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Texas expert explores why conspiracies swirl around Lady Bird Lake deaths

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:46 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On Saturday, the Austin Police Department launched an investigation after public safety personnel recovered a body from Lady Bird Lake, near the Longhorn Dam. On Monday afternoon, police identified the man as 30-year-old Christopher Hays-Clark. At this time, officials said there are no indications of suspicious activity or foul play related to the death. But that hasn't stopped rumors from circulating in recent months that hypothesize criminal activity is tied to these cases. RELATED: Austin Police investigating body found in Lady Bird Lake near Longhorn Dam The rumors have been fueled, in part, by two drownings this year. While both cases remain under investigation, officers have said preliminary evidence indicates they aren't rooted in foul play.Dr. Carsten Andresen, an associate professor of criminal justice at St. Edward's University, told KXAN these are the latest of a string of conspiracies he's seen crop up in cities across the country within recent months....

1 injured, several cats rescued after east Austin fire, AFD says

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:46 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One person suffered non-serious injuries, and several cats were rescued after a structure fire in east Austin Monday, the Austin Fire Department confirmed in a tweet.Shortly after 1:30 p.m., AFD responded to the fire at 1100 Reinli St., the tweet said. The response was later upgraded to a second alarm, but AFD was able to get the fire knocked down.According to AFD, one person was taken to the hospital by Austin-Travis County EMS with non-life-threatening injuries.Furthermore, a total of seven cats were rescued and reunited with their owners, AFD said.The incident remained under investigation Monday.

Tour the NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft in Houston

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:46 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- If you have ever wanted a personal tour of the NOAA Hurricane Hunter aircraft, you have a chance next month.The aircraft that fly into the world's strongest storms and their crews are coming to Houston on May 1 as part of Hurricane Awareness Week.The aircraft, NOAA’s WP-3D and the U.S. Air Force Reserve WC-130J Hurricane Hunter, gather data inside of tropical storms and hurricanes via sensors mounted all over the plane -- from a weather radar to a wing-mounted scatterometer that can derive wind speed by sensing the exact wave height.WC-130J Hercules (credit: NOAA)The aircraft also carry instruments called dropsondes crews deploy from a tube that radio back weather data as they slowly descend to the ocean surface.The data these crews gather is crucial to forecasting the intensity and track of the storms and keeping people safe.Lockheed WP-3D OrionWhen and where you can see the Hurricane HuntersThe 2023 NOAA Hurricane Awareness Tour will come to Houston, Texas, with a...

Erykah Badu to play the X with the rapper formerly known as Mos Def

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:46 GMT

Grammy-winning R&B star Erykah Badu will hit the road for a 25-date summer tour that lands at St. Paul’s Xcel Energy Center on June 30.Tickets go on sale at 2:22 p.m. Thursday through Ticketmaster. Neither the promoter nor the venue announced prices. Yasiin Bey, the rapper formerly known as Mos Def, is also on the bill.Born Erica Abi Wright in Dallas, Badu began her career with her 1997 debut “Baduizm,” which spawned four hits, including the chart-toppers “On and On” and “Next Lifetime.” The album went triple platinum, earned four Grammy nominations and two wins, for best female R&B vocal performance and best R&B album. Badu – along with Lauryn Hill, D’Angelo and Maxwell – is credited as a key figure in the neo soul genre.Badu went on to release four more albums and land hits with “Tyrone,” “Bag Lady,” “Love of My Life (An Ode to Hip-Hop)” and “Window Seat.”Since the 2010 release of her fifth album, “New Amerykah Part Two (Return of the Ankh),” Badu has large...

2 killed in St. Paul crash ID’d as men in their 20s

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:46 GMT

Two men who died in a single-vehicle weekend crash in St. Paul were in their 20s, police said Monday.Mheretab Eshete, 29, of Burnsville, was driving and Adoniyas Kebede, 22, of St. Paul, was the passenger, according to Sgt. Mike Ernster, a police spokesman.Police were called to the crash just after 4:30 a.m. Sunday. It happened in the area of West Seventh and Homer streets, west of Interstate 35E.Officers found a Dodge Caravan had gone off the road and struck a tree. The two men were unresponsive in the van and paramedics pronounced them dead at the scene.Preliminary information indicated speed was a factor in the crash and police continue to investigate the circumstances, Ernster said. Related ArticlesCrime & Public Safety | St. Paul mayor, council member propose citywide requirement for safe gun storage Crime & Public Safety | Minnetronix brings engineering to students at St. Paul high school Crime & Public Safety | Letters: A...

Senate Judiciary Committee advances Wilson to floor vote

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:46 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) -- Rowan Wilson, the Governor’s pick for next Chief Judge for the state's highest court had a public hearing with the Senate Judiciary committee on Monday. This coming after the Senate rejected the Governors previous nominee, Hector LaSalle for being "too conservative" for New York. 5 things to know this Thursday, January 19 Wilson is a Harvard Law graduate and the state's current Associate Judge. He was joined by his wife and daughter during the hearing. His opening remarks talked about his childhood, family, education and legal career, "Growing up, my parents … we didn’t have luxuries. But my parents gave me something considerably more important which was a great education and a strong sense of honesty and ethics," said Wilson. Lawmakers immediately questioned Wilson on a notably controversial case known as People v Regan, in which Wilson overturned the prison sentence of a convicted rapist after there were several delays in the trial. Wilson said the delays...

Police arrest juvenile for making a false bomb threat at Schenectady school

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:46 GMT

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) — The Schenectady Police Department arrested a juvenile concerning a bomb threat that Mont Pleasant Middle School received. According to police, the school received a voicemail of the threat and safely redirected students to other Schenectady City School buildings. The reported threat was unfounded. But detectives from the Schenectady Police Department’s Youth Aid Division were able to trace the source of the voicemail and then made the arrest. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Police say the juvenile suspect has been charged with Falsely Reporting an Incident in the First Degree and Making a Terroristic Threat.

OAG to host community gun buyback in the Capital Region

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:46 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Office of the Attorney General is hosting a community gun buyback at the Watervliet Dome on Saturday, April 29. Money in the form of prepaid gift cards will be exchanged when a gun is received and secured by law enforcement officers. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Working and non-working firearms are accepted. The following amounts will be provided for firearms turned in:$500 per assault rifle or ghost gun$150 per handgun ($500 will be given for the first handgun turned in per person)$75 per rifle or shotgun$25 per non-working, replica, antique, homemade, or 3D-printed gun

Missing Newton family found in Arizona: Police

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:46 GMT

NEWTON, Ill. (WCIA) -- A family that disappeared more than two months ago from Newton has been found safe in Arizona, police said.In a press release, officials said Stephen, Monica, Aiden and Nicholas Lutz were found in Cochise County, the southeastern-most part of the state. Their location was eventually narrowed down thanks to automated license plate readers and the Arizona State Police. ‘There’s a darkness in me where I can’t sleep’: Missing Persons Awareness Network president on missing Newton family case A deputy made contact with Monica and the boys; Stephen was not present. The deputy told Newton Police Chief Riley Britton that the boys appeared to be healthy, and that Monica told him where Stephen could be found.Britton then personally spoke over the phone with Stephen, who stated that the family had relocated to Arizona and had no plans of returning to Newton.Newton Police thanked everyone who assisted in any way with the search for the Lutzs."We are relieved to have made...

Kansas City teen shot after going to wrong house released from hospital, case under investigation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:27:46 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A Kansas City 16-year-old has been released from the hospital four days after he was shot by a homeowner, family says. Paul Yarl confirmed to FOX4 that his son Ralph Yarl is out of the hospital Monday and on the road to recovery.Hours later on Monday, the Kansas City Police Department said it has submitted its case file on the shooting to the Clay County Prosecutor's Office to review for possible charges. Clay County Prosecutor Zachary Thompson has called a news conference at 5 p.m. Monday to discuss the case, but his office did not provide any specifics. FOX4 will carry the conference live in the video player above. Ralph was shot Thursday night by a Clay County homeowner after accidentally going to the wrong home to pick up his siblings. Kansas City police said just before 10 p.m. April 13, Ralph was picking up his younger siblings at a home on N.E. 115th Terrace when he mistakenly went to a house on N.E. 115th Street. When Ralph arrived at the home, the h...