating. “For the past six or seven years, we’ve been looking for a new facility," Wysocki said.The kitchen staff wants more room to prepare the many meals they serve to the senior population, and the seniors themselves seem to be on board with the center moving to the proposed location: a former Dollar Tree Store on State Route 22. During a NEWS10 visit to the Murphy building Tuesday, one senior said he just hopes necessary transportation to the new center is made available, which the legislators assured him will be ...

Who's playing at the 2023 Lake George Music Festival

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:01 GMT

LAKE GEORGE, N.Y. (NEWS10) - The Lake George Music Festival got underway this week, bringing classical music and talent from around the world to the Queen of American Lakes. Festgoers can get in for the full week or for three days, to see some of over 100 talents. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Most performances through the festival will be held at the Carriage House, located at Fort William Henry Hotel & Conference Center. The full schedule for the festival includes:Sunday, Aug. 66:30 p.m.: Opening celebration with opening remarks by festival founders, free with either passMonday, Aug. 72 p.m.: Open rehearsal at Lake George Public Library3 p.m.: Open podcast recording with the Upbeat! podcastTuesday, Aug. 81:30 p.m.: Open rehearsal at Lake George Public Library3 p.m.: "Victorian Tea Party" featuring performances by recipients of Lake George Music Festival scholarships$35 admission, not included in festival passesWednesday...

Cigarette tax set to rise $1 come September

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:01 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) -- Taxes on cigarettes will be raised by one dollar come September 1. This is part of the Governor’s "Lead the Way For a Tobacco Free Generation," but where does the tax money on cigarettes go? And will the price change actually lead to people quitting? Our Capitol Correspondent, Amal Tlaige spoke with experts and has those answers. DEC: Backpacker encounters a bear in Greene County "New York is in a really interesting spot when it comes to raising its cigarette taxes; it already has the highest cigarette tax rate in the country," said Adam Hoffer, Director of Excise Tax Policy at the Tax Foundation. In September, taxes on cigarettes will amount to $5.35 a pack. Hoffer weighed in on whether or not this will lead to more people quitting, "Fewer people will buy it, but the real question is how many fewer? And when something that’s addictive, the answer is very few people will actually quit smoking because of this one dollar per pack tax increase." And where exac...

Albany man pleads guilty to manslaughter

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:01 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The suspect linked to the fatal shooting of Czsar Lewis in October pled guilty to second-degree murder in court on Tuesday. Laquan Fallen, 24, also pled guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The indictment alleges that Fallen caused the death of Lewis by shooting him with an illegal handgun. Sentencing is scheduled for September 29.

Mourners in Ireland pay their respects to singer Sinéad O'Connor at funeral procession

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:01 GMT

LONDON (AP) — Sinéad O’Connor was remembered Tuesday for bringing “joy to countless people the world over” and then honored by emotional fans who thronged the streets of the Irish coastal town she had called home. They sang “Nothing Compares 2 U” as a hearse passed by carrying the singer's casket to its final resting place. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The funeral held for loved ones and friends reflected her spirituality and the impact she had on her homeland and the music world. Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar and President Michael Higgins attended along with musical luminaries such as Bono of U2 and Bob Geldof of the Boomtown Rats.But the procession to a cemetery for a private burial reflected the broader impact of her life on devotees moved by her pure voice and emotional depth and touched by her sometimes troubled life. Hundreds of people made the pilgrimage to her former home in Bray, the seaside village south of Dub...

Car intentionally crashed into 2nd floor of Pennsylvania home, authorities say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:42:01 GMT

MIFFLIN COUNTY, Pa. (WTAJ) — A driver is facing charges after authorities said he intentionally crashed a car into the second floor of a Pennsylvania home over the weekend. Shortly after 3 p.m. on Sunday, Junction Fire Company said it was called to assist the Decatur Volunteer Fire Company with a reported vehicle accident on Alfarata Road in Decatur Township, about 120 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Upon arrival, responders found a vehicle had crashed into the second floor of the home. The driver had already been removed from the car, according to a spokesperson with the fire department. Three people were inside the home when it was hit.The driver, identified by Pennsylvania State Police as 20-year-old Evan Miller, was transported to a nearby hospital with undisclosed injuries. Authorities have not said if any others were injured. Fatal crash under investigation in Highland According to Juncti...