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Suspect arrested on assault, arson charge in Cedar Park

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:06 GMT

CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) -- One man was arrested after he was accused of assaulting "several people with a wooden board," according to a news release from the Cedar Park Police Department.On Thursday, CPPD responded to a disturbance in the 1400 block of Pagedale Drive in Cedar Park. Officers saw neighbors who confronted a man who was assaulting people with the wooden board.Police also saw the suspect had "caused significant damage to a nearby vehicle," the release said.The suspect was identified as Rodney Richard Reed, 37, of Cedar Park, according to police.As officers were taking Reed into custody, they saw "visible smoke" coming from a nearby home and "discovered a large fire had broken out inside."According to police, there were already Cedar Park firefighters on the scene treating a victim who was assaulted and "immediately mobilized to fight the fire." The Austin Fire Department also responded to the scene to assist.Reed was arrested on two counts of aggravated assault with a d...

Texas' border crackdowns remain popular despite national pushback

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:06 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- Fifty-six percent of Texans support making it a state crime for an undocumented immigrant to be in Texas, according to the latest Texas Politics Project poll, showing healthy support for the legislature's major border security initiative, even as it faces possible legal peril.Even 27% of Democrats support the new state crime established under Senate Bill 4, which allows state police and judges to order migrants into Mexico. Legal experts have called the challenge to federal authority unconstitutional, and it is already the target of legal challenges from civil rights groups like the ACLU.Some legal challenges have accused Senate Bill 4 of opening the door to racial profiling and denying due process to migrants and citizens alike. Hispanics are split in their views, however.The poll found 41% of Hispanic Texans statewide support the measure, while 43% oppose.The poll surveyed 1,200 registered voters across Texas in the first ten days of December. 61% reported they...

Gov. Abbott grants clemency to three Texans

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:06 GMT

Editor’s note: The above video shows KXAN’s morning headlines for Thursday, Dec. 21, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Thursday, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott granted clemency to three Texans.According to a statement from the governor’s office, the pardons granted the restoration of civil rights to the following Texans:Robert Phillip Marsh, 51, for theft in 1990, out of Midland County. According to the governor’s office, Marsh was sentenced to 2 years of deferred adjudication probation.Heather Christine Sherman, 33, for possession of marijuana in 2010, out of Collin County. Sherman was sentenced to serve three days of jail, according to the governor’s office.Jerry Lynn Smith, 64, for theft in 1978, out of Harris County. According to the governor’s office, Smith was sentenced to pay a $500 fine.“Having served as a trial court judge, Texas Supreme Court Justice, and Attorney General, I have the utmost respect for our legal system and the unique gubernatorial power to grant clemency to Texans looking f...

Were your holiday deliveries stolen? What to know about porch piracy and what you can do about it

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:06 GMT

By HALELUYA HADERO (AP Business Writer)NEW YORK (AP) — You found the perfect holiday gift online. You ordered it. A notification arrived on your phone, showing the package had arrived. But when you open your doors, the parcel is nowhere to be found.If this has happened to you, then count yourself among the unlucky group of shoppers who fall victim to package thefts — or porch piracy, as it’s commonly known.Here’s what you should know about the issue, and what to do if it happens to you.How big of a problem is porch piracy?It’s hard to tell. Most police departments don’t track package theft in its own category, which means there’s a lack of national data.The FBI’s figures do show burglary offenses and larceny-theft — a category that includes shoplifting, pickpocketing, and instances of package theft — have decreased overall in the last 20-plus years. But since both categories are broad and the agency doesn’t keep tabs on specific incidents of package thefts, it’s challenging to know ...

A tip to combat seasonal depression amid the shorter days

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:06 GMT

ST. LOUIS – The first official day of winter begins on Thursday, marking the start of the winter solstice, dictated by the position of the Earth relative to the sun, as we exit the shortest day of the year—9 hours and 28 minutes of daytime—and fall into the longest night of the year due to the sun being at its most southern position in the sky. The Earth’s tilt is what gives us our seasons.“So, that’s why we’re getting cooler weather, less sunlight. And we warm up in the spring and summer because we have more sunlight in the spring and summer,” Jon Carney, meteorologist at the National Weather Service, said.With more darkness in the sky than sunlight, this time of the year is not always happy for a lot of people. Especially those who fight seasonal depression.“Seasonal depression usually happens in the winter months when we get less light. The belief is that with less light, you have a lowered serotonin level, so that can impact your mood,” Dr. Paul Nims, a licensed professional cou...

Police investigate two thefts Thursday at Plaza Frontenac

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:06 GMT

FRONTENAC, Mo. - Authorities are investigating two separate thefts that unfolded Thursday afternoon at the Plaza Frontenac shopping center. The Frontenac Police Department tells FOX 2 that thieves targeted two different stores at Plaza Frontenac. Police say both thefts involved multiple people. Soulard bar owners question legitimacy of NYE bar crawl promoted online No injuries or arrests have been reported at this time. It's unclear how much in merchandise might have been stolen. This is a developing story. FOX 2 will update as more information becomes available.

St. Louis doctors note uptick in respiratory viruses

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:06 GMT

ST. LOUIS – Medical officials in St. Louis are seeing a rise in seasonal respiratory viruses like the flu, RSV, and COVID-19.“Watching the respiratory virus season unfold, we are seeing more cases of RSV, which is the respiratory syncytial virus,” Melissa Tepe, vice president and chief medical officer for Affinia Healthcare, said. “This is including more hospitalizations now, and also flu and COVID. So, really bringing the St. Louis Pandemic Task Force back to the table to review those numbers.”The St. Louis Pandemic Task Force has had a meeting to review data and get messaging out.The White House recognizes that seasonal RSV is on the rise nationwide. On Tuesday, senior administration officials met with the CEOs of the companies that make the RSV vaccine and requested that more vaccines be made available.“We think that families should have access to the RSV vaccine,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. “It is important for families to have access to that. We’re goi...

Colorado elected leaders, community groups push for cease-fire as Gaza death toll grows

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:06 GMT

More than 50 current and former elected officials, community leaders, religious leaders and representatives of nonprofit groups called Thursday for Colorado’s congressional delegation to push more forcefully for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas to stop the killing of civilians.“We must demand a cease-fire,” State Rep. Iman Jodeh said on the west steps of the Colorado Capitol in Denver. “We cannot allow the word cease-fire to become taboo. We cannot allow the word cease-fire to be the word that they fear the most.”She added: “If we do, the next word that will be taboo is peace.”Jodeh, an Aurora Democrat and Palestinian-American, penned an open letter earlier this month that has been signed by more than 100 leaders and groups in the state. It appeals for Congress to seek a “bilateral ceasefire, the return of all hostages and arbitrarily detained Palestinian prisoners in Israel, full restoration of humanitarian aid to Gaza, and ensur...

Broncos OC Joe Lombardi’s advice for Russell Wilson after Sean Payton sideline dust-up: “What goes on on gameday stays on gameday”

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:06 GMT

Joe Lombardi has worked for Sean Payton longer than almost anybody in football.The Broncos offensive coordinator is in his 13th season as an assistant in some capacity on a Payton coaching staff.He’s heard probably most or all of the stories. He’s seen the magic at work. He’s been a part of a Super Bowl team, some much leaner years, Payton’s year suspended by the NFL and much more.He’s undoubtedly been yelled at. A lot.Maybe it’s no surprise, then, that he laughed off the story this week that’s carried on after NFL Network cameras on Saturday night caught Payton reaming quarterback Russell Wilson on the sideline after a second-half sequence in which Denver stalled out on the goal line.“I think early on, (you learn) gamedays are like Vegas,” Lombardi said Thursday. “What goes on on gameday stays on gameday. It’s an emotional time and you can’t take things personal. We’ve all been on the end of that and we’ve all been Sean as well, yelling at somebody. I don’t think it’s nearly ...

Gunman opens fire in a Prague university, killing 14 people in Czech Republic's worst mass shooting

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:53:06 GMT

PRAGUE (AP) — A student opened fire Thursday at a university in Prague, killing at least 14 people, officials said, and injuring more than 20 in the Czech Republic’s worst mass shooting.The bloodshed took place in the philosophy department building of Charles University, where the shooter was a student, Prague Police Chief Martin Vondrasek said. The gunman also died, authorities said. His name has not been released.Vondrasek said in the evening that 14 people had died and 25 were injured, after earlier reporting that 15 had died and 24 were hurt. He didn't explain the change. Authorities warned that the death toll could rise. Police gave no details about the victims or a possible motive for the shooting at the building located near the Vltava River in Jan Palach Square. Czech Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said investigators do not suspect a link to any extremist ideology or groups.Vondrasek said police believe the gunman killed his father earlier Thursday in his hometown of Hostoun,...