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Is America's child care crisis about to get worse?

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:03:58 GMT

(NewsNation) — America has a child care problem, and some advocates fear it's about to get worse.Over the past two years, more than 220,000 child care programs have received federal assistance through the American Rescue Plan's Child Care Stabilization Program. Now, many of those same providers are at risk of closing after the $24 billion in COVID relief funds expired last month. A June report from The Century Foundation — a progressive think tank — projects more than 70,000 child care programs serving over 3 million children could shut down without additional funding. Parents left without child care as federal funding expires "(The child care) sector has been struggling for a really long time, and the shock has left things more precarious," said Laura Valle-Gutierrez, a fellow at the organization and co-author of the report.At issue, is what Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has called a "textbook example of a broken market," where those who provide child care aren't paid well and...

Could Austinites weigh in on an I-35 'cap and stitch' bond election?

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:03:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As the Texas Department of Transportation moves ahead on its Interstate 35 Capital Express Central project, Austin city leaders are working to identify hundreds of millions of dollars to support highway "caps," or deck plazas placed on top of sunken portions of the highway.But with an estimated $730 million in funding sources needing to be identified by December 2024, one Austin City Council member is eyeing a possible bond election proposal to help supplement any federal grant dollars the city receives to help move that cap program forward. Austin vying for federal grant for I-35 Cap and Stitch program In late September, Austin City Council approved submitting a federal grant application for constructing funding assistance for its Our Future 35 Cap and Stitch program. The application requested $105.2 million in funds to help finance and construct caps from East Cesar Chavez Street to Fourth Street, joined by a City of Austin match of $45 million.The funding is ma...

How water may be helping to dampen earthquakes

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:03:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It turns out rocks full of water might be helping to reduce the power of earthquakes near New Zealand. At UT's Institute for Geophysics, they've been studying water stuck in the rocks under the ocean and how that water may be keeping stronger quakes at bay. KXAN Meteorologist Nick Bannin spoke with Andrew Gase, a postdoctoral fellow at the institute about their findings.Nick Bannin, KXAN Meteorologist: Andrew, your research while at UT looked at the relationship between underground water and earthquakes in New Zealand, what did you end up finding?Andrew Gase, former Postdoctoral Fellow UT Institute for Geophysics: Yeah, so in New Zealand, there's a very large fault that's well known for causing these earthquakes that we call 'slow earthquakes.' They happen over weeks to months instead of big earthquakes that caused a lot of shaking right away. And we wanted to know what's inside the fault. And so we used a tool called 'seismic imaging,' and it's kind of like medical...

Unseasonably warm weather blows in briefly Thursday and Friday

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:03:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Tropical moisture is slowly exiting the area following a cloudy, cool day on Wednesday. Clearing skies and much warmer temperatures will end our work week.Following mainly gray skies and isolated patches of mist overnight, clouds slowly break and warmer southwest winds blow into the area Thursday. High temperatures soar to the upper 80s Thursday then lower 90s in the Austin area Friday.The unseasonable warmth does not last long, however, as a dry cold front Friday afternoon brings back wonderful autumn air for ACL Music Festival weekend two at Zilker Park.Dry cold front brings breezy winds and cooler temperatures for the weekendWeekend forecast for Austin City Limits Music FestivalLong term forecast models are pointing at the potential for wetter weather for the third week of October. Stay with KXAN for the latest updates.Rainfall outlook pointing towards wetter weather next weekAnnular solar eclipse SaturdayThe weather looks great for local viewing of the annular s...

National Coming Out Day: How to support your LGBTQ+ loved ones, co-workers, self

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:03:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Oct. 11, National Coming Out Day, was created in 1988 by Jean O’Leary and Dr. Robert Eichberg as a way for people to express positivity around their sexual and gender identities.Since then, the world has changed, with a February poll by Gallup suggesting that 20% of Gen Z identify as LGBTQ+. But coming out can still be a nerve-wracking experience.GLAAD rapid response coordinator Jacob Reyes said while online resources exist, one of the best ways to prepare can be through talking to someone who is already out publicly."That is something I really treasure, because we get to live this queer life openly despite the setbacks of today, because of the people from yesterday," Reyes said. "We should continue to look to the people who came before us, whether it is through media consumption or just talking to an LGBTQ+ elder. That is something that I think would be would be the most important just to understand the struggle and understand the opportunities that lay before you a...

Game on! University of Texas opens Esports Arena on campus

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:03:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The University of Texas at Austin just unveiled the new Alienware Longhorn Esports Arena on campus.UT students and staff were on hand for the ribbon cutting that took place in the Texas Union.The 3,400 square feet interactive esports space offers wall-to-wall gaming equipment with 43 gaming stations for students. There's an additional area for people to watch students game. Esports is a form of competition using video games, with players competing individually or in teams. The Alienware Longhorn Esports Lounge will provide a hands-on esports experience for the Longhorn gaming community and host team competitions.UT Austin and Dell Technologies worked together on the space. A UT Austin spokesperson said the opening of the arena is part of the University’s strategy to be a world class technology hub.Founded in 2010, Longhorn Gaming is the largest esports student-sponsored organization on campus with around 3,750 followers, including students, faculty members, alumni a...

Violent content posted on social media of conflict in Israel, how to talk to your kids

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:03:58 GMT

If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or a suicidal crisis, call the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988. Crisis counselors are available 24/7.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Videos circulating online of the horrors in Israel and Gaza are easily accessible online right now, and will likely continue to dominate media platforms as the war plays out. It could get even worse as Hamas has threatened to record and broadcast executions of hostages brought from Israel into Gaza, as reported by Nexstar's partner at The Hill. As the conflict in Israel continues, Dr. Kyler Shumway, president and chief clinical officer at Deep Eddy Psychotherapy, warns that there's a fine balance in how much media you consume: staying plugged in enough to be informed, but protecting your mental health too. "If you notice that you're not sleeping very well, if you are overwhelmed, distracted at work, if you're having a hard time doing the things that you enjoy, those are all good signs that maybe you're plugged ...

‘I think we look pretty good’: Timberwolves feel continuity is already showing itself

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:03:58 GMT

For the first time in a while, there were no seismic offseason changes for the Timberwolves.The slated starters are the same as the ones at the end of last season. The top three reserves are back, as well.There are a couple of fresh faces who could crack the rotation in Shake Milton and Troy Brown Jr., but in terms of NBA personnel, Minnesota is a near mirror to who it was a season ago.Finally.Consistency and familiarity are often traits synonymous with championship-caliber teams. Certainly, those characteristics don’t guarantee success, but a team with players and coaches who know and understand one another start the season ahead of teams with higher levels of turnover.That was clear in Minnesota’s two preseason games in Abu Dhabi, where the Timberwolves looked far more connected and structured than their opponent, the Dallas Mavericks.“Can you see it from watching us? It’s going well,” Timberwolves forward Kyle Anderson said. “It’s not something we talk about or notice, but just w...

St. Paul City Council to revisit citywide rezoning on Oct. 18

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:03:58 GMT

The St. Paul City Council will revisit a sweeping proposal to allow duplexes, and denser development, in every residential zoning district in the city on Oct. 18 following a “friendly amendment” introduced Wednesday by Council Member Rebecca Noecker.The amendment increases maximum height limits in newly-proposed H1 residential and RL large lot zoning districts from 33 feet to 35 feet.Noecker said she’d been contacted by developers of modular housing who said the higher limit would better accommodate three-story structures. The amendment was approved 5-2, with Council President Amy Brendmoen and Council Member Chris Tolbert opposed on the grounds that it would trigger a procedural delay in approval of the overall package, which had been scheduled to be voted upon Wednesday.Brendmoen said further changes are likely down the line. The proposal calls for allowing up to six units of housing on lots within an eighth of a mile of transit corridors and designated neighborh...

In surprising move, Twins activate Byron Buxton as injury replacement for Alex Kirilloff

Published Thu, 06 Feb 2025 12:03:58 GMT

Byron Buxton is back.The Twins added Buxton to the active roster ahead of Wednesday night’s win-or-go-home Game 4 of the American League Division Series as an injury replacement for Alex Kirilloff, who is dealing with a shoulder issue that sidelined him earlier in the year for more than a month.“He still shows up ready to give it everything he can possibly give every day,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said of Buxton. “And he’s put himself in a position where we can activate him, where I probably would have said that was very unlikely, if you asked me at some point in the recent past. It’s through his work. It’s through his hard work.”Buxton went on the injured list originally with a hamstring strain in early August but suffered a setback with his knee that forced the Twins to shut down his rehab assignment in early September. He has been trying to work his way back since then.Baldelli said Buxton has not run much but he has run enough for them to feel comfort...