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DA Garza 'stands by' dropping police indictments, asking for federal review of APD policy

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:09 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- District Attorney Jose Garza told KXAN in a sit-down interview Tuesday that he believes the best way to get justice for protestors injured on May 31, 2020 is to prompt "systemic change" within the Austin Police Department. On Monday, his office announced the dismissal of 17 police officer indictments stemming from those protests. The DA's Office will still prosecute four officers related to the protests. In exchange, the City of Austin and DA's Office sent a request to the Department of Justice asking for a review of APD's actions during those protests. The DOJ has not yet said whether it will move forward with conducting that review."Four cases against four officers, those cases had aggravating factors from our perspective," Garza said. "The other set of cases, the 17 cases, it became clear to us that the conduct there was a byproduct of the systemic change that's really necessary."Several participants were injured by less-lethal shotguns, often referred to as "bea...

Texas Legislature finishes fourth special session without school vouchers, public education funds and more

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:09 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — With the final gavel of the year in the Capitol chambers, special session four came to close Tuesday without passing Gov. Greg Abbott's priorities regarding school safety, teacher pay, education savings accounts, and an election bill.This stagnation was mostly attributable to the proposal to subsidize private schools through education savings accounts, a battle that stretched from the beginning of the regular special session into the third and fourth special sessions. After the House adjourned sine die without taking action on two Senate bills Tuesday, senators were left with no choice but to do the same a day before the 30-day special session officially expired. Once again, lawmakers were unable to reach a deal on so-called school choice after the proposal failed in the House. A coalition of 21 House Republicans banded together with Democrats to defeat the measure, which effectively killed a larger education package-- which included $800 million for school safety...

Former head of St. Louis Airport buried at Jefferson Barracks

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:09 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. – The man who served as the head of St. Louis Lambert International Airport for more than two decades was laid to rest on Tuesday.A procession of family and friends followed the late Colonel Leonard Griggs as he passed the airport on the way to his final resting place at the Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.“He loved the City of St. Louis,” daughter Julia Griggs said. “He loved the people and he loved the vision of the future.”Griggs graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and spent 23 years in the Air Force. A decorated combat pilot in Vietnam, he received two Purple Hearts, a Silver Star, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, 22 air medals, and the Vietnamese Medal of Honor for his service. Man makes dash for it as city tries towing car with expired tags In the 1970s, he moved from the Military Airlift Command at Scott Air Force Base to St. Louis Lambert International Airport. He served from 1977 to 1987 and again from 1993 until his retirem...

CHSAA’s first state football championship at Canvas Stadium exceeds average attendance for games at Broncos’ stadium, event sponsor says

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:09 GMT

With the first high school football state titles at Canvas Stadium in the books, fans showed they are willing to head north for championship football.The Class 5A and 4A title games pitting Columbine vs. Cherry Creek and Erie vs. Palmer Ridge drew a combined attendance of approximately 12,500 to Fort Collins last Saturday, according to a spokesperson for event sponsor Canvas Credit Union.That estimate exceeds six of the final seven “Championship Saturdays” held at Empower Field, where the games were played from 2005-22, minus the 2020 COVID year.“I was a little hesitant about what to think as far as sending two metro schools up to Fort Collins for the game,” Columbine coach Andy Lowry admitted, “but I thought our crowd was really good and the stadium was beautiful. I don’t think it impacted our fans traveling.”The 12,500 figure represents 1,500 more than last year’s crowd in Denver. Over the 17 years the games were played in the Bronco...

Letters: Historic buildings | Retire Harris | Voting rule | Israeli violence

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:09 GMT

Submit your letter to the editor via this form. Read more Letters to the Editor.Razing historic buildingswon’t help housing crisisRe: “Are NIMBYs weaponizing historic preservation?” (Page A1, Dec. 3).Destroying historic buildings won’t solve the housing shortage.Oakland’s General Plan designates historic Areas of Primary and Secondary Importance. Structures citywide are rated “A” to “D” by the Cultural Heritage Survey.Yet both the state-mandated Housing Element and the proposed Downtown Oakland Specific Plan zoning rules allow “infill” construction that sometimes looms over significant older buildings.“C” or “D” rated structures are disposed of through owner neglect. Even higher-rated buildings, like the Fruitvale Hotel, are allowed to deteriorate, then be demolished.Many communities, including ours, have surpassed state targets for new housing in all but the “affordable” category. Yet builders argue that only with luxury apartment towers will their projects pencil out.T...

‘We failed her.’ Santa Clara County social workers publicly rebuke boss, agency over handling of high-risk kids like baby Phoenix

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:09 GMT

SAN JOSE — In an extraordinary show of force, Santa Clara County social workers spoke out against their own agency Tuesday during a county Board of Supervisors meeting, criticizing leaders for “family preservation” practices that left Phoenix Castro in the care of her father despite drug problems and other red flags that led to the three-month-old San Jose baby’s death.More than two dozen social workers and their supervisors shared emotional accounts of being hamstrung in protecting children from drug-addicted parents by policies that emphasize keeping families together over removing abused or neglected children from their parents. Some broke down in tears.“I want you to know that this tragic and preventable loss of life is just one example of a child left in harm’s way despite the workers assessment to the contrary and is a direct result of a shift in department practice,” social worker supervisor Susannah Moore told the board members. ”On my team alone there have...

Israeli officials: ‘Widespread’ sexual assaults during Hamas attack

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:09 GMT

By Sam Mendick | Associated PressJERUSALEM — A man hiding in a pit during the Oct. 7 Hamas assault on an outdoor music festival in Israel said he heard someone nearby screaming she was being raped. Elsewhere in the area, a combat paramedic saw the body of a young woman with her legs open, her pants pulled down, and what looked like semen on her lower back. An army reservist who was tasked with identifying those killed by the militants said some of the women were found wearing only bloodied underwear.Such accounts given to The Associated Press, along with first assessments by an Israeli rights group, show that sexual assault was part of an atrocities-filled rampage by Hamas and other Gaza militants who killed about 1,200 people, most of them civilians, and took more than 240 hostages that day.While investigators are still trying to determine the scope of the sexual assaults, Israel’s government is accusing the international community, particularly the United Nations, of ignorin...

Mum on Ohtani, SF Giants don’t hide interest in 2 other prominent free agents

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:09 GMT

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — The mere mention of Shohei Ohtani’s name made Pete Putila clam up.“Uh, we’re not going to comment on any free agent players,” Farhan Zaidi’s top lieutenant said Tuesday, responding to a reporter’s direct questioning of the San Francisco Giants’ reported meeting with the two-way superstar over the weekend at Oracle Park.It was a different tact than that of Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, but otherwise fell in line with the general consensus among executives here at the Gaylord Opryland Resort, the site of MLB’s Winter Meetings. The first rule of pursuing Shohei Ohtani, apparently, is to not talk about Shohei Ohtani.Roberts confirmed that the Dodgers had hosted Ohtani for “two to three hours,” calling him their “top priority.” Hours later, general manager Brandon Gomes hung him out to dry, telling reporters, “Dave made a comment” and otherwise declining to discuss the two-time MVP, who...

SF State strike empties classrooms as faculty pickets for higher pay

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:09 GMT

Libby Black usually spends her Tuesdays in the classroom, teaching painting and drawing at San Francisco State University.But today, the associate professor was on a picket line — one of thousands of CSU professors, lecturers, and other faculty members demanding higher wages across the 23-campus system.“We were already behind inflation,” said Black, speaking over the cheers of the rally around her. “We’re not asking for anything luxurious here.”The one-day strike at SF State was the second of four planned at CSU campuses this week. It began with Cal Poly Pomona on Monday, continues at CSU Los Angeles on Wednesday, and ends at Sacramento State on Thursday. On Tuesday, that meant many SF State teachers had cancelled their classes, trading teaching for chanting on the northeast corner of campus.“Seeing professors struggle to just do what they have to do — that’s hard, as a student,” said Manisha Singh, a 20-year-old student wh...

Video: Brentwood Kohl's shoplifting suspect arrested

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 12:48:09 GMT

(KRON) -- Police bodycam footage captured the arrest of a shoplifting suspect who allegedly stole merchandise from Kohl's, according to the Brentwood Police Department. Brentwood PD were called to a local Kohl's location last week on a report of a theft at the store.The suspect had just left the store, police said. When officers were on their way to the scene, the county helicopter Star 3 happened to be in the area. The helicopter was able to tell officers where the suspect was located, which was nearby, police said. ‘Thrill Kill’ murderer released back into Santa Clara County Officers were able to immediately locate and detain the suspect, identified as 33-year-old Nicholas Robancho of Stockton. Robancho, police said, not only had stolen merchandise from Kohl's, but he also had other suspected stolen property (see video above).The property was confiscated and Robancho, who police said had two outstanding warrants, was placed under arrest for the warrants and related theft charges...