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North Carolina’s voter ID mandate taking effect this fall is likely dress rehearsal for 2024

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:58 GMT

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina’s voter photo identification law, enacted nearly five years ago by the Republican-controlled legislature but blocked by litigation, is just now getting implemented with local elections that wrap up next week. Statewide and county officials say carrying out the photo ID requirement has gone well during three tranches of contests that began with mail-in absentee voting in mid-August, even though they’ve had few resources with which to communicate the changes to the public. A very low percentage of ballots cast has failed to count based on the rules.The process is going well, said Mecklenburg County elections director Michael Dickerson, “much better than I expected.” Voters within North Carolina’s second-largest county are choosing leaders for Charlotte, the local school board and other municipalities.Some voter education and civil rights advocates, however, remain concerned the new process is impeding voting. “It’s crucial to understand ...

Her daughter was killed in the Robb Elementary shooting. Now she’s running for mayor of Uvalde

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:58 GMT

UVALDE, Texas (AP) — On a sticky Texas morning, Kimberly Mata-Rubio is lacing up her running shoes ahead of two races she is running in Uvalde in tribute to her daughter Lexi, who was killed in the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting.First up is a charity run honoring Lexi’s life. Then it’s back to a tougher contest: Campaigning to become mayor of Uvalde, a town still divided after one of America’s deadliest mass shootings and a botched police response that is still under investigation. “One thing I hear with all of my children, and it echoes my own belief, is that right now Lexi’s legacy is our priority and we just want to honor her with action,” Mata-Rubio said.On Tuesday, Uvalde voters will pick a new mayor for the first time since the May 2022 attack that killed 19 students and two teachers. The election is a test of how the town chooses to move forward from a tragedy that some residents are ready to put in the past while others are still demanding answers. Ac...

Israel’s fortified underground blood bank processes unprecedented amounts as troops move into Gaza

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:58 GMT

RAMLA, Israel (AP) — Hours after Hamas militants attacked southern Israel on Oct. 7, the country’s new fortified, subterranean blood bank kicked into action. Staffers moved equipment into the underground bunker and started saving lives.The Marcus National Blood Services Center in Ramla, near Tel Aviv, had been scheduled to open within days, but with more than 1,400 people in Israel killed since the Hamas raids — most killed during the initial attack — the timeline changed.“It became very clear we needed to move with the war plans because this was exactly the moment, the event it was built for,” said Dr. Eilat Shinar, director of the national blood services division of Magen David Adom — Israel’s medical emergency, disaster, ambulance and blood service.Nestled some 15 meters (50 feet) underground at its lowest level, the $135-million, 6-story, state-of-the-art facility is protected from rockets, missiles, chemical attacks and earthquakes, ensuring blood processing can con...

Ken Mattingly, astronaut who helped Apollo 13 crew return safely home, dies at age 87

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:58 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ken Mattingly, an astronaut who is best remembered for his efforts on the ground that helped bring the damaged Apollo 13 spacecraft safely back to Earth, has died, NASA announced. He was 87.“We lost one of our country’s heroes on Oct. 31,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said in a Thursday statement.Thomas Kenneth Mattingly II “was key to the success of our Apollo Program, and his shining personality will ensure he is remembered throughout history,” Nelson said.NASA didn’t mention where or how Mattingly died. However, The New York Times reported that Mattingly died in Arlington, Virginia. A former Navy pilot, Mattingly joined NASA in 1966. He helped with development of the spacesuit and backpack for the Apollo moon missions, NASA said. However, his own first spaceflight only came in 1972 when he orbited the moon as pilot of the Apollo 16 command module, while two other crew members landed on the moon’s surface.On the trip back to Earth, Mattingly ...

Texas high school football scores for Friday, Nov. 3

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Vista Ridge stuffed Round Rock's 2-point conversion late in the fourth quarter to escape with a 21-20 win and a berth in the state playoffs Friday.With their victory, Vista Ridge gets into the postseason as the No. 2 seed from the district in the 6A-Division II bracket and they'll take on Dripping Springs in the bi-district game next week. Since Vista Ridge has a smaller enrollment than Vandegrift, it pops the Vipers into the 6A-Division I bracket and a bi-district date with Lake Travis.REPORT YOUR SCORE: We'd love to post your team's score on our website, but we need your help to do it. Email the score of your game to [email protected] and we'll get it on our websiteMcNeil claimed its first playoff berth in 19 years with a 31-0 win over Cedar Ridge and they'll take on Bowie in the bi-district round next week. Round Rock will play Westlake in a 6A-Division I bi-district game. Vista Ridge, McNeil and Westwood all finished tied at 4-3 in District 25 play, and via tiebrea...

Nikola Jokic erupts to lead Nuggets past Mavericks in Denver’s in-season tournament opener

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:58 GMT

While their court cosplayed in Golden State colors, the Nuggets showed up to the in-season tournament shooting like a Steph Curry Warriors team.Denver made its first five 3-point attempts and shot 12-for-24 through three quarters to dispatch the formerly undefeated Mavericks 125-114 on Friday night, in the group stage opener of the NBA’s inaugural full-league tournament.Nikola Jokic scored 33 points on 14-of-16 shooting and crossed 4,000 career assists, though he finished one assist shy of passing Jason Kidd and LeBron James on the all-time list. In the last 50 games he has played at Ball Arena, the Nuggets are 45-5 with an average point differential of plus-10.2.The Mavericks (4-1) are one of the five lucky teams to escape Denver with a win during that stretch, and their scorching start to this season — especially beyond the arc, where they were shooting 41% before Friday night’s game — had them looking like a worthy candidate to repeat as spoilers at altitude. Es...

CSU Rams drop third straight Bronze Boot game to Wyoming

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:58 GMT

LARAMIE, Wyo. — There would be no Boise Bounce in the Battle for the Bronze Boot.Trailing by nine points and driving, momentum finally at Colorado State’s collective backs, any good mojo went kabloeey on one crazy snap. Rams quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi, who had driven the visitors to the Wyoming 24 with 3:24 left, misplayed a knuckleball from center Jacob Gardner and let it squirt five yards past him.Pokes defensive end Tyce Westland beat everybody to the loose ball and ran it back 61 yards the other way before being taken down at the CSU 3.The Rams held the hosts on four downs, but enough time came off the clock that the Pokes hung on to win a CSU heartbreaker in the Border War, 24-15.The Cowboys (6-3, 3-2 Mountain West) have won three straight Boot games and seven of the last eight showdowns between the two longtime rivals.CSU (3-6, 1-4 Mountain West) must win out — two of its remaining three games are at home, and the regular-season finale is at Hawaii o...

Nonprofit Operation Warm Wishes to host annual Thanksgiving community event

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:58 GMT

Operation Warm Wishes, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping homeless, and families and youths in need is hosting its 16th annual Unity in Community Thanksgiving Spectacular on Thanksgiving day in Tustin. homeless, troubled youths, struggling families, Veterans, and senior citizens in need throughout Orange County, CA, and the world. Taking place from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Peppertree Park, the event aims to bring the community together to celebrate the holiday season. Attendees can expect a free 3-course Thanksgiving meal and desserts, family-friendly activities, live entertainment, and additional activities and giveaways including free on-site haircuts, clothing, food bags, doggy grooming, and more. "Thanksgiving is a time to be with family, to remember the year that has passed and to be thankful for what we have been given,” said TyRon Jackson, founder of Operation Warm Wishes. “It’s also a time to extend our love and generosity to those less fortunate, the needy,...

Today in History: November 4, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin is assassinated

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:58 GMT

Today in History Today is Saturday, Nov. 4, the 308th day of 2023. There are 57 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Nov. 4, 1995, Yitzhak Rabin, prime minister of Israel, was assassinated by a right-wing Israeli minutes after attending a peace rally.On this date: In 1842, Abraham Lincoln married Mary Todd in Springfield, Illinois. In 1879, humorist Will Rogers was born in Oologah, Oklahoma. In 1922, the entrance to King Tutankhamen’s tomb was discovered in Egypt.In 1942, during World War II, Axis forces retreated from El Alamein in North Africa in a major victory for British forces commanded by Lt. Gen. Bernard Montgomery. In 1956, Soviet troops moved in to crush the Hungarian Revolution. In 1979, the Iran hostage crisis began as militants stormed the United States Embassy in Tehran, seizing its occupants; for some of the hostages, it was the start of 444 days of captivity.In 1980, Republican Ronald Reagan won the White House as he defeated President Jimmy Carter...

Ravens RT Morgan Moses doubtful to face Seahawks because of shoulder injury

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:11:58 GMT

Ravens right tackle Morgan Moses is doubtful to play against the Seattle Seahawks because of a shoulder injury that kept him from practicing all week.Moses observed Friday’s practice in warmup clothes as Patrick Mekari filled in at right tackle.“Morgan can play without practicing, there’s no doubt about it,” coach John Harbaugh said. “We just have to see how it feels. He wanted to practice today, [but] we just nixed that. That’s the kind of guy Morgan is, he’s old school. He wants to get out there.”Moses had played in 134 consecutive games before he missed the Ravens’ loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers earlier this season.Safety Marcus Williams, who missed the past two games because of a hamstring injury, and cornerback Rock Ya-Sin, who missed two practices because of illness, were also listed as questionable on the team’s final injury report of the week. Harbaugh said a decision on Williams’ status will likely come down...