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HHSC tackles Medicaid, SNAP backlog with '6 Days of Merry Service' OT raffle

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:48:06 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- With many low-income and vulnerable Texans waiting months to get Medicaid and federal food assistance, state officials are now encouraging employees to work 15 hours or more in overtime this week with a "Holiday Blitz(en)" dubbed the "6 Days of Merry Service Challenge," according to an internal memo provided to KXAN."I don't know whether to call it a joke or a desperation tactic," said U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, whose office obtained the letter.The holiday overtime drive comes weeks after officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture met with leaders from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission for a "technical assistance visit" to talk about reducing the backlog for federal food benefit through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). HHSC whistleblower employees say people are waiting around 200 days for help many consider a lifeline.Right now, it's taking "around 120" days for applications just to get looked at, according to the memo. ...

Appeals court temporarily stops feds from cutting Texas' border razor wire

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:48:06 GMT

McALLEN, Texas (Border Report) -- The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans on Monday granted a temporary administrative stay in response to Texas' request to stop U.S. Border Patrol and other federal border agents from cutting and removing the state's border barriers along the Rio Grande. Death, Denial, and a Region Under Siege — Part One The three judges ruled unanimously, and the federal government has until Friday evening to appeal, according to the order.In response to Monday's administrative order, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said, “This is an important step supporting Texas’s right to protect our citizens from Biden’s doctrine of open borders at any cost.” “I am pleased the court recognized the extent of the federal government’s blatant and disturbing efforts to subvert law and order at our state’s border with Mexico,” Paxton said in a statement.Miles of concertina wire, and shipping containers, have been put on the Rio Grande by the State of Texas in Eagle...

Twins in ‘early feeling-out phase’ at Winter Meetings

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:48:06 GMT

NASHVILLE — The Boston Red Sox hired away Justin Willard, the Twins’ pitching coordinator, marking the biggest news for the Twins on a slow-moving first day of baseball’s Winter Meetings.Neither the trade nor free-agency markets have picked up much this offseason, leading to a relatively quiet day for the Twins on Monday.The Twins have yet to add a major-league player to their roster this offseason, though they have lost some — free-agent pitchers Sonny Gray, Kenta Maeda and Emilio Pagán have already signed elsewhere — but when they do, it’s very possible that their most impactful acquisitions come via trade rather than free agency.“It’s probably the market we’ve always been pretty active in,” Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said. “… Obviously we made some significant trades last year. I think it’s always going to be a factor for us. Ultimately a little different than maybe some of the free agents this year, for sure.”The Twins have a number of needs to add...

Byron Buxton healing well, Twins optimistic about his return to center field

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:48:06 GMT

NASHVILLE — Byron Buxton made his way to the Twin Cities last week for an important check-up, seven weeks out from a surgical procedure to excise the plica in his troublesome right knee. Dr. Christopher Camp was there, as was Twins head athletic trainer Nick Paparesta and major-league strength and conditioning coach Aaron Rhodes.Their thoughts?“They felt like he was moving around about as well as they had seen him move around in a long time, which was great,” Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said. “He was doing some things that he couldn’t really do last year at different times in terms of how he was moving.”Indeed, the news on the star center fielder — and yes, the Twins are expecting Buxton to play his natural position again come next season — sounded about as positive as it could be at this time of year.Camp, Falvey said, told Buxton that he was fully cleared from the surgery — his second in as many years on the right knee — and was ready to move on to the next...

Woman killed in Sunday night rollover crash on I-35W in Burnsville

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:48:06 GMT

A 55-year-old woman was killed Sunday night when the Toyota Highlander she was driving veered off Interstate 35W in Burnsville and rolled over, Minnesota State Patrol said.According to the State Patrol, shortly after 7 p.m. Sunday, Leslie Ann Fitzgerald Doll’s Highlander went off southbound I-35W at Southcross Drive in Burnsville. The SUV rolled down an embankment and came to a stop upside down.Doll was pronounced dead at the scene.Her hometown wasn’t immediately reported by the State Patrol. The crash remains under investigation.Related ArticlesCrime & Public Safety | Roseau pair stole electricity to run bitcoin farm, suit alleges Crime & Public Safety | Motorist killed in St. Paul crash, 2 injured following brief State Patrol pursuit on I-94 Crime & Public Safety | Copper thefts darken St. Paul streets … and now also hamper telephone service Crime & Public Safety | Mahtomedi hockey player ...

Catholic Central volleyball honors player who died while on vacation

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:48:06 GMT

LANSINGBURGH, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Troy teenager who died while swimming at the beach in Florida was honored Monday night at her high school's volleyball game. Danielle Marceline died in December 2022 while her family was on vacation. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Marceline's school, Catholic Central, retired her jersey number at their game against Lansingburgh. Money raised from Monday's event also went to the scholarship fund in her honor.

Lawmakers, health officials discuss healthcare worker shortage

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:48:06 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Lawmakers and healthcare leaders gathered at the New York State Capitol on Monday to discuss the shortage of workers in Upstate New York hospitals. Officials said hospitals are having to pay more for staff as the vacancy rates of jobs in their sector are continuing to rise.They said over 64 percent of all hospitals in Upstate New York are reporting negative operating margins. Lawmakers said they have tried to help hospitals by changing laws to traveling nurse programs as well as raises in Medicare funding for hospitals. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Those who work in hospitals say more needs to be done."Along with staffing rising costs have affected all of us," Albany Medical Center CEO Dr. Dennis McKenna said. "Just as it costs more to go to the grocery store or to make repairs on your home, it costs more today to operate a healthcare organization."Officials also said key areas they are focusing on i...

Man accused of attacking hotel staffers in Franklin County

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:48:06 GMT

FRANKLIN COUNTY, Mo. - A St. Louis man is accused of attacking motel employees and fleeing police when confronted by officers.According to Chief Michael Wirt, St. Clair Police Department, officers were dispatched to the Super 8 Motel in the 1000 block of South Outer Road at noon on Dec. 3 for a reported disturbance.When officers walked in the lobby, they met with a customer, later identified as Louis Finocchio.Wirt said police noticed Finocchio, 37, seemed agitated and that his hands were swollen and bloodied. When asked about the blood, Finocchio claimed to have cut his foot.Finocchio sprinted from the lobby when officers told him they planned on detaining him. Officers fired department-issued Taser devices at Finocchio, to no effect. Franklin County deputies helped St. Clair police search the area and locate Finocchio.Meanwhile, police found two victims on the second floor of the motel. They were identified as a 56-year-old woman and a 60-year-old man. Both had suffered life-threa...

Keeler: Deion Sanders, CU Buffs can do so much better than Pat Shurmur calling plays in 2024

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:48:06 GMT

The only way Pat Shurmur reaches the College Football Playoff next winter is if a pal buys him a ticket.Deion Sanders? Shedeur Sanders? Travis Hunter? The Buffs should be beating prospective offensive play-callers off with a stick. Not sticking Shedeur with another season of Pencil Pat pushing the buttons.Yet when USA Today asked Coach Prime Monday if Shurmur, who put Teddy Bridgewater in the hospital and Drew Lock in purgatory, would return as CU’s offensive coordinator, this was Sanders’ reply:“Yeah,” Coach Prime said, “most likely.”Lordy, the man’s interviews for the “Coach Prime” TV show that debuts later this week must be pure gold. Because his offenses are anything but.Sanders took the keys from Sean Lewis and handed them to Shurmur around Halloween. CU hasn’t won a game since.Only three Pac-12 teams scored fewer points than the Buffs did — 20.25 per game — after Nov. 1. And Stanford, Arizona State and UCLA still averaged 2...

Teen missing from Durango since Sunday

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:48:06 GMT

A 15-year-old boy has been missing from Durango since Sunday night, according to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.Braydon Ray Belt was last seen at the Walgreens in the 2700 block of Main Avenue at 6 p.m. Sunday, the agency posted in a Missing Indigenous Person Alert.Braydon Ray Belt was last seen in Durango on Sunday, Dec. 3, 2023. (Colorado Bureau of Investigation)Braydon is believed to be with a girl, according to the agency.He is described as 5 feet, 9 inches tall; 120 pounds; with brown hair and brown eyes. Braydon is Indigenous and affiliated with the Navajo Nation, according to CBI.He was last seen wearing a black hoodie, grey sweatpants, white socks and black flip-flops.If seen, call 911 or the Durango Police Department at 970-385-2900.Get more Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter.