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'A lot of improvement': Transportation leaders hope for smoother holiday travel season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:05 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) - As people begin to hit the skies for holiday travel, the Transportation Department is hoping some key changes will help avoid the chaos many travelers saw last holiday season. With millions of people expected to fly for Christmas and New Year's Eve, the agency is keeping a close eye on airlines. "We can't make guarantees on behalf of the airline industry for how Christmas and New Year's will go but I will say there's been a lot of improvement," Transportation Department Sec. Pete Buttigieg said. After last holiday season's travel meltdown, Sec. Buttigieg says the Transportation Department helped get impacted travelers billions of dollars in compensation. This week they announced a $140 million penalty against Southwest Airlines for their massive disruptions. "We're telling them not to let this happen again," Buttigieg said. "And my sense is that they have learned that the hard way but also the entire industry needs to see this as ...

Man finds 4.87-carat diamond in Arkansas state park, largest discovery since 2020

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:05 GMT

MURFREESBORO, Ark. (KARK) – Within 10 minutes of entering the Crater of Diamonds State Park, park officials said that one Arkansas man found the largest diamond discovered in three years.Officials with the Arkansas State Parks said that Jerry Evans of Lepanto visited the park this spring, but he just learned of his discovery. Park officials said that Evans picked up what he thought was a clear piece of glass that he found a few feet away on top of a plowed ridge.“I thought it might be a piece of glass, it was so clear. I really didn’t know,” Evans said. “We were picking up everything thinking it was a diamond." Paragould 7-year-old finds a diamond at Arkansas Crater of Diamonds park Evans sent the stone to the Gemological Institute of America for identification, and a few weeks later, he was told that he had found a 4.87-carat near-colorless diamond. Officials said that Evans’ son encouraged him to contact the Crater of Diamonds State Park about his find.Park officials said that E...

Hays County approves additional mental health counselor for Hays CISD

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:05 GMT

HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) --- An additional mental health counselor is coming to the Hays Consolidated Independent School District. RELATED COVERAGE: Hays County school districts eligible for extra money for counselors On Tuesday, the Hays County Commissioners Court approved the funding for it.The funds are coming from the Hays County American Rescue Plan Recovery Grant Agreement, according to the agenda item. "The contract amendment will add additional funding to provide one additional mental health counselor to help bridge the gap in services that are crucial for students and district staff," the agenda item said. RELATED COVERAGE: New mental health, substance use facility opens in Hays County Need for mental health servicesPreviously, KXAN reported on the need for more mental health services in Hays County. Some families in the area are stuck waiting to get their children mental health and substance use services because of waitlists. RELATED COVERAGE: Hays County allocate...

What not to bring to the airport

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:05 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Amid a busy travel season and record-breaking year for the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents are reminding travelers what they can and can't bring to the airport. At AUS, TSA agents showed us what passengers tried to bring through but couldn't. Those items included a snowglobe, a decorative deer head, several knives, grenade-shaped objects, and more. Items surrendered to TSA at AUS. Dec. 18, 2023 (KXAN Photo/Todd Bailey) Items surrendered to TSA at AUS. Dec. 18, 2023 (KXAN Photo/Todd Bailey) A common mistake people make is trying to bring water bottles through the TSA line. Liquids measuring more than 3.4 oz are prohibited in carry-ons and must be packed in checked luggage. The TSA has a searchable, A-Z list relating to rules about specific items. Here are a few objects that are prohibited from passing through TSA lines in carry-on baggage: Aerosol Alcoholic beverages over 140 proof (greater than 70% alcohol)...

What Texas voters think about stricter border bills

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:05 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Fairly broad support exists for a stricter slate of bills related to the border that the Texas governor signed into law this week, according to a poll released Tuesday. The University of Texas and the Texas Politics Project shared their findings after asking more than 1,200 registered voters earlier this month what they think about two pieces of legislation that will direct more state money to border wall construction and create a new state criminal offense for people suspected of crossing the border illegally. The latter led to a new lawsuit filed by three plaintiffs who are challenging the law's constitutionality and arguing it encroaches on federal law. New Texas law could reshape state authority over the US border Pollsters asked voters whether they support or oppose "making it a state crime for an undocumented immigrant to be in Texas in most circumstances." The results showed support for this idea sitting at 56% — with 39% saying they strongly support it and...

Dakota County approves 2024 budget, tax levy increase

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:05 GMT

The Dakota County Board of Commissioners approved the county’s 2024 budget and property tax levy Tuesday morning, highlighting the growing demand for social services.The county’s operating budget of $336 million will be used to fund programs including crisis services, public safety, election administration, road and bridge construction, environmental protection, parks and greenways and library services.The property tax levy increase of 3.5 percent will add $10 annually in property tax for the area’s median home value of $372,000, according to the county.Commissioner Liz Workman (Courtesy of Dakota County)“This budget balances the needs of our residents with the responsibility we have to our taxpayers,” said Liz Workman, Dakota County board chair, on Tuesday. “We’re helping those in need and providing important and valued services that continue to make Dakota County a premier place to live and work.”Dakota County’s tax rate will remain the lowest among metro counties, according to a ...

Tou Ger Xiong memorial scheduled Saturday in Woodbury

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:05 GMT

Comedian Tou Ger Xiong, an advocate and political campaigner within the Twin Cities Hmong community, will be remembered on Saturday with a candlelight vigil organized by his brother Eh Xiong at a high school near his Woodbury home.Tou Ger Xiong, 50, a founder of the Hmong Minnesota Day at the Minnesota State Fair, was found murdered this month in Medellin, Colombia, where he had been staying with friends. Colombian media reported that he had gone on Dec. 10 to meet a woman he met through social media when he was kidnapped by multiple men and held for $2,000 ransom.Tou Ger Xiong (Courtesy of the Bush Foundation)The money was never collected and his body was later discovered in a ravine with multiple stab wounds, leading to speculation he was killed trying to escape. A woman has been arrested by Colombian authorities in connection with the case, according to news reports.Tou Ger Xiong was a recipient of the prestigious Bush Fellowship in 2019.He was a storyteller, performer, motivatio...

St. Paul bank robber caught by cash tracker sentenced to federal prison

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:05 GMT

A St. Paul man has been sentenced to four years in federal prison for robbing a bank in the city’s Battle Creek neighborhood.Andre Christopher Nelson on Jan. 17 pointed a handgun at three Huntington Bank tellers, demanded cash and ran off with nearly $28,000 they gave him, the charges said. Before he left, he said, “Have a nice day. Stay warm.”Andre Christopher Nelson (Courtesy of the Ramsey County Sheriff’s Office)The cash included a tracker, however, and police soon found and arrested the 43-year-old between apartment buildings in the 2000 block of Wilson Avenue, just north of Interstate 94.Nelson was carrying an Aldi bag, which contained the cash, tracker, an unloaded Ruger handgun and a mask, gloves, sunglasses and sweater that matched what the robber wore, charges said.Nelson pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of a bank robbery and was sentenced last month.In exchange for his plea, federal prosecutors dismissed a charge of carrying a firearm during a...

Minnesota Yacht Festival coming to Harriet Island Regional Park in St. Paul

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:05 GMT

It’s been years since a major music festival alighted on Harriet Island Regional Park, despite its seemingly choice location along the Mississippi River below the downtown St. Paul river bluffs.Counting Crows headlined a “Taste of Minnesota” concert line-up in 2010 that ended in bankruptcy for the longstanding food festival. In 2012, the odd match-up of dark alt-metal rockers Tool and the dreamy roots-rock of the Dave Matthews Band put the nail in the coffin of Live Nation’s short-lived River’s Edge Music Festival.C3 Presents now plans to sail into the same scenic venue that other concert promoters have feared to tread for more than a decade. The team behind the popular Austin City Limits Music Festival, Lollapalooza and Atlanta’s annual alt-rock Shaky Knees music celebration have announced they’ll take over Harriet Island Regional Park on July 19 and July 20 for the inaugural Minnesota Yacht Club Festival.Music line-up to comeThe music line...

Charges reduced for Bar:PM owner arrested after police crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:05 GMT

ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office has dropped felony charges against Bar:PM co-owner Chad Morris, who was arrested after a police car crashed into the bar early Monday morning.Prosecutors have amended Morris' charges to fourth-degree assault and resisting arrest, two misdemeanors. He was previously charged with third-degree assault on a special victim, a felony. Morris was arrested after a reported encounter with police that followed the crash. FOX 2 has learned of conflicting accounts as to what happened leading up to the collision. Conflicting stories after police SUV crashes into south St. Louis bar A SLMPD crime summary report claims that two St. Louis police probation officers, each with less than one year of experience, were heading northbound on Broadway. The driver lost control of the police vehicle, overcorrected, and crashed into the front facade of the bar.The report claims that the driver of the vehicle “believed he was traveling too close to a parke...