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The Big Peanut once again reigns at the roadside in Georgia, after hurricane felled earlier goober

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:52 GMT

Georgia’s Big Peanut is back.The roadside landmark along Interstate 75 in south Georgia was rededicated Thursday, nearly five years after an earlier version was felled by the winds of Hurricane Michael. This time, the giant goober is made of sheet metal, not fiberglass. It’s a symbol of pride in the heart of south Georgia’s peanut belt, as well as an enticement for tourists to pull off the highway in the small town of Ashburn.The Ashburn-Turner County Chamber of Commerce raised nearly $80,000 to replace the giant groundnut, which had saluted motorists since 1975 until it was blown down on Oct. 10, 2018. The majority of the money came from the Georgia Department of Agriculture, although Turner County residents also raised thousands.The peanut, atop a brick pedestal, has come to symbolize the county of 9,000 people, which is halfway between Macon and the Florida state line.“I think it represents home,” said Rebecca Miller, the chamber’s executive director. “I know it’...

SWAT responds to armed 10-year-old in mental distress on Far South Side

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:52 GMT

CHICAGO — Police said a 10-year-old boy is in custody after a SWAT incident was resolved on the Far South Side Monday afternoon. According to the Chicago Police Department, SWAT responded to an incident where a 10-year-old boy undergoing mental distress fired a single shot at responding officers near a home in the 9800 block of South Charles Avenue. $10K reward offered in deadly shooting of pastor’s grandson After establishing a perimeter around the home, SWAT first fired bean bag rounds at the house, without striking the 10-year-old. After tensions reached their apex, police deployed an OC round near the home, leading to the boy dropping the gun."SWAT officers deployed one OC round to the wall of the house where the individual was standing on the porch," said CPD deputy chief Migdelia Bulnes. "The individual got scared, threw the gun, and officers were able to detain him.”Police said he was safely taken into custody and transported to an area hospital for evaluation.According to...

Police: Carlee Russell was not abducted, charges could be pending

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:52 GMT

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Days after a woman went missing and was found safe, Carlee Russell has admitted that she was not kidnapped, police report.During a press conference Monday afternoon, Hoover Police Chief Nick Derzis read a statement from Emory Anthony, Russell's attorney, claiming that the 25-year-old woman was not abducted the night of July 13--as she and her family had previously reported-- and that she had not seen a child walking along I-459 the night she disappeared.Derzis read the following statement from Russell that was provided to the Hoover Police Department from Emory Anthony:"My client has given me permission to make the following statement on her behalf. There was no kidnapping on Thursday, July 13, 2023. My client did not see a baby on the side of the road. My client did not leave Hoover area when she was identified as a missing person. My client did not have help in this incident, that this was a single act done by herself. My client was not with anyone or any...

ARC Music Festival announces After Dark lineup

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:52 GMT

CHICAGO -- After taking over Union Park during the day Labor Weekend, ARC Music Festival will keep the party going around the Windy City deep into the night.More than 70 artists at over ten venues will have festival-goers dancing from dusk to dawn at ARC After Dark."It's a complete takeover of the venues that showcase this kind of music," ARC Music Festival Founder John Curley said. Chicago & House Music: A relationship over four decades in the making After Dark shows will be made available exclusively to ARC Music Festival weekend and single day pass holders. Tickets can be purchased starting on Thursday, July 27.The following ARC After Dark events will be held from Thursday, August 31 to Monday, Sept. 4:PRYSMThursday: Ben Klock, Danny Zeidan, and DJ Hyperactive playing a back-to-back set with Jason Patrick.Friday: Fatboy Slim, James Hype, Sam Divine, and DJ Lady D.Saturday: Lee Foss, Shimza, and AVO.Sunday: Black Coffee, Themba, Jeliah, and Eliana.Location: 1543 North Kingsb...

Two hikers found dead in Nevada state park

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:52 GMT

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Two women were found dead at the Valley of Fire State Park in southern Nevada Saturday, authorities said.The cause of their deaths has not been revealed as of Monday, however, the scorching high temperature for that day was 118 degrees, according to the National Weather Service.According to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officials, a group of hikers who had seen two people go out on the hiking trails at Valley of Fire State Park Saturday morning noticed that they had not returned. Though they were not part of the same group, one of the members of the group that returned called dispatchers to report their absence. California family found dead on hiking trail killed by extreme heat, sheriff says When Nevada State Park Police arrived, they found a woman dead on one of the hiking trails. Once the woman was found, rangers requested an LVMPD search and rescue team to help with the search. Search and rescue officers then located another woman dead in a c...

2 arrested after gun goes off inside Austin 6th Street bar

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:52 GMT

Editor's Note: The above video is previous KXAN coverage of the incident on Sixth Street on July 22, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Two people were arrested after a gun went off inside someone's pocket in a Sixth Street bar Saturday morning, according to Travis County booking records.It happened around 1:30 a.m. Saturday inside The 512 on Sixth bar. General manager Corey Phikus told KXAN that someone had a gun in their jean pants pocket and it accidentally went off inside the club, ricocheting and hitting two people. Gun ‘accidentally’ goes off in Sixth Street bar, injures 2 people Austin-Travis County EMS said two adults had minor injuries from the incident, but the injuries were likely not the result of a direct bullet impact. One was transported to a local hospital, and the other refused transport. Records show 26-year-old Harold Keiondre Coleman was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and unlawful carrying of a weapon in a prohibited place. Those charges are second and ...

183A toll lanes reopen after Leander crash

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:52 GMT

Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN Live’s top headlines for July 24, 2023LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — The southbound lanes on the 183A toll reopened Monday afternoon near RM 2243 after a "major crash," according to Cedar Park police. NEXT: KXAN Traffic Map At about 4 p.m., police posted on social media the road is now open, and the scene has cleared. Earlier in the afternoon, police said they went to help Leander police with the crash just north of Crystal Falls Parkway. In an update, CPPD said one lane of northbound 183A Toll is open. Police previously asked drivers to avoid the area with all southbound traffic shut down.

Texas-themed amusement park to open in 2026

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:52 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — One Texas entrepreneur has a Texas-sized goal: to build a Texas-themed amusement park. "Why not put a business model that's meant to bring people together with the content of Texas that already brings people together? It's a match made in heaven," TexasLand USA founder and CEO Lizzy McGee said.McGee, a sixth-generation Texan and Houston native, said she noticed there was a lack of theme parks in Texas — particularly in the Austin and Houston metros — for a state that has the population and metrics that theme park companies look for. So, she took her Disney theme park strategy background, earned a master's degree in business administration and started planning TexasLand USA. The initial theme park includes park areas dedicated to Mission Control in Houston, the Alamo, Texas rodeo and other Texas icons. (Illustration by Edward Dinzole; courtesy of TexasLand USA)She wants the park to have elements from all parts of the state — West Texas, East Texas, North Texas, South ...

Austin airport to finish 1st phase of new baggage claim system in 2024

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:52 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Started in 2022, the first phase of a new baggage handling system at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is set to conclude in June 2024.AUS officials said the two-phase plan to build a new system to replace the current 20-year-old system is part of the Journey With AUS improvement program.Once it's done, the new system will be able to process 4,000 bags an hour — more than twice what it can currently. New infrastructure for the system has been replaced above the first and second baggage carousels and is ongoing at night between carousels 4-7. Airport officials said that's why passengers will see "big parachute-looking fabrics" that are covering up the work.Due to TSA security restrictions, the general public won't get to see the system once it's all done and operational, officials said. What they will see, however, is a project that "will have a positive impact on the passenger travel experience at our airport."

LCRA requests water conservation efforts as lake levels dip

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 23:32:52 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Lower Colorado River Authority is encouraging water users to "incorporate additional water conservation efforts" into their routines, as high temperatures continue to cause excess water use and evaporation.John Hofmann, LCRA's executive vice president of water, said in a release Monday the triple-digit temperatures paired with the region's dry conditions are impacting lake levels and supplies. Leander water issues improve as repairs continue on barge, water restrictions remain "With very little water flowing into the lakes and a ‘heat dome’ roasting our area since early June, lake levels are decreasing as significant amounts of water evaporate or are used on landscaping in the region. We all need to step up and do our part to conserve," Hofmann said in the release.Currently, LCRA is in Stage 1 of its drought contingency plan. The authority has requested its firm customers — mainly comprising municipalities, water districts and industries — to lower water uses b...