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Government bringing back free at-home COVID tests starting next week

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it is providing $600 million in funding to produce new at-home COVID-19 tests and is restarting a website allowing Americans to again order up to four free tests per household — aiming to prevent possible shortages during a rise in coronavirus cases that has typically come during colder months.The Department of Health and Human Services says orders can be placed at COVIDTests.gov starting Sept. 25, and that no-cost tests will be delivered for free by the United States Postal Service.Twelve manufacturers that employ hundreds of people in seven states have been awarded funding and will produce 200 million over-the-counter tests to replenish federal stockpiles for government use, in addition to producing enough tests to meet demand for tests ordered online, the department said. Federal officials said that will help guard against supply chain issues that sparked some sho...

Aquarium fish in San Francisco may be 100 years old, study finds

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – This week, the California Academy of Sciences (CAS) revealed the age of a beloved Australian lungfish who is the oldest living aquarium fish in the world. The fish, named Methuselah, has lived at Steinhart Aquarium in San Francisco since 1938. Methuselah arrived in San Francisco on a ship with hundreds of other fish from Fiji and Australia. She outlived them all. DNA analysis, and a new study led by Australian researchers Dr. Ben Mayne and Dr. David Roberts, estimated Methuselah’s age is between 92 and 101 years old. Roberts said, "Her actual age could conceivably be over 100, placing her in the rare club of fish centenarians."(Photo by Gayle Laird, California Academy of Sciences)Methuselah is famous at the aquarium for her longevity, charming personality, and penchant for belly rubs, according to CAS. The fish's previous estimated age was 84. But Methuselah is even more ancient than scientists previously believed. California woman loses limbs after bat...

Fed Chair Jerome Powell on FOMC's attempt of 'soft landing' for U.S. economy following decision to leave key rate unchanged

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve left its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday for the second time in its past three meetings, a sign that it’s moderating its fight against inflation as price pressures have eased. But Fed officials also signaled that they expect to raise rates once more this year.The move to leave its benchmark rate at about 5.4% suggests that the Fed thinks it has time to wait and see if the 11 rate hikes it unleashed starting in March 2022 will continue to cool rising prices.Consumer inflation has dropped from a year-over-year peak of 9.1% in June 2022 to 3.7% last month. Yet it’s still well above the Fed’s 2% target, and its policymakers made clear Wednesday that they aren’t close to declaring victory over the worst bout of inflation in 40 years.Besides forecasting another hike by year’s end, their projections showed they envision keeping rates high deep into 2024. They expect to cut interest rates just two times in 2024, down from four rate cuts they had e...

What does the next year look like for Project Connect's light rail development?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- With a Phase 1 light rail investment plan adopted in June, the Austin Transit Partnership is now gearing up for the federal funding application process for its multi-billion-dollar Project Connect program.ATP officials said they are eyeing roughly half the capital costs of the light rail plan to be funded via federal grants.What's next for Project Connect?Jennifer Pyne, ATP's executive vice president of planning and risk management, told KXAN the organization is working with the Federal Transit Administration on that multi-year process. With federal funding a competitive process, she said ATP leadership is really tailoring design aspects of the project to best position itself for both the Austin community and federal review."The ways that we can maximize our grant dollars include just designing the project to really enhance ridership, to make sure that we're providing the best possible transit project for this community," Pyne said. It’s official: Austin adopts Ph...

Texas Parks and Wildlife exploring protection options for ocelots

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department is seeking public input on a plan to try to grow the population of endangered ocelots in South Texas. TPWD, along with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, are encouraging the public to review and comment on TPWD's Enhancement of Survival Permit application.The permit, which is part of a proposed Programmatic Safe Harbor Agreement with the East Foundation, supports efforts to grow the population of endangered ocelots by expanding their range in South Texas.According to USFWS, the ocelot is listed as an endangered species throughout its range in South and Central America, Mexico, southern Texas and southern Arizona. In Texas, fewer than 100 ocelots are currently known in two small, isolated breeding populations on private ranch land and the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge.TPWD said a Safe Harbor Agreement is a "voluntary agreement involving private or other non-federal property owners whose actions contribute to th...

PHMSA announces $14.8 million grant to improve pipeline safety

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced Tuesday it will allocate $14.8 million in grants to help support improved pipeline safety initiatives. These grants are designed to focus on pipeline safety training, educational programming and resources as well as the advancement of pipeline safety technologies, per a release.PHMSA's mission is to “protect people and the environment by advancing the safe transportation of energy and other hazardous materials that are essential to our daily lives," according to its website. It also establishes national policies, sets and enforces standards as well as educates and conducts research in order to try and prevent incidents.“To ensure the safety of the world’s largest pipeline system, we need every level of government and the non-profit sector working to mitigate risk,” said Tristan Brown, PHMSA's deputy administrator, in the release. “These grants will pro...

Austin outlines steps toward equitable electric vehicle charging stations

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin Energy officials detailed its latest progress toward a more equitable distribution of electric vehicle charging stations in a Monday memo.AE is working to develop a vision plan for the citywide distribution of both DC fast chargers and Level 2 chargers. AE is also looking toward an initial three-year implementation phase as well as is eyeing federal incentives and grant opportunities to assist in its efforts, per the memo.Its vision plan includes a three-tiered focus:Amount of public charging needed to support EV adoptionEquitable distribution analysisInfrastructure deployment methodsUnder the City of Austin's Climate Equity Plan, the endeavor identified a goal of 226 megawatts of charging to be available "to support the goal of having 40% of vehicle miles traveled me electric," per the memo. Reaching that goal is a combined effort of publicly provided charging infrastructure, as well as private sector investments.Currently, the Plug-In Austin network feature...

Twins rally in ninth to beat Reds 5-3 in series finale

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

CINCINNATI — Hunter Greene’s first opportunity to pitch against the one team that passed him up in the draft all those years ago couldn’t have gone much better for the Reds starter.Greene, whom the Twins passed up to select Royce Lewis first overall in the 2017 draft, threw seven dominant innings on Wednesday, striking out 14 batters, but after his departure, the Twins made sure the start went for naught.The Twins scored three runs in the ninth for a comeback 5-3 victory on Wednesday afternoon at Great American Ball Park. With the win, the magic number is now at two, putting the Twins in position to clinch the American League Central title in the next few days.A day after Willi Castro took away four runs with his glove and added another two with his bat, the utilityman again sparked the Twins’ offense. Castro provided the only offense against Greene in his seven innings of work, hitting ninth home run of the season.And in the ninth inning, Castro laid down a perfectly-placed bunt an...

Bocce or bust: Special Olympics back in Glens Falls

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) - On Wednesday, a game of bocce ball was underway at City Park in downtown Glens Falls. Some players were local athletes, others city employees; and all were there for the same purpose. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Members of Special Olympics New York joined city officials at the park gazebo to talk about the 2023 Fall Games, an annual tradition of Special Olympics New York that brings as many as 1,000 athletes to town annually. The event was introduced by Jude Killar, a longtime athlete and an employee of the organization since 2019. Then and now alike, it's all about the people you meet."Going to the state Special Olympic Games as an athlete is a great experience - not just to play, but also for newer people who have just joined Special Olympics," said Killar. "I've met other players, when I played basketball, and they're really good to know and talk with. "The 2023 Fall Games kick off on Friday,...

Iconic Budweiser Clydesdales will no longer have their tails shortened

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:15 GMT

The iconic Budweiser Clydesdales will no longer have their tails shortened using a common, yet controversial, procedure that has drawn the ire of animal activists, parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev announced Wednesday.The brewer said in a statement that the change was made earlier this year, stressing that the safety of the horses was a “top priority.” The statement coincided with an announcement that it had obtained an animal welfare certification for the horses, as well as the dalmatians that serve as their companions.The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, or PETA, led protests and mounted a nationwide ad campaign, with billboards depicting the horses reading “Severed Tails: Cruelty to Clydesdales.” With the announcement that tail-docking has ceased, PETA is “cracking open some cold ones to celebrate," Senior Vice President Kathy Guillermo said in a news release. Federal agents head operation on I-270 in St. Louis County The Clydesdales, mainstays in commercials and ...