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Why serious, fatal crashes continue to trend above pre-COVID levels in Austin, nationally

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Since 2015, the City of Austin's Vision Zero program has worked to enhance transportation safety citywide and eliminate traffic fatalities. This week, Vision Zero's latest two-year update reported substantial improvements in roadways that have undergone safety improvements -- but work continues to retrofit the city's roadway network and crack down on dangerous driving habits.Austin's Vision Zero program has been tracking a higher volume of serious and fatal crashes since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, a trend seen in cities across the country. Data recorded in 2021 and 2022 showed substantial increases in fatal crashes on state-owned roadways that bisect Austin, with 71 fatalities in 2021 and 83 in 2022, respectively.By comparison, pre-COVID numbers from 2018 and 2019 reported fatalities on state-owned roadways at 48 and 53 deaths.Joel Meyer serves as a transportation planner with the Vision Zero program. He said a substantial factor behind these heightened ...

Texas unveils new license plate design supporting beaches

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham said Texans would be able to order a specialty license plate in support of Texas Adopt-A-Beach, an organization dedicated to reducing litter on Texas beaches.“This newly redesigned black and white specialty plate costs only $30 more than a regular plate,” the Texas General Land Office said, “and $22 of plate sales go directly to support the Adopt-A-Beach program and is tax deductible.”According to the Texas General Land Office, the plate featured a photo by Kenny Braun, a photographer based out of Austin.The new plates are available online through the Texas General Land Office.

Wet June weather pattern begins Saturday night

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Hot, mainly dry weather continues on Friday, but a stormier weather pattern builds in starting Saturday night which may lead to 1-2 inches of rain over the next 7 days.We are tracking a pair of atmospheric disturbances moving toward Texas, kicking off an isolated Hill Country thunderstorm Friday night, then more widespread rain and thunderstorms Saturday night through early next week.Sunday and Monday appear to be the wettest days of the next week, with heavy downpours potentially leading to isolated flash flooding. BLOG: Summer forecast released: When do 100º days begin Marginal flood threat both Sunday and MondayRain chances slowly taper off by the middle of next week. By that time, many areas could see 1-2 inches of rain in the rain gauge -- with isolated much higher totals possible.Forecast 7-day rain totals INVESTIGATION: LCRA didn't plan for climate change until KXAN investigation Hurricane season beginsThursday afternoon, Tropical Depression #2 formed in ...

Texas' Leighann Goode named Freshman All-American by D1Softball.com

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — There's good, and there's Texas freshman Leighann Goode.Goode's terrific freshman campaign earned her a spot on the D1Softball.com Freshman All-America team, becoming the first Longhorn with such a distinction since pitcher Shea O'Leary was named an honorable mention selection by Softball America in 2019.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersGoode hit .325 with a .552 slugging percentage for the Longhorns this season, helping anchor the middle of the infield all season long. She smacked eight home runs with 41 RBIs and 16 doubles and three triples. She earned the All-America team spot as a utility player, and when she wasn't playing up the middle, head coach Mike White could put her anywhere he wanted to defensively.Goode set the school record after scoring five runs in a 22-0 romp over Texas Southern and set a freshman record with a 10-game hitting streak, b...

Saints use five-run ninth inning to put away Bison 11-5

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

BUFFALO, N,Y. — The St. Paul Saints used a five-run ninth inning to break open a Triple-A game with the Buffalo Bison on Thursday and win 11-5 at Sahlen Field.With the score tied 5-5 through seven innings, the Saints (30-22) blew the game open with one run in the eighth and five more in the ninth for their fifth straight victory.Saints slugger Matt Wallner continued his hot streak with a home run in his third consecutive game this series. His solo shot put St. Paul up 6-5 in the eighth. It was his seventh home run of the season.Chris Williams followed Wallner’s home run with a grand slam in the ninth inning to break the game wide open.Williams finished 3-for-5 with a single, double and his grand slam.His grand slam was the Saint’s fifth of the season, tied for third most in all of professional baseball, trailing the six hit by the Double-A Frisco RoughRiders (Texas Rangers) and Los Angeles Dodgers. The Saints’ 1.266 OPS is second best in all of baseball, behind the...

James Stavridis: Ukraine war may become a proving ground for AI

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

Artificial intelligence is, suddenly, everywhere. We are awash in ideas about how we can use AI productively — from agriculture to climate change to engineering to software construction. And, equally, there are plenty of cautionary notes being struck about using AI to control societies, manipulate economies, defeat commercial opponents, and generally fulfill Arthur C. Clarke’s visions of machines dominating man in “2001: A Space Odyssey.”Thus far, however, relatively little has been written about the implications of AI on warfare and geopolitics. For better and worse, those arenas also lend themselves to a variety of ways in which new technologies can suddenly break apart paradigms. Think of Agincourt in 1415, a medieval battle in which the flower of the French nobility — sporting the key technology of that age, plate armor — were slaughtered at long range through an emerging technology, English longbowmen led by King Henry V.Military technology &...

NYS Capitol celebrates 125 years of Philippine Independence

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- You wouldn’t recognize the Legislative Office Building, looking much more like a vibrant Filipino festival rather than a workplace Thursday afternoon.Famous dancers and dignitaries flying in from the Philippines to join New York State as it celebrates of 125 years since the Philippines officially declared independence from 300 years of Spanish colonization."It felt like we are so home and we felt like we belong here in New York," says Sol Kapunan, president of the Kalayaan 1521 Council.The gathering of traditional dance and culture is the first ever Philippine Independence Day celebration at the State Capitol. All organized by Assemblyman Steven Raga who is also the first Filipino-American elected to state office.He says he hopes this shows New Yorkers there’s more Filipinos among you than many realize."There’s a lot of us. We’re everywhere. Often we’re not loud—I might be one of the loudest—but we have a lot to be thankful for in our Filipino-American commu...

Danny Masterson convicted of 2 counts of rape; ‘That '70s Show’ actor faces 30 years to life

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “That '70s Show” star Danny Masterson was led out in handcuffs from a Los Angeles courtroom Wednesday and could get 30 years to life in prison. A jury found him guilty on two of three counts of rape at his second trial, in which the Church of Scientology played a central role. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Masterson's wife, actor and model Bijou Phillips, gasped when the verdict was read and wept as he was taken into custody, with a group of family and friends who sat stone-faced behind him throughout both trials. Masterson, 47, will be held without bail until he is sentenced.No sentencing date was set. The jury of seven women and five men reached the verdict after deliberating for seven days spread over two weeks. They could not reach a verdict on the third count, that alleged Masterson raped a longtime girlfriend. They had voted 8-4 in favor of conviction. What led to Danny Masterson’s rape retrial ...

Cardinals keep flip-flopping Gallegos, Helsley in closer spots... Why?

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Right around this time last year, the St. Louis Cardinals changed course with their bullpen and started handing Ryan Helsley more opportunities in traditional closer spots than Giovanny Gallegos. Lately, it seems that script has flipped a bit, but not completely. Gallegos has earned saves in each of the last three Cardinals' victories, all within the past calendar week. On Tuesday, he passed Helsley in saves this season, now leading seven to six. Heading into June, Gallegos and Helsley are the only Cardinals' relief pitchers with at least one save this season. It seems the Cardinals, for now, are flip-flopping between Helsley and Gallegos when it comes to closing out games, rather than letting one hurler firmly grasp the role like years past. RELATED - Diamond Sports out, MLB in for Padres streams; Could Cardinals follow? For the season, Helsley has taken the mound in slightly more save opportunities than Gallegos, 10-8. In the month of May, save opportunities trended...

Sean Payton hopes tight end Greg Dulcich can be Broncos’ “Joker”

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:02:38 GMT

It was hard to miss Greg Dulcich at Broncos OTAs on Thursday.During 11-on-11s, quarterback Russell Wilson rolled to his right, escaping defenders before connecting with the tight end on a short reception. Moments later, he arguably had one of the best plays of the afternoon.With backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham under center, Dulcich sped down the middle of the field, slipping past the secondary before making an impressive over-the-shoulder catch.Thursday was one of Dulcich’s best practices, according to head coach Sean Payton. As the first-year Broncos coach works on installing a new offense, he hopes the second-year player can use his unique skill-set to become the team’s “Joker” — a player who creates mismatches and provides versatility on the field.“Man, he can run and has good ball skills,” Payton said. “I think his menu is going to be lengthy in the passing game, and there’s enough stuff we can do in the run game.”Joker is the widely used the nickname of Nuggets star bi...