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Westlake's 'burning desire' fuels them to 6A semifinals against Pearland

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — They've won a school-record 40 games this season, and now the Westlake Chaparrals are trying for two more to claim a 6A baseball state title.The Chaps, 40-4 this season and 10-1 in postseason play, are matched up against the Pearland Oilers in the 6A semifinals scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday at Dell Diamond. It's the first time since 2009 that Westlake has appeared in the state tournament, and head coach JT Blair said this team hates to lose more than it likes to win. Texas high school baseball championships: Scores, schedules, box scores "They're just not going to be denied," he said. "We've won games in every possible way. We've come from behind, won in extra innings, boat-raced people ... they have a burning desire in them and they're resilient."A senior-laden squad with 23, the only hiccup on their playoff ledger was a 1-0 loss to Round Rock in the first game of the regional quarterfinals. The Chaps shrugged that loss off, considering they had to face potential fi...

Texas to use floating barrier to combat border crossings, Abbott says

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) —Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced Thursday afternoon a "new, water-based barrier of buoys" will be installed at the Texas border soon. Abbott made the announcement after signing several border security-related bills that passed during the 88th Legislative Session. Abbott said the installation of the buoys will start "immediately.""These buoys will allow us to prevent people from even getting to the border," Abbott said.Col. Steven McCraw, the director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, said the deployment of the first 1,000 feet of buoys will start in Maverick County's Eagle Pass. McCraw added the buoys can be deployed quickly and are movable.Images of the concept were displayed on each side of the table where Abbott, McCraw and Major General Thomas Suelzer, the Adjutant General of Texas, were sitting for the press conference. One image showed someone attempting to get over the barriers.Concept image of adding buoy barriers to the Rio Grande (Nexstar Photo)Im...

Texas man rides horse for 1,000 miles to raise awareness for homeless veterans

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Jeremy Robinson and his horse, Trooper, have spent months trotting along Texas roads from Huntsville to Austin, where he and Trooper will finish up their trek Saturday.While Robinson has said the 1000+ mile journey has been a fulfilling experience, it’s not just a joy ride – Robinson, who’s a veteran, set out on this ride to raise awareness for issues affecting veterans.  “Our focus is homelessness,” he said. “The two largest issues within the veteran community revolve around homelessness and suicide. It's my position that we lose a lot of our brothers and sisters to self-inflicted harm because they have a fear of becoming homeless,” Robinson continued. The National Association of American Veterans estimates that over 16 million veterans live in the U.S., and over 40,000 are without homes. The organization also reports that around 13% of all U.S. veterans are living with mental health issues. “Substance abuse, mental health, lack of community, isolation – a...

Officer among five newly indicted from 2020 protests identified in court records

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- An Austin police officer, previously indicted in connection with May 2020 protests in Austin, is facing an additional charge, according to court documents and KXAN sources.Kyle Felton was charged with deadly conduct by discharging a firearm, the document states. He is also facing two counts of aggravated assault by a public servant. 19 APD officers indicted accused of harming a total of 10 during May 2020 protests KXAN has reached out to Felton's attorney, and we will update the story with a statement when it becomes available.Last week, the Austin Police Association announced five more indictments against Austin Police Department officers. Three of the officers already faced indictment, and two new officers were indicted, according to APA.A pre-trial hearing for Felton was set for June 20, according to court documents.Felton's bond was set at $5,000, documents show.Newly indicted officersEarlier this week, an APD officer who was indicted last year in connect...

Texas high school baseball championships: Scores, schedules, box scores

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The 2023 UIL Baseball Championships are in full swing at Dell Diamond and UFCU Disch-Falk Field, and by Saturday night, six teams will get to call themselves state champs.Click on the links to see the box scores from the game provided by the UIL. All games are available via web streaming through the NFHS Network. UIL Baseball State TournamentsWednesday, June 7Class 1A semifinals: Abbott 5, Kennard 4 at Dell DiamondClass 1A semifinals: Fayetteville 4, Nazareth 0 at Dell DiamondClass 2A semifinals: Harleton 4, Collinsville 3 at Dell DiamondClass 2A semifinals: Shiner 11, New Home 0 at Dell DiamondClass 4A semifinals: Texarkana Liberty-Eylau 15, Canyon Randall 5 at UFCU Disch-Falk FieldClass 4A semifinals: China Spring 8, Sinton 4 (12 innings) at UFCU Disch-Falk FieldThursday, June 8Class 1A championship game: Abbott 6, Fayetteville 5 at Dell DiamondClass 2A championship game: Harleton 10, Shiner 5 at Dell DiamondClass 4A championship game, China Spring vs. Texarkana Li...

Report: Removing PFAS from Minn. wastewater would cost billions

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

A new report published by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency found it would cost $14 billion to $28 billion over the next two decades to clean up so-called “forever chemicals” from wastewater streams across the state.The report was funded by the Legislature as part of the state’s efforts to fully understand what it will take to remove and destroy PFAS chemicals from water systems.Katrina Kessler, commissioner of the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, said there’s no playbook for how to tackle the problem.“This is just something that’s been started to be explored,” she said.Huge costsThe report is the latest indication of the staggering environmental cost of PFAS, a class of human-made chemicals found in a range of consumer products.Known for their durability, they don’t break down in the environment, and have been found in water, soil, wildlife and humans around the globe. Some PFAS are linked to negative health effects, including cancer, kidney problems and l...

St. Paul to spend $20,000 on e-scooter tracking software that could be used for bike-sharing

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

Bike-sharing vendors haven’t rolled through St. Paul since 2018, when LimeBike briefly operated dockless bikes in the capital city. Neither LimeBike nor newly-defunct Twin Cities bike-share nonprofit Nice Ride Minnesota returned the following year.That could still change. “Currently, the city is in conversation with vendors to explore bike sharing opportunities in St. Paul,” said St. Paul Public Works spokesperson Lisa Hiebert, in an email.In what could be construed as a positive step forward for bike-sharing, the city council on Wednesday authorized Public Works to use $20,000 of the revenue from the electronic scooter program to purchase a software program that would allow city staff to better track and monitor the location and usage of scooters across the city. The software could be used for bike-sharing products in the future, Hiebert said.If you do happen to spot a LimeBike around St. Paul, that’s not necessarily a sign that Lime has returned. It’s...

In St. Paul, Northern Spark arts festival wraps up for the last time on Saturday night

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

The sun quite literally sets on the Northern Spark arts festival Saturday night as the annual outdoor celebration hosts its final public gathering after 15 years.Launched as a dusk-to-dawn, multi-site happening featuring 100 free interactive and multi-media exhibits in 2011, Northern Spark organizers announced in January that given a murky long-term fiscal outlook, this would be the event’s final year.Images were far larger than life at Mill Ruins Park and Gold Medal Silos during Northern Spark 2015. (Photo by Ian Plant)Sundown on Saturday will be at 8:58 p.m., and the festival launches — for the last time — two minutes later, running from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday. Dubbed “A Night With the River,” both the venue and format will be more contained than in years past, with just four contemplative art and sound installations at Upper Landing Park, where Eagle Parkway intersects with Shepard Road in downtown St. Paul.“In contrast to the energetic flurry...

On one play, Twins lose scoring opportunity, second baseman

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — The ball looked ticketed for the outfield, a screamer up the middle that would have put a pair of runners on base with just one out in the first inning, setting the Twins up well for some potential early offense.But with the way things have been going for the Twins these days, it wasn’t to be.“Even the hard outs, if you start feeling sorry for yourself, this game will bury you,” Twins hitting coach David Popkins said. “Absolutely bury you.”With the offense in a collective lull, that play, which represented one of the team’s best chances in a 4-2 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday at Tropicana Field, loomed a bit larger.After second baseman Jorge Polanco smoked the ball, Rays starter Yonny Chirinos stuck his glove out and it deflected off of him. The ball then continued on its path, hitting second-base umpire Jeff Nelson. It then popped up and ricocheted toward second, where the Rays got the lead runner.“That could have been a couple of runs on the board in...

UMN plans 3.5 percent tuition hike for Twin Cities, Rochester campuses

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:30:00 GMT

The University of Minnesota is moving ahead with tuition hikes and construction projects after receiving $192 million in new funding from the state Legislature.About $56 million in new money the U got from lawmakers will be used to limit tuition increases and cover other operational costs. The $4.4 billion operating budget the Board of Regents reviewed Thursday and will vote on June 26 includes pay raises of about 4 percent for faculty and staff.Colleges and universities nationwide have struggled with enrollment drops and increased expenses since the coronavirus pandemic upended life in 2020. That includes the U, where a $23.3 million tuition revenue shortfall is expected because of lower enrollment at campuses across the state.To help address the shortfall, tuition will rise 3.5 percent at the Twin Cities and Rochester campuses and 1 percent at the other campuses under the plan. Regents had considered hiking tuition as much as 7 percent on the main campus and 3.5 percent at other s...