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Man found dead under unoccupied tow truck in Carthage

CARTHAGE – The Carthage Police Department is trying to find answers after a man was found dead under an unoccupied tow truck, according to our news partners at KETK. Carthage PD said they were notified of a crash at 11:22 p.m. on Tuesday in the 800 block of S. Adams Street “involving an out-of-county tow truck and a passenger car.” Officers reportedly found both vehicles unoccupied, and found “the apparent tow truck driver” dead under the tow truck. The Carthage Fire Department helped work the scene and Texas DPS were contacted to help reconstruct the crash. Police are still investigating and the identity of the victim has not been released at this time.

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Brendan Fraser, Peter Dinklage, Glenn Close, Marisa Tomei break bad in trailer to caper comedy ‘Brothers’

For a streaming movie about two bickering burglars, the upcoming Prime Video movie Brothers boasts some A-list names.

Game of Thrones Emmy winner Peter Dinklage joins Oscar nominees Josh Brolin and Glenn Close, and Oscar winners Brendan Fraser and Marisa Tomei, in the caper comedy that centers on a cache of emeralds with a large side of family dysfunction.

Oh, and there's also an amorous orangutan named Samuel.

The trailer opens with the diminutive Dinklage getting tossed into a bathtub and held underwater by Fraser, who asks where the stones are.

Rewinding, Dinklage explains, "Some families have a long line of dentists and lawyers. We had a long line of felons."

He says that since childhood, he and his "big ugly twin brother," played by Brolin, were always stealing stuff. "I had the plans, he had the hands," the actor narrates.

While Brolin's character has gone straight, Dinklage proposes one last score — for the stones.

Complicating matters is the return of their mother, played by Close. "You were gone 30 years!" Brolin says, with Close responding, "I can apologize only so much."

"You haven't apologized at all," Brolin replies.

Evidently, however, she's needed so the trio can get their hands on the $4 million haul.

There's a ton of physical comedy and R-rated wordplay from director Max Barbakow — and Brolin's character is apparently molested by the ape, requiring the embarrassed thief to slather hand sanitizer all over himself afterward.

The movie hits Prime Video Oct. 17.

Water main break in Gladewater

GLADEWATER – Our news partners at KETK report the City of Gladewater said due to a water main break Wednesday morning portions of the city will not have water. Gladewater ISD officials said all students will be released early at 1 p.m. due to the S. Main Street water main break. City officials said they will provide updates as soon as they receive them on their Facebook page.

Abilene Christian to build nuclear reactor on campus

AUSTIN – the Dallas Morning News reports federal nuclear power regulators have given the go-ahead for the first research nuclear reactor in more than 40 years, and it’s here in Texas. Abilene Christian University will be home to the advanced nuclear reactor, which the university’s NEXT Lab and Abilene-based nuclear company Natura Resources will build on campus. The permit from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission is a milestone in the research and development of smaller-scale nuclear reactors in Texas and could become the state’s first new nuclear reactor since the Comanche Peak power plant’s second unit was licensed to operate in 1993. The NEXT Lab reactor could generate enough energy to power the equivalent of only about 250 homes. However, it will create a testing ground for a type of reactor that its developers believe can be scaled to larger utility-scale reactors. It will be housed in the university’s Dillard Science and Engineering Research Center, which was completed in August 2023.

“With the NRC’s issuance of the construction permit, we are one step closer to making that a reality. The performance-driven approach of Natura Resources to advanced reactor deployment has quickly moved them from a relative unknown to a leader in the upstart advanced reactor industry,” said Phil Schubert, university president. Federal inspectors will monitor the construction of the reactor, which will not produce electricity until ACU obtains additional federal approval to fuel the reactor with uranium. “This is the first research reactor project we’ve approved for construction in decades, and the staff successfully worked with ACU to resolve several technical issues with this novel design,” Andrea Veil, director of the NRC’s Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, said in a news release. Molten salt will be used to cool the reactor, which can reach extreme temperatures. Heat that radiates through the molten salt can then be used to create electricity. While this method of cooling has existed for more than 50 years, it is not widely used. Legacy reactors generally rely on water to cool fuel rods.

Travis County sues Texas officials over voting

AUSTIN (AP) – Travis County officials sued Attorney General Ken Paxton and Secretary of State Jane Nelson on Tuesday over the state’s attempt to block voter registration efforts ahead of a hotly contested presidential election.

The new federal lawsuit escalates a pre-election war between Republican state officials and Democratic urban county leaders over voter registration efforts and accuses Texas officials of violating the National Voter Registration Act. Developments in the ongoing battle continue unfolding as the Oct. 7 deadline to sign up to vote looms.

“Today, Travis County, once again, fights back,” Travis County Attorney Delia Garza said during a press conference Tuesday.

Paxton’s office didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.

The federal suit is in response to Paxton turning to state courts to try and block the county from mailing out voter registration applications to people identified as eligible voters who aren’t currently on the rolls. Travis County is home to Austin and has long been a Democratic stronghold in the state.

Paxton’s lawsuit argued that the Texas Election Code did not grant a county officials the ability to collect information about private citizens to convince them to vote and claimed that such an effort is illegal. But Democrats, local leaders and election experts disagree with Paxton’s interpretation of state law.

In interviews with conservative personalities and on social media, Paxton has also pushed false accusations that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris intentionally allowed undocumented immigrants into the country so that they can vote for Democrats. Former President Donald Trump, the GOP presidential nominee this year, has repeated similar claims, including during this month’s presidential debate against Harris, the Democratic nominee.

Paxton has argued that mailing voter registration applications could lead to ineligible voters signing up to vote. Voter registration applications are returned to county offices and are reviewed to confirm eligibility. The Secretary of State’s Office also verifies eligibility.

“Travis County has blatantly violated Texas law by paying partisan actors to conduct unlawful identification efforts to track down people who are not registered to vote,” Paxton said in a statement earlier this month. “Programs like this invite fraud and reduce public trust in our elections. We will stop them and any other county considering such programs.”

Jeremy Smith, the CEO of Civic Government Solutions, the company contracted by Travis County to identify unregistered voters, also denied that his organization engaged in partisan tactics in identifying eligible voters who haven’t yet signed up to cast a ballot in November.

“All of our contracts, 100% of them, are nonpartisan. It is written in,” Smith said. “We are under restrictions and obligations to prove that and maintain that and provide that data for accountability back to all of our clients.”

Garza said the new legal filings transfers Paxton’s state lawsuit to federal court. Travis officials are asking the federal court to allow them to continue sending out voter registration applications. The filing came one day after a judge denied Paxton’s request to block Bexar County, home to San Antonio, from mailing out voter registration applications to its residents. The court found no reason to grant the request since the county had already mailed out the forms. Bexar County is also strongly Democratic.

Travis officials allege Paxton violated Title 52 of the Voting Rights Act by trying to prevent them from carrying out their duties to promote people’s right to vote. They accuse Nelson of doing nothing to stop Paxton’s alleged unlawful conduct. They argue that the state law not only allows them to send out the applications, but also encourages them to do so.

Nelson’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment Tuesday.

Garza pointed out that a state law provision states that local governments can be reimbursed for mailing out voter registration applications to its residents.

“Travis County was going about its business serving the citizens of our community and dutifully complying with federal and state election laws,” said Travis County Judge Andy Brown.

Update: U.S. 59 has reopened after a seven-hour traffic delay

UPDATE: U.S. 59 has reopened after a seven-hour traffic delay.

LUFKIN – One person is injured after a wreck involving three 18-wheelers Wednesday morning on US Highway 59 in Lufkin, according to our news partners at KETK.

According to Lufkin officials, the crash happened just before 8 a.m. near the intersection of Southwood Drive and FM 324.
Courtesy of City of Lufkin

Authorities are asking drivers to avoid the area if possible and to expect delays. Officials said one of the vehicles lost its load on the highway and clearing the scene “will take a considerable amount of time.”

Officials said southbound US 59 traffic is rerouted into one of the northbound lanes.

One of the drivers was hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries, Lufkin officials said.

“Northbound lanes are also expected to experience closures and delays as heavy-rotation wreckers are brought in for cleanup,” authorities said.

Speaker Johnson takes another crack at spending bill linked to proof of citizenship for new voters

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House is scheduled to vote Wednesday on Speaker Mike Johnson’s proposal that links the funding of the federal government for the new budget year with a mandate that states require proof of citizenship when people register to vote.

Johnson pulled the bill from consideration last week and said he would work over the weekend to build consensus for it within the Republican ranks. It’s unclear whether he was able to do so as some GOP members have concerns about continuing current spending levels, but Johnson said he is determined to hold the vote regardless. Meanwhile, Democrats overwhelmingly oppose the measure.

Requiring new voters to provide proof of citizenship has become a leading election-year priority for Republicans raising the specter of noncitizens voting in the U.S., even though it’s already illegal to do so and research has shown that such voting is rare.

“I urge all of my colleagues to do what the overwhelming majority of the people of this country rightfully demand and deserve — prevent non-American citizens from voting in American elections,” Johnson said Tuesday.

Johnson told reporters he was not ready to discuss an alternative plan to keep the government funded other than what will come before the House on Wednesday.

“I’m not having any alternative conversations. That’s the play. It’s an important one. And I’m going to work around the clock to try and get it done,” Johnson said.

House members also said Johnson was not discussing alternatives with them should the bill fail.

“There is no Plan B,” said Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, R-Fla.

Lawmakers are not close to completing work on the dozen annual appropriations bills that will fund the agencies during the next fiscal year, so they’ll need to approve a stopgap measure to prevent a partial shutdown when the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said the only way to prevent a government shutdown was for both sides to work together on an agreement. He said the House vote announced by Johnson was doomed to fail.

“The only thing that will accomplish is make clear that he’s running into a dead end,” Schumer said. “We must have a bipartisan plan instead.”

The legislation would fund agencies at current levels while lawmakers work out their differences on a full-year spending agreement.

Democrats, and some Republicans, are pushing for a short extension. A temporary fix would allow the current Congress to hammer out a final bill after the election and get it to Democratic President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature.

But Johnson and some of the more conservative members of his conference are pushing for a six-month extension in the hopes that Republican nominee Donald Trump will win the election and give them more leverage when crafting the full-year bill.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell o Kentucky declined to weigh in on how long to extend funding. He said Schumer and Johnson, ultimately, will have to work out a final agreement that can pass both chambers.

“The one thing you cannot have is a government shutdown. It would be politically beyond stupid for us to do that right before the election because certainly we would get the blame,” McConnell said.

On Sunday, Johnson traveled to Florida to meet with Trump, who had earlier seemingly encouraged a government shutdown if Republicans “don’t get assurances on Election Security.” Trump said on the social media platform Truth Social that they should not go forward with a stopgap bill without such assurances.

The House approved a bill with the proof of citizenship mandate back in July. Some Republicans who view the issue as popular with their constituents have been pushing for another chance to show their support for the measure.

Americans can now renew passports online and bypass cumbersome paper applications

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans can now renew their passports online, bypassing a cumbersome mail-in paper application process that often caused delays.

The State Department announced Wednesday that its online passport renewal system is now fully operational.

“By offering this online alternative to the traditional paper application process, the Department is embracing digital transformation to offer the most efficient and convenient passport renewal experience possible,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

After staffing shortages caused mainly by the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in lengthy passport processing delays, the department ramped up hiring and introduced other technological improvements that have reduced wait times by about one-third over last year. It says most applications are now completed in far less than the advertised six weeks to eight weeks and the online renewal system is expected to further reduce that.

The system will allow renewal applicants to skip the current process, which requires them to print out and send paper applications and a check by mail, and submit their documents and payment through a secure website, http://www.Travel.State.Gov/renewonline.

Man left paralyzed at 19 drives car again for first time

(NEW YORK) -- A man who was left paralyzed after diving into a swimming pool as a teenager was recently able to drive again for the first time, eight years after his injury.

Ryley Hopper, 27, got behind the wheel of a specially equipped van on Aug. 14, his first time driving since he was paralyzed from the chest down at the age of 19.

"It's a very empowering, independent thing," Hopper told ABC News' Good Morning America, about reclaiming the freedom to drive again. "I wanted to want something … to find a purpose to attack head on."

Hopper was a college freshman at the University of North Carolina Wilmington and enjoying a summer swim in his friend's pool in 2016 when he flipped into the shallow end, hit the bottom and lost consciousness.

His friend, trained as a lifeguard, performed CPR on Hopper to keep him stable until the ambulance arrived.

The accident left Hopper with a life-altering C5-C7 spinal cord injury that resulted in paralysis from the chest down.

He spent nearly a month at Duke University Hospital, including four days in a medically induced coma, before being transferred to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta for two months of intensive inpatient rehabilitation.

"In the beginning, I was figuring out what the future would look like … my first goal was to get back to school," said Hopper, who prioritized returning to UNCW the following fall semester to complete his undergraduate and graduate finance degrees.

With his mother as his caretaker and a supportive community behind him, a couple years after entering the workforce, Hopper said he was ready to "attack this driving thing … and be more in control of my life."

"It took a while to reset my mindset," he said, but "minutes after being in the car, the butterflies went away."

Hopper attributes spending time outside as a factor in his post-injury progress, and for him, driving is an extension of that.

"A lot of healing is done indoors -- in and out of physicians' offices -- and the natural world isn't always accessible," said Hopper, who said he aspires to one day create a space for people with disabilities to participate in accessible outdoor activities and reconnect with nature.

When setting spinal cord injury recovery milestones, Hopper also underscores the importance of mental health and striving for personal growth.

"I've been given a unique perspective because of my injury, and I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for the struggle I've been through," he said.

For others dealing with a spinal cord injury, Hopper reminded them to not forget to find the silver lining.

"Find peace and serenity," he said. "Once you realize that you're in a position that grants you a unique perspective on life … it's a kind of superpower in itself."

Sarah Huckabee Sanders swipes at Kamala Harris for not having biological children

Former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump attends a town hall meeting moderated by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) at the Dort Financial Center in Flint, Michigan, on September 17, 2024. (JEFF KOWALSKY/AFP via Getty Images)

(FLINT, Mich.) -- Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Tuesday took aim at Vice President Kamala Harris' family life, saying the presidential candidate "doesn't have anything keeping her humble."

The governor said during a rally for former President Donald Trump that her children are a "permanent reminder of what’s important" and they "keep me humble."

"You can walk into a room like this where people cheer when you step onto the stage and you might think for a second that you’re kind of special," Huckabee Sanders told a crowd in Flint, Michigan. "Then you go home, and your kids remind you very quickly you’re actually not that big of a deal."

She added, "So my kids keep me humble. Unfortunately, Kamala Harris doesn't have anything keeping her humble."

Whether politicians have biological children has become a partisan issue in recent weeks, following comments made by Sen. JD Vance, who is running alongside Trump. In a resurfaced interview from 2021, Vance argued that voters without children should be subject to a higher tax rate.

Vance also in 2021 took aim at Harris, saying she was among a group of "childless cat ladies who are miserable at their own lives and the choices that they've made." Speaking to Fox News, Vance accused that group of wanting "to make the rest of the country miserable too."

When Taylor Swift endorsed Harris earlier this month, the pop star signed her endorsement with "Taylor Swift, Childless Cat Lady."

Harris is the stepmother of two adult children, Cole and Ella Emhoff, from the first marriage of her husband, second gentleman Doug Emhoff.

"Cole and Ella keep us inspired to make the world a better place," Kerstin Emhoff, their mother, said on social media in response to Huckabee Sanders.

She added, "Kamala Harris has spent her entire career working for the people, ALL families. That keeps you pretty humble."

Kate Middleton returns to work with meeting at Windsor Castle

Catherine, Princess of Wales attends day fourteen of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club on July 14, 2024 in London. (Karwai Tang/WireImage via Getty Images, FILE)

(LONDON) -- Kate, the princess of Wales, held a meeting Tuesday at Windsor Castle, marking a milestone in her recovery from cancer.

The meeting, which focused on Kate's passion project of early childhood development, was officially recorded in the court circular, the official record of engagements carried out by working royal family members.

It is the first meeting recorded for Kate since she announced in March that she had been diagnosed with cancer.

Kate, the wife of Prince William, shared in a video message released on Sept. 9 that she has completed chemotherapy.

In her message, Kate, a mom of three, said her focus has now shifted to staying "cancer free" and gradually returning to work.

"Doing what I can to stay cancer free is now my focus. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes," she said. "I am however looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months when I can."

Kate announced her cancer diagnosis in March after undergoing what the palace described at the time as "planned abdominal surgery" in January.

She has not revealed publicly what type of cancer she faced, nor exact details of her treatment beyond that she was undergoing "preventative chemotherapy."

Since March, she has been seen only a few times publicly, including attending Trooping the Colour in June and watching the men's singles final at Wimbledon in July alongside her daughter Princess Charlotte.

Harvey Weinstein pleads not guilty to new indictment charging him with criminal sex act

Former film producer Harvey Weinstein appears in Manhattan Criminal Court for a pretrial hearing, following his overturned sex crimes conviction, in New York City, July 19, 2024. (KENA BETANCUR/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- Harvey Weinstein pleaded not guilty Wednesday to a new indictment charging him with criminal sex act in the first degree.

He was wheeled into a Manhattan courtroom wearing a black suit, white shirt and tie.

The former movie mogul is charged in the new indictment based on the allegations of a woman who said he sexually assaulted her on one occasion in 2006 at a Manhattan hotel.

He is also charged in a previous New York State Supreme Court indictment with criminal sexual act in the first degree and rape in the third degree, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office said.

"Thanks to this survivor who bravely came forward, Harvey Weinstein now stands indicted for an additional alleged violent sexual assault,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement.

Weinstein, 72, missed his last court date after being rushed to the hospital for emergency heart surgery.

The Manhattan District Attorney's Office presented to the grand jury allegations of three separate women who said Weinstein sexually assaulted them. Their allegations were not part of the initial trial of Weinstein that ended in a conviction, which was later overturned on appeal.

"We will do everything in our power to retry this case, and remain steadfast in our commitment to survivors of sexual assault," a spokeswoman for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement earlier this year, when the conviction was overturned.

Weinstein has denied all claims of sexual misconduct, saying his encounters were consensual.

The new indictment comes months after the New York Court of Appeals overturned his 2020 sex crimes conviction. He had been found guilty of criminal sexual assault and third-degree rape and sentenced to 23 years in prison.

In a scathing 4-3 opinion in April, the court found the trial judge "erroneously admitted testimony of uncharged, alleged prior sexual acts against persons other than the complainants of the underlying crimes."

What we know about the pagers that exploded in Lebanon and Syria

Ambulances are being dispatched to the area in Beirut, Lebanon while security forces take precautions after at least eight people, including a child, were killed in a mass explosion of wireless communication devices known as pagers on September 17, 2024. (Houssam Shbaro/Anadolu via Getty Images)

(LONDON) -- Thousands of people were injured across Lebanon and Syria on Tuesday by an Israeli covert operation that remotely detonated pagers, ABC News sources confirmed.

A source described the attack as a "huge operation" that took between six and 12 months to plan, involving the use of informants and collaborators. Explosives were implanted inside the beepers, the source added.

The attack killed at least 12 civilians -- among them an 8-year-old girl and an 11-year-old boy -- according to Lebanese Health Minister Firass Abiad.

At least 2,800 people were injured, Abiad said. More than 460 people underwent surgery for serious injuries, the minister added. Most victims are suffering from eye and facial injuries, while others suffered injuries to hands and fingers, he said.

The Hezbollah militant group confirmed that 11 of its members were killed on Tuesday, though did not specify the manner of their deaths.

At least 14 people were also injured in targeted attacks on Hezbollah members in Syria, according to the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Hezbollah vowed a "reckoning" for Israel. Leader Hassan Nasrallah is due to speak on the situation on Thursday afternoon.

The pagers began exploding around 3:30 p.m. local time, according to Hezbollah officials. An intelligence source familiar with the situation told ABC News that Israel has long been working to perfect this type of "supply chain interdiction attack."

Responding to media reports that the explosives were concealed inside its AR-924 pager model, Taiwan-based beeper maker Gold Apollo told ABC News it was not responsible for the design or manufacture of the item.

"According to the cooperation agreement, we authorize BAC to use our brand trademark for product sales in designated regions, but the design and manufacturing of the products are solely the responsibility of BAC," they said.

ABC News has contacted BAC for comment. The company is based in Budapest, Hungary.

The Lebanese Council of Ministers collectively condemned "this criminal Israeli aggression, which constitutes a serious violation of Lebanese sovereignty and a crime by all standards."

It added that "the government immediately began making all necessary contacts with the countries concerned and the United Nations to place it before its responsibilities regarding this continuing crime."

The United Nations special coordinator for Lebanon called the operation an "extremely concerning escalation in what is an already unacceptably volatile context," in a statement released by the U.N. Office of the Spokesperson for the Secretary General.

U.S. officials said Washington, D.C., had no role in -- or pre-knowledge of -- the attack. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told journalists on Tuesday that the administration was "gathering information" on the incident.

The U.S. and the European Union have both designated the Hezbollah militant group a foreign terrorist organization.

Astros place Ben Gamel on the injured list with a broken left leg

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The Houston Astros placed outfielder Ben Gamel on the 10-day injured list with a broken left leg on Tuesday, three days after he ran into the wall at Angel Stadium while making a running catch.

Gamel will be out indefinitely, according to the club, which leads the AL West.

He was picked up off waivers from the New York Mets on Aug. 20 and was hitting .259 since then, with one homer and four RBIs. He had started 18 of the 20 games he played with the Astros.

To fill his roster spot, catcher César Salazar was recalled from Triple-A Sugar Land. This is his third time with the big league squad and he’s hitting .304 with eight RBIs in 10 games.

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