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Heat exhaustion a concern for firefighters as temps soar

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:54 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Heat related illness can be a problem in the summer months, especially when temperatures are well above 100 degrees.Staying inside when temperatures rise is a good idea, but not everyone has that luxury-- first responders must be ready to respond in any conditions.On Tuesday, six people were displaced after a fire at a group home on Blossom Bell Dr in Austin. One firefighter had to be transported to the hospital for heat exhaustion."We all know the heat here is no joke especially when you put on this (gear),” said Matthew Villanueva with  Travis County Emergency Services District 12.While the gear keeps firefighters safe during a fire, it can be hot.“It is definitely hot,” said   “It is made up of three layers. You have a thermal layer, an inner liner and you have a moisture barrier." Austin just broke an all-time heat record for the month of June Adam Tapia, Travis County ESD 12 battalion chief, said breaks and hydration are key during the extreme h...

Austinites preparing for power problems as ERCOT asks Texans to conserve

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:54 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Alana Cortes lost power for roughly two weeks during this year's winter storm. KXAN first talked to Cortes at the tail end of an ice storm that knocked out power to tens of thousands of Austin Energy customers. Now, Cortes said she's moving towards energy independence because she's not confident she'll consistently have power moving forward, including this summer as record heat hits Texas. "There's some resentment about the escalating cost of living when we do not feel that it reflects the standard of living," Cortes said. Who’s responsible for Austin’s widespread power outages? City Council wants answers On the hottest day of the year so far, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is asking customers to voluntarily conserve energy, if possible, between 4-8 p.m. "ERCOT is not experiencing emergency conditions. Voluntary conservation is a widely used industry tool that can help lower demand for a specific period of peak demand time, which...

3 Longhorns capture national track and field awards following title-winning performances

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:54 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Following outstanding performances at the NCAA outdoor track and field championships, three Longhorns were honored with national awards, the school announced Tuesday.Senior sprinter Julien Alfred, senior decathlete Leo Neugebauer and women's team head coach Edrick Floreal were all honored by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersAlfred was named the women's track athlete of the year for the outdoor season, sweeping both indoor and outdoor national honors. Alfred was the fifth woman in NCAA history to win triple golds in the 100-meter dash, 200-meter dash and the 4x100-meter relay at the outdoor championships in Austin.Texas senior Leo Neugebauer won the decathlon at the NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships on Thursday at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin. (Photo courtesy of Texas Athl...

What's the latest on Project Connect's Expo Center MetroRapid line?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:54 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for June 20, 2023.TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- CapMetro delivered an update to Travis County Commissioners Court on one of the newest MetroRapid bus lines joining its service scope -- marking one of the biggest projects currently in development under the Project Connect mass transit program.Under Project Connect, transit leaders are developing four new MetroRapid bus lines and Park & Ride service centers, including connections to the Travis County Exposition Center on Decker Lane. The MetroRapid Expo Center Line is a 12-mile route in development that'll run from the expo center to Republic Square in downtown Austin.The route will feature connections to the Pleasant Valley MetroRapid Line, which will service northeast and southeast Austin. The line and related Park & Ride center is budgeted at $48.5 million, with approximately $31 million covered courtesy federal dollars. RELATED REPORTING: CapMetro awar...

Byron Buxton in center field? ‘He physically can’t,’ Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:54 GMT

Twins star Byron Buxton has not played in outfield this season and it’s clearly taking a toll on him.The joy with which Gold Glove winner plays the game is most noticeable when he’s covering a seemingly impossible amount of grass to rob opposing players of extra bases. Buxton simply is not himself without that the ability to impact the game in that manner.He knows that better than anyone.Which adds to Buxton’s frustration as he continues to struggle at the plate. Before Tuesday night’s game between the Twins and Boston Red Sox at Target Field, the designated hitter had not garnered a hit since being reinstated from the injured list last week. The slump would be easier for Buxton to stomach if he were able to make his presence felt in the outfield.“That definitely takes your mind off of what you do at the plate,” he said Tuesday. “If I was to strike out, I went on defense, and I was like, ‘Ain’t nobody getting a hit.’ ”...

Dru Sjodin’s killer moved to Florida prison to served life sentence

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:54 GMT

The Minnesota man convicted of kidnapping, raping and killing a North Dakota college student 20 years ago has been moved from death row in Indiana to a Florida prison, according to federal records.Alfonso Rodriguez, 70, was convicted of killing 22-year-old Dru Sjodin in November 2003 after abducting the Pequot Lakes, Minn., native from a mall parking lot in Grand Forks, N.D. Her body was found in April of the next year in Crookston, Minn., where Rodriguez lived.Rodriguez has been moved from a death row prison in Terre Haute, Ind., to Coleman II, a high-security penitentiary in Sumterville, Fla., according to Federal Bureau of Prisons records, the Bismarck Tribune reported.A convicted sex offender at the time of Sjodin’s murder, Rodriguez was sentenced to death in 2007. His death sentence was overturned in September 2021 when a federal judge ruled that Rodriguez’s constitutional rights were violated during his trial, citing misleading testimony from the medical examiner, ...

3 southern Minnesota men charged with January 2021 attack on U.S. Capitol

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:54 GMT

WASHINGTON — Three southern Minnesota men have been arrested and charged with a felony and related misdemeanor crimes stemming from their involvement in the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.Kenneth Wayne Fuller, 44, and Caleb Kenneth Fuller, 20, both of Cleveland, and Nicholas John Fuller, 40, of Mapleton, are charged in court documents.Caleb Fuller is the son of Kenneth Wayne Fuller, and Nicholas Fuller is the brother of Kenneth Wayne Fuller.Each defendant is charged with one felony count of obstruction of law enforcement during civil disorder and misdemeanor counts of knowingly entering or remaining in any restricted building or grounds without lawful authority and disorderly conduct in a restricted building or grounds.Kenneth Wayne Fuller was arrested Friday and will have his initial appearance in the U.S. District Court of Minnesota.Defendants Caleb and Nicholas John Fuller were previously arrested and made their initial fed...

Charles Patricelli talks campaign with News10

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:54 GMT

WATERVLIET, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Primary elections for many municipal offices are happening on June 27. One of the races is for Watervliet mayor. Democrat incumbent Charles Patricelli is being challenged by fellow democrat Timothy Cavanaugh.Patricelli is serving his first term as mayor of Watervliet. And he couldn't have picked a more challenging time. Shortly after taking office, Covid-19 hit and the shutdowns began.The democrat says his experience as a manager helped keep the city moving forward. "We met Covid head on, we didn't hide under a desk", said Patricelli. He adds, "we operated as much as we possibly could."When residents started losing their jobs, Patricelli said, "we immediately started working with the United Way and the food bank and brought food to the city twice a month."Patricelli sat down with News10 to discuss the issues facing the city ahead of the Tuesday June 27th primary.

Attorney General's office assessing deadly shooting in Gloversville

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:54 GMT

GLOVERSVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Police say they received a 911 call shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday for a call of shots fired. Once on scene, they say they located a man who said he was shot at but not hit. The shooter fleeing into a house on Fremont Street. Asylees in Albany want work, not a handout Neighbors reliving the moment they woke up to the active scene.“I woke up to the SWAT team and private detectives. Police cars were all over the place,” explained neighbor, Kimberly Sagendorf.  “I felt like I could be next. Or anybody could be next. Because this is not a good street.”Three different area neighbors all confirm they only heard one shot just after 2 a.m.Police say they found evidence of the shooting and began evacuating every apartment in the multi-unit house. They set up a tactical unit and staged outside of the home. Hours later, police say they received a 911 call from a man inside the home who told them there was man shot in the basement. The caller and one other...

“Tiger King” Joe Exotic is not on the Colorado ballot for president, despite what he may say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:20:54 GMT

Despite a bold proclamation on his newly launched campaign website that he has secured a spot on Colorado’s 2024 ballot for a White House run, the imprisoned “Tiger King” of Netflix fame — Joseph Maldonado, better known as Joe Exotic — is not ready for presidential prime time in the Centennial State.So says the Secretary of State’s Office, which on Tuesday told The Denver Post that it will return Maldonado’s $500 check “with instructions for steps the candidate must take in order to be on the ballot.”The determination from the state’s election officials comes a day after multiple media outlets, citing Maldonado’s own presidential announcement, reported that the former zookeeper and federal inmate had gained a spot on the ballot — his first among the 50 states.“The Secretary of State’s Office requires candidates to personally sign official documentation affirming they acknowledge state law requirements in a...