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Texas AG Ken Paxton sues Pfizer for 'misrepresenting' COVID vaccine efficacy

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:10:58 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton announced Thursday he has sued pharmaceutical giant Pfizer for "unlawfully misrepresenting" the effectiveness of the company's COVID-19 vaccine, following up on an investigation he began in May to probe their representation of the vaccine to the public.In the Attorney General's petition to a Lubbock County court, the office asserts "the COVID-19 vaccines are the miracle that wasn't." The state claims Pfizer violated the Deceptive Trade Practices Act by asserting the vaccine is "95 percent effective." Paxton claims that is misleading, citing publications from the Food and Drug Administration meant to cast doubt on the standards used to formulate that statistic."That number was only ever legitimate in a solitary, highly technical, and artificial way—it represented a calculation of the so-called 'relative risk reduction' for vaccinated individuals in Pfizer’s then-unfinished pivotal clinical trial. But FDA publications indicate “rel...

Pleasantly warm weather returns to Central Texas

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:10:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Sunshine returns to Central Texas after early morning showers. Most rain totals since midnight range from a few hundredths up to .10". Many stations from Hays and Travis Counties eastward had between .10 and .20" topped by .21" at Smithville and .20" at Rosanky, both in Bastrop County.Expect light fog to develop overnight ahead of an approaching cold front. The cold front will lower the humidity but the warm weather will be here to stay.A few of our high resolution models show the potential for rain Friday so the forecast will include a 10% chance for that possibility. The best chance of a shower or two will be south and east of Austin.Then, the weather will be dry this weekend into the middle of next week. Most temperatures will be in the lower half of the 70s from today through Tuesday.The Climate Prediction Center has Central Texas in a "normal" precipitation forecast along with a "warmer than normal" temperature outlook. The normals from December 7th to 13th are...

September hail storm caused $600 million in damage to Austin area, report says

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:10:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Severe thunderstorms hit the Austin area on Sept. 24, 2023. Large hail stones, estimated to be the size of baseballs and softballs, were reported in Williamson County as the storm moved south to Travis County. Estimated $27M in damages to Round Rock car dealerships from Sunday night hailstorm The National Weather Service office in New Braunfels has worked to come up with the estimated cost for this hail storm. The NWS said the monetary loss numbers are difficult to calculate because insurance companies are no longer sharing their numbers with the NWS. The National Centers for Environmental Information said Texas had an estimated $700 million in insured losses during the hailstorm onslaught. This was out of the $1.3 billion mentioned on their website.The NCEI said it was not able to get a county-by-county breakdown because it does not exist or it was not shared with the local NWS office. Of the $700 million in the state, the NWS determined $600 million of that loss ...

Children with a seriously ill parent get free mental health help through nonprofit

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:10:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Children in the U.S. continue to struggle with mental health issues at rapidly increasing rates. The American Medical Association says pediatric mental health represents a national emergency.The lasting effects of the pandemic, social media and limited access to mental health resources are all contributing factors, but imagine dealing with all of that while a parent is battling a serious or terminal illness. It's an unfortunate reality for some children.There is a local nonprofit that is growing its footprint nationally to help families navigate parental illness and injuries. It's called Wonders & Worries and it provides free, professional support for children and teens through a parent's illness.A family's storySimple moments like eating lunch, coloring and reading together at the Wiatrek's home, have a deeper meaning than meets the eye.To understand why, we'll have to go back to 2017."It was a really really hard time for us because we were growing a family and ...

CapMetro launching holiday 'Polar Events' series Friday

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:10:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- CapMetro is leaning into the holiday spirit this December with a series of specialty events and social media giveaways, the transit authority announced this week.CapMetro will host its Polar Events series all month long with planned music and breakfast items at transit stops, fare pass giveaways and social media contests, per a release. The transportation agency is launching the series with the unveiling of its holiday bus on Friday, while several CapMetro "elves" will make pitstops along routes to hand out passes and other goodies.CapMetro Polar Events (Courtesy: CapMetro)In total, CapMetro will distribute 600 weekly passes in December -- 500 bus passes and 100 rail passes.Those who use the hashtag #CapMetroPolarEvents and post a transit selfie on social media between Dec. 4-31 will be entered for one of three prizes:One yearlong commuter pass for bus and rail, in addition to CapMetro merchandise and free tickets to the Paramount TheaterOne 31-day commuter pass for...

DEC confirms fisher put down in Queensbury was rabid

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:10:58 GMT

QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Department of Environmental Conservation has confirmed that the fisher that bit multiple people at Hudson Pointe Nature Preserve on Wednesday was rabid. Those who were bitten should contact Warren County Public Health to determine if rabies treatments are necessary. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! “Rabies is a deadly disease, and we need to err on the side of caution when it comes to potential human exposures to rabid animals," said Ginelle Jones, Director of Health Services in Warren County. "It appears this fisher was very aggressive in its last hours, and we are concerned that people or pets may have had contact with it and not realized the gravity of the situation. They should call us to make sure that medical intervention is pursued if needed.”Warren County Public Health can be contacted at (518) 761-6580. This incident marked the only positive rabies case documented in Warren County in 2023.

St. Louis sex offender admits seeking child pornography online

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:10:58 GMT

ST. LOUIS – A St. Louis resident previously convicted of child sex crimes appeared in federal court on Thursday and admitted seeking child pornography online.Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Missouri said James Rankin, 47, admitted communicating with individuals he believed to be underage girls and requesting explicit images from them.Rankin pleaded guilty to one count of solicitation of child pornography and one count of transfer of obscene material.In January 2023, detectives with the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department in California were conducting an undercover operation into child exploitation when they encountered Rankin. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News SIGN UP NOW Rankin believed he was messaging...

Man accused of smashing MetroLink rider in the head with a rock

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:10:58 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A 19-year-old man is facing assault charges for allegedly striking a MetroLink rider in the head with a rock.The incident took place on Nov. 14 on a MetroLink train at the Union Station terminal at 400 South 18th Street, according to a probable cause statement filed by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.Police claim the suspect, identified as Joseph Davis, was on the train and began rummaging through the grocery bags of another rider, whom Davis didn't know. Tow truck operator killed in Illinois served as volunteer firefighter The victim told Davis to stop going through his bags. Davis began punching and kicking the victim.Davis eventually stopped, got up, and paced back and forth through the MetroLink train. He then walked back to the victim and smashed him in the head with a fist-sized rock.The entire assault was recorded on surveillance video. Police arrested Davis days later.The St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office charged Davis with second-degree assault ...

Creve Coeur Police Department joins the 'Duck, Duck, Jeep' trend

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:10:58 GMT

CREVE COEUR, Mo. – The Creve Coeur Police Department recently shared a photo of a Lego duck. In the accompanying post, an officer remarked, "Not a Jeep, but this did make us smile," referencing the viral trend known as "duck, duck, Jeep."The phenomenon began around 2020, with Allison Parliament claiming to have initiated it at a gas station. The trend, now dubbed "ducking Jeeps" or "duck, duck Jeep" on social media, has gained widespread popularity.The game involves taking a rubber duck, attaching a note, and placing it on a Jeep. Since its inception, the trend has spread from Canada to the United States, evolving into more elaborate displays over the past three years.The primary objective of this lighthearted trend is to bring joy to others. Jeep owners participate by leaving rubber ducks on fellow Jeep vehicles as a surprise.If you discover a duck on your Jeep, capture a photo and share it on your social media accounts with the hashtags #duckduckjeep or #duckjeep. Afterward, displ...

Opinion: Out-of-state hunters aren’t the problem. Here’s how to sustain and improve hunting in the West.

Published Mon, 23 Dec 2024 11:10:58 GMT

A disgruntled hunter wrote a Writers on the Range opinion recently about Westerners getting fed up with the many out-of-staters coming in and buying up draw licenses to shoot bull elk, deer, bear and other big game animals.As a hunter myself, I understand their frustration.But reducing non-resident tags, as Andrew Carpenter suggests, takes us in the wrong direction. The greatest threat to hunting now and in the future is the loss of habitat.Private lands provide up to 80% of the habitat for all wildlife species, including the critical winter range that’s the limiting factor for most big game populations. Yet these family farms and ranches are struggling for economic survival and in many places are under immense development pressure.According to the American Farmland Trust, Colorado is on track to lose approximately a half-million acres of open land in the next two decades. Other states have similarly alarming projections. As these lands disappear, so does the wildlife they support.I...