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Austin works on program to test for spiked drinks at bars

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:41:25 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- City staff in Austin are in the early stages of developing a program to distribute alcohol test strips to bars on Sixth and Rainey Streets that would allow patrons to see if their drinks got spiked."[It] is an important element to the overall goal of keeping our community safe, particularly considering a spiked drink is often a precursor to a more traumatic event," according to a spokesperson for the City of Austin's Development Services Department. The strips would detect the presence of date rape drugs. Council Member Zo Qadri said he put forth the idea after people brought concerns to his office about getting drugged downtown. While he's not connecting spiked drinks to the February death of Jason John, who was last seen on Rainey Street on a night out, he said subsequent conversations with constituents addressed druggings. "Folks talking about their drinks spiked, having their friends' drink spiked," Qadri said. "We want to make sure we're on top of that."The pro...

Gov. Abbott will call special session for school vouchers in October

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:41:25 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- After two weeks of a tumultuous impeachment trial following nearly nine straight months of work for the part-time legislature, Texas lawmakers are preparing to return to the Capitol in October for a special session that will determine whether Gov. Greg Abbott can finally finish his push to send public dollars to private schools.On Tuesday, Gov. Abbott is holding a tele-town hall with Christian faith leaders across the state to announce "School Choice Sunday," an event in support of state-funded education savings accounts and expanded parental rights taking place on Oct. 15. The Governor will discuss "how empowering parents with education freedom is the key to saving the hearts and minds of our children," the Texas Public Policy Foundation said ahead of the event. Rural districts fret as Gov. Abbott rallies supporters for ‘school choice’ at Capitol All year, the Governor has spent considerable time and political capital in support of his "school choice" initiati...

Nearing triple digits through the weekend

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:41:25 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Hot... and only getting hotter.Afternoon highs will run +5° hotter than normal this week with most areas running up the thermometer to the mid- to upper 90s. Mainly sunny and dry skies will stretch areawide with increasing humidity making the heat feel even more uncomfortable.Unseasonably hot through the weekA quick-passing disturbance may bring a small chance at a few showers late Friday, but eyes continue to stay focused on a cold front with a better chance of rain-bearing opportunities. New data points to this front arriving sometime late in the day Monday.Cold front brings opportunity for rain late weekend into next weekScattered showers look possible beginning Sunday and continuing through Tuesday. Meanwhile, temperatures will cool a few degrees to the low 90s. NEW BLOG: El Niño into 2024: What that means for winter and spring STORY: Central Texas drought ‘top one or two driest’ Austin Interactive Weather Stats (2023) FIRST WARNING WEATHER: Stay up to d...

Austin launches emergency preparedness pop-up events

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:41:25 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin emergency preparedness officials are taking newer steps to keep residents informed on what to do in the event of a weather-related emergency event.The City of Austin's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management launched emergency preparedness events this year. HSEM will host 10 pop-up events at Austin Public Library branches across the city, said Billy Callis, public information officer with HSEM."The intention is really to help get people prepared and aware, and thinking about how to prepare themselves, their home, their family, their pets and their community for emergencies," Callis said.Why the City of Austin began offering emergency preparedness eventsThe events feature HSEM staff alongside officials from Austin-Travis County EMS, the Austin Fire Department, Austin Energy and the Austin Watershed Department, among others. Callis said the need for these publicly accessible events is especially important, given the onslaught of weather-related emer...

Second man sentenced in deadly St. Paul marijuana deal

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:41:25 GMT

A St. Paul man was sentenced Tuesday to 9½ years in prison for his role in a 2022 fatal shooting during a marijuana deal in the city’s Dayton’s Bluff neighborhood.Traivon Dennis Campbell, 22, pleaded guilty in January to second-degree unintentional murder in connection with the killing of Michael Alexander Pleasants, 33, who was shot in the head by Kemarri Miller Roan. As part of a plea agreement, Campbell agreed to a 128-month prison term and to testify against Roan, if there was a trial.Traivon Dennis Campbell (Courtesy of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)Roan, 19, reached a plea agreement with the prosecution in May — admitting that he shot Pleasants in the back of the head — and was sentenced to 19 years in prison in July.Ramsey County District Judge Kellie Charles on Tuesday handed down a 116-month term to Campbell, who will receive credit for 509 days already served in custody.Officers sent to a shots-fired call in the 200 block of Bates Avenue shortl...

0-2 Vikings have simple mindset against 0-2 Chargers: ‘Just go get a win’

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:41:25 GMT

Don’t expect the Vikings to make wholesale changes heading into this Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Chargers at U.S. Bank Stadium. Though the 0-2 start has been frustrating for everybody involved, the Vikings still believe they are a good team, and they know they can change the narrative this week.“It’s a pretty simple mindset,” safety Josh Metellus said. “Just go get a win.”How exactly do the Vikings go about doing that? They need to look themselves in the mirror and tweak a number of things following the Week 1 home loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Week 2 road loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.On offense, the Vikings need to be more effective in the run game, having only gained 69 yards on the ground this season. On defense, the Vikings need to do a better job stopping the run, after allowing Eagles running back D’Andre Swift to post 28 carries for 175 yards last week.Still, as much as head coach Kevin O’Connell ha...

Stillwater military history and more on display at armory open house

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:41:25 GMT

The public is invited to an open house on Saturday at the Stillwater Army National Guard Readiness Center.The armory, which opened in 2016, houses the headquarters company of the 334th Brigade Engineer Battalion, E Company of the 134th Brigade Support Battalion and the 34th Military Police Company. All three units are part of the 34th Red Bull Infantry Division.The free event, which is co-hosted by the units and the Stillwater Military History Project Committee, will be from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at 350 Maryknoll Drive N. in Stillwater. Refreshments will be served.It is the first open house held at the new armory, and organizers hope it will become an annual event, said Jack Johnson, a military historian, a longtime National Guardsman and a member of the Stillwater Military History Project Committee. Johnson, of Grant, researched and wrote the panels on display at the armory that depict a timeline of Stillwater’s military history from 1858 to present day.Visitors will have a ch...

Minnesota BCA completes investigation into trooper’s fatal shooting of Ricky Cobb II

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:41:25 GMT

An investigation into a Minnesota state trooper fatally shooting a Black man in Minneapolis has wrapped up, and now it is up to prosecutors to decide if charges are warranted.The Hennepin County attorney’s office announced Tuesday that the Minnesota Public Safety Department’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension had submitted the findings of its inquiry into the death of 33-year-old Ricky Cobb II.Trooper Ryan Londregan shot Cobb two months ago after he refused to leave his car during a stop on Interstate 94, according to the BCA, which investigates such shootings in Minnesota.Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty vowed in a news release to reach a decision “as quickly as possible” and said a use-of-force expert had been enlisted to help.But she also said she was disappointed to learn from state investigators about a lack of cooperation from some State Patrol employees who weren’t the subject of the investigation but potentially had useful information. She stressed that “the family...

Napheesa Collier continues to lift Lynx in every way possible

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:41:25 GMT

Cheryl Reeve did not know what the result of Game 2 of the WNBA playoffs series on Sunday in Connecticut was going to be. But the Lynx coach and general manager was sure of one thing: Napheesa Collier was going to play well.Yes, that’s a sturdy limb to stand on, but Reeve was indeed correct, as Collier went off for 26 points, 13 rebounds, two steals and a block to power the Lynx to an upset victory that forced a decisive Game 3 in Minnesota on Wednesday to determine the outcome of the first-round series.The production came all while pushing through a pinched nerve that only briefly sidelined her in the game. That’s what the 26-year-old does.The main reason for Reeve’s confidence in Collier is simple.“She’s awfully good,” the coach said. “Napheesa Collier is a helluva basketball player. So you can’t hold those kinds of players down.”But also, when adversity rings, Collier is the first to answer the call. That, Reeve noted, is R...

Jacob Klein claims innocence in opening statements

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:41:25 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Prosecutors in this case intend to argue Philip Rabadi’s death was calculated and planned to inflict harm on Rabadi’s wife and Jacob Klein’s ex-girlfriend Elana Radin. Klein, representing himself, told the jury at the start he is completely innocent, relying on a lack of DNA evidence to prove he is connected to Rabadi’s death.  Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! “The killing of Philip Rabadi was commuted to influx immeasurable pain," Jessica Blain-Lewis, Assistant District Attorney, said. "The evidence will show it was calculated, deliberate and intentional.” Blain-Lewis said the evidence will show Klein planned a 4-day trip from his home in Virginia to New York, visiting Rabadi’s home on Miller Road multiple times in two different cars before allegedly speaking to Rabadi, entering the home and stabbing him multiple times as he was restrained. She said evidence will give insight into Klein’s motive for all...