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US Rep. Matt Gaetz’s father Don seeks return to Florida Senate chamber he once led as its president

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — Don Gaetz, the father of Republican U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz, said Monday he intends to run again for the Florida Senate, a chamber he led as president from 2012 to 2014.Don Gaetz, 75, said he would seek the Florida Panhandle seat being vacated by state Sen. Doug Broxson, also a Republican. The elder Gaetz previously served in the state Senate from 2006 to 2016, including his years as president.Another Republican candidate for the District 1 seat, former state Rep. Frank White, told the Pensacola News Journal he will drop out with Don Gaetz deciding to run.Matt Gaetz, lately the chief antagonist against House Speaker Kevin McCarthy over spending legislation, has represented a Panhandle district in the U.S. House since 2017. Matt Gaetz said he intends to file a motion this week to vacate the speakership over this dispute, possibly triggering a vote on whether McCarthy keeps his position.The younger Gaetz also served in the state House from 2010-2016 and has been me...

Azerbaijan moves to reaffirm control of Nagorno-Karabakh as the Armenian exodus slows to a trickle

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

The last bus carrying ethnic Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh left the region Monday, completing a grueling weeklong exodus of over 100,000 people — more than 80% of its residents — after Azerbaijan reclaimed the area in a lightning military operation.The bus that entered Armenia carried 15 passengers with serious illnesses and mobility problems, said Gegham Stepanyan, a human rights ombudsman for the former breakaway region that Azerbaijan calls Karabakh. He called for information about any other residents who want to leave but have had trouble doing so.In a 24-hour military campaign that began on Sept. 19, the Azerbaijani army routed the region’s undermanned and outgunned Armenian forces, forcing them to capitulate. The separatist government then agreed to disband itself by the end of this year, but Azerbaijani authorities are already in charge of the region.Azerbaijan Interior Ministry spokesman Elshad Hajiyev told The Associated Press on Monday that the country’s police hav...

More suspects to be charged in ransacking of Philadelphia stores, district attorney says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Additional suspects will be charged with smashing into stores in Philadelphia last week as law enforcement officials review video of the social-media fueled mayhem, prosecutors said Monday.More than 70 people already face a range of charges, such as burglary, conspiracy and riot, in the flash mob-style break-ins Tuesday night at dozens of stores including Foot Locker, Lululemon and Apple. All but six of the defendants are adults.“There was a lot of video from that first evening and evenings that went after that, so we continue to work with (police) on reviewing affidavits, with reviewing evidence that they submit to us,” Assistant District Attorney Clint Orem said at a news conference Monday. “We expect more of those individuals to be charged in the coming days.”Before the smash-and-grab thefts, a group of protesters — who officials say had no connection to the burglary suspects — peacefully rallied against a judge’s decision to dismiss murder and oth...

Man seriously injured in Mississauga stabbing, 1 person arrested

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

One person is in custody after a stabbing in Mississauga left a man with serious injuries.Peel Regional Police officers responded to Masthead Crescent and Windjammer Road near The Collegeway and Glen Erin Drive just before 1 p.m. for a disturbance call.When they arrived, they found a man with stab wounds. Paramedics say they transported the man with serious injuries to hospital.Police say a man was arrested. There is no word on charges.No further details have been released.

Test of FEMA emergency alert system planned for this week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — If an alarm blares on your phone the first week of October, don't worry – it might just be a test. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Federal Communications Commission (FCC) said they will conduct a test of the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) on Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023.All major U.S. wireless providers participate in the emergency alert system and will transmit the national test to their customers. If your phone is on and within range of an active cell tower, from a participating wireless provider, you should receive the national test, FEMA and FCC said. New IRS ‘$600 rule’ also applies to resold tickets, side hustles like Etsy According to FEMA, the test will take place at approximately 2:20 p.m. Eastern Time on Oct. 4. If there’s widespread severe weather on Oct. 4, the test will be postponed by one week so it doesn’t create confusion between real emergency alerts and the test. The backup test date is Wednesday, Oct. 11. ...

Dollywood Express evacuated after train experiences mechanical issue

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Passengers aboard the Dollywood Express were forced to evacuate due to a mechanical issue on Sunday. Officials say the incident happened just before 8:30 p.m. on Sunday at Dollywood, the Dolly Parton-owned theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. All passengers on board were unloaded safely and no injuries were reported.The cause of the mechanical issue has not been released yet. The Dollywood Express features a 20-minute train ride, led by a 110-ton coal-fired steam engine. It follows a five-mile trek through the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains.Two steam engines operate on the Dollywood Express, Engine 192, or "Klondike Katie," and Engine 70, known as "Cinderella."The engines were originally part of Rebel Railroad, a park built in 1961 that once stood where present-day Dollywood now sits. Both Klondike Katie and Cinderella joined the park after serving in Alaska in World War II.Klondike Kaite and Cinderella were built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works i...

What’s the fastest fast food drive-thru? It isn’t Chick-fil-A

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

(NEXSTAR) - If you’re going through a fast food drive-thru, you probably have some expectations: The food will come fast, the service will be super, and the food will be exactly as you ordered it. A new survey shows some fast food chains are better at delivering on those promises than others. Intouch Insight has released its annual drive-thru study, which analyzes the top fast food chains across multiple categories: order accuracy, speed, food quality, suggestive selling, and level of satisfaction. This year, they conducted nearly 1,500 drive-thru visits at 10 chains nationwide: Arby’s, Burger King, Carl’s Jr., Chick-fil-A, Dunkin', Hardee’s, KFC, McDonald’s, Taco Bell, and Wendy’s.Overall, Intouch Insight’s analysis found the fast food giants are getting better in multiple categories. They’re faster than last year, with the average total ordering time dropping 29 seconds. The average number of cars you’ll find in line has dipped from 2.76 to 1.27. More customers are receiving ...

Lunchbreak: Potato Pancakes with Fran’s Bread Stuffing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

Carlos Orozco, Executive Chef, Catered By DesignCatered By Design's Thanksgiving & Holiday menu is in partnership with Heartland Alliance. This is our third year of teaming up with them and doing a donation match on each order. https://cateredbydesign.comhttps://www.facebook.com/cateredbydesignhttps://www.instagram.com/cateredbydesignHeartland Alliance: https://www.heartlandalliance.org/https://www.facebook.com/heartlandalliancehttps://www.instagram.com/heartlandalliancePotato Pancakes with Fran’s Famous Bread Stuffing Number of Portions: 15 Ingredients 16 ounces Mashed Red Skin Classic Potato 16 ounces Turkey Stuffing 2 each Extra Large 30 Egg 4 ½ ounces All Purpose Flour 3 ounces Unsalted Butter Melted ¼ tsp Salt & Pepper 4 fl ounces Sour Cream 1 oz Chopped V Prep Green Onion Put left over mashed potatoes in a bowl and left over stuffing in a d...

'The best setting in college football': Red River Rivalry week begins for No. 3 Texas, No. 12 Oklahoma

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

Editor's Note: The above video is KXAN Sports' instant analysis following Texas' 40-14 win over Kansas.AUSTIN (KXAN) — No matter how many times marketing partners and television executives try to rebrand the game, it's always going to be Texas and Oklahoma, and it's always going to be one of the fiercest rivalries in college football.The bitter rivals, yet somewhat partners as they bolt from the Big 12 Conference to the Southeastern Conference next year, will clash before noon at the Cotton Bowl in the Red River Rivalry with the State Fair of Texas in the background. ESPN College GameDay will be there doing a live 3-hour broadcast Saturday morning to get the juices flowing, and as he's said before, this is the stuff head coach Steve Sarkisian lives for. Instant Analysis: A big win over Kansas, now it’s Red River Rivalry time "The spotlight of college football is on us," he said. "This is why we're in college football, to be part of games like this."The Sooners enter the game undef...

Barton Springs tree 'Flo' celebration of life, removal set for this week after delays

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:15 GMT

Editor's Note: The above video is previous KXAN coverage of the Barton Springs pecan tree.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- After delaying the removal of a beloved Barton Springs pecan tree, known as "Flo," the City of Austin has rescheduled its celebration of life and removal for this week. The tree will be removed on Thursday, Oct. 5 when the pool is closed, and a celebration of life will be held Wednesday at 6:30 p.m., according to the city. Third-party certified arborists assessed the tree last month after it was discovered to have an infection known as Kretzschmaria deusta, a wood decay fungus in August. Barton Springs pecan tree ‘Flo’ diagnosed with infection Brittle Cinder Fungus seen on a tree (City of Austin photo)The city said all four Arborists recommended the removal of “Flo” due to safety concerns and the lack of treatment options, so the Austin Parks and Recreation Department (PARD) said it would remove the tree.Flo was originally scheduled to be removed Sept. 14, but the remov...