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Memorial Day weekend deadliest for Texas drivers, who rank as worst drivers in the U.S.

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- According to a study from the car insurance company Jerry, Texas has suffered the most fatal crashes during Memorial Day weekend over the past decade, with Houston and Dallas leading nationally as the top two cities for fatalities. Austin Police Department starts ‘No Refusal’ initiative to curb drunk driving over Memorial Day weekend The study, conducted by former Bloomberg economics editor Henry Hoenig, who now works for Jerry, used data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The majority of traffic fatalities occur at night or in the early morning. (Courtesy Jerry)Historically, Saturday is the deadliest day of Memorial Day weekend. (Courtesy Jerry)California has a larger population than Texas, but Texas outpaces in Memorial Day weekend deaths. (Courtesy Jerry)It found that 42% of the people who died were between the ages of 16 and 35. Key causes of those crashes were speed (52%) and intoxication (67%).A 2020 study published in the journal BMC ...

Sources: Lieutenant Governor holding up post-Uvalde transparency bill

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A years-long fight to close a controversial legal gap known as the "dead suspect loophole" has hit a last-minute snag. This development comes days after the one-year anniversary of the Uvalde mass shooting that killed 19 children and two teachers, which put a spotlight on the importance of public records, transparency and the truth."We've agreed to the changes that would make this bill operational and the House conferees have signed off on that," said Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, who authored the bill and has been trying to close the loophole for years. "So, we're simply waiting to see what happens."The hold up: Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, according to several sources with inside knowledge. KXAN reached out Friday to his office to ask about the status of the bill but did not immediately hear back.The "dead suspect loophole" refers to an exemption in the Texas Public Information Act that gives police discretion to withhold records from the public in cases where a s...

2 Austin students head to Scripps National Spelling Bee

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – On Tuesday, 231 children aged 9 to 14 will face off in the Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington D.C, perhaps leading to many of us feeling ashamed of our over-reliance on spell-check. Two Austinites – Shrethan Botla,14,  and Tarini Nandakumar, 12 – will compete to be this year’s spelling champion. Bolta, who said this is his first and last entry into the national competition, said he feels both nervous and excited ahead of the trip.“I'm feeling really happy because I've never been to an event, a big international level,” he told KXAN. Other spelling contestants beware if the word “onomatopoeia” is called as it is Bolta’s favorite. “It’s just a very unique and perplexing word overall,” Bolta said on why he finds the word compelling. “And words that kind of stumped me are probably words that just don't follow the language pattern. If they're of an unknown origin, it just makes it harder to spell [because] I can't follow any of the rules,” Bol...

Rhubarb fest comes back to Warrensburg in June

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

WARRENSBURG, N.Y. (NEWS10) - The Warrensburgh Riverfront Farmers' Market is once again running through its roster of specially-themed farmer's markets. This June, it's time to enjoy fresh red rhubarb - and find out about new ways to use it. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The 13th annual Rhubarb Festival at the Warrensburgh Riverfront Farmers' Market comes to town on Friday, June 2, from 3-6 p.m. on River Street. The festival features rhubarb stalks and plants, recipes, and sampler plates. Cornell Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Ruth Fruda will be on site to hand out information and answer questions about how to grow and cook with rhubarb properly. Crafts and take-and-make kits will be available from Richards Library director Shelby Burkhardt.Vendors coming to this year's festival include:Adirondack HarvestBaked by Marlene at J. Gallup FarmBirdy's Unique Plants & JewelryCalico CornerCover Your Sass BotiqueDawn's D...

Troy holding events to celebrate Make Music Day

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The first annual Make Music Troy is set for June 21. The day includes free, public musical events in celebration of Make Music Day, a global music celebration that brings people together to make music. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! For 2023, over 100 U.S. cities will host thousands of Make Music performances across the country. Participating organizations include the Troy Public Library, Troy City School District, Oakwood Community Center, The Ruck, Song City, Troy Savings Bank Music Hall and more.Make Music Day began in France in 1982 and has spread to over 1,000 cities across 120 countries. Make Music concerts are performed by anyone who wants to take part and enjoyed by everyone who wants to attend in public spaces. Two more events, bands added to Summer at the Plaza series Make Music Troy eventsYear End Celebration at Tenth Street Garden, Children’s Songs & Sing Along from 2:30 p.m. to 3:1...

On this date (1857): Dred Scott freed in St. Louis

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

ST. LOUIS - A decade-long fight for freedom led to Dred Scott, an enslaved Black man, being freed on this date 166 years ago in St. Louis. On May 26, 1857, Scott and his wife Harriet appeared in the St. Louis Circuit Court and were formally freed by Henry Taylor Blow. Judge Alexander Hamilton, who presided over trials in Missouri, approved documents to free Scott and his family. The emancipation came shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Dred Scott v. Sandford, a landmark pre-Civil War court case, that Scott was not entitled to freedom or protected by the Constitution, despite living in a free state of Missouri. It also followed a series of legal battles in St. Louis dating back to 1846. $400,000 in watches stolen in St. Louis jewelry heist That year, Dred and Harriet filed separate lawsuits for freedom in St. Louis based on two Missouri statutes. According to History.com, "one statute allowed any person of any color to sue for wrongful enslavement. The other stated that ...

Prints and video help catch O'Fallon burglary suspect

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

O'FALLON, Mo. -- A suspect is under arrest for an attempted burglary at the Bramblett Crossing Apartments. Investigators were able to use video and a partial palm print to identify the suspect. Dominique Hudson, 31, of St. Charles is charged with burglarly.A man was seen trying to break in to an apartment at around 9:30 p.m. on May 16, 2023. After realizing he had been spotted, the suspect ran to a parked car and drove off. $400,000 in watches stolen in St. Louis jewelry heist Investigators were able to get video of the suspect leaving the area. They also found a partial palm print. The evidence was sent to the St. Charles County Forensic Services Division for analysis. Hudson was identified as the suspect.On Wednesday, a search warrant was executed at Hudson's St. Charles apartment. Officers placed him under arrest, found stolen property, and a gun. Hudson has a history of arrests for burglaries. He is being held on a $25,000 cash-only bond.

Commodities trading firm to move downtown HQ after $9.5M office buy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

A Denver-based commodities trading firm that purchased the office building at 1430 Wynkoop St. last week plans to move its headquarters there.Concord Energy has been based a block away, in a building it bought in 2018. But Chief Legal Officer Stephen Tsai said the company is outgrowing the approximately 9,000 square feet there.“We’re expanding and our current office at 1408 Wazee is just getting too small,” Tsai said.Concord paid $9.5 million to buy the four-story, 44,045-square-foot building from Denver-based developer Westfield, records show.Westfield had bought the building from Seattle-based Unico Properties the same day, as part of a $17 million deal that also included the adjacent parking lot at 1420 Wynkoop. Westfield didn’t respond to requests for comments regarding the company’s plans for the parking lot.Tsai said Concord, founded in 2002, hasn’t determined how much of the 1430 Wynkoop building it will use, and might lease some of it to other firms. The building needs some ...

Westminster woman who stole $800K from feds gets 50 months in prison

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

A Westminster woman was sentenced to 50 months in prison Monday for running a seven-year scheme that stole $800,000 from the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs.District Court Judge William Martinez also ordered Dema Martinez to pay $813,000 in restitution to the federal government and nearly $13,000 to two banks that she lied to.Martinez, 41, pleaded guilty last October to wire fraud and fraudulent use of an unauthorized access device. In exchange, prosecutors dropped 22 other felony charges, including embezzlement, bank fraud, mail fraud, and aiding and abetting fraud.Between January 2012 and April 2019, Martinez worked as a manager at the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ Division of Energy and Mineral Development, located in Lakewood. The division gives advice to tribes that are developing their energy and mineral resources.As part of her job, Martinez had a government-issued credit card. Using that card and other cards issued to her coworkers, Martinez bought everything from airline tickets,...

Innocent taxi driver killed in wrong-way crash on 110 Freeway

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:12:16 GMT

One person died and three others were injured when a wrong-way driver crashed into another car in the northbound lanes of the 110 Freeway early Friday morningThe crash happened just before 3 a.m. near Exposition Boulevard in the downtown Los Angeles area and involved a taxi and a black Chevy Cruze, according to the California Highway Patrol. Investigators say the driver of the Chevy was going southbound in the northbound lanes when they collided with the taxi, killing the cab driver. He was later identified as Ken Balayev, 71, of Calabasas.The crash scene on the 110 Freeway. May 26, 2023. (OnScene.TV)The female driver of the Cruze and a female passenger, both in their 20s, were hospitalized with serious injuries, along with a passenger of the taxi, a spokesman for CHP told KTLA.The collision forced the closure of the northbound 110 for several hours. All lanes reopened around 6 a.m.CHP is investigating if drugs or alcohol were factors in the crash.