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House lawmakers question FEMA in New Orleans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:13 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — House lawmakers traveled to a coastal hotspot Tuesday to question FEMA and other emergency response officials about better ways to prepare for disasters.The field hearing in New Orleans comes as President Joe Biden's latest request for disaster aid is stalled in Congress."There's a lot of cooks in the kitchen. What can we do better?" asked U.S. Rep. Anthony D'Esposito, R-NY, who chairs the Homeland Security subcommittee.When disaster strikes, federal agencies like FEMA and the Small Business Administration (SBA) spring into action, but in the aftermath, lawmakers said the help is often not equal."The lack of equitable resources during a disaster is appalling," said U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-MS.Thompson and D'Esposito traveled to the district of U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-LA, to try to change that. Carter said small businesses in coastal cities like New Orleans need help."They continue to be strangled with loan after loan after loan," he said.Carter wants to create a loa...

Bank of America fined $12M over misleading mortgage data: CFPB

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:13 GMT

(NEXSTAR) – Bank of America will pay a $12 million fine to settle charges that it submitted false mortgage data to the federal government, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced Tuesday.The second-largest U.S. bank did not admit or deny wrongdoing in the case, which alleges that hundreds of loan officers, over at least a three-month period between 2016 and 2020, failed to ask 100 percent of applicants legally-required questions about their race, ethnicity and sex, then reported that the applicants chose not to give that information. Where it will cost most to heat your home this winter “Bank of America violated a federal law that thousands of mortgage lenders have routinely followed for decades,” said CFPB Director Rohit Chopra in a statement. “It is illegal to report false information to federal regulators, and we will be taking additional steps to ensure that Bank of America stops breaking the law.”The Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, enacted in 1975, requires le...

Daughter shares heartwarming letter Jimmy Carter sent Rosalynn 75 years ago

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:13 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – During a tribute service for Rosalynn Carter, daughter Amy Carter shared part of a heartwarming letter her father, former President Jimmy Carter, sent to the late first lady more than seven decades ago.“My darling, every time I have ever been away from you, I have been thrilled when I returned, to discover just how wonderful you are,” she quoted, while addressing the attendees at Glenn Memorial Church in Atlanta.Jimmy Carter sent the letter to Rosalynn when he was in the Navy 75 years ago.“While I’m away, I try to convince myself that you really are not, could not be as sweet and beautiful as I remember. But when I see you, I fall in love with you all over again. Does that seem strange to you? It doesn’t to me. Goodbye darling, until tomorrow,” she continued. Former presidents, first ladies honor Rosalynn Carter U.S. presidents, first ladies, and numerous others gathered on Tuesday to pay tribute to the former first lady. Carter died on Nov. 19 at the age of...

Police search for missing Lynwood woman with dementia

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:13 GMT

LYNWOOD, Ill.— Lynwood police are asking for the public's help in the search for a missing 74-year-old woman who suffers from dementia.According to Lynwood Police Chief Greg Thomas, authorities are searching for 74-year-old Doris Crosby, a Lynwood resident who has been missing for over a week.Police say Crosby was last seen in the 6200 block of South Damen in Englewood on Chicago's South Side on Sunday, Nov 19. FBI agents offer reward for information on man who attempted to rob banks along Michigan Ave. According to police, Crosby suffers from several medical conditions including dementia, diabetes and hypertension.Police say the missing woman stands 5-foot-10 and weighs about 170 pounds. Crosby was last seen wearing a gray sweatshirt and grey sweatpants. Man dead, child injured after shooting, rollover crash on Southwest Side Authorities notified the public about Crosby's disappearance in a news release sent out on Tuesday afternoon.Anyone with information on the whereabouts of...

Charlie Munger, famed investor and Warren Buffet sidekick, dies at 99

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:13 GMT

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Charlie Munger, who helped Warren Buffett build Berkshire Hathaway into an investment powerhouse, has died at a California hospital. He was 99.Berkshire Hathaway said in a statement that Munger’s family told the company that he died Tuesday morning at the hospital just over a month before his 100th birthday.“Berkshire Hathaway could not have been built to its present status without Charlie’s inspiration, wisdom and participation,” Buffett said in a statement.Munger served as Buffett’s sounding board on investments and business decisions and helped lead Berkshire for more than five decades and served as its vice chairman.Munger preferred to stay in the background and let Buffett be the face of Berkshire, and he often downplayed his contributions to the company’s remarkable success.But Buffett always credited Munger with pushing him beyond his early value investing strategies to buy great businesses at good prices like See’s Candy. Where it will cost most to heat ...

2 inmates escape from North Texas jail

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:13 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Two inmates escaped from the Fannin county Jail over the weekend, and were still at large as of Tuesday, according to the Fannin County Sheriff's Office.Around 9:15 p.m., Nov. 25, inmates Ramon Perez and Raymond Ross escaped from Fannin County, which is northeast of Dallas, according to officials.From left to right: Ramon Perez, Raymond Ross | Courtesy: Fannin County Sheriff's OfficePerez and Ross were last seen running off into the woods on video wearing gray sweats, according to FCSO. That area is east/southeast of the South Jail on County Road 4200, officials said. The sheriff's office said Perez and Ross were not armed at the time of the escape, but citizens are asked to avoid contact with them.Furthermore, officials said Perez was in custody for aggravated sexual assault of a child. Ross was in custody for evading arrest with a motor vehicle and drug possession and felon in possession of a firearm.As of Tuesday, FCSO said multiple agencies were assisting in find...

Austin Police warn public of someone 'impersonating an APD Chief'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:13 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department has received reports claiming a caller "was impersonating an APD Chief" who was demanding payment of a fine, fee and/or warrant, the agency said on social media on Tuesday.APD officials said it will never call anyone asking for money. Police added call recipients should report fraudulent calls to Austin 311 or by calling 512-974-2000.Here are a few things you should know if or when you receive a fraudulent call:Phone numbers can be spoofed to appear as if it's coming from a government entityIf you're told you have an arrest warrant, ask for the name of agency and look it up by phone number/email for validation of who the call is fromAPD said it will never call and demand a payment of any kind, including a fine, fee and/or warrantDon't share personal informationDon't call or email the phone number and/or email provided by the callerWhen in doubt, ask for the caller's identity with the agency they're claiming to be withIf that verification...

Travis County details next steps in hospital-based violence intervention pilot

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:13 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video at the top of this story shows KXAN’s morning headlines for Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023.TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Travis County officials said Tuesday they hope to have a contract in place by spring 2024 to begin work on its two-year hospital-based violence intervention program [HVIP] pilot.Travis County Commissioners Court passed a resolution in March directing the county's Health & Human Services division to develop a proposal related to the creation of the pilot. That hospital-based intervention program will exist within the county's larger community intervention system, officials added.County officials have allocated $500,000 in American Rescue Plan Act dollars over the two-year timespan to help provide "safety planning, services, and trauma-informed care to violently injured people," with many of those identified as boys and men of color, per Travis County documents."The idea is to create a warm linkage to someone so that they can then continue ...

2024 Treasure Hunt medallion patches are now on sale

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:13 GMT

The 2024 Treasure Hunt medallion patches are now on sale at treasure-hunt-shop.square.site/.The person who finds the medallion in the Pioneer Press Treasure Hunt automatically wins $2,500. You can also win another $2,500 if you have all the clues, which can be found either in the Pioneer Press or at TwinCities.com. Additionally, if you have the registered patch — which can be purchased on this site — you can win an extra $5,000.Please note that your patch will be automatically registered upon purchase, but you must buy it before Friday, Jan. 19, 2024. To be eligible to win, you must have a registered patch in your name, and sharing patches is not allowed. If you are buying more than one patch online, be sure to add each hunter’s name to the purchase so they are registered.Good luck and happy hunting.

Janice Rettman, former Ramsey County commissioner known for her frugality on public spending, dies

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:13 GMT

In her 30 years on the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners and the St. Paul City Council, Janice Rettman became known for her frugality, often casting the sole “no” vote on the county board against major public initiatives such as the county’s purchase of the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant in Arden Hills.At the same time, she embraced public transit and affordable housing efforts, serving for years as chair of a regional initiative to launch a second round-trip Amtrak train between St. Paul and Chicago.Ramsey County Commissioner Janice Rettman, center, greets voters at Roseville Area High School on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2018, during DFL precinct caucuses. (Callie Schmidt / Pioneer Press)“A ‘no’ vote is sometimes absolutely a ‘yes’ vote for the people,” said Rettman, in her signature Texas drawl, explaining to a reporter in 2017 that her commitment to saving every penny of tax dollars she could was intended to tamp down property ta...