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New fire, EMS station opens in west Austin, Travis County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:32 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Friday, Austin’s newest joint Fire/EMS station in west Austin and Travis County held its grand opening.Austin Fire and Austin-Travis County EMS held the official grand opening for AFD Station #52 and ATCEMS Station #41 on Westlake Drive, near Loop 360. The joint station was one of the locations approved in 2018 by the Austin City Council to help growing areas cut down on response times. The station will also help with wildfire response in the area between the Bull Creek Greenbelt and Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve."This means so much for us, in order to be able to significantly serve an area of Travis County that has seen unprecedented growth,” Austin-Travis County EMS Chief Robert Luckritz said.AFD Station #52 and ATCEMS Station #41 opened May 26. (KXAN Photo/Ed Zavala)AFD Station #52 and ATCEMS Station #41 opened May 26. (KXAN Photo/Ed Zavala)AFD Station #52 and ATCEMS Station #41 opened May 26. (KXAN Photo/Ed Zavala)AFD Station #52 and ATCEMS Station #41 opened...

Central Texas helicopter hospital transfer operation shuts down amid money problems

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:32 GMT

LA GRANGE, Texas (KXAN) — Just before Memorial Day weekend, a Central Texas air evacuation base, used to get people to the hospital faster, is closing down for good.The Air Evac Lifeteam in La Grange has been serving patients within a 150-mile radius for 25 years. Its seemingly abrupt closure is blamed on not enough people using the team's services and decreasing reimbursement. That's according to the Fayette County Office of Emergency Management. Air Evac Lifeteam working with La Grange first responders. (Photo by: Joshua Vandever).Fayette County EMS director Joshua Vandever said the operation has been struggling for some time. "We have lost another healthcare resource that was valuable to our community," Vandever said. "In this day and age, it is getting harder and harder to be a healthcare provider. Reimbursement from insurance has not kept up with the rapid rise in costs for equipment and personnel. Our industry is having a harder time recruiting doctors, nurses, EMS professiona...

What's the hottest it's ever been in Texas?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:32 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — Summer doesn't officially begin for a little while longer (June 21), but you may already be feeling the heat. As KXAN News Meteorologist Nick Bannin explains, even though summer doesn't begin on the calendar until June 21 (called "astronomical summer"), temperature-wise, the summer season is set to begin June 1 and last through August 31. This is known as "meteorological summer." Texas summer forecast released: When do 100º days begin? "The dates of meteorological seasons, unlike astronomical ones, don’t fluctuate each year and instead include whole months in groups of three," says Bannin. "This makes it easier to compare the same season with previous years, since they all start and end at the same time."In Texas, August is typically the hottest month. But you can guarantee there will be some scorchers before then. How students can get into Typhoon Texas for free But have you ever wondered: What was the hottest temperature ever recorded in Texas? The hottest maximum ...

Orioles pitcher Grayson Rodriguez sent down to Triple-A Norfolk after third rough May start

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:32 GMT

After his third rough start in May and a 7.35 ERA in 10 appearances this season, top pitching prospect Grayson Rodriguez has been sent down to Triple-A Norfolk, the Orioles announced Saturday.Rodriguez, the No. 11 overall pick in the 2018 MLB draft, began the year in Norfolk but was quickly promoted. He debuted against the Texas Rangers on April 5 and pitched five innings, allowing two runs.The 23-year-old had other productive starts, including two straight in April in which he did not allow a run, but he struggled in May, posting an 11.14 ERA over five starts in the month.Left-handed relief pitcher Keegan Akin was recalled from Norfolk in a corresponding move.After two poor performances recently, the Orioles’ pitching department identified ways Rodriguez was tipping his pitches. The 6-foot-5 fireballer altered his stance with runners on base and lowered his glove, a “minor mechanical adjustment,” he said, “just to help me conceal the baseball more.”Aga...

Free Lowertown Sounds concert series starts June 1 in Mears Park

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:32 GMT

Nur-D, the New Standards and Run Westy Run are among the acts booked to play the free Lowertown Sounds concert series, which starts Thursday, June 1 at St. Paul’s Mears Park.The series, which runs from 6 to 9:30 p.m. most Thursdays through Aug. 24, features more than 20 bands.Guests are welcome to bring blankets and chairs and enjoy food and drink from a rotating mix of food trucks and local craft beverage-makers, including Utepils Brewing, Wabasha Brewing, Brick Oven Bus, Adam’s Gyros, Hometown Creamery and Sambusa Express. For the full food truck schedule, see lowertownsounds.com.The concert lineup includes:June 1: Good Morning Bedlam and Trevor McSpadden and Mary Cutrufello.June 8: Turn Turn Turn and Danger Pins.June 15: Kiss the Tiger and Creeping Charlie.June 22: Nur-D and Malamanya.July 13: The New Standards and New Primitives.July 20: Craig Clark Band and JoJo Green.July 27: Molly Maher and Her Disbelievers and Palms Psalm.Aug. 3: Jaedyn James and Twin Citizen.Aug. 10: Salsa ...

St. Louis sorority gearing up for 39th Miss Fashionetta event

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:32 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- On Sunday, May 28, 2023, the 39th Miss Fashionetta Scholarship Cotillion will take place at the Hyatt Regency St. Louis. The event is set to unfold at the Arch in Downtown St. Louis. One of the 13 contestants will claim the title of Miss Fashionetta 2023.Spearheaded by the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. Gamma Omega Chapter and the Ivy Alliance Foundation, the 39th annual Fashionetta Scholarship Cotillion showcases the efforts of women. Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated® holds the distinction of being the oldest black Greek-lettered sorority in the United States, while the Gamma Omega Chapter stands as the third-oldest graduate chapter. Betherny Williams, serving as the President of the Gamma Omega Chapter, shares the news about the forthcoming event. Joining her as co-host for the evening is Kelley Hoskins.

Nuggets GM Calvin Booth: Tim Connelly, Masai Ujiri helped Denver reach championship doorstep

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:32 GMT

Nuggets general manager Calvin Booth is more interested in doling out credit than taking any.The first-year GM knows the foundation of his team’s success was laid well before he took over last summer, and in some instances, before he even arrived as the assistant GM in 2017.That shouldn’t, and won’t, minimize the shrewd work Booth did in putting the finishing touches on what could be a championship roster. His peers recognized his contributions when he finished tied for third in executive of the year voting. But, as an executive who prides himself on learning from the past, Booth is savvy enough to understand what he inherited.He saw firsthand what former team president Tim Connelly did in helping construct the foundation of a championship roster, building the culture from the ground up before his abrupt departure to Minnesota last summer. Even a version of the Kentavious Caldwell-Pope trade, which Booth ultimately executed shortly after assuming the job, was under consideration bef...

OCTA bus crash outside of Disneyland left 5 people injured

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:32 GMT

A two-vehicle crash involving an Orange County Transportation Authority, OCTA, bus and a Black Lexus sedan left 3 people injured on Saturday night in Anaheim. The crash occurred just after 10 p.m. outside the Disneyland theme park, near the intersection of Harbor Boulevard and Disney Way. The driver of the Lexus was making a right turn from a left turn when it slammed into an OCTA bus carrying multiple people. The bus driver says he was driving at about 10-15 miles an hour before having to slam on the brakes, which caused an elderly passenger to fall on the bus floor. Video from the crash scene show minor damage to the right passenger side of the Lexus and the front left bumper of the OCTA bus. A two-vehicle crash involving an Orange County Transportation Authority, OCTA, bus and a Black Lexus sedan left 3 people injured in Anaheim. A two-vehicle crash involving an Orange County Transportation Authority, OCTA, bus and a Black Lexus sedan left 3 people injured in Anaheim. A two-...

Los Angeles area Boy scouts honor fallen soldiers with Memorial Day flags

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:32 GMT

In salute to fallen soldiers, the Boy Scouts of America, Western Los Angeles County Council’s annual Memorial Day flag placement ceremony took place at the Los Angeles National Cemetery on Saturday. More than 300 Boy Scouts of America placed over 90,000 flags on grave sites. The ceremony included speeches from the Boy Scouts and other groups honoring service members who died while serving the country during significant moments in history including World War I and the Civil War. “Civic responsibility is an important part of scouting so every scout needs to understand and recognize the sacrifice that folks have made for this country and how they can contribute to their service to the community as well,” says Lee Harrison, CEO of Boy Scouts of America, Western Los Angeles County Council.  L.A. Mayor Karen Bass poses in denim jeans to show support for sexual violence survivors Following the ceremony, Harrison says the boy scouts planned to visit each grave, plant a flag, and...

Alameda County DA dismisses charges against former corrections officer in Fremont man’s shooting death

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:38:32 GMT

OAKLAND — Just days before the trial was scheduled to start for a retired corrections officer accused of fatally shooting his ex-wife’s neighbor, Alameda County prosecutors dismissed the entire case against him, court records show.The momentous development in the case of 78-year-old Franklin Lynch came April 27, just four days before Lynch was set to go on trial and face murder charges in the death of Fremont resident Karthick Soundararaj. In Lynch’s 2022 preliminary hearing, he made the rare move of testifying in his own defense, claiming that he killed Soundararaj — who was unarmed — in self-defense after the mentally ill man shoved his ex-wife and threatened to kill members of Lynch’s family.A spokeswoman for the Alameda County District Attorney’s office said she would look into the matter, but didn’t respond to subsequent requests for comment. Lynch’s attorney didn’t return phone calls seeking comment.Soundararaj, 34, was shot and ...