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Which school supplies aren't eligible for Texas' tax-free weekend?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

TEXAS (NEXSTAR) — It's back to school time once again and that means Texas' Sales Tax Holiday — also known as Tax-Free Weekend. While the break from sales tax is helpful for families buying school supplies, not every item on your lists may be eligible for tax-free sale.While school supply lists differ by school, we combed through lists from several Texas districts to find some commonly asked-for items that don't qualify to be tax-free this weekend, even if they are for school use. Which school supplies are included in Texas’ sales tax holiday? Potential school supplies that are not eligible for Texas' Sales Tax Holiday are:Facial tissuesDisinfectant hand wipesHand sanitizerCombination locksHeadphonesPaper towelsPlastic bagsNap matsPlay-Doh/other brand modeling compoundsSleeping bagsPer the Texas Comptroller, only qualifying items purchased during the sales tax holiday are eligible for tax-free status. School items purchased either before or after aren't eligible for reimbursement ...

F.D. Flam: COVID’s summer resurgence resists easy answers

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

Is the current rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations really the result of people moving indoors to enjoy air conditioning? Experts and journalists often make this assumption when they’re quoted in the media about the virus’s small summer “waves” or “surges” (which, this year, are really more like a small uptick). Similarly, when there’s a winter surge, it’s usually attributed to people flocking inside to escape the cold.But whether it’s summer or winter, the explanation falls flat. Because regardless of the season, humans are generally an indoor species. And the virus is still evolving new ways to get around our immunity, most recently spinning off a new omicron subvariant called EG.5.While there’s good evidence that the virus spreads more easily indoors, there’s very little evidence that people are spending much more time indoors now than they were in the spring. Nor is there much evidence that most people ever spend eno...

Working Strategies: So far, technology has advanced us only so far

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

Amy LindgrenSecond Sunday Series — This is the last of 12 columns on work and disability appearing over 12 months — one on each second Sunday of the month, from September through August. Previous columns discussed self-employment; becoming unexpectedly disabled; whether to work with a disability, the subminimum wage, promotions for workers with disabilities, higher education decisions, self-advocating, career tips for family caretakers, testing limits as a worker with disabilities, the dilemma of revealing disabilities during job search, and overall concepts of disability in the workplace. Can you guess who some of the most tech-savvy people in the United States might be? I don’t have statistics, but I’m confident in my guess that individuals with disabilities would lead the pack.I say that despite surveys that show this group reporting lower usage of the internet, computers and smartphones than those without disabilities. These are just some types of technology, after a...

Cohoes Police investigating homicide

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

COHOES, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Cohoes Police Department is investigating a fatal shooting that took place on August 11. The victim, Shieer Leggett, of Albany, succumbed to injuries sustained in the incident, according to police. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! On Friday night at 10:38 p.m., police responded to the area of Main Street and Schuyler Street following reports of a shooting. Upon arrival, officers located Leggett, who had suffered life-threatening injuries. Police immediately rendered first-aid to Leggett. He was then transported to Albany Medical Center, where he was later pronounced deceased. Man arrested in connection to 2016 Schenectady murder The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call Cohoes Police at (518)233-2146.

Broncos Journal: A telling quote from Sean Payton says all you need to know about a couple of offensive role players

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

Sometimes Sean Payton is willing to give a message to a player that comes with a little honeyOther times there’s no room for sweetener.“We’ll never take the stinger out of them being confident,” Payton said recently. “… Players by and large want to know how they can improve.They want that information, and it’s our responsibility as a coach to give it to them.“Sometimes the message is with a little sugar and sometimes, it’s just what it is.”Broncos fans want information, too, and insight into the team they root for. As reporters get to know Payton and ask him in some way, shape or form about nearly every player on the roster over the course of the offseason, patterns start to develop.Everybody has their own way of describing things. Of saying things without saying them. Or maybe of saying the thing very bluntly.Payton’s no different, and his words can guide some level of understanding about how he views certain players and positions as mid-August approaches.Payton saying “this is an ...

1 killed, 2 hospitalized after car crashes into home in South Pasadena 

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

A person died and two others were hospitalized after a car lost control and slammed into a home in South Pasadena. According to police, the crash occurred in the 300 block of Orange Grove Avenue near Columbia Street shortly before 2 a.m. Saturday morning. The car contained three occupants; one passenger was pronounced deceased at the scene, while the driver and the other passenger were hospitalized in critical condition. Preliminary investigation indicated that the driver was driving nearly 100 miles per hour when he lost control of his car, causing him to crash into several small trees, signposts and bushes and eventually through the home’s garage door.According to police, the crash occurred in the 300 block of Orange Grove Avenue near Columbia Street shortly before 2 a.m. on Saturday, August 12, 2023. (RMGNews)According to police, the crash occurred in the 300 block of Orange Grove Avenue near Columbia Street shortly before 2 a.m. on Saturday, August 12, 2023. (RMGN...

Marine at Camp Pendleton charged with sexual assault of a minor  

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

A Marine has been charged with sexual assault of a minor after a 14-year-old girl was found in the military barracks of a Southern California Marine Corps base. According to a statement from U.S. Marine officials, a preliminary hearing has been scheduled for Thursday for the unidentified Marine at Camp Pendleton, located about 40 miles north of San Diego. “Military prosecutors have charged the Marine with allegations of sexual assault of a minor and violating liberty restriction from a prior unrelated case,” the statement said. “After the preliminary hearing, the command will review all charges and evidence to determine whether the case should be tried by court-martial.”  14-year-old girl found in barracks at Camp Pendleton: What we know The 14-year-old girl was discovered in the barracks on June 28. The girl’s grandmother reported her missing on June 13, telling authorities that she had run away from home four days earlier. The girl’s aunt, however, claimed in a series ...

Three people wounded in East Oakland shootings

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

OAKLAND — Three people  were wounded in two shootings that happened within two hours Saturday morning in different areas of East Oakland, authorities said.The shootings  are not related, authorities said.About 1:49 a.m. Saturday a woman and a man, both 26-year-old San Francisco residents, were shot in the 1400 block of 80th Avenue, police said.  They were both taken to a hospital and their conditions were not immediately available.Authorities said the two had come to the East Oakland location to hang out with some other people.  They were in a group standing outside when two people began shooting at the group from the 1300 block of 80th Avenue, authorities said.The two 26-year-olds were the only ones hit by the gunfire, which prompted a gunshot detection system to activate. Some parked vehicles were also hit by the gunfire, police said.The shooters fled before police got to the scene.  A motive for the shooting is under investigation and police are trying to determine if the p...

Cinequest film festival is back and adding a new Bay Area venue

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

Part of the fun of Cinequest, Silicon Valley’s film festival, always has been the party scene where fans mingle with each other — and often with filmmakers and performers — to talk about what they’ve seen at the festival. After two years of virtual festivals and a cautious return to in-person last year, Cinequest co-founder and Festival Director Halfdan Hussey is excited to bring people back together.“It’s going to be fun and different,” Hussey said, noting that people have just been drained by the COVID-19 pandemic, social unrest here at home and wars overseas. “Last year, people weren’t ready to come out as much. But it doesn’t look like that now. It’s going to be fun to get people together.”This year’s festival opens Aug. 15 with Jennifer Esposito’s debut directorial film, “Fresh Kills” at the California Theatre. And that’ll be followed by the return of the opening night party in...

Luka Doncic held out of Slovenia-US exhibition game ahead of World Cup

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:31:48 GMT

MALAGA, Spain (AP) — All-NBA guard Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks is off Slovenia’s active roster for Saturday’s exhibition game against the U.S. for what his team called precautionary reasons.It was the second game in a back-to-back for Slovenia, which lost 99-79 to Spain in an exhibition on Friday. Doncic had 17 points in that game, and had two triple-doubles in his first three appearances with the national team this summer while tuning up for the World Cup that begins later this month.Doncic was sidelined early in Friday’s game, though returned in the second half after the brief injury scare. In a statement, Slovenia said it does “not want to leave anything to chance” before traveling to Japan to continue World Cup preparations.Slovenia — ranked No. 7 in the world by FIBA, the sport’s global governing body — is seeking its first World Cup medal. With Doncic leading the way, Slovenia finished fourth at the Tokyo Olympics two years ago; he averaged 23.8...