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Eminent domain case involving Georgia railroad could have widespread property law implications

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:12:17 GMT

ATLANTA (AP) — A hearing began Monday in an eminent domain battle that involves one of rural Georgia’s poorest areas but could have implications for property law across the state and nation.At stake is determining whether a railroad can legally condemn property to build a rail line 4.5 miles (7.3 kilometers) long that would serve a rock quarry and possibly other industries.A hearing officer will take up to three days of testimony before making a recommendation to the Georgia Public Service Commission’s five elected members, who will ultimately decide.The line would be built by the Sandersville Railroad, which is owned by an influential Georgia family. It would connect to the CSX railroad at Sparta, allowing products to be shipped widely. Sparta is about 85 miles (135 kilometers) southeast of Atlanta.People in the rural neighborhood don’t want a train track passing through or near their property, in part because they think it would enable expansion at a quarry owned...

DIA saw half of the expected travelers during Thanksgiving week

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:12:17 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Denver International Airport was anticipating a busy holiday season, but numbers from Thanksgiving week dipped significantly lower than expected.The Transportation Security Administration said this holiday season was expected to be their busiest ever. Within the year, TSA has recorded seven of the top 10 busiest travel days in TSA history.  Denver International Airport prepares for busy holiday travel week With DIA being the third busiest airport in the world, Denver was ready for a crowd of people going through the airport for the holiday.DIA said more than 785,000 passengers were expected to travel through TSA checkpoints from Nov. 17 through Nov. 27, a 13% increase from this time last year.But come Thanksgiving week, the airport was quieter than usual.DIA shared the expected and actual number of passengers that traveled through TSA checkpoints.Wednesday, Nov. 22Forecast: 270,000Actual: 76,359Thursday, Nov. 23Forecast: 162,000Actual: 36,645Friday, Nov. 24Forecast...

When do Coloradans hang Christmas lights?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:12:17 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Now that Thanksgiving is over, it's time to start thinking about the next holiday. Even though there might still be Thanksgiving leftovers in the fridge, a new study shows that Coloradans are already decorating for Christmas. Today's Homeowner surveyed 3,000 Americans about their holiday decorating preferences. List: Christmas light displays around Denver metro The days between Thanksgiving and Dec. 1 are the time to decorate, according to the survey. Results showed that 40% of decorators plan to put up lights during this week, and the majority of Americans agree it’s the most acceptable time to decorate. While many Americans put up house lights in late November after Thanksgiving, Coloradans put them up even earlier, according to the study.Whether it's because of the darker days or the holiday spirit, in Colorado, holiday lights are up before Thanksgiving.While Colorado is in the minority of states that hang lights up before Thanksgiving, the state isn't the only...

Tesla wins court backing in suit over blocked license plates in Sweden

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:12:17 GMT

Tesla won the backing of a Swedish court on Monday in the electric-car company’s lawsuit to unblock access to license plates for its vehicles in the Scandinavian country.The Norrkoping district court ruled that the Swedish Transport Agency must get the license plates to Tesla within seven days or face a fine of 1 million kronor ($95,383), Swedish media reported. Delivery of the plates is being blocked by industrial action by postal workers, according to the reports.The U.S.-based company charges that the blockage of access to license plates for new vehicles “constitutes an unlawful discriminatory attack directed at Tesla,” according to the reports.The transport authority denied the charges. “We at the Swedish Transport Agency do not share this view that the agency was blocking the distribution of license plates,” an agency spokesperson told the Associated Press. Workers at the state-run PostNord postal service on Nov. 20 joined an industrial action aimed at forcing Tesla to s...

Israel-Hamas truce extended by 2 days, Qatar says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:12:17 GMT

Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas agreed to extend the temporary cease-fire in Gaza by two days, a spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry said Monday.“The State of Qatar announces, as part of the ongoing mediation, an agreement has been reached to extend the humanitarian truce for an additional two days in the Gaza Strip,” Majed Al Ansari, spokesperson for Qatar’s foreign ministry, said on X, formerly Twitter.At a White House press briefing on Monday, National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said “we welcome the announcement” of the two-day extension and announced the arrival of the “biggest humanitarian convoy” to Gaza since the October 7 attack. On Saturday, 187 aid trucks had made it into Gaza, according to the U.N., sending desperately needed food, water and fuel to more than 2 million Palestinians who are under an Israeli government imposed “complete siege” since the Hamas attack.Kirby said fewer than 10 American cit...

Mike Preston: For Ravens offense to be more consistent, the answer is clear: Run the ball. | COMMENTARY

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:12:17 GMT

The Ravens’ new identity should be the same as the old one.They need to build around their running game, and it was never more evident than Sunday night after a 20-10 win over the Los Angeles Chargers at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.The Ravens brought in new offensive coordinator Todd Monken in February to replace Greg Roman, and he was expected to give the unit a face-lift for the 2023 season. Check. But as the Ravens enter December as the No. 1 seed in the AFC and are eyeing a first-round bye and home-field advantage in the postseason, they need to find out what they do the best and build around it.That’s run the football.The Ravens brought in established wide receivers such as Odell Beckham Jr. and Nelson Agholor during the offseason and then drafted Zay Flowers in the first round in April to jazz up the offense, but their most dependable weapons are running backs Gus Edwards, Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell and quarterback Lamar Jackson.I’m not talkin...

Israel and Hamas agree to extend truce for two more days, and to free more hostages and prisoners

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:12:17 GMT

By TIA GOLDENBERG and SAMY MAGDY (Associated Press)TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel and Hamas agreed to extend their cease-fire for two more days past Monday, the Qatari government said, bringing the prospect of a longer halt to their deadliest and most destructive war and further exchanges of militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel.The announcement, made by Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majid Al Ansary in a post on X, came on the final day of the original four-day truce between the warring sides. A fourth swap of hostages for prisoners under that deal was expected later Monday.Israel has said it would extend the cease-fire by one day for every 10 additional hostages released. After the announcement by Qatar — a key mediator in the conflict, along with the United States and Egypt — Hamas confirmed it had agreed to a two-day extension “under the same terms.” Hamas has been designated as a terrorist organization by the United States, Canada and the European Unio...

Texas governor skydives for first time alongside 106-year-old World War II veteran

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:12:17 GMT

FENTRESS, Texas (AP) — Add this to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott ‘s high ambitions: Parachuting from a plane. The three-term Republican governor skydived Monday for the first time, completing a tandem jump from about 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) above the suburbs between Austin and San Antonio. He was joined on the plane by 106-year-old World War II veteran Al Blaschke, who jumped separately.Blaschke is a previous Guinness World Records title holder for oldest tandem skydive. Last month, a 104-year-old Chicago woman skydived in an effort to become the new record holder. She died a week after her jump. Abbott said skydiving has crossed his mind before. “The most shocking sensation is when you immediately exit the plane, and you’re just in freefall,” Abbott told reporters after landing.Abbott, 66, uses a wheelchair and has been paralyzed from the waist down since a tree fell on him as a young law school student. He joked to reporters after the jump that his biggest fear was realized...

Alberta government expected to reveal sovereignty act plans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:12:17 GMT

EDMONTON — Alberta Premier Danielle Smith is expected to reveal plans for invoking her government’s sovereignty act.A motion is to be tabled in the legislature today.Smith said Saturday during her provincewide radio call-in program that people will get to “see the architecture” of how the sovereignty act would be used.The act, which the government says allows the province to reject federal laws or regulations when it thinks they cause harm to Alberta, was passed by the United Conservative Party government last year.Smith said on the radio show that she’s “had it” with federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault over clean energy regulations. She said Alberta won’t put electricity providers at risk of going to jail if they don’t meet what she called Ottawa’s “unachievable” targets.This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2023.  The Canadian Press

Google will start deleting ‘inactive’ accounts in December. Here’s what you need to know

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 19:12:17 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Have a Google account you haven’t used in a while? If you want to keep it from disappearing, you should sign in before the end of the week.Under Google’s updated inactive account policy, which the tech giant announced back in May, accounts that haven’t been used in at least two years could be deleted. Accounts deemed inactive could be erased beginning Friday.If you have an account that’s deemed “inactive” and at risk for deletion, you should receive notices from Google sent to the email affiliated with that account and its recovery address (if one exits). But if you’re still catching up on this new policy — and want to ensure that your content on Google Drive, Docs, Gmail and more is saved — here’s what you need to know.WHY IS GOOGLE DELETING INACTIVE ACCOUNTS?In May’s announcement, Google credited its inactive account update to security issues.Accounts that haven’t been used for a long time are more likely to be compromised, the c...