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When will Project Connect announce light rail design selection?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for May 8, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — As Project Connect leaders gear up for the unveiling of the program's initial light rail investment, staff are previewing estimated ridership at each station under the five design proposals. Officials are expected to present a final proposal at Austin Transit Partnership's May 24 board meeting, with an official decision made between ATP, the City of Austin and CapMetro on June 6.Here's a breakdown of each version paired with the number of stations, length of the initial route and estimated ridership. Anticipated ridership is based on current census population and employment estimates, CapMetro's current and 2040 future bus network, current bus stop boardings, data from the Federal Transit Administration and traffic analysis data from the Capital Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.38th Street to Oltorf Street to Yellow Jacket LaneOption No. 1 anticipates between 14 and 15 light r...

INTERACTIVE MAP: Austin voters approve proposition expanding police oversight

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Voters in Austin overwhelmingly approved expanding police oversight. Proposition A received 79% support in Saturday's election, while Prop B was rejected by more than 80% of voters."It's a really big victory. There's a strong mandate for improving police oversight and transparency in the city," said Equity Action Board President Chris Harris. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Austin Police oversight vote: early voting results are in The vast majority of voters approved of Prop A, while rejecting Prop B.In the 231 precincts in which at least one vote was cast, Prop A prevailed in 220 precincts, while Prop B was rejected by voters in 227 precincts.Use our interactive map below to see how your neighborhood voted.What happens now?The measure expands civilian oversight over the Austin Police Department in several ways. It allows the Office of Police Oversight to participate in investigations of officer conduct including anonymous complaints. It also gives its members direct access to...

Austin man with air rifle causes school shooting concern for neighbors

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — What neighbors thought could turn into a possible active shooting threat, turned out to be a false alarm.Over the last two weeks, an Austin Police arrest affidavit states a man tried to break into homes in an east Austin neighborhood, and threatened people with what turned out to be an air rifle, according to court records.Austin Mullins, 29, was charged with disorderly conduct. Police said this isn't the first time he's done something like this.KXAN reached out to Mullins' attorney but hasn't heard back as of Monday afternoon. Mullins' court date is pending.Records state Mullins was roaming the streets with his weapon days before his arrest.Now neighbors said they were worried about what could happen next."We were driving to school, and I saw him walking down the street carrying what looks like a very large rifle," a woman who called 911 said. She asked not to be identified for safety."He was wearing tactical gear... my little boy was so scared that this man was goi...

Texas veteran walks UT-Austin graduation stage at age 99

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — It's never too late to graduate. One special University of Texas at Austin graduate proved this true. Lew Griffith, 99, went to his first-ever graduation ceremony this week at the University of Texas at Austin Cockrell School of Engineering, according to the UT school. While he has a high school diploma and two degrees, Griffith was never able to walk across a stage after graduating high school early and serving in World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam War, according to UT.Shortly into his first year at UT in 1942, he served in World War II as a B-25 bomber pilot, according to UT. Griffith flew 42 missions in Italy and Austria. Griffith went back to Austin to finish a civil engineering degree but was called on to serve during the Korean War in 1951. He was deployed to Germany as an engineer, according to the university. He returned to the U.S. in 1956 and received a master's degree in sanitary engineering from the University of California at Berkley. But the Vietn...

Lebarron Johnson Jr. named Big 12 pitcher of the week

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Earlier in the season, Texas Longhorns head coach David Pierce lauded LeBarron Johnson Jr.'s ability on the pitcher's mound. He said he had "electric stuff," the kind that typically would be from a top-of-the-rotation pitcher. Johnson showed it offf May 6 against the Kansas Jayhawks.Johnson struck out 12 Jayhawks in seven innings, both career highs, to help lead the Longhorns to a 6-2 win. The Big 12 Conference noticed the outstanding performance and awarded Johnson with the conference's pitcher of the week honor Monday. It's the first time he's received the award, and it's the second consecutive week a Longhorn has won it. Lucas Gordon was a co-pitcher of the week last week.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/newslettersJohnson allowed four hits and one earned run in his start, and most importantly for the Longhorns, he walked only one batter. For the season, Johnson...

Jeff Ettinger, former Hormel Foods CEO, named UMN interim president

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

The University of Minnesota Board of Regents picked an outsider over a crop of academics Monday in making former Hormel CEO Jeff Ettinger the U’s next president on an interim basis.Jeff Ettinger, 64, said he could help restore the U’s reputation with lawmakers and general public following a year of heavily criticized decisions.“I think the public does not fully understand all the great things that are going on at the university,” he said, adding that an outsider would be best-positioned to make that case.Ettinger was one of four finalists who participated in 90-minute public interviews Monday.In the deliberations that followed, nine of 12 regents named Ettinger either as their top choice or one of two favorites.“I just think we’re ready for a very different point of view that embraces the mission, yet brings us something fresh and different that we can build on,” Regent Mary Davenport said.Ettinger, who ran for Congress last year, described himself in his application as a potential ...

Afton-Bayport-Lakeland Lions Club plan day of service

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

Eight service projects and six collections are planned for Afton-Bayport-Lakeland Lions Club’s first Service Day.The event will be 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 20 at Afton-Lakeland Elementary School in Lakeland.The service projects will benefit local and national agencies and nonprofit organizations, including the Minnesota Lions Vision Foundation, the Minnesota Lions Hearing Foundation, the Ronald McDonald House, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and Color a Smile.“This free event is an opportunity for the community to be involved and make a difference in someone’s life”, said Cheryl Kelly, event organizer. “We hope to make it an annual event.”In addition to the service projects, Lions Club members will be doing free vision screenings for children and collecting used eyeglasses and hearing aids for Lions Club International. They also will be collecting pop tabs, bottled water and juice boxes for the Ronald McDonald House; nonperishable food ...

Minnesota Senate set to pass paid family and medical leave

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

By STEVE KARNOWSKI (Associated Press)ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Senate was poised Monday to approve a plan to entitle workers across the state to paid leave when they’re sick or caring for relatives who are ill.While Senate Democrats hold only a one-seat majority, paid family and medical leave has been a priority of the party for several years, and a series of preliminary votes showed they were all firmly on board. The proposal passed the House last week on a 68-64 vote, and Democratic Gov. Tim Walz is expected to sign the final version that emerges from a House-Senate conference committee.The legislation would create an insurance-like system to allow workers to collect up to 12 weeks of partial wages when they take medical leave, including for pregnancy, and up to 12 weeks to take care of family members, starting in 2025. Replacement wages would range from 55% to 90%, averaging 66%. The benefits would be funded by a 0.7% payroll tax. Employers could charge hal...

Stillwater Lift Bridge to resume operation on Monday; Loop Trail to open May 19

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

Good news for walkers and bikers and boaters.On May 15, the Minnesota Department of Transportation will resume the seasonal operation of the Lift Bridge for marine traffic. Four days later, the Loop Trail is expected to reopen to walkers and bikers.As the floodwaters recede, crews expect to have removed the temporary levee along the river in downtown Stillwater by May 19, allowing walkers and bikers to once again cross the St. Croix River via the Stillwater Lift Bridge. The historic bridge is a key part of the Loop Trail, a 4.7-mile interstate trail between Houlton, Wis., and Stillwater, that also crosses the new St Croix River bridge south of Stillwater.Boaters, take note: The bridge will lift every half hour between 8 a.m. and midnight, seven days a week, if marine traffic is present. The lift schedule will be in effect until about Oct. 15.The bridge tender will respond to special requests for openings after midnight and before 8 a.m. if given a two-hour notice; requests are to be...

Acemoglu, Johnson: The writers’ strike is partly about AI. They’re right to worry

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:59 GMT

The Writers Guild of America and the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers agree on one thing: Artificial intelligence is coming. At the same time, they disagree fundamentally on an issue that we will all soon struggle with.Can the owners of capital assets (the studios) use A.I. to substantially replace workers (the writers) and tilt the balance of power in their favor? Or is there a way to address the entirely reasonable demand from writers that this increasingly capable software remain a tool under the control of workers?Silicon Valley has long been infatuated with “machine intelligence,” the goal of creating software that can mimic what humans do. The technology arms race to create human-like abilities has recently become a dangerous obsession, threatening to destroy millions of good jobs. But attempting to stop the development of these algorithms is not the right solution.We need, instead, a pivot on the part of inventors, entrepreneurs and policymakers...