House Speaker will send Mayorkas impeachment to the Senate next month

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson on Thursday indicated he will send articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas to the Senate shortly after Congress returns to Washington next month.

The Republican speaker said he would send the two articles on April 10. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer plans to swear in senators as jurors in the trial the next day, according to his office. The House impeached Mayorkas on a razor-thin party-line vote in February, but Johnson had delayed sending the articles of impeachment to the Senate while Congress addressed funding for the government.

Impeachment for Mayorkas, who would be the first Cabinet secretary to receive the punishment in nearly 150 years, is expected to quickly fizzle in the Democratic-controlled Senate. Republicans took the action against Mayorkas to rebuke his handling of the nation’s southern border, but critics, including a few Republicans, say the House did not demonstrate that the Cabinet secretary’s actions reached the Constitution’s bar of high crimes and misdemeanors.

“House Republicans failed to present any evidence of anything resembling an impeachable offense,” Schumer said after the House acted.

But Johnson argued in a statement that Mayorkas has “violated the public trust and willfully refused to follow federal immigration laws.”

“He deserves to be impeached and the American people demand that those responsible for the border crisis be held accountable,” Johnson said.

Still, some GOP senators have expressed skepticism about the House argument, and a conviction is highly unlikely. Two-thirds of the Senate would have to vote to convict as opposed to the simple majority needed to impeach in the House. That means all Republicans as well as a substantial number of Democrats would have to vote to convict Mayorkas.

However, a comprehensive trial would allow Republicans to continue to hammer on the Biden administration’s immigration policies. Johnson urged Schumer to hold “a full public trial” to show he cared about “ending the devastation caused by Biden’s border catastrophe.”

Dashcam video shows deadly Texas school bus crash

AUSTIN (AP) — Dash camera video released Thursday by a Texas school district shows the moment a cement truck veered into oncoming traffic, hitting a school bus carrying more than 40 pre-K students returning from a zoo field trip.

The deadly collision on March 22 sends the bus rolling over on a rural highway outside Austin. The video released by the Hays Consolidated Independent School District shows papers from the bus strewn across the road and other drivers leaving their cars to race toward the bus.

A 5-year-old boy aboard the bus and a driver in another vehicle were killed. Others aboard the bus were airlifted to hospitals or transported by ambulances.

Eleven adults were also aboard the bus.

The crash remains under investigation. Authorities have not said how fast the vehicles were traveling.

Soto throws out tying run at plate in 9th inning of Yankees’ debut, 5-4 win over Astros

HOUSTON (AP) — Long lauded for his prowess at the plate, Juan Soto wowed on defense Thursday in his New York Yankees debut.

Soto threw out the potential tying run at the plate in the ninth inning after starting New York’s comeback from a four-run deficit in a season-opening 5-4 win over the Houston Astros.

“That was a Yankee classic right there,” New York captain Aaron Judge said. “Juan’s debut, that was pretty special out of him. Come up, get his first hit, first at-bat, he takes a walk. Then come up there and, biggest moment of the game and just be cool, calm and collected and deliver a strike home.”

Oswaldo Cabrera homered and Judge doubled and scored the go-ahead run in the seventh inning as the Yankees went ahead.

Mauricio DubĂłn and Yordan Alvarez singled off Clay Holmes to give the Astros two on with one out in the ninth.

Kyle Tucker lined a single to right and Soto, an All-Star acquired from San Diego in a December trade, made a one-hop 87.6 mph throw slightly up the third-base line. Catcher Jose Trevino made a sweep tag and caught DubĂłn’s left arm just before the runner’s finger touched the plate. Umpire James Hoye’s call was upheld in a video review.

“I just prepare before that happens,” Soto said. “My mindset was just try to make a great throw to the plate and let (Trevino) do whatever he wants to do.”

Judge raved about the work of his new teammate, a three-time All-Star who can become a free agent after the season.

“That just speaks volumes of the type of player he is and the type of presence he has in the box and also in the field,” Judge said.

Soto was asked if it bothers him that people don’t talk about his defense.

“Not at all,” he said. “I got to do stuff so they can start talking. Like stuff like I did today. … They’re going to be talking about my defense later on.”

Alex Bregman grounded into a forceout as Holmes got the save.

Joe Espada, in his first game since replacing Dusty Baker as Astros manager, tapped former closer Ryan Pressly to pitch the seventh in the reliever’s first appearance in that inning since the 2021 World Series.

Judge greeted him with a double to the left-field corner and scored the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly by Alex Verdugo, who like Soto was making his Yankees debut.

Chas McCormick hit a two-run single in a three-run first and Jake Meyers homered in the second off Nestor Cortes, who was limited to one major league appearance after May because of a strained left rotator cuff.

Jonathan Loáisiga (1-0) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.

Astros starter Framber Valdez was charged with three runs in 4 2/3 innings, getting double plays to end three of the first four innings.

“Command wasn’t on all day but he still executed pitches when he needed to,” Espada said. “Then at the end there… in the fifth, he just kind of lost the zone a bit. But he competed. He gave us a chance and it was just not the way we wanted to end his outing today.”

Cabrera hit a tying home run off Rafael Montero in the sixth.

Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fifth, his 214th time hit — 60 more than any other active player.

The Yankees debuted a new road uniform for the first time since 1973. It wasn’t a big change but did remove the white piping from around the letters and numbers on their jerseys.

Houston reliever Bryan Abreu served the first of a two-game suspension for intentionally throwing at Texas star Adolis García in last year’s AL Championship Series.

UP NEXT

Houston’s Cristian Javier, who took the loss in Game 7 of the ALCS, opposes Carlos RodĂłn when the four-game series continues Friday.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Scheffler starts with another round under par. He trails by a shot in Houston

HOUSTON (AP) — Scottie Scheffler had his 28th consecutive round under par to start the year, a 5-under 65 on Thursday that left him one shot behind Taylor Moore and Wilson Furr in the Houston Open.

Scheffler also extended his streak to 49 holes without a bogey dating to the third round of The Players Championship two weeks ago, where he became the first back-to-back winner in the 50 years of the PGA Tour’s flagship event.

The streak that matters is his bid for a third straight PGA Tour victory, a feat last accomplished seven years ago by Dustin Johnson.

That also was the last thing on Scheffler’s mind at Memorial Park, his final tournament before he heads to the Masters as a strong favorite.

“I don’t ever really put expectations on myself,” Scheffler said. “I try to be committed to my shots. I try to stay patient out there. At the beginning of the week, I’m not looking forward toward Sunday. I’m just focused on today.”

Moore came up short of the first hole and missed a 6-foot par putt. That was his lone mistake. He pitched in for eagle on the par-5 third and was on his way, getting up-and-down on the 18th for a 64.

“After the first hole, just tried to see how many greens I could hit,” Moore said. “Got off to a little bit of a jump start there on 3, chipped in for eagle and birdied 4. Just got into the round.”

Furr matched him late in the day, holing out from 120 yards for eagle on the par-4 fifth and closing with birdies on the par-5 eighth and par-3 ninth — making a 20-footer on 9.

“Had a good number. it was downwind and it landed right behind it, ripped right back to the hole and just never looked like it was going to miss,” Furr said about the eagle.

The 25-year-old former Alabama player is in his first season on the PGA Tour after earning a card last year on the Korn Ferry Tour.

“It’s a dream come true, for sure,” Furr said. “Just being surrounded by the best golfers in the world, it’s kind of inspiring day to day. Can’t ask for a better job than that.”

Scheffler was a stroke back with Joe Highsmith and Davis Riley.

Canadians Adam Svensson and Mackenzie Hughes were at 66 with Alejandro Tosti, Aaron Rai and Beau Hossler. Peter Malnati, coming off a victory last week at the Valspar Championship in Florida, shot 68.

Scheffler decided to take a little more time off last week at home in Dallas, mentally spent from winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players in consecutive weeks. He had a rugged start at Memorial Park, having to make a 10-foot par putt on No. 10 and not having his first birdie putt until his fourth hole at No. 13. He made a 12-footer.

It was his eighth bogey-free round of the year.

The Houston Open was last held in the fall of 2022, moving to a spring date for this year. That allowed the course to be overseeded, and the tough Bermuda rough from the fall has been replaced with very little rough at all.

It’s similar to what the Houston Open tried to do when it previously was held a week before the Masters and attracted several top players looking to compete ahead of the first major.

“I was surprised at the lack of rough on the course,” Scheffler said. “I know they’re trying to do a little bit of kind of what the tournament used to be when it was the week before. The golf course is in amazing shape right now. The runoffs are fun to play.

“You don’t need rough to make this course pretty tough,” he said. “I think it will be pretty difficult over the next couple days with the wind picking up.”

Scheffler had only two birdies inside 10 feet. He holed from 25 feet on the 17th and he made an 18-foot birdie on No. 2. He two-putted the par-5 third from long range.

Highsmith finished strong, getting up-and-down from the right rough on the par-5 eighth and hitting his tee shot to just inside 10 feet on the par-3 ninth.

Like Furr, Highsmith is a PGA Tour rookie, and his class already has made an impact this year. Matthieu Pavon of France (Torrey Pines) and Jake Knapp (Mexico) have won, while Sami Valimaki of Finland, Chandler Phillips and Jimmy Stanger all have contended on the back nine.

Two other rookies made a small piece of history Thursday. Parker and Pierceson Coody, the grandsons of former Masters champion Charles Coody, became the first twins to be paired together on the PGA Tour.

Both thought it was a mistake when the tee times came out.

“It was definitely a little more weird until the round started,” Pierceson said after a 69, one shot better than his brother. “Once the round started, it felt normal.”

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AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Rangers overcome disputed tip and beat Cubs 4-3 on Heim’s 10th-inning single

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Jonah Heim ended the season opener for the World Series champion Texas Rangers with a 10th-inning RBI single, after not finishing a play on a disputed foul tip that had given the Chicago Cubs the lead.

Heim made up for his miscue with a two-out liner that lifted Texas to a 4-3 win Thursday night after the Rangers unfurled the franchise’s first World Series championship banner before the dramatic victory.

“The big thing is, he put it behind him and got that big hit,” Rangers manager Bruce Bochy said.

Adolis GarcĂ­a and Travis Jankowski homered for the Rangers, and Wyatt Langford had a memorable big league debut.

Jankowski led off the ninth with a tying pinch-hit homer after Chicago went ahead in the top half of the inning.

Michael Busch scored from second base on what Heim thought was a foul tip, and he didn’t immediately retrieve the ball. It appeared on slow-motion replays to tip the bat, though that kind of play isn’t subject to video review. JosĂ© Leclerc, who had walked Busch and didn’t cover the plate, was charged with a wild pitch.

“Just heads-up baserunning, taking advantage of a little confusion on the field,” Craig Counsell said after his first game as Cubs manager. “We kind of stole a run right there.”

Plate umpire Chad Fairchild told a pool reporter after the game that he ruled it a swinging strike. Asked if he had seen a replay, the umpire said he had, but refused to talk about what he saw on it.

Heim, an All-Star and Gold Glove winner last season, took full responsibility.

“Obviously what happened can’t happen. … Just finish the play and go on,” Heim said. “Thankfully, Travis came up and helped me out there, got my back. And a lot of great at-bats in the 10th inning there gave me an opportunity to try to put something in play.”

Drew Smyly, the Cubs’ seventh pitcher, walked two to load the bases before Heim ended the game.

David Robertson, the veteran reliever Texas signed in free agency, worked the 10th for the win.

Cubs left-hander Justin Steele struck out six in his first career opening-day start before exiting with a left hamstring strain with two outs in the fifth inning. The first-time All-Star last year, when he was 15-6 with a 3.06 ERA, got hurt while fielding a sacrifice bunt. Counsell said the pitcher would have an MRI on Friday, and likely was headed to the injured list.

Nathan Eovaldi, the winner in World Series Game 5 at Arizona last Nov. 1 that clinched Texas’ first championship, allowed two runs over six innings in the opener.

Texas had rookies Langford and Evan Carter in the lineup with all six of its All-Stars from last season, including Eovaldi. Carter made his debut at the end of last season, while Langford was the designated hitter and the first Rangers position player to make his MLB debut by starting on opening day since former shortstop Elvis Andrus in 2009.

Langford, the fourth overall pick in last summer’s amateur draft, hit a tying sacrifice fly in the fourth. His first big league hit was an infield single right after Garcia homered in the sixth. He was intentionally walked after getting to a 3-0 count with two outs in the eighth, and had a fielder’s choice grounder right before Heim came up in the 10th.

“I think that shows the respect that Wyatt has already in the game,” Bochy said of that free pass. “Went to 3-0, so I wasn’t surprised to be honest. But I think everybody knows he can handle the bat.”

CODY’S CONTRIBUTION

A month after slugger Cody Bellinger signed an $80 million, three-year contract to stay with the Cubs, though he does have an opt-out after this season, the 2019 NL MVP hit an RBI double to put Chicago up 2-1 in the sixth.

FULL HOUSE

Stars wrap up playoff spot, beating Canucks 3-1 for 6th straight victory

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Roope Hintz had a goal and two assists and the Western Conference-leading Dallas Stars wrapped up a playoff spot, beating the Vancouver Canucks 3-1 on Thursday night for their sixth straight victory.

“You have to do a lot of work, starting six, seven months ago, to give yourself the opportunity to be one of those 16 teams that plays for the Stanley Cup,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “So, I’m just proud of our group. You go through all kinds of adversity through the year, injuries and different things, but we found a way every week to find a way to wins games.”

Jake Oettinger stopped 27 shot to help Dallas improve to 46-19-9 and open a three-point lead over second-place Vancouver in the West.

“It felt like a playoff game,” Oettinger said. “They’re a great team, obviously, over there. They’ve been one of the best teams in the league all year and there’s just not a lot of flaws in that team. So just a good measuring stick and obviously we know what’s at stake. Just to get a gritty win like that is huge.”

Jamie Benn added a goal and an an assist, Jason Robertson had an empty-netter and Joe Pavelski had two assists. Dallas went 2 for 5 on the power play, while Vancouver was 0 for 3.

A “mechanical” power play and careless penalties proved costly for the Canucks, said coach Rick Tocchet.

“I think guys will be disappointed,” he said. “You’re looking for somebody to make a play or maybe a little more discipline. Maybe that’s the difference in the game. These games are coin flips.”

J.T. Miller scored for Vancouver, and Casey DeSmith made 31 saves.

“This is the kind of hockey it’s probably going to be the rest of the way, the kind of hockey it is around the league right now,” DeSmith said. “Everyone’s just trying to buckle down and play the right way, do the right things. I thought we did that for most of the night. Obviously, special teams was the difference.”

Benn gave Dallas a 2-1 lead on a power play with 3:08 left, scoring a snap shot from the slot. The Stars captain has points in eight straight games and goals in six.

Hintz opened the scoring on a power late in the first period. Miller tied it midway through the second, sending a one-timer flying past Oettinger for his 35th.

Vancouver pulled DeSmith late for an extra attacker, only to see Hintz win a neutral-zone puck battle that led to Robertson tucking a shot into the empty net for his 27th.

UP NEXT

Stars: At Seattle on Saturday night.

Canucks: Host Anaheim on Sunday.

___

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/hub/NHL

House Republicans want Biden to testify at April impeachment hearing as White House slams probe

Kent Nishimura/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) -- House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer on Thursday officially invited President Joe Biden to testify before the panel as part of a Republican-led impeachment inquiry into allegations that Biden used his office to participate in and profit from his family's foreign business dealings -- which he has adamantly denied.

The committee proposed April 16 for the hearing, according to a letter from Comer, who claimed in a statement that the "the White House has taken a position hostile to the Committee's investigation."

The impeachment probe, launched unilaterally by former Speaker Kevin McCarthy and then formalized months later by the House in a party-line vote, has yet to yield concrete evidence against the president.

Comer nonetheless contended in his statement on Thursday that there is a "yawning gap between" what Biden has said publicly and the committee's work.

"As Chairman of the Committee, in addition to requesting that you answer the questions posed in this letter, I invite you to participate in a public hearing at which you will be afforded the opportunity to explain, under oath, your involvement with your family's sources of income and the means it has used to generate it," Comer said, addressing the president.

Speaker Mike Johnson echoed that in a statement of his own, saying, in part, that "there are significant outstanding questions that have emerged from our inquiry that the President can answer."

The oversight chairman, a Kentucky Republican, said at the end of the most recent impeachment hearing that he planned to ask Biden to testify.

That hearing, earlier this month, focused on well-established allegations of Biden family impropriety by House Republicans, while Democrats sought to cast the probe as a political hit job.

"The Bidens sell Joe Biden. That is their business," Comer claimed then.

Rep. Jamie Raskin, the ranking Democrat on the committee, shot back at that hearing: "With any luck, today marks the end of perhaps the most spectacular failure in the history of congressional investigations: the effort to find a high crime or misdemeanor committed by Joe Biden and then to impeach him for it."

Asked for comment on Thursday about Comer's letter, the White House referred back to earlier statements by spokesman Ian Sams, who has repeatedly denounced the impeachment proceedings.

"This is a sad stunt at the end of a dead impeachment," Sams wrote on social media last week.

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

IRS owes Texans $107 million in unclaimed tax refunds.

DALLAS – The Dallas Morning News reports that more than 93,000 Texans have unclaimed tax refunds, but the deadline to file a tax return is approaching. The IRS said this week that roughly 940,000 people in the U.S. have until May 17 to submit tax returns for unclaimed refunds for tax year 2020, which total more than $1 billion nationwide. In Texas, unclaimed refunds total $107 million, with a median refund of $960. The national median refund for 2020 is $932. “There’s money remaining on the table for hundreds of thousands of people who haven’t filed 2020 tax returns,” IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement “We want taxpayers to claim these refunds, but time is running out for people who may have overlooked or forgotten about these refunds.” Taxpayers typically have three years to file and claim their tax refunds before the money becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the deadline for 2020 was extended from 2023 to 2024.

By not filing a return, taxpayers could lose more than a refund. Many low- and moderate-income workers may be eligible for the Earned Income Tax Credit, which in 2020 was worth up to $6,660 for taxpayers with qualifying children. The program helps individuals and people whose incomes are below certain thresholds. “People faced extremely unusual situations during the pandemic, which may have led some people to forget about a potential refund on their 2020 tax returns,” Werfel said. For those who need to file a return, the IRS advises taxpayers to request their W-2, 1098, 1099 or 5498 from their employer or bank — or order a free wage and income transcript using the “Get Transcript Online” tool at IRS.gov. This week’s announcement from the IRS comes weeks after the federal tax collector launched a pilot program called Direct File in a dozen states, including Texas. Some 50,000 people in those states have used the free program so far this year.

Wichita man arrested in 2023 Marshall murder

Wichita man arrested in 2023 Marshall murderMARSHALL— Authorities have charged a Wichita man for murder in connection to the 2023 killing of a 16-year-old. According to our news partner KETK, the Marshall Police Department Tuesday arrested 27-year-old Jarvis Gill in the murder that occurred in the early morning of June 7, 2023.

MPD said at the time of the shooting they received a call of a person lying in the roadway on Alexander Street. When officers arrived they found the unnamed teen dead of a single gunshot wound. Further investigation found the body had been in the street about 90 minutes before authorities were called. During this time, officers said people drove around the body and took pictures and video of it.
Continue reading Wichita man arrested in 2023 Marshall murder

Texas a leader in clean energy

HOUSTON – Texas is known across the world as a top energy producer, primarily because of the state’s massive oil and gas industry. But as we continue to face the impacts of climate change, some in the state are pushing for Texas to be a national leader in the clean energy movement as well according to the Texas Tribune. Hydrogen initiatives are drawing interest. So is geothermal power. Companies large and small are working to figure out the next big thing when it comes to energy. Will these efforts help to secure Texas’ future as an energy and economic leader?

Texas is known as an energy powerhouse, largely driven by its massive oil and gas industry. But amid the challenges posed by climate change, some in the state are pushing for Texas to be a national leader in clean energy too.

During a conversation in Houston on Thursday, energy experts and academics spoke with Texas Tribune climate reporter Emily Foxhall about the billions of dollars that the federal government is pouring into solutions to provide clean power sources and how Texas is playing a major role in development of emerging energy technologies including hydrogen, and geothermal.

Texas energy companies are increasingly investing in hydrogen as a potential game-changing fuel for transportation, said Brett Perlman, CEO of the nonprofit Center for Houston’s Future. Perlman said Texas has major advantages in developing hydrogen: the state has the majority of the country’s hydrogen pipelines, a highly-skilled and knowledgeable workforce, and the natural gas and renewable energy needed to produce it.

He said hydrogen can be produced from natural gas, which emits greenhouse gases that have to be captured and stored to reduce its impacts on climate change, or by separating hydrogen from water using renewable energy.

“Hydrogen can make us green, not only in decarbonizing our energy sector and showing the rest of the world how it can be done, but it can also bring jobs and economic growth to our economy,” Perlman said.

The Biden administration has made big investments in hydrogen, offering tax credits to support hydrogen production. The government is also investing billions of dollars in seven regional clusters of projects or “hydrogen hubs.” Projects in Texas and Louisiana that planned to make hydrogen largely from natural gas are getting up to $1.2 billion.

Critics of hydrogen have expressed concerns about its use of fossil fuels, which could help boost the oil and gas industry.

Robert Bullard, founding director of the Bullard Center for Environmental and Climate Justice at Texas Southern University, warned against deploying risky and unproven technology without properly studying its potential impacts, particularly on vulnerable communities nearby.

“If we are to proceed and move forward at warp speed, there needs to be more caution. There needs to be more data, so that we do not make the same mistakes of the past,” Bullard said, referring to the expansion of the petrochemical industry along the Gulf coast.

Another emerging technology is geothermal energy, which involves drilling deep underground and pumping water into hot rock, creating steam that can generate electricity.

Sarah Jewett, vice president of strategy for Fervo Energy, a company developing geothermal technology, acknowledged two of the big challenges with geothermal energy: potential water pollution and increased seismic activity caused by drilling.

“It is not an operation without risks,” she said, adding that while the technology could help solve a global problem — climate change — her company is focused on making sure that in the communities where they operate, it’s “at worst benign, rather than detrimental.”

“We’ve basically taken a stance that if what we’re doing impacts the community in a negative way, the accounting doesn’t shake out,” Jewett added.

Bullard, known by many as the father of environmental justice, said he’s seen no proof that hydrogen will benefit communities of color that commonly sit next to industrial areas, adding that companies need to engage and consult with residents who live near their projects ahead of time to address their concerns.

“While we’re talking about moving fast and furious and forward with climate solutions, communities are still having to live with pollution,” he said. “We have to talk about how we ensure that as we transition to a clean energy economy, that we don’t build this new economy, on a flawed, unequal system.”

Bird flu at some Texas dairy farms

LUBBOCK — Cows in the Texas Panhandle have tested positive for the bird flu, another blow to the Texas dairy industry following historic wildfires that killed at least 7,000 livestock according to the Texas Tribune..

The discovery, reported at two different dairies, is believed to be the first time the disease was found in livestock, researchers say.

Strains of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, commonly known as the bird flu, were confirmed Monday by the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. The state agriculture department is also monitoring the outbreak. Similar outbreaks have been reported at dairies in Kansas and New Mexico.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said there is no safety concern to the commercial milk supply. Consumer health is also not at risk, the department said. The milk from impacted animals is being dumped or destroyed and will not enter the food supply.

“In the rare event that some affected milk enters the food chain, the pasteurization process will kill the virus,” said Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller.

The dairy industry is critical for the state. With about 292 dairies and an estimated 625,000 cows, Texas ranks fourth in the U.S. when it comes to milk production, and contributes roughly $50 billion to the state’s economy. In the Panhandle, also known as Cattle Country, more than 1.3 billion gallons of milk are produced each year, according to data from the Texas Association of Dairymen. The highest rates of production are in Hartley, Castro and Moore counties.

According to the Texas Animal Health Commission, the disease is causing a decrease in milk production as well as thicker, colostrum-like milk and cows have less of an appetite. The disease is also severely impacting older cows and cows in mid-lactation. Infected herds are expected to lose up to 40% of their milk production for 7-10 days until they recover from their symptoms, Miller said.

On average, about 10% of each affected herd appears to be infected. The USDA did not specify if any cows have died from the disease. And experts say it can be difficult to track as dairies are also culling cattle for other reasons.

Milk loss from infected cows is “too limited” to have a major impact on supply.

“There should be no impact on the price of milk or other dairy products,” the USDA said in a statement.

Multiple agencies are working fast to monitor the affected herds and conduct additional testing. The disease moves quickly from bird to bird, but experts say the disease is uncommon for dairy herds.

“We have never seen avian influenza in dairy cows before,” said Erin Supak, director of communications for the animal health commission. “So we’re encouraging best management practices and enhanced biosecurity measures to be put in place and ensure the spread is not going to go farther than it already has.”

According to the USDA, the disease appears to have been introduced to the herds by deceased wild birds. The conclusion comes after farms reported finding the dead birds on their properties.

The animal health commission is working with the federal agriculture department and the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory, as well as other agencies, to continue evaluating the situation. Experts are recommending to limit the number of people coming into dairies to employees and essential workers only, and to use biosecurity resources.

Supak says there are other signs for dairy producers to watch for including abnormal, tacky feces, low appetite and fever.

Dairy farmers and veterinarians are encouraged to report cattle illnesses to the USDA, state animal health commission or the Texas A&M lab, as the situation is ongoing. Initial testing by the National Veterinary Services Laboratories show the current risk to the public is low, as no changes in the virus have made it more transmissible to humans.

Six vehicle collision on Lake Palestine bridge injures five

Six vehicle collision on Lake Palestine bridge injures fiveCHANDLER – A multi-vehicle crash Thursday morning on Lake Palestine has left five persons injured. According to our news partner KETK, the accidents happened around 8 a.m. The Chandler Volunteer Fire Department responded to the incident, finding six vehicles had collided, some with major damage. Five people were sent to local hospitals, one of those had to be flown out. DPS was at the scene controlling traffic until the bridge was reopened to normal traffic flow.

Keanu Reeves, Fisher Stevens prepping documentary on MMA legend Benny Urquidez

RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Keanu Reeves knows his way around a martial arts mat, what with his extensive training for The Matrix and John Wick franchises, and now he's about to pay tribute to a groundbreaker within the combat sports.

Deadline reports Reeves and Oscar-winning director Fisher Stevens will co-produce a documentary on Benny "The Jet" Urquidez, who is credited with introducing mixed martial arts to the world. 

Now 71, Urquidez was a world champion karate and kickboxing legend who transitioned to training actors and coordinating fight scenes for movies. 

Incidentally, John Cusack was one of his students, and Urquidez takes him on in a famous scene in the actor's 1997's hit Grosse Pointe Blank. But Urquidez's client list reads like a Hollywood's who's who: Everyone from Jackie Chan to the late Patrick Swayze to Michelle Pfeiffer trained with him over his long career. 

Emmy-nominated sports documentary editor and filmmaker Jennifer Tiexiera is directing the documentary. She tells the trade, "Benny’s fighting career was born out of his struggles with identity, poverty, and race, but he didn't let those things define him. The result is a story about how struggle and sacrifice evolved into one about love, spirituality and deeper meaning."

Keanu recently appeared in and produced another documentary, Brawn: The Impossible Formula 1 Story, which is streaming on Hulu.

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Kroger is closing three of its e-commerce facilities in Texas and Florida

NEW YORK (AP) — Kroger is shuttering three of its e-commerce fulfillment facilities in Texas and Florida, the grocery chain confirmed this week.

The cross-docking warehouses — located in Austin, San Antonio and Miami — will be closed at the end of May, a Kroger spokesperson told The Associated Press Thursday, adding that all impacted associates had been offered other opportunities within the company.

“Despite our best efforts, including the support from new customers, learnings from other locations and the incredible work of our associates, these facilities did not meet the benchmarks we set for success,” Kroger’s spokesperson said.

The spokesperson added that that the retailer “remains committed to growing its e-commerce offerings, delivering fresh food to more communities across the U.S.”

These kind of spoke facilities extend the reach of Kroger’s network with British online retailer Ocado. Ocado’s larger automated facilities assemble orders, which are then shipped to the cross-docking warehouses and placed into smaller delivery trucks.

Amid rising competition in e-commerce particularly seen during the pandemic era, Kroger and Ocado had continued to expand their partnership over recent years — including through the construction of additional fulfillment centers and development in-store order capabilities.

The cross-docking warehouses set to close in Austin and Miami were opened in March and February of last year, according to Kroger’s spokesperson, while the one in San Antonio was opened in August 2022.

The Austin and San Antonio facilities have been receiving orders from a larger automated shed in Dallas, which was opened in 2022. And another regional shed Groveland, Florida opened in June 2021 has been serving the Miami spoke.

The decision to close the three Austin, San Antonio and Miami spokes will not impact these larger facilties or any other cross-docking locations, Kroger’s spokesperson said.

Cincinnati-based Kroger posted earnings of $2.96 per share for 2023, with total company sales hitting $150 billion last year. That’s up from 2022’s earnings of $2.76 per share and $148.3 billion in revenue.

In recent months, Kroger has also made headlines over the prospect of a merger with Albertsons. The two grocery chains, which are among of the largest in the United States, had hoped to complete the $24.6 billion deal this year — but their plan faces legal challenges that make it look far less likely, at least any time soon.

Schumer says Senate trial for Mayorkas will take place next month

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(WASHINGTON) -- House Speaker Mike Johnson announced on Thursday that the impeachment articles for Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas will be sent over to the Senate on April 10, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the Senate trial will take place on April 11.

In a new letter, Johnson and the Republican impeachment managers called on Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to "schedule a trial of the matter expeditiously."

The House voted to impeach Mayorkas on Feb. 13 by a vote of 214-213 over what Republicans claimed was his failure to enforce border laws amid a "crisis" of high illegal immigration, allegations the secretary denied as "baseless." But Johnson waited to send over the articles until the government was fully funded.

"The evidence on both charges is clear, comprehensive, and compelling, and the House's solemn act to impeach the first sitting Cabinet official in American history demands timely action by the Senate," the letter to Schumer said.

Asked for a statement, DHS referred ABC News to the statement when Mayorkas was initially impeached.

"Without a shred of evidence or legitimate Constitutional grounds, and despite bipartisan opposition, House Republicans have falsely smeared a dedicated public servant who has spent more than 20 years enforcing our laws and serving our country," DHS spokesperson Mia Ehrenberg said. "Secretary Mayorkas and the Department of Homeland Security will continue working every day to keep Americans safe."

Once the articles are sent over, the Senate will be sworn in and seated for a trial. Later Thursday, Schumer's office said senators will be sworn in as jurors in the Mayorkas impeachment trial on April 11. However, Schumer has indicated Senate Democrats will move to dismiss a trial despite Republican demands for one.

"We call upon you to fulfill your constitutional obligation to hold this trial," House GOP said in the letter. "The American people demand a secure border, an end to this crisis, and accountability for those responsible. To table articles of impeachment without ever hearing a single argument or reviewing a piece of evidence would be a violation of our constitutional order and an affront to the American people whom we all serve."

Several Republican senators have called on Schumer to hold a full trial. If Schumer does hold a trial, the charges require a vote by two-thirds of the Senate to convict Mayorkas and remove him from office. There are not enough votes to convict Mayorkas.

The impeachment managers are: Homeland Security Committee Chairman Mark Green, Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, Rep. Andy Biggs, Rep. Ben Cline, Rep. Andrew Garbarino, Rep. Michael Guest, Rep. Harriet Hageman, Rep. Clay Higgins, Rep. Laurel Lee, Rep. August Pfluger, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

ABC News' Luke Barr and Mariam Khan contributed to this report.

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