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Operation Burnout: 17 more charged in February 'street takeover' investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Officials held a conference Thursday to provide an update on the Austin "street takeover" investigation for incidents that occurred Feb. 18-19, which has now been named Operation Burnout. Arrest warrants issued for 3 linked to Austin street takeovers The Austin Police Department said 17 more individuals were charged—with an additional 38 criminal charges. In total, 24 individuals have been charged in connection to the investigation.According to officials, two of the individuals were identified as juveniles, but their names were not shared.According to police, 11 of the 17 have been taken into custody, and officials continue to search for the remaining six."The suspects that I'm talking about today range in age from 32 years of age at the oldest down to 15 years of age at the youngest—these were principally the organizers of the event and those who are most involved," APD Chief Joseph Chacon said.Charges for the individuals included:seven counts of obstruction of a ...

SXSW musicians call out the festival for unfair pay, dub it 'a bad deal for a decade'

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:00 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN)  — On a dreary Thursday morning outside of the Austin Convention Center — the epicenter of the South By Southwest Conference & Festivals — dozens of musicians came together to chant with signs, drums and a megaphone. But these musicians were not assembled for a SXSW-sponsored performance. Instead, they were gathered to decry what they called low and unfair compensation rates for appearing and performing at the festival. “We are demanding that this festival — that brings in hundreds of millions of dollars — finally fairly compensates the musicians who perform at this festival, who have been getting the same sorry deal for over a decade, where we are offered no payment and a wristband to attend the festival or a paltry $250 if you're a band or $100 if you are a solo artist,” said Joey La Neve DeFrancesco, an artist from Rhode Island who performed at the festival.  “It has been a bad deal for a decade, and they haven't given us a raise in over a decade,” he conti...

Construction on Samsung semiconductor plant in Taylor still on time, sources say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:00 GMT

TAYLOR, Texas (KXAN) — Sources close to the Samsung semiconductor plant said construction is still on target despite an article earlier this week with a source that implied it could be delayed.An article published by Reuters on Wednesday said the plant was exceeding its original projected costs by at least $8 billion, which could rise if construction were to take longer than planned.Anonymous sources cited in the Reuters article said inflation was the main cause for the uptick in prices - with projected costs now allegedly soaring past $25 billion.KXAN.com spoke with sources close to the project who said they could not comment on construction costs.That same source did say the Taylor project is still on its projected timeline.Current state of construction pricesKen Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors Association, said construction costs up until recently were rising much more rapidly.Simonson said construction inputs rose at an annual rate of 20% or more...

Metro Transit commits up to $6 million for unarmed security details at six bus, light rail stations

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:00 GMT

Alarmed by an uptick in both crime reports and nuisance complaints, Metro Transit will spend up to $6 million over the next two years contracting a private security firm to patrol six bus and light rail transit stations, including the Green Line’s Central Station, where two men were shot dead last December.The unarmed security details will be expected to communicate with and supplement Metro Transit’s sworn police force, which has struggled, like other police departments, to recruit and retain officers amid a national labor shortage.The Metropolitan Council voted Wednesday to authorize Metro Transit’s general manager to execute a one-year contract with Allied Universal for $3 million, with the option to renew for a second year.“It’s unfortunate that we need to do this, but we really need to do this,” said Wendy Wulff, a Met Council member from Lakeville, during Wednesday’s council meeting. “We’ve seen just a decline in the behavi...

Gov. Walz adds nearly $1.2 billion to his budget plans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:00 GMT

Gov. Tim Walz’s plans for Minnesota’s next two-year budget got more ambitious Thursday when the Democrat added almost $1.2 billion to the request he first detailed in January.Altogether, Walz has proposed that the state’s next two-year spending plan to be $66 billion with nearly $11 billion in new spending and about $4 billion worth of tax cuts. That’s roughly a 23 percent increase in state spending as well as a possible decline in revenues because of tax changes.The biggest new pieces of Walz’s budget are $250 million more for public safety funding, pushing his total proposal to $550 million for local governments to hire and retain public safety personnel. Another $250 million has been proposed to help Minnesotans replace lead water lines throughout the state.All of the items Walz put forward in his initial proposal remain, including big spending increases for education, paid leave, broader access to health care and rebate checks for taxpayers. The ext...

Pregnant woman hospitalized after St. Paul shooting has died

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:00 GMT

A 21-year-old pregnant woman has died after she was shot in St. Paul this week, police said Thursday.Officers responded to Regions Hospital just before 5 p.m. Monday on a report of a woman who’d been brought to the emergency room. She had a gunshot injury to her head, said Sgt. Mike Ernster, a police spokesman.Investigators determined the woman was shot inside a vehicle near St. Anthony Avenue and Marion Street before she was rushed to the hospital in the vehicle. The woman was early in her pregnancy and the fetus also died, Ernster said.Police are asking anyone who may have been near the location around the time of the shooting to call them at 651-266-5650.Officers secured the scene to collect any evidence and spoke with other people who were with the victim to determine what happened, according to Ernster. Police did not announce an arrest Thursday.The woman was admitted to the hospital and recently died. Police said they will release her name after the Ramsey County medical...

Valatie 8-year-old with cerebral palsy inspires through family business

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:00 GMT

VALATIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) — An 8-year-old Valaite girl turned her cerebral palsy diagnosis into a message of hope for the community with the help of her family business. Riley Thomas-Clark is a third grader at Ichabod Crane Primary School. After class, Riley does it all—everything from golf and cheerleading to gymnastics. Currently, she's learning to do a cartwheel off the balance beam, but moves like that weren't always a possibility for Riley. At 18 months old, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, also known as CP. According to the CDC, Cerebral Palsy is a group of brain disorders caused by brain damage or abnormal brain development that can affect movement, muscle tone, or posture. The severity and symptoms vary. Eight-year-old says goodbye to leukemia with first pitch at Fenway “We did not know anything about it. When my husband and I were told she might have CP, we were in shock," Sarah Thomas-Clark, Riley's Mom, said. An MRI confirmed Riley had a form of CP called "spastic h...

Two arrested after incident at Queensbury hotel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:00 GMT

QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - On Wednesday, two people were arrested following an altercation at a hotel in Queensbury. Stacy L. Blair, of Queensbury, and Jerry Rogers, of Glens Falls, were arrested after New York State Police responded to a report involving a possible firearm on hotel premises. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Police arrived at the Days Inn by Wyndham on Big Boom Road in Queensbury at around 8 p.m. on Wednesday. Police determined that Rogers and Blair had used BB guns - one in the style of a handgun, another shaped like a rifle - to injure a victim. The weapons were found hidden by Blair in the hotel room where the altercation took place.The victim, whose name has been kept anonymous, was injured, but the injuries were not considered to be life-threatening. They were transported to Glens Falls Hospital.Blair was charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree, Assault in the Second Degree, a...

Ballston Spa construction owner accused of damaging building with skid steer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:00 GMT

GLENVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Glenville police are searching for a wanted man, Adam Sipe, 36 of Ballston Spa. Sipe is accused of causing an expensive amount of damage to a building on Saratoga Road. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Glenville police report they were called to 446 Saratoga Road on February 20 around 2:40 p.m. for a report of someone vandalizing the building. Police discovered someone had used a skid steer with pallet forks to cause about $13,500 in damage to the building. Officers interviewed several witnesses and watched security camera footage to identify Sipe as the suspect. Adam SipeDamage at 446 Saratoga Road (Photo: Brian Corrigan)Damage at 446 Saratoga Road (Photo: Brian Corrigan)Damage at 446 Saratoga Road (Photo: Brian Corrigan))Police explain Sipe is the owner and operator of Sipe and Sons Construction. He was reportedly the original contractor working on the project at 446 Saratoga Road. A warrant has...

Sex trafficking remains a growing concern across New York

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:51:00 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Online platforms have contributed to the rise of sex trafficking across New York, with many cases involving minors under the age of 18. While lawmakers push to decriminalize sex work and provide stronger protections for victims of sex trafficking, local government agencies and nonprofit organizations have been at the forefront of providing support services and aid to victims in need. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! What is sex trafficking?As defined by Nicole Consiglio, the Safe Harbour Coordinator for the Albany County Department for Children, Youth, and Families, sex trafficking is the term used for anyone under the age of 18 who is engaged in commercial sex or any adult who is involved in commercial sex in which the elements of force fraud and coercion are used. "Younger people are more vulnerable to trafficking and are easily influenced as they do not have the awareness to protect themselve...