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Council members step in after Texas Harm Reduction Alliance told to stop drop-in operations

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:48 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- People stopping by the Texas Harm Reduction Alliance's outreach van -- which was parked near the Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail Wednesday -- might be given sterile drug supplies or drug testing strips. The problem? Some of those supplies are considered drug paraphernalia and are illegal in Texas. "Despite the fact that there are study after study after study showing the positive health impacts and community impacts of being able to distribute these supplies," said Lily Hughes, outreach team lead with the THRA. The THRA outreach team lead restocks supplies in their outreach van (KXAN photo/Grace Reader)The Texas Harm Reduction Alliance works to connect people at risk of an opioid overdose with clean supplies, naloxone -- an opioid overdose reversal medication -- and treatment resources.That's part of the reason why just down the street at the THRA's drop-in center on Cesar Chavez, the group was told they needed to stop. "On overdose awareness day, we got a letter...

Whistleblowers beg Abbott to 'take action' over Medicaid errors, food assistance delays

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:48 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Whistleblowers reached out directly to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott this week, escalating their continued concerns about denials and delays in getting Texans critical medical support and food assistance. The anonymous Texas Health and Human Services employees sent the letter to the governor on Tuesday -- marking their third outcry about issues with the agency's systems, staffing and leadership which, they say, contributed to tens of thousands of people erroneously losing Medicaid coverage earlier this year. BACKGROUND: Concerned state employees say internal errors put thousands at risk of losing Medicaid coverage "Regrettably, it appears that the full extent of these challenges may not have been adequately conveyed by our leadership, hence our decision to provide you with this comprehensive overview," the whistleblowers stated in the letter to the governor. KXAN reached out to the governor's office for comment and is waiting to hear back. Whistleblowers first flagged t...

What happens with whistleblower settlement, money promised following Paxton trial

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:48 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — If you're wondering what happens with the initial whistleblower case and the roughly $3 million settlement now that the impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is over, it was left in the air. The actual settlement agreement was never finalized.In March, the plaintiffs filed with the Texas Supreme Court to reinstate the case. PAST COVERAGE: Texas Attorney General Paxton under investigation for whistleblower settlement Paxton himself was not the one being sued, but rather the Office of the Attorney General.Four former top aides sued for wrongful firing and retaliation after they accused Paxton of using his office to help Nate Paul, an Austin real estate developer.The plaintiffs said they had evidence that showed Paxton abused his office to give special favors to Paul in return for high-dollar campaign contributions and undisclosed gifts.The OAG agreed to settle with the former aides for $3.3 million but court filings showed there were concerns over a ...

St. Paul details plans for $13.6M ‘all hands on deck’ approach to gun violence

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:48 GMT

After nearly 200 people were injured in shootings in St. Paul last year, nonfatal shootings are down 43 percent so far this year and the city is planning to continue to expand comprehensive approaches to violence prevention.With $13.6 million in state funding for public safety in St. Paul over the next three years, Mayor Melvin Carter and other city leaders told the city council Wednesday about their community safety budget proposal.St. Paul is continuing an “all hands on deck” approach to gun violence that extends beyond the police department, said Brooke Blakey, director of the city’s Office of Neighborhood Safety. A “comprehensive approach to gun violence” is about prevention, intervention and response, she said.Plans for funding include the following:Police: Focus on solving more nonfatal shootingsNearly $3 million of the overall funds are earmarked for the police department over three years.The St. Paul police homicide solve rate, usually around 85...

Theater review: ‘Beetlejuice’ musical addresses death with laughter and levity

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:48 GMT

“Welcome to a show about death.”And it’s about time, too. I’ve been waiting for a piece of theater that comically confronts the inevitability awaiting us all. As we approach the 7 million mark for deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic, I’ve been really hoping that we can dispense with the denial and not pretend that it never happened, as history books suggest was largely the case with the 1918 flu epidemic that killed about 50 million people.Justin Collette as Beetlejuice and the tour company in the national touring production of “Beetlejuice,” a musical adaptation of the Tim Burton film about a ghost couple trying to haunt away the new owners of their home. The show runs Sept. 19-24, 2023, at the Orpheum Theatre in Minneapolis. (Matthew Murphy)So welcome, “Beetlejuice.” A musical theater adaptation of Tim Burton’s 1988 film, it’s set down stakes at Minneapolis’ Orpheum Theatre as part of a national tour that created headlines in Denver last week for the ejection of a certai...

Minnesota AG: School resource officers don’t have to wait until injury before intervening

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:48 GMT

Minnesota’s attorney general said Wednesday there have been “significant misunderstandings about the impact” of changes to state law for school resource officers, including an interpretation by some that SROs couldn’t use any physical contact to address non-violent behavior.Keith Ellison said that is not the case, as he issued a supplemented legal opinion.About 40 law enforcement agencies have paused their school resource officer programs. On Wednesday, after Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public Schools announced they’d learned Eagan police would no longer provide school resource officers, the Eagan Police Department said it was evaluating the attorney general’s opinion and expected to make a decision Thursday.A change in state law this year says school resource officers can’t restrain students face-down or put a student in a hold that restricts their ability to breath or communicate distress, except when necessary “to restrain a student to prevent...

Thousands of pounds of rotten seafood removed from condemned Seafood City

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:48 GMT

UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. – A rotten smell has spread across a University City neighborhood.The source of the stench is a condemned Seafood City market near 81st Street and Olive Boulevard.Residents called University City officials about the foul order. City building inspectors soon discovered Seafood City’s owner left thousands of pounds of seafood rotting inside the building after being ordered to close in March due to improper refrigeration. Video of Missouri politicians using flamethrowers goes viral University City has informed the building owner in California that this constitutes a public health hazard.University City hired a local biohazard company that normally cleans up crime scenes to empty the store of the rotting seafood. The building owner agreed to pay for the remediation, which costs approximately $7,000 per day.Residents who live right behind the building are glad something has been done.

St. Charles turns off another water well due to contamination

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:48 GMT

ST. CHARLES, Mo. - On Wednesday, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) instructed the City of St. Charles to cease operations for City Well 4 after the well previously tested positive for vinyl chloride.Vinyl chloride is used in the manufacturing of PVC. It can be found in PVC pipes, vinyl siding, packaging, car parts, furniture, shower curtains, and pet and children's toys.The gas has been banned in cosmetics, hair spray, and other products. The National Cancer Institute has identified vinyl chloride as a cancer-causing agent, saying inhalation of the compound is linked to liver cancer.City leadership and Ameren Missouri are pointing the finger at each other for this particular incident. The city asserts that a barrier Ameren built at the substation failed, allowing vinyl chloride to enter Well 4.Well 4 is connected to the city's sewer line and not the water treatment plant.An Ameren Missouri spokesperson said Well 4 has long been obsolete and that the city was warned against u...

How inflation is impacting Missouri education department's budget

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:48 GMT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Just like Americans are paying more for gas and eggs at the grocery store, Missouri schools are also feeling the effects of inflation.The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is unveiling its proposed budget for the next fiscal year, and it includes an added $135 million to pay for an increase in the transportation and foundation formulas. There's also a request for the state to pay for programs that were originally funded by federal COVID relief dollars, since that money will soon be gone."Cost for operating transportation across districts and across the state has significantly been impacted by fuel costs, staffing costs and the cost of equipment," DESE Deputy Commissioner Kari Monsees said. "We are asking for additional federal capacity—an increase of about $37 million for the food service programs."Not only is inflation taking a toll on your wallet, but it's also impacting education. Besides the increase in food and fuel, DESE said the fou...

Wayward bird lands at Busch Stadium during Cardinals-Brewers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:48 GMT

ST. LOUIS – With the way the Cardinals’ season has gone, maybe it was a wayward swallow making its way back to Capistrano. Or just a lost loon.Whatever the bird that landed at Busch Stadium during Tuesday night's Brewers-Cardinals game, it wasn't a harbinger of good luck.The Redbirds were eliminated from playoff contention with their loss to the NL Central-leading Brewers.But it was the commentary from Brad Thompson and Chip Carey that livened up the broadcast.“They think it’s a chestnut-sided warbler,” said Aileen Abbott, World Bird Sanctuary. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News SIGN UP NOW “Which is one of the common warbler species that will migrate through here in the fall and the spring. You can see them at Tower Grove Park and the beautiful males...