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8 dead in South Texas following fiery crash involving suspected human smuggler

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:48 GMT

ZAVALA COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reported eight deaths Wednesday following a two-vehicle crash near Batesville, Texas — about 20 minutes south of Uvalde in south Texas.According to DPS, a preliminary investigation found a suspected human smuggler was driving from Houston on U.S. Highway 57 while evading the Zavala County Sheriff’s Office. Texas police: Migrants found ‘suffocating’ in train; 2 dead While evading, the suspect's vehicle caused a head-on collision with another vehicle, which was then engulfed in flames, killing its two occupants, DPS said.DPS said the driver in the suspected smuggler vehicle died, along with five passengers. Troopers confirmed several of the people dead were from Honduras.Officials said the investigation was ongoing as DPS investigates the fatal crash.

RESULTS: How did Texans vote on each of the 14 proposed constitutional amendments?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:48 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Thirteen of the 14 proposed amendments to the Texas Constitution were passed by voters Tuesday.More than 2.5 million votes were cast statewide. With more than 17.7 million registered voters, turnout was around 14.41%, according to the Secretary of State's office. Click here for full election results Here's a look at the results for each proposition:Props 4 and 9 each passed with more than 80% of the vote in favor. Prop 4 will increase the homestead tax exemption and provide property tax relief, while Prop 9 will add billions of dollars to the Texas retired teachers pension fund.Prop 13, the only proposition to fail, would have raised the mandatory retirement age for judges in the state from 75 to 79.Travis County, home to Austin, was often an outlier. It was the only county to vote against Propositions 1, 3 and 7, which guarantee the right to farm and ranch, prohibit a net worth tax and create a state energy fund.Three of the propositions passed in all 254 counties...

RESULTS: This is the best KXAN viewer photo of October 2023, as voted by you

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:48 GMT

Editor's Note: The video above shows the latest forecast from the KXAN First Warning Weather team.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Here at KXAN, we get hundreds of photos sent to us each month by viewers just like you.We want to showcase some of the best pictures we receive, so we narrowed them down to our 10 favorites for the month.The winning photo will move on to represent October in the best viewer photos of the year once 2023 is said and done.#10. Solar Projection (1.5% of votes)Austin, Oct. 14. Courtesy Terrell Gilliland.An annular eclipse in Austin on Oct. 14, 2023, as seen through a solar projector. (Courtesy Terrell Gilliland)#9. Dark Side of the Sun (6.1% of votes)Austin, Oct. 14. Courtesy Geoffrey D. McLin.An annular eclipse seen from southeast Austin on Oct. 14, 2023. (Courtesy Geoffrey D. McLin)#8. Candy Corn Clouds (6.6% of votes)Georgetown, Oct. 27. Courtesy Martin Byhower.Clouds bubble up at sunset over Georgetown on Oct. 27, 2023. (Courtesy Martin Byhower)#7. Soaking in the Sun (7.3...

Public invited to Rice Park holiday tree lighting (and Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Kick-Off) on Friday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:48 GMT

It was Election Day, but it looked more like Christmas at Rice Park in downtown St. Paul on Tuesday.Bystanders craned their necks upward to watch a crew assemble a 40-foot artificial holiday tree for a lighting ceremony on Friday.It’s long been a tradition to light up the real trees of St. Paul’s historic park to celebrate the holidays and illuminate our winter, but this will only be the second year that the Salvation Army’s “Tree of Lights” will be the sparkly focal point in Rice Park.The event also represents the Red Kettle Kick-Off for the organization, a fund-raising effort involving the pealing of bells at kettles across the Twin Cities and beyond.But first, the tree must be assembled.“This is a 3-day process,” said Angel Fields Mitchell, divisional director of marketing for the Salvation Army Northern Division, from Rice Park on Tuesday. “Tomorrow, we will decorate the tree.”The ceremonyHundreds of people were on hand as th...

Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs has side hustle as viral TikTok sensation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:48 GMT

The team store for the Vikings is fully stocked with Josh Dobbs jerseys. The team store for the Arizona Cardinals couldn’t say the same thing earlier this season.That much the 28-year-old Dobbs jokingly shed light upon a couple of months ago when he posted a video on TikTok that ended up going viral. As the starting quarterback for the Cardinals at the time, he filmed himself inside the team store trying to buy his jersey for a family member, only to realize that wasn’t an option. That clip has been viewed 1.3 million times.The following day he posted another video on TikTok, taking to the camera, and revealing that the team store had his jersey available for purchase. That clip has been viewed 1.4 million times.“It’s fun,” Dobbs said. “I think TikTok is a great opportunity for everybody to show their personality.”Now the starting quarterback for the Vikings, preparing for a home game against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, he has decided to con...

Gophers men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson higher on recruiting class than national rankings

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:48 GMT

Gophers men’s basketball coach Ben Johnson is higher on his incoming, two-player recruiting class than three outside national rankings.Minnesota signed guard Isaac Asuma of Mountain Iron, Minn., and forward Grayson Grove of Alexandria, Minn., for the 2024 class on Wednesday. The U’s class ranks outside the top 55 in the nation, according to 247sports, On3 and Rivals.Asuma, a 6-foot-3, 190-pound guard from Cherry High School, had a great summer with his AAU team D1 Minnesota, Johnson said.“He’s a top-100 player in my mind,” Johnson told reporters Wednesday. “I’ve watched enough on the circuit to see that. Whatever the numbers are, they are. But to watch him go head-to-head, toe-to-toe, his AAU team was down a little bit and he had to carry those guys in a couple of tournaments. … Our fans are really going to love his grit and toughness and skill level.”Johnson said the U was “lucky” to get him committed early in March. His offer list included Iowa, Iowa State, Xavier, Butler, Nebrask...

Israel says it will maintain ‘overall security responsibility’ for Gaza. What might that look like?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:48 GMT

By JOSEF FEDERMAN (Associated Press)JERUSALEM (AP) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu didn’t elaborate when he said this week that Israel would maintain indefinite “overall security responsibility” in Gaza once it removes Hamas from power in response to a deadly Oct. 7 cross-border raid by the Islamic militant group.Experience suggests that any Israeli security role will be seen by the Palestinians and much of the international community as a form of military occupation. This could complicate any plans to hand governing responsibility to the Palestinian Authority or friendly Arab states, and risk bogging Israel down in a war of attrition.Even if Israel succeeds in ending Hamas’ 16-year rule in Gaza and dismantling much of its militant infrastructure, the presence of Israeli forces is likely to fuel an insurgency, as it did from 1967 to 2005. That period saw two Palestinian uprisings and the rise of Hamas.Benny Gantz, of Israel’s three-member War Cabinet, acknowledged Wednesday that...

Veteran loses nearly everything, saves wife from burning home

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:48 GMT

FORT HUNTER, (NEWS10) - A local veteran lost nearly everything in a house fire. NEWS10 spoke with the family to learn more about the devastating blaze. School bus aide dies days after bus crash David Stafford had just returned from letting the dog out before bedtime when he noticed an orange glow out of his kitchen window. He and his son went out to investigate and found the house on fire, his wife and dog still inside. “I tried to run around to the front of the house, but I already locked the doors for the night, and I couldn't get in to save the dog. My wife was upstairs sleeping,” said Stafford.Daughter, Amber Berroa, says her mom called her from inside the burning home. “So, I answered it. And she couldn't even get her breath to tell me while she kept saying was Amber there's a fire and I couldn't get to Greta. That's all she kept saying I tried to get Greta and I can't get Greta,”“So, my son and I when we went out, he was behind me we got the ladders up I got my wife out from...

Voters react to Saratoga Springs election results 

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:48 GMT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) –  The change in leadership in the Spa City comes after a year of tension between the mayor and public safety commissioner. On Wednesday NEWS10 heard from voters and a city council member who shared thoughts on the election results.Residents said they are now breathing a sigh of relief after a tumultuous two years. Black Lives Matter activists called on Commissioner of Public Safety Jim Montagnino to resign after he filed charges against Chandler Hickenbottom, one of the group's leaders, for continuing to speak after her time for public comment ran out during a city council meeting.  Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Mayor Ron Kim criticized the decision to file charges and said at the time that it was an unnecessary distraction. The two have had several public confrontations in the past that have heated up this last year.NEWS10 spoke to voters in Saratoga Springs on Wednesday and they were no...

Major Case Squad activated following discovery of body in Collinsville

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 14:48:48 GMT

COLLINSVILLE, Ill. - Late Wednesday morning, police in Collinsville were summoned to an area off Route 159 for a man found dead in a ditch.The call came in just before 10:45 a.m. Collinsville police found the body in the 500 block of Loop Street.The man, identified as Tyrese Owens, had suffered a serious laceration to his torso and was later pronounced dead by the Madison County Coroner's Office. Owens was 21. Results: November 7 Missouri Special Election Police said Owens lived in an apartment on the street.Collinsville police requested the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis to lead the investigation. Approximately 20 investigators have been assigned to the case, and are following up on numerous leads.Anyone with information on the investigation is asked to call the Major Case Squad at 618-344-2131 (x5300).