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As whiskey and bourbon business booms, beloved distillers face pushback over taxes and emissions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:23 GMT

MULBERRY, Tenn. (AP) — For decades, the whiskey and bourbon makers of Tennessee and Kentucky have been beloved in their communities. The distilleries where the liquor is manufactured and barrelhouses where it is aged have complemented the rural character of their neighborhoods, while providing jobs and the pride of a successful homegrown industry.Now, the growing popularity of the industry around the world is fueling conflicts at home.In Kentucky, where 95% of the world’s bourbon is manufactured, counties are revolting after the legislature voted to phase out a barrel tax they have depended on to fund schools, roads and utilities. Local officials who donated land and spent millions on infrastructure to help bourbon makers now say those investments may never be recouped.Neighbors in both states have been fighting industry expansion, even suing distillers. Complaints include a destructive black “whiskey fungus,” the loss of prime farmland and liquor-themed tourist developments that ar...

Top Republicans are gearing up to investigate the Hunter Biden case. Here’s what to know.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:23 GMT

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Republican chairmen of three key House committees are joining forces to probe the Justice Department’s handling of charges against Hunter Biden after making sweeping claims about misconduct at the agency. Leaders of the House Judiciary, Oversight and Accountability, and Ways and Means committees opened a joint investigation into the federal case into President Joe Biden’s youngest son days after it was announced last month that he will plead guilty to the misdemeanor tax offenses as part of an agreement with the Justice Department. Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, James Comer of Kentucky and Jason Smith of Missouri have since issued a series of requests for voluntary testimony from senior officials at the Justice Department, FBI and Internal Revenue Service as they investigate what they claim is improper interference. Republicans have also requested a special counsel review of supposed retaliation against the whistleblowers who came forward with the claims. The ...

UN to vote Monday on aid deliveries from Turkey to northwest Syria — either for 6 months or 1 year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:23 GMT

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. Security Council is to vote Monday on extending aid deliveries from Turkey to Syria’s rebel-held northwest, with a resolution sponsored by Brazil and Switzerland calling for a 12-month extension and a rival Russia resolution limiting a renewal to just six months.The delivery of aid to the area has increased significantly following the devastation caused by the magnitude 7.8 earthquake that ravaged southern Turkey and northwestern Syria on Feb. 8. Syrian President Bashar Assad opened two additional crossing points from Turkey to increase the flow of assistance to quake victims, and he extended their operation for three months in May until mid-August. But those crossings are not mentioned in either resolution.The rival resolutions obtained Friday by The Associated Press virtually ensure that aid deliveries will continue through the main Bab al-Hawa crossing for at least six months.Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib is home to some 4 million people, m...

Extremely overdue book returned to Massachusetts library 119 years later

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:23 GMT

BOSTON (AP) — On Feb. 14, 1904, someone curious about the emerging possibilities of a key force of nature checked out James Clerk Maxwell’s “An Elementary Treatise on Electricity” from the New Bedford Free Public Library.It would take 119 years and the sharp eyes of a librarian in West Virginia before the scientific text finally found its way back to the Massachusetts library.The discovery occurred when Stewart Plein, the curator of rare books at West Virginia University Libraries, was sorting through a recent donation of books. Plein found the treatise and noticed it had been part of the collection at the New Bedford library and, critically, had not been stamped “Withdrawn,” indicating that while extremely overdue, the book had not been discarded.Plein contacted Jodi Goodman, the special collections librarian in New Bedford, to alert her to the find.“This came back in extremely good condition,” New Bedford Public Library Director Olivia Melo said Friday. “Someone ...

Zach Remillard continuing to shine in time with White Sox

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:23 GMT

CHICAGO (NEWS10) -- Zach Remillard had the kind of Major League debut you only see in movies. Three weeks after capturing the attention of baseball fans across the country, the Cohoes native is still searching for the words to describe his first game with the Chicago White Sox."I don't know if it's fully been processed yet," said Remillard. "I keep saying I haven't really had a ton of time to...sit and process it all. (I'm) kind of moving from one day to the next. But it was special, and it was special for my family. And just having…my parents, my wife, my brother and his wife out there…it was something I'll never forget for sure. Especially on Father's Day weekend; it was pretty cool."Remillard hasn't slowed down since his historic debut against the Seattle Mariners on June 17, where he went 3-3 with two runs batted in, becoming the first player in the Modern Era (since 1901) to have both a game-tying and a go-ahead hit in the ninth inning or later of his Major League debut.The La ...

Ezequiel Tovar’s three-run homer lifts Rockies over Giants, snaps losing skid

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:23 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — Rookie shortstop Ezequiel Tovar is fast becoming the story of the season for the Rockies.The 21-year-old rocketed a three-run homer off Tyler Rogers in the seventh inning Friday night, lifting the Rockies to a 5-2 victory over the Giants at Oracle Park.Tovar’s ninth homer of the season — he’s now tied with All-Star catcher Elias Diaz for the second-most on the team — helped the Rockies snap their 10-game road losing streak. Also put to rest was an 11-game losing streak to San Francisco.Colorado received a third consecutive strong start from left-hander Austin Gomber. He pitched six innings, giving up two runs on five hits, walking none and striking out one.Gomber wobbled but didn’t crumble in the sixth, thanks to rookie center fielder Brenton Doyle and his cannon of a right arm.Giants second baseman Casey Schmitt led off the inning with a sharp single to right, then celebrated when Brandon Crawford, the longtime Rockies’ neme...

New Cheesy Jalapeño Bacon Burger Coming to SoCal McDonalds

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:23 GMT

Southern California Quarter Pounder sandwich lovers are in for a treat! McDonald’s announced the fast food chain is rolling out a “spicier, cheesier take on the classic Quarter Pounder with Cheese” in July. The company is introducing the Cheesy Jalapeño Bacon QPC and Cheesy Jalapeño Bacon Double QPC.Cheesy Jalapeño Bacon QPC & Cheesy Jalapeño Bacon Double QPC Coming to SoCal McDonald’s in July (Source: McDonald's)The new sizzling sandwiches will feature the company's signature beef Quarter Pounder patty, two slices of American cheese, Applewood Smoked bacon, and pickled jalapeño slices. The sandwiches are topped up with a creamy cheddar cheese sauce and served on a toasted sesame seed bun. The made-to-order burgers will be available at participating SoCal McDonald’s locations on July 10 for a limited time. 

Motorcyclist arrested after high-speed pursuit in San Bernardino County

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:23 GMT

A motorcyclist was arrested Thursday after a pursuit reached speeds of 137 miles per hour in San Bernardino County.The suspect was identified as Jason McGee, 26, from Twentynine Palms, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.Authorities received calls of a reckless driver seen speeding through stop lights in Yucca Valley around noontime.Arriving deputies spotted McGee at the intersection of Yucca Trail and Joshua Lane and attempted to pull him over, but he sped away, leading authorities on a chase.The motorcyclist continued driving, leading patrol cars on a 10-mile pursuit where McGee reached speeds of at least 137 miles per hour at times, officials said.Throughout the chase, McGee ran through multiple stop lights and stop signs, nearly struck a pedestrian in Joshua Tree, and drove into oncoming traffic on Twentynine Palms Highway. 4 robbery suspects arrested after high-speed Tesla pursuit in San Bernardino County Eventually, McGee lost control of the motorcycl...

Rogers twins team up to give Rockies late lead as SF Giants’ bats stay silent in loss

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:23 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO — The twin pairing of Tyler and Taylor Rogers in the Giants bullpen has been more than a feel-good story. They have been so effective for the past two months that when it has come to bridging the gap to Camilo Doval in late-inning, high-leverage situations, they have begun to enter one after the other as Gabe Kapler’s options 1a and 1b.Such was the case Friday night against the Rockies, with the score tied at 2 entering the seventh inning.The twins who had been so good of late imploded in their own ways, sending the Giants to a 5-2 loss to the last-place Rockies, who hadn’t won a road game since June 13 and hadn’t beaten the Giants since last season. The Rockies’ win snapped a 10-game road losing streak and an 11-game losing streak to San Francisco.Taylor Rogers put the runners on, and Tyler Rogers served up the home run that brought them all home in a three-run seventh inning.Taylor issued a pair of walks — his first outing with multiple free p...

Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots over $400M each

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 17:15:23 GMT

(KRON) -- Are you feeling lucky? If you are, perhaps it might not be a bad idea to buy some lotto tickets.As of Friday, California Lottery's Powerball jackpot has grown to $615 million. The Mega Millions jackpot has grown to $450 million, and SuperLottoPlus is at $74 million.The Mega Millions winning numbers were released Friday night. They are 8, 10, 17, 55, 66 and 3 (Megaplier number).The drawing for Powerball and SuperLottoPlus is set for Saturday night. The last drawing for Powerball and SuperLottoPlus was on Wednesday. KRON On is streaming news live now.embed-container { position: relative; padding-bottom: 56.25%; height: 0; overflow: hidden; max-width: 100%; } .embed-container iframe, .embed-container object, .embed-container embed { position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; }Stay tuned on KRON4.com to see if a winner is announced Friday night.