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Gambling in Texas: House considers profits and pitfalls

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:28 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- The Texas House Committee on State Affairs heard testimony on two bills which would legalize sports betting and casino gambling in Texas on Wednesday, fielding condemnations from concerned religious groups and eye-popping profit estimates from sportsbooks eager to cash in.HB 1942 by Plano Republican Jeff Leach would allow online sports wagering websites to operate in Texas. His legislation is limited to online platforms and makes no provisions for "brick and mortar" sportsbooks."Wagering on sports is here, and it's here to stay," Rep. Leach testified to the committee. "It's being done in the shadows with bookies and offshore accounts with no regulation."Major sportsbooks and franchises like the Houston Astros, Dallas Cowboys, San Antonio Spurs spoke in support of the bill. Each echoed the same argument: Texans are already gambling, but Texas is not getting their money.PENN Entertainment, North America's largest gaming operator, estimated Texans place more than $6...

Alex Kirilloff, Jorge Polanco to begin the season on injured list

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:28 GMT

FORT MYERS, Fla. — The Twins will be down a first baseman and a second baseman, and two big bats, when they open the season next Thursday in Kansas City.Both Alex Kirilloff (wrist) and Jorge Polanco (knee) are set to begin the year on the injured list as they continue to rehab long-term injuries that have forced them off the field since last season.Kirilloff is returning from a second consecutive season-ending right wrist surgery, this one to shorten his ulna, and while manager Rocco Baldelli said he wasn’t “quite where he needs to be,” he was moving in that direction.“Being able to hit and then come back the next day and swing again and having the wrist completely out of mind is what we need,” Baldelli said. “It’s the only way to perform at the highest level, and I think he’s getting there.”Kirilloff said he has found only one other Major League Baseball player, former NL MVP Kirk Gibson, who has had the same surgery, and given the lack of precedence in this context, Kirillof...

MN lawmakers weigh flavored tobacco restrictions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:28 GMT

All sales of products like menthol cigarettes, wintergreen chewing tobacco and flavored vape liquids would be banned in Minnesota under a bill currently moving through the state Legislature.Many communities across Minnesota already limit the sale of flavored tobacco products, but only a few have banned them outright, including Moorhead, Bloomington and Edina. Cities like Minneapolis, St. Paul and Duluth have restricted sales to adult-only stores.Ban supporters told the Senate Health and Human Services Committee earlier this month that flavored tobacco products appeal to children and offer a gateway into nicotine addiction by providing a more palatable alternative. They also argued that menthol cigarettes are aggressively marketed to the Black community, contributing to higher rates of tobacco-related disease and death.“Ending the sale of menthol cigarettes and all flavored tobacco products is an important public health and racial justice issue that will save lives, reduce health dis...

Human remains found in tote on shore of Lake Mille Lacs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:28 GMT

Authorities say a suspect is in custody after human remains were found in a tote this week on the shore of Mille Lacs Lake in central Minnesota.According to the Mille Lacs County sheriff’s office, the remains were discovered Tuesday afternoon by a county highway maintenance worker.The remains were contained inside a tote that the worker had initially attempted to remove from a ditch, the sheriff’s office said.Bradley Allen Weyaus, 21, of Isle, was arrested on four outstanding warrants unrelated to the homicide investigation, in which Weyaus is identified as a “person of interest.”The victim was not immediately identified, pending completion of a medical examination and the determination of positive identification, according to Sheriff Kyle Burton.The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, along with the Mille Lacs County sheriff’s office and Mille Lacs Tribal Police, are investigating.Related ArticlesCrime & Public Safety | St. Paul man sentenced for sexually assa...

Local students participate in Agriculture Literacy Week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:28 GMT

GLOVERSVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The New York State Department of Agriculture celebrated Literacy Week at a local elementary school Wednesday. Third grade students at Boulevard Elementary in Gloversville listened to a special reading.Agriculture Literacy Week is a statewide effort to educate students about health foods, the importance of farming, and how it is involved in their every day lives. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "This has been a great effort by Agriculture and the classroom throughout New York state to help take advantage of this week -- connect children with the idea of food and where it comes from and the importance of agriculture," NYS Dept. of Agriculture and Markets Commissioner Richard Ball said.New York state has one of the longest running Agriculture Literacy Week programs in the country with more than 800,000 students statewide participating this year.

Special prosecutor requested for child abuse case involving former Department of Corrections employee

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:28 GMT

ST. FRANCOIS COUNTY, Mo. - A special prosecutor will handle a child abuse case against a former employee of the Missouri Department of Corrections.Prosecutors allege Laura Cheatham and Daryl Head kept four children locked inside small, windowless boxes in Head's Farmington home. Cheatham and Head were arrested in August 2018 after an abuse report was filed with the Missouri Children’s Division Investigators. Deputies with the St. Francois County Sheriff's Department went to a home in the 100 block of Meadowbrook Drive on Aug. 7. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News SIGN UP NOW Authorities claim Head denied deputies entry into the home. Deputies eventually forced their way inside and discovered Cheatham letting the children out from the dimly-lit boxes. T...

Prosecutor to seek death penalty in Missouri officer's death

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:28 GMT

LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri prosecutor has announced plans to seek the death penalty against a Kansas City man charged with fatally shooting a police officer during a traffic stop.Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson said Tuesday that Joshua Rocha could qualify under Missouri law for the punishment because the July 2022 killing of North Kansas City police officer Daniel Vasquez was "wantonly vile,” the victim was a law enforcement officer and Rocha was seeking to avoid arrest, The Kansas City Star reports.Rocha is charged with first degree murder and armed criminal action in the killing. Special prosecutor requested for child abuse case involving former Department of Corrections employee According to a probable cause statement, Rocha told police after his arrest that he shot the 32-year-old officer because he didn’t want to go to jail or have his vehicle towed.Rocha told police he was on his way to buy ammunition for a rifle he had in the vehicle when he was stopped.Vas...

Lindsay Lohan, Jake Paul, Lil Yachty hit with SEC charges for endorsing cryptocurrencies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:28 GMT

Lindsay Lohan, Jake Paul and rapper Lil Yachty are among the eight celebrities who have been hit with charges from the Securities and Exchange Commission for illegally touting cryptocurrencies and violating security laws, the commission announced Wednesday. Other celebrities charged include rapper Soulja Boy, Austin Mahone, Ne-Yo, Akon and adult film star Kendra Lust, a news release said. The commission hit multiple celebrities with charges since they didn’t disclose that they were paid for their endorsements of Tronix (TRX) and BitTorrent (BTT), cryptocurrencies created by entrepreneur Justin Sun.Sun was also hit with multiple charges from the commission.“This case demonstrates again the high-risk investors face when crypto asset securities are offered and sold without proper disclosure,” SEC Chair Gary Gensler said in a statement.“As alleged, Sun and his companies not only targeted U.S. investors in their unregistered offers and sales, generating millions in illegal proceeds at th...

2023 Remarkable Women Nominee: Athena Hayley

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:28 GMT

L.A.’s Skid Row is often associated with homelessness and despair.But Athena Hayley, and the nonprofit she started, show up there weekly to bring food and hope to those struggling on the streets. That is why Athena is nominated as one of KTLA's Remarkable Women of 2023. KTLA’s Lauren Lyster has her story.

Draymond Green shares thoughts on Wiggins’ absence and ‘disgusting’ online rumors

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:49:28 GMT

With the regular season winding down, it’s about time for the Warriors to address a potential reality of starting the playoffs without two of their key players.Can the Warriors contend for a title without Andrew Wiggins and Gary Payton II? Payton, out with a core injury, has resumed on-court activity and could return to game action before the remaining nine regular season games are up. Wiggins is completely missing in action and out indefinitely as he tends to an undisclosed family matter.Draymond Green, on his podcast, shared his thoughts on whether the Warriors have a fighter’s chance without the two wing defenders.“To answer that, it would be tough,” he said. “Two of your best wing defenders — Donte (DiVincenzo) is an incredible wing defender as well — but it would be tough. Two guys, super athletic guys on the team because that’s huge. Especially when you get into the playoffs playing against different schemes. But sometimes you ne...