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B.C. ranchers struggle as drought sends hay prices soaring

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:13 GMT

British Columbia rancher Suzanne Fradette had just got off the phone with a hay broker who had grim news amid an ongoing drought that has sent feed prices soaring: “It’s bad out there.”“We’ve got a fairly small herd, like 140 head, but we are thinking it’s going to be about $100,000 this year for hay,” said Fradette. That’s a 30-per-cent jump compared to recent years, and a painful price for a relatively small ranch. Fradette runs the Back Valley Ranch ranch with partner Jerry Steves in the Deadmans’ area between Savona and Cache Creek, about 350 kilometres northeast of Vancouver.Fradette said they are just “keeping their heads above water,” getting by one day at a time. Feeding their herd costs about $700 per day. Fradette and Steves aren’t alone in their plight, with drought conditions pushing up feed prices across much of the country. Agriculture Canada’s most recent drought monitor report says 76 per c...

Three found dead at campsite were members of Colorado Springs family who planned to live ‘off grid’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:13 GMT

The decomposed and partially mummified bodies of three people who were recently found at a remote western Colorado campsite were two adult sisters and one woman’s 14-year-old son, Gunnison County Coroner Michael Barnes said.The deceased are Christine Vance, 41; Rebecca Vance, 42, and Rebecca’s son, all from Colorado Springs. Two were found in a tent down the road from a campsite in the Gunnison National Forest about nine miles (14.5 kilometers) from Ohio City, Colorado, Gunnison County Coroner Michael Barnes said in an interview Tuesday. Officials have not named the son because he is a minor.Their bodies showed signs of malnourishment, with two in the tent and one outside. Though a cause of death has yet to be determined while authorities wait for toxicology reports to be processed, the group may have succumbed to starvation, freezing temperatures or carbon monoxide poisoning from trying to make fire to stay warm, Barnes said.The three likely started camping in July 2022...

House Republicans plan to hold Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg in contempt of Congress

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:13 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican chairman of the House Judiciary Committee is threatening to hold Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg in contempt of Congress for failing to supply documents related to an investigation into supposed censorship by tech companies of conservatives.Rep. Jim Jordan, chair of the Judiciary Committee, said the panel plans to hold a hearing Thursday to vote on a contempt report detailing how Zuckerberg has “willfully refused” to comply with a February subpoena. The measure is likely to pass the GOP-controlled committee. It would then be up to House Speaker Kevin McCarthy to hold a full House vote on the contempt resolution as early as this fall, after the August recess. If the House were to hold Zuckerberg in contempt, the Justice Department would decide whether to prosecute him.Andy Stone, a spokesperson for Meta, said the company has delivered more than 50,000 pages of both internal and external documents to the committee since February. He added that they also have ...

August concert calendar: 10 of the best Chicago shows

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:13 GMT

CHICAGO — It's been a massive summer for live music in Chicago and it's not slowing down next month with Lollapalooza and an assortment of great shows.Let's take a look at ten of the best below, starting with the iconic festival in Grant Park.8/3-8/6 — LollapaloozaOriginally beginning as a touring festival in 1991 from the brain of Jane's Addiction frontman Perry Farrell, Lollapalooza found a permanent home in Grant Park beginning in 2005.Gradually moving from more rock acts to pop over the years, the fest brings in heavy hitting headliners Billie Eilish, Karol G, Kendrick Lamar, The 1975, Odesza, Tomorrow X Together, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Lana Del Ray. Lollapalooza 2023: What to know before you go If the large crowds aren't your thing, several awesome aftershows are taking place.Listen in: No Time Die by Billie EilishSAO PAULO, BRAZIL - MARCH 24: Billie Eilish performs live on stage during day one of Lollapalooza Brazil at Autodromo de Interlagos on March 24, 2023 in Sao Paul...

What to know about the first 2023 Cubs-White Sox City Series

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:13 GMT

CHICAGO — It's that time of year when Chicago's two Major League Baseball franchises meet on the field to earn some city bragging rights.Once again, it will feature a pair of two-game sets, with the first on the south side starting this evening.The White Sox will play host to the first City Series of 2023 at Guaranteed Rate Field as they'll face the Cubs on Tuesday and Wednesday at 7:10 p.m. Here are a few things to know before the teams match up this week.(Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images)Where things stand in the City SeriesSince the regular season series began in 1997, the White Sox hold a 73-65 advantage in the head-to-head match-ups with the Cubs. That includes winning the season series the last two years, taking 5-of-6 in 2021 and then 3-of-4 in 2022. The north siders last won the City Series back in 2018 after the teams tied in 2019 and 2020.Here are the pitching matchups for this week.Tuesday - Kyle Hendricks (Cubs) vs Michael Kopech (White Sox)Wednesday - Marcus Stroman (...

Bipartisan efforts aim to ban stock trading in Congress

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:13 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle are coming together to try to ban members of Congress from trading stocks. They argue the practice itself creates a conflict of interest.Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand of New York and Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri are teaming up to ban stock trading at the highest levels of the federal government."Members of Congress and senior members of the executive branch officials should be serving the American people, not lining their pockets,” said Gillibrand."This is long overdue,” said Hawley.The bill would only allow officials and their family members to own broad-based mutual funds. Hawley said lawmakers and other federal officials have early access to valuable information that might affect stock prices."It may not technically be inside trading legally, but it's still an incredible advantage to get the kind of information and then make millions of dollars on that,” said Hawley.Gillibrand helped pass the 2012 STOCK...

Austin's 18-day streak of consecutive 100° days is the 7th-longest in recorded history

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:13 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin is currently experiencing one of the longest stretches of triple-digit heat in recorded history.Camp Mabry, Austin's official weather reporting site, has reached 100° or hotter every day since July 8.That means, as of Tuesday, temperatures have reached the century mark for 18 days in a row. With records dating back to the 1890s, that ties as the seventh-longest stretch of triple-digit temperatures ever recorded in Austin. MORE HEAT RECORDS: What is Austin's hottest month ever? The KXAN First Warning Weather team is currently forecasting at least seven more days at or above 100°, which would extend the streak to 25 days, the second-longest of all time. How often does Austin hit 100°? Here’s a breakdown by date, month, year and decade The record streak currently stands at 27 days, set between July 17 and Aug. 12, 2011. That summer went on to have a record-breaking 90 days of triple-digit heat.

Paxton lawyers call for more specifics in 'vague, threadbare' impeachment charges

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:13 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- Lawyers for suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton asked the Senate Court of Impeachment on Tuesday to compel prosecutors to provide more details corroborating their accusations against Paxton. They accuse the House Board of Managers of presenting their case in "vague, threadbare Articles of Impeachment." Team Paxton asks Democrat senators be removed from impeachment jury "The Articles themselves raised more questions than they answered," Paxton's legal counsel wrote. "There are few names, no dates, and none of the details that Texas law requires in a charging instrument."Lawyers explain Paxton needs to know the exact charges against him to properly prepare for trial, and they argue the Articles of Impeachment are too broad to be useful. They requested the court grant a "bill of particulars," a legal move to require the prosecutors to expand upon the specific accusations they will bring into the trial.The 20 Articles of Impeachment approved by the House of...

Texas QB Arch Manning's first NIL deal will benefit charity via trading card auction

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:13 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Before he takes an official snap in burnt orange, Texas freshman quarterback Arch Manning will make his mark on the community through his first name, image, likeness (NIL) deal.Manning landed his first NIL deal with the Longhorns with trading card company Panini America, and it's not a typical deal.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersTexas quarterback Arch Manning at practicePanini America will auction off a single autographed card of Manning on its website from July 25-29, and all of the money will go to St. David's Healthcare and the St. David's Foundation.The auction began at 10 a.m. CT, July 25, and as of 3 p.m., the auction had 25 bids with a top bid of $40,000.Arch's grandfather, former NFL quarterback Archie Manning, told Arch that he couldn't take any NIL money until he was the starting quarterback. Head coach Steve Sarkisian told that story to an a...

2 involved in Austin fentanyl distribution sentenced to federal prison

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:39:13 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Two men from the Austin area were sentenced Monday in federal court in Austin to more than seven years in prison for their involvement in a fentanyl distribution organization, according to a news release from the Department of Justice.Christopher Brock, 25, of Pflugerville, and Marcos Roberto Garcia aka "Alex," 20, of Somerton, Arizona, were arrested with other organization members on Jan. 4, 2022, on charges of distributing fentanyl in the Austin area, according to court documents. According to officials, Garcia was identified as the main source of the supply, purchasing the pills from Mexico and, with the help of co-conspirators, orchestrating their shipment from Arizona to Austin via the U.S. Postal Service. Agents began investigating the organization in March 2021, in response to fentanyl overdoses in and around Austin, the release said. ‘It can and has destroyed families’: Travis County fentanyl deaths more than double between 2021, 2022 On Monday, Brock was s...