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States look to boost economy, workforce with affordable childcare

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:54 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – State officials from around the country gathered at the White House to discuss solutions for providing affordable childcare to families.Some say federal funds from the Biden administration and Congress have allowed them to create innovative new programs they hope will spread to other states as childcare expenses force some parents out of the workforce.“The system we have right now just does not work,” Sen. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI) said.Democratic New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham says an influx of federal funds creates a huge opportunity. According to the governor, infrastructure money and pandemic relief mean states can spend less on previously planned projects and can use those funds to create childcare initiatives.“We've done nearly 40% raises in salaries, particularly for early childhood education,” Lujan Grisham said.In Colorado, lawmakers made universal pre-K a reality.“It opens up next month, so we are so excited we already have 30,000 fam...

What is the Wet Bulb Temperature?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:54 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Nearly all of you know about how the temperature, the humidity, the wind direction and wind speed affect our everyday lives. During this second heat wave Central Texas is experiencing there is another statistic that is being used-- one that measures the heat stress in direct sunlight.It's the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature. In addition to its factoring in the temperature, the humidity and the wind speed is also looks at the sun's angle and whatever cloud cover there may be. "Ingredients" that make up the Wet Bulb Globe TemperatureIt is not the same as the heat index. The heat index only considers the temperature and the humidity taken in the shade. The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature is a better way to measure the effects of the heat for those who are required to work in the sun/heat. Agencies using the WBGT include the Occupational Safety and Health Administration as well as military agencies. More specifically, knowing this statistic allows for experts to know the expected...

City council holds first work session on proposed city budget

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:54 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- In its first work session since the release of the proposed city budget, Austin's city council asked questions of Interim City Manager Jesus Garza and Chief Financial Officer Ed Van Eenoo."The budget I'm proposing is really focused on three themes, getting back to basics in city government services, advancing Council priorities and shepherding critically important, once-in-a-generation projects for our community," Garza said.Council members received their copies of budget on Friday, roughly four days before the work session. During the meeting, Van Eenoo presented it to council."This is probably the most important document that council approves every year," Van Eenoo said. "It's a document that reflects your policy priorities. If we got it right, it truly will reflect the things that you have told us over the last year, in previous years, that these are the kinds of programs and policies you want to see implemented." Mayor Kirk Watson discusses new $5.5 billion ci...

Texas Parks and Wildlife adds 2 new fishing, paddling access sites

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:54 GMT

TEXAS (KXAN) -- The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department announced this week two new river access sites are now available for public use as part of the state agency's ongoing River Access and Conservation Area (RACA) program.The two sites are located along the Brazos and San Marcos rivers, available for those looking to fish or paddle on waterways.The Brazos River location is situated in Milam County near Calvert and includes two access areas downstream of FM 979, per the release. The newly created RACA site along the San Marcos River is at the Scull Road Bridge, located near Martindale.“Both rivers are just a short drive away from major urban areas like Houston, San Antonio and Austin,” said John Botros, TPWD river access coordinator, in the release. “Historically in Texas, recreation on rivers has been limited by a lack of public access points. These new sites are an important step in expanding the public’s options for safe, legal and high-quality fishing and paddling access on riv...

Other voices: Blocking military promotions is unpatriotic

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:54 GMT

Alabama Senator Tommy Tuberville misses few chances to tout both his career as a college football coach and his love for the military. It’s all the more reprehensible, then, that Tuberville is single-handedly blocking the Pentagon from putting its best team on the field — and harming the country’s security in the process.Since February, Tuberville has placed a blanket hold on the promotion or reassignment of more than 250 U.S. generals and flag officers. He objects to a Pentagon policy, announced after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, that covers the travel costs of service members who cross state lines for abortions. Tuberville insists that because Congress hasn’t enshrined the travel policy into law, the Pentagon needs to scrap it. He’s vowed to block all top military promotions until that happens.Due to Tuberville’s intransigence, the Marine Corps lacks a Senate-confirmed commandant for the first time in 164 years. Two more service chi...

Conor Sen: Maine is the new Florida for climate migrants

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:54 GMT

Millions of Americans have moved to the Southeast over the past few years, bringing immense wealth and transforming real estate markets in places like the suburbs of Dallas and Atlanta. This Sun Belt migration has created a longer-term opportunity in parts of the north as well.It’s long been common for well-off residents of the Northeast and Midwest to vacation in warmer places such as Florida and Arizona during the winter. Thanks to growing wealth in the Sun Belt and the increasingly oppressive hot summers of the South, it’s going to get more attractive for southern residents to trek up north to escape the heat.There’s something intuitively obvious about this reverse snowbird migration. Look at the headlines. Phoenix is approaching its record for the number of consecutive days spent over 110 degrees. Florida is setting records of its own, raising the temperature of the water surrounding the state to alarming levels. As an Atlanta resident, I can attest that July a...

Jonathan Bernstein: What to make of Trump’s mad power grab plan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:54 GMT

Donald Trump and his allies are pledging to remake the presidency if he is elected again, giving him and the office more authority than it has ever had and certainly far more than the framers of the US Constitution envisioned.The biggest problem with Trump’s plan for an all-powerful, unconstrained presidency, using in part proposals from his conservative allies at the Heritage Foundation, is that it’s a formula for authoritarian government.One-person rule — even elected one-person rule — is simply not compatible with republican ideals.It’s also contrary to the words and spirit of the U.S. Constitution, which establishes what political scientist Richard Neustadt called a system of “separated institutions sharing powers.” That’s even more true when that person has consistently shown contempt for the rule of law.But perhaps less obvious is that this version of the presidency, in which the entire sprawling executive branch of the governmen...

Letters: The work of talented mural artists brightens St. Paul

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:54 GMT

The joy of muralsAlways an upbeat start to the day when the front page of the Pioneer Press highlights what’s happening in the arts in our city. In this particular case, a magnificent mural currently being painted as part of the upcoming Chroma Zone Mural and Art Festival (“Industrial Art,” July 15).The industrial buildings in the University/Raymond area have served as canvases for many artists over the past several years. Not only do these murals allow many incredibly talented artists to showcase their work, but they also lighten and brighten up the area and our lives as well.Art, in my opinion, will keep us civilized and united.Ursula  Krawczyk, St. Paul  Forgive Tesla loans, too?The president is hell bent on forgiving debts of former college students. And he wants badly to do it on his own, without any need for senators or congress men and women to vote on it.And they are not keen on having to vote on it. Some even think that since taxpayers loaned the mone...

$96 million investment to provide connectivity to thousands in Alta.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:54 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsThe Provincial and Federal governments are partnering to invest over $96 million in broadband infrastructure across the Province.The latest funding allocation is a part of Alberta’s joint commitment of $780 million with the Federal government to improve access to high-speed internet in rural, remote and Indigenous communities as part of the Alberta Broadband Strategy.The Province expects the $96 million investment to provide connectivity to high speed internet to over 10,000 households across the province and will deliver broadband to over 2,000 Indigenous households. Construction has begun in 26 of the 40 rural communities slated for improvements. Brocket (Piikani Nation), Carmangay, Ensign, Brant, Cayley, Champion, Vulcan, Travers, and Little Bow Resort are among the communities in southern Alberta with construction currently underway.The release issued by the Provincial government indicated a number of quantifiable outcomes are expected, “once univ...

Federal government announces $160 million investment into Alberta-based solar projects

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:45:54 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsSeveral solar farms in southern Alberta will benefit from a cash injection from the federal government.The announcement was made on July 11 by Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources. The federal investment, which exceeds $160 million, will help fortify solar energy production at nine solar power projects across the province. The programs announced on July 11 will expand upon earlier investments into the Prairie’s solar sector.The funding will see the federal government partner with Indigenous communities, workers and industry to deliver clean energy products. The announcement by the federal government highlighted the “immense potential” of Alberta for solar power generation, which combined with ambitious Indigenous partners, skilled workers and other community partners, “is powering a surge in clean energy development in the region.”The collaboration between Concord Green Energy, a subsidiary of Concord Pacific, and Athabasca Chipewyan Firs...