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City closes 75-person encampment in Gaines Creek Greenbelt area

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:42 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A homeless encampment near the Violet Crown Trail closed this week, according to Austin city leaders. The city said 75 people and 30 pets were moved from the encampment to the city's Northbridge shelter. The camp, located in the Gaines Creek Greenbelt area, formally closed Tuesday. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Austin officials begin relocating people from a Gaines Creek homeless encampment Austin Public Health, the city's health department, said the cleanup was expected to take several weeks with help from the Parks and Recreation Department, Austin Police Department, Austin Resource Recovery and a private contractor. People moved from the encampment were offered to be transferred to the city shelter and connections to housing resources, according to APH. To prevent further encampments, the city said it would build perimeter fencing to deter camping. APD will also do periodic patrols in the area. PREVIOUS: Hundreds of encampments cleaned up in Austin, HEAL initiative hel...

ABJ: Fourth Street bar closes in East Austin, making way for mini-golf

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:42 GMT

AUSTIN (Austin Business Journal) — Native — a bar, event venue and one-time hostel — has shut down in East Austin.The business opened in a historic building 807 E. Fourth St. in 2017 with a novel concept combining a cheap-ish place for travelers to stay, a place for locals and visitors alike to grab a drink and space for small, local businesses to use.Replacing it will be a Holey Moley mini-golf course from an Australia-based company called Funlab. Owned by private equity firm TPG Capital, Funlab has more than 40 locations in Australia and New Zealand spread across eight entertainment brands.Read the full story on the Austin Business Journal.

Minnesotans warned not to eat certain raw oysters that may be linked to norovirus illnesses

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:42 GMT

State health officials said Friday that people should not eat raw oysters harvested in the Republic of Korea because they may be contaminated with norovirus.The oysters included in the alert from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) include:Frozen raw oysters in the half shelf, individual quick freezing and block form harvested between Feb. 10, 2022, and Feb. 24, 2022, and between April 6, 2022, and April 21, 2022, from what health officials describe as “Designated Area No. II, and exported by Dai One Food Co. Ltd. (KR-8-SP), and Central Fisheries Co. Ltd. (KR-6-SP), in Republic of Korea (ROK).”At least five Minnesotans were confirmed to have become ill after the oysters were served at a restaurant and another five Minnesotans who fell may have also become so from eating contaminated oysters, health officials said Friday.The frozen oysters have a two-year shelf life and were available at both Minnesota restaurants and grocery stores. Health officials ask that people ch...

Woman found fatally shot in Aurora, homicide investigation is underway

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:42 GMT

A woman was fatally shot in Aurora Saturday morning and police are looking for a suspect.#APDAlert Officers are investigating a death in the 3000 Blk of N. Peoria Street.The call came in around 6:45 am and when officers arrived, they found an adult woman that appeared to have succumbed to a gunshot wound. The person who called in the incident was gone along with… pic.twitter.com/a4z9zMuGo5— Aurora Police Dept (@AuroraPD) June 24, 2023About 6:45 a.m. Saturday police were called to the 3000 block of North Peoria Street, the Aurora Police Department said in an 8:02 a.m. tweet.Officers found a woman who was shot, police said. Police were unable to locate the person who called about the incident, a news release said.The Adams County Coroner’s Office will identity the woman, after family is notified. The coroner will also determine cause and manner of death. A homicide investigation is ongoing. 

Here are drop-off locations for trees, storm debris as cleanup in Highlands Ranch continues with trained volunteers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:42 GMT

Massive cleanup efforts after an 8-mile Tornado that ripped through Highlands Ranch continued Saturday in Douglas County.Highlands Ranch residents who need help with debris cleanup can call the Crisis Home Cleanup Hotline at 720-206-0627, the Highlands Ranch Metro District (HRMD) said in a tweet.Trained volunteers are helping with cleanup efforts as part of a free service, HRMD said.Our drop-off sites have been busy as our staff and residents clear debris from around Highlands Ranch.To keep our roadways clear and safe for drivers, we encourage residents to either cover or tie down their debris when transporting. We appreciate all supporting our community. pic.twitter.com/njmIJHgaRz— Highlands Ranch Metro District (@highlands_ranch) June 24, 2023Debris drop-off sites are busy and open, residents using the sites are encouraged to cover or tie down debris during transport to help keep roadways clear and safe.Any debris larger than a typical trashcan load should go to the drop-off...

Sultan of Southern California ‘micronation’ visits KTLA, appoints meteorologist as ambassador 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:42 GMT

The Sultan of Slowjamastan, a self-proclaimed “micronation” in the Southern California desert, joined the KTLA morning team to discuss his new country and to appoint a new ambassador. San Diego-based slow jams radio DJ Randy “R-Dub” Williams got the idea to create the Republic of Slowjamastan after visiting every UN-recognized nation on Earth. The Sultan reached out to the KTLA morning team shortly after he was featured on the show, thanking KTLA anchor Pedro Rivera and meteorologist Kacey Montoya for their love and confirming that his tiny nation was actively looking for ambassadors, a position that pays $500,000 a year in the local currency, known as Dubles. Kacey was presented with an “official” plaque commemorating her new ambassadorial role and engagement, as the Sultan declared that the ambassador was now “married” to him. The morning team even received Slowjamastani passports and were invited to a “little dance party” that is set to take place in the “micronation”&n...

A submersible expert who rode Titan in 2019 says he raised safety concerns to operator CEO after trip

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:42 GMT

(CNN) — As the investigation continues into how and when the Titan submersible imploded while on a deep-sea voyage to the Titanic wreckage last weekend, a submersible expert says he warned the vessel’s CEO about safety concerns after a trip years ago.When Karl Stanley was aboard the Titan for an undersea excursion off the coast of the Bahamas in April 2019, he felt there was something wrong with the vessel when loud noises were heard.The day after his trip, Stanley sent an email to Stockton Rush, the CEO of the vessel’s operator OceanGate Expeditions, sounding the alarm on suspected defects.“What we heard, in my opinion … sounded like a flaw/defect in one area being acted on by the tremendous pressures and being crushed/damaged,” Stanley wrote in the email, a copy of which has been obtained by CNN.“From the intensity of the sounds, the fact that they never totally stopped at depth, and the fact that there were sounds at about 300 feet that indicated a relaxing of stored energy /woul...

2 killed, 15 hurt after fight at large Michigan street party leads to gunshots

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:42 GMT

(CNN) — Two people were killed and 15 injured after a fight broke out at a large street party resulting in a shooting in Saginaw, Michigan, police say.The party had been promoted on social media, according to authorities, and police had dispersed the crowd “multiple times in different locations,” before the incident, the Michigan State Police said in a news release.“Police were nearby, preparing to disperse the crowd in this new location, when multiple 911 callers reported that people were shooting into the crowd at approximately 12:00 a.m. on June 24,” the release said.Authorities said “a fight broke out between partygoers resulting in gunshots being fired. In response, others in the crowd began shooting into the crowd, striking several victims. As people fled the scene, many were injured after being struck by fleeing vehicles.”According to the release, at least five different caliber weapons were used, and no suspects are in custody.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | ...

Tornado rips through massive Wyoming coal mining site, injures 8 people

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:42 GMT

CAMPBELL COUNTY, Wyo. (AP) — A tornado that ripped through the country’s largest coal mining site in northeast Wyoming left eight people injured and halted operations as first responders searched the massive open-pit site for employees and continued to assess the damage, officials said Saturday.The tornado hit the North Antelope Rochelle Mine in Campbell County around 6 p.m. Friday during a shift change, initially complicating search and rescue efforts. But Peabody Energy, the operator of the mine with headquarters in St. Louis and South Brisbane, Australia, confirmed before midnight that all employees had been accounted for.Six employees were still being treated in hospitals as of 11 p.m. Friday, the company said. No deaths were reported.Melissa Smith, a meteorologist and hydrologist with the National Weather Service in Rapid City, South Dakota, said a storm system scattered tornadoes throughout Campbell, Natrona and Johnson counties.“The tornadoes would form, come down, stay...

American teen Krueger to play top-seeded Maria in Veneto Open final

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:00:42 GMT

GAIBA, Italy (AP) — Ashlyn Krueger won the showdown of American teenagers at the Veneto Open on Saturday to set up a final against top-seeded Tatjana Maria of Germany.The 19-year-old Krueger rallied to beat 18-year-old Robin Montgomery 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2 after 2 hours, 20 minutes.Krueger and Montgomery won the girls’ doubles together at the U.S. Open in 2021.Maria entered the world rankings two years before Krueger was born.The 35-year-old Maria, who reached the Wimbledon semifinals last year, dominated her semifinal against fourth-seeded Olga Danilovic — the daughter of former pro basketball player Predrag Danilovic — 6-1, 6-3.“I really played a great match, staying focused from the first to last point,” Maria said. “I adore playing on grass, because it brings out my tennis. This is always the part of the season I prefer.“I will prepare for the final the best way possible with my husband (coach Charles-Edouard Maria) and I hope I can manage to win the title at a tournament I really ...