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Would a government shutdown impact SNAP, WIC food assistance?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:14 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — As Congress continues to try to avoid a government shutdown by the end of the week, it’s hard for many Americans to not worry about the impact it could have on their federal benefits. In many cases, those benefits will not be impacted if the government does, in fact, shut down. That includes Social Security, Medicaid, Medicare, and many benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. But what about food stamps and other food assistance programs? Unfortunately, they won’t all be as lucky. On Monday, the White House warned a government shutdown would “jeopardize” federal food assistance for nearly 7 million mothers and young children who rely on WIC — the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.  Would a government shutdown impact Social Security, VA benefits? The program, overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, serves low-income pregnant women, women who are breastfeeding, postpartum women, infants, and ...

Last supermoon of 2023: What to know about this week's harvest moon

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:14 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Eyes up, skygazers, the harvest moon that rises this week will be the last supermoon of 2023.The bright, full moon will be visible between Thursday night and Friday morning, barring any cloud cover where you live.The "harvest moon" falls closest to the start of autumn and got its name before the advent of electricity, when farmers had to rely on the moon's light as they worked into the night harvesting their crops, according to NASA.You may also notice one or more of the three planets accompanying the harvest moon: Saturn, Jupiter and Mercury, according to Space.com. Blue supermoon photos: See images from around the world This year's harvest moon follows the rare blue supermoon, the closest full moon of the year, which lit up the sky in late August.A supermoon happens around the time when a full moon passes closest to Earth in its orbit. About a quarter of the full moons in a year will be supermoons, according to NASA.Thinking about relaxing inside and skipping this we...

More migrants arrive in Chicago from Texas-Mexico border

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:14 GMT

CHICAGO — Another group of migrants arrived Tuesday in Chicago from the Texas-Mexico border.It's not clear how many have arrived, but some migrants believe close to 150 migrants have arrived. Record number of migrant buses arrive in Chicago in single weekend; city discusses its response WGN-TV crews saw at least one bus from Texas packed with migrants.But the asylum seekers were dropped off near Vernon Park Place and Jefferson Street, where they were welcomed by city officials.WGN-TV spoke with Albert, who was on the bus from Eagle Pass.When he had only been in Chicago for a few hours, he said he believes it will be a better life than the one he was living in Venezuela. He spoke to WGN-TV in Spanish but said "I'm going to be able to go out and look for work, to be able to stabilize myself financially and help my family and get ahead with my goals."The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications said they expected eight buses to arrive on Tuesday. If all eight buses a...

Leander intersection sees frequent left-turn crashes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:14 GMT

LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — Residents near the intersection of US 183 and Heritage Grove Road said they avoid the crossroads as it has a reputation for frequent crashes.Vehicles that pull up where Heritage Grove Road meets US 183 and need to turn left, must cross north and southbound traffic. At this intersection, there is only one stop sign at the end of the road.Viewers reported their concerns about the intersection to KXAN's ReportIt tip line this past week. They said there had been a left-turn related crash days before.The City of Leander said since March, there have been five crashes at the intersection -- two of which happened in August, the latest in September. All crashes involved vehicles making left-hand turns from both US 183 and Heritage Grove Road.Lawrence Lee moved into a subdivision near the intersection back in May. He said he's adjusted his commutes from his home to avoid the crossroad, especially at night."I feel like if there was a traffic light it could be more safe....

Affidavit: Man accused of holding food truck owner at knifepoint

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:14 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One man was arrested after he was accused of robbing a food truck owner at knifepoint in downtown Austin last week, according to an affidavit.The man was identified as Russell Bosley, 59, according to court records. He was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon.Shortly after 10 a.m., on Sept. 23, a man told an Austin Police officer that the robbery occurred on Sept. 22 at his food truck in the 700 block of East Seventh Street, according to the affidavit. He told police he was too scared to report the crime right after it happened.Russell Bosley, 59Mugshot provided by Austin Police DepartmentCourt records said the incident took place around 6 p.m., when the truck owner was approached by a man, later identified as Bosley. According to the affidavit, the food truck owner said Bosley pulled a pocket knife on him and said, "bring me the money you are counting." After he took the money, Bosley said he would be back for more the next day.KXAN is ...

Austin Animal Center audit finds poor conditions, challenges with 'no kill' policy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:14 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin City Council members on the Audit and Finance committee will walk through an audit done on the Austin Animal Center Wednesday which shows the municipal shelter is facing many challenges. Austin City Council asked for the audit in July of 2022, KXAN previously reported.The audit focused on why the shelter is overcrowded, why intake has been restricted since September 2022, if the animal shelter is treating animals well and if the City of Austin's set "no kill" rate is sustainable. Austin’s animal shelter took in thousands fewer pets last year, so why is intake restricted? The City released a draft audit this week which found the following: The City's animal welfare priorities conflict with each otherAAC is not finding enough homes for animals and is overcrowded Relationships inside AAC and with groups outside of it are "strained"AAC is not doing well managing dataIt provided several recommendations to the City Manager and Don Bland, the Chief Animal Servic...

'Struggling to eat:' Thousands of Texans wait months for SNAP benefits

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:14 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas' Democratic Congressional Delegation is urging the federal government to take "corrective action" against the state Health and Human Services Commission, citing delays in processing food assistance applications that whistleblowers say have denied food assistance to thousands.In a letter to the U.S. Department of Agriculture Monday, U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett and 12 other U.S. House Democrats said Texas has failed to comply with federal requirements by delaying the administration of aid under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. They said Texas has not met a 30-day requirement for states to process SNAP applications and recertification since July 2021. KXAN INVESTIGATION: SNAP applications processing faster, backlog and concerns over benefit cuts continues The group of Texas Democrats alleges that families waited over 100 days for their applications to be assigned for review. Whistleblower employees inside the agency worry that wait could reach 200 days...

Sammy Walker appears to have everything for Wild but a cap-friendly contract

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:14 GMT

Head coach Dean Evason has had nothing but good things to say about how the Wild’s prospects have played in training camp, from their innate skill to the ways they handle themselves on the ice.But, he said Monday, “There are some guys that are obviously closer than others.”One of them is Sammy Walker, the wing from Edina who has been the early breakout star of camp, and the former Gophers center started early.In the last game of the Tom Kurvers Prospects Showcase at TRIA Rink, playing wing, he scored a hat trick in the weekend’s final game, a 7-4 victory over Chicago on Sept. 17. After three days of camp, Walker had two goals and an assist in a 4-3 preseason victory at Colorado on Sunday.“Just a real good start for him, right?” Evason said. “He should have confidence with the way that he played when he was here.”Walker, 24, didn’t travel with the Wild for Tuesday night’s preseason game at Dallas. He played nine games with the club last April, earning a goal and an assist, and came i...

District Energy marks 40 years in St. Paul with new hydrogen generator

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:14 GMT

When oil prices more than quadrupled during the national energy crisis of the 1970s, downtown St. Paul’s coal-powered steam plant was already creaking toward the end of its functional life.Alarmed as much by rising energy costs as by the rising steam seeping up through cracks in the downtown sidewalk, then-Mayor George Latimer convinced city building owners to back a new downtown-specific utility that would seek innovative ways to heat structures and keep energy prices steady. The St. Paul District Energy system roared to life 40 years ago this month — September 1983 — with the downtown Central Library, now known as the George Latimer Central Library, as its first client.Ken Smith, CEO of District Energy St. Paul, talks about the nonprofit’s net zero carbon goals. (John Autey / Pioneer Press)“It was established to be a model for the nation,” said Ken Smith, chief executive officer of District Energy, during a plant tour on Tuesday.The nonprofit ut...

Senate ag committee investigating the roots of soil health in Canada

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:42:14 GMT

By Trevor BuschSunny South [email protected] part of an effort to better understand soil health on the Canadian prairies, the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Forestry recently completed a fact-finding mission in Western Canada.In late August, senators met with farmers and ranchers throughout the region to examine soil conditions, identify ways to improve soil health, address the effects of climate change and help Canadian producers become sustainability leaders.“The impetus for the whole study really comes from the heart and soul of our committee chair Rob Black. Rob spent his whole life working in agriculture and agricultural education,” said Senator Paula Simons, who hails from Alberta and was part of the tour as a committee representative. “For him, the state of the Canadian soil has been a concern for a long time. And he wanted us to do a follow up to the quite well known in his day Senate report, the Sparrow Report, which came out in 1984, which was the first look...