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Pre-K teacher in Austin arrested on charges of possession of child pornography

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Pre-K teacher at Wayside Schools in Austin was arrested Monday night on charges of possession of child pornography, according to Travis County records.Records showed that 33-year-old Irving Perez was arrested by the Texas Department of Public Safety.KXAN reached out to Wayside Schools for comment. The school confirmed the arrest of the teacher and said the arrest was made offsite.“Parents in this classroom were personally notified [Wednesday,]” the school said.As of Wednesday, Travis County jail records listed Perez in its system on possession of child pornography charges under a $20,000 bond.“This is an active investigation and DPS has shared very little with us at this time but has stressed that this incident did not occur at our school and does not involve any students at our school,” a representative from Wayside Schools said.The school said it was notified of a DPS investigation into Perez Monday afternoon.“We pressed DPS for more details, as Mr. Perez was on ...

After heart surgery, Tionna Herron transfers to Texas

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Not even a year removed from open-heart surgery, DeSoto native Tionna Herron is returning to Texas to play basketball for the Longhorns.Herron didn't play for the Kentucky Wildcats while she recovered from her surgery in August 2022 to fix "a structural abnormality." Texas Athletics announced Wednesday that Herron completed her transfer and she'll be on the 2023-24 roster.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/newsletters"I wanted to move closer to home, especially after having this major heart surgery made me realize I wanted to be closer to family," Herron said. "I also wanted to go somewhere that could help me be better than I was before my surgery, and I felt Texas gave the competitive mindset and the family feel from the team to the staff."Herron was ranked No. 69 overall in the 2022 recruiting class by ESPN and was teammates with Longhorns forward Amina Muhammad, h...

Dr Pepper ice cream? Blue Bell teases new flavor, hints at collab with soda company

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

(KXAN) -- What do Texas, noted author John Green and Blue Bell have in common? An affinity for Dr Pepper, it seems. Blue Bell teased a new flavor in a video posted on Twitter Tuesday, leading to speculation that it has something to do with Dr Pepper. While the ice cream company didn't overtly say it has anything to do with the soda, the video's caption, which depicted a Dr Pepper-colored deep red can of soda being poured, did say, "The sound of 23 flavors."Dr Pepper, John Green's favorite soda company, is a Texas-based company known for having 23 flavors packed into one soda. MORE: Made in Texas: Viewers name the top Texas brands, businesses they love Blue Bell is also a Texas-based company, headquartered in Brenham, which is between Austin and Houston. So, it would make sense for the companies to collaborate, especially considering the love and popularity of ice cream floats. Plus, Whataburger, another Texas company, and Dr. Pepper collaborated earlier this year to release a Dr ...

'It was probably $700': Kyle woman says credit card info stolen 3x at gas station

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

KYLE, Texas (KXAN) - Texans lose millions each year due to credit card skimmers. The Kyle Police Department said this problem is citywide. Within the first three months of the year, only 15 skimmers were recovered by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations. That brings the total number to 135 skimmers recovered since January 2022. RELATED COVERAGE: State says crackdown saves millions in losses from credit card fraud It's been so hard to detect them that the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center opened last year to try and combat this growing problem. 'I was just mad'This issue hits close to home for Jodi Gonzalez in Kyle. "All total it was probably $700 or more that was used on my accounts fraudulently," Gonzalez said. She said three different cards had their information stolen. "It was panic, and you just really had anxiety," Gonzalez said. "This last time when it happened, I was just mad."She said her banks notified her of the fraudulent charges. Each time it hap...

As Police Week honors fallen officers, concern over increased assaults on Minnesota cops

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

With four law enforcement officers fatally shot in Minnesota and western Wisconsin in a recent one-month span, memorial services this week for fallen officers are taking on more poignancy.National Police Week is when officers who died in the line of duty are honored and remembered. It also comes at a time when assaults against officers in Minnesota have been up: More than double were reported last year compared to 2019, according to state data.“We have observed over the last many years, the amount of vitriol that has been directed toward our officers, deputies throughout the state and the country,” said Todd Axtell, the recently retired St. Paul police chief. “… There are no other professions in public service where you have to wear a bullet-resistant vest when you go to work, so the stakes are high.”People in the field cited various reasons why they believe attacks on officers have increased — worsening tensions, particularly since the killing of...

MN Democrats say these ideas will control health costs, but medical providers opposed

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

Minnesota Democrats’ efforts to impose new rules on the health care industry have run into aggressive lobbying by some of the state’s biggest medical groups.Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party members want more oversight of nurse staffing levels, drug prices, overall medical costs and health system mergers. Their effort to expand access to MinnesotaCare, the state insurance program for the working poor, also is facing some industry backlash.All of these ideas remain pending as lawmakers scramble to finish the next state budget by Monday, when the Legislature has to adjourn.Hospital and health system leaders say their sector is confronting the worst financial challenges in decades. They say half of Minnesota hospitals are losing money and all health systems face workforce shortages.Caregivers and patient advocates counter that the changes are long overdue and will make health care more affordable and patient-centered. They also argue that the policies will help stop the flood o...

House votes to send Santos expulsion resolution to Ethics Committee

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

The House on Wednesday punted the question of whether Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.) should be removed from Congress, referring an expulsion resolution to the Ethics Committee and shielding Republican lawmakers from having to weigh in on the matter directly.The chamber voted 221-204-7 to send the resolution to the Ethics panel, a largely redundant move since the committee has been investigating Santos since March amid mounting questions about his background and finances. The panel is looking into whether he engaged in unlawful activity during his 2022 campaign and failed to properly disclose information to the House, among other areas of inquiry.All five Democrats on the Ethics Committee — Susan Wild (Pa.), Glenn Ivey (Md.), Veronica Escobar (Texas), Deborah Ross (N.C.), Mark DeSaulnier (Calif.) — voted present, as did Reps. Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pa.), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-Wash.). The remaining votes fell along party lines.Santos voted with Republicans to refer the resolution to th...

Why sports betting struck out again among Missouri lawmakers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – While Missouri's neighboring states continue to allow sports betting, it's still illegal in the Show Me State to place a wager on your favorite team.Missourians will continue to have to cross state lines to place a sports bet. Odds were high at the beginning of session to legalize it, but anyone placing a wager on the Missouri General Assembly would have lost. At the end of session, Senate Leadership is placing blame on one Republican lawmaker."Until that happens, he is solely responsible that we don't have sports betting in Missouri, no more, no less," Senate President Caleb, R-Columbia, said.During the final press conference of the 2023 legislative session on Friday, Rowden said it's Sen. Denny Hoskins', R-Warrensburg, fault that sports betting struck out."Either he finds more friends or he needs to get out of the way and let Missourians be able to do this thing they should have been able to four or five years ago," Rowden said.Hoskins said what's standing in...

Death toll from blinding I-55 dust storm crashes rises to 8

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — The death toll from numerous crashes on Interstate 55 that occurred amid a blinding dust storm has risen to eight, a coroner said Wednesday.Ruth Rau, 81, of Sorento, who was a passenger in a car that crashed in the May 1 dust storm, died of blunt force injuries Tuesday night at a Springfield hospital, Sangamon County Coroner Jim Allmon said.The crashes involved a total of 72 vehicles, with at least 37 people taken to hospitals. Top Story: St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner resigns High winds had kicked up dangerous clouds of blinding dust off farm fields, police have said.The crashes closed I-55 in both directions in Montgomery County, 75 miles (120 kilometers) north of St. Louis. Gov. J.B. Pritzker described the scene as horrific.Winds at the time were gusting between 35 mph (56 kph) and 45 mph (74 kph), the National Weather Service said.

It's spraying season! Efforts to control mosquitoes following recent wet weather

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:11:27 GMT

CHESTERFIELD, Mo. - Recent rains and heavy downpours left standing water all over the St. Louis region. And that brings the return of mosquitoes."The warm weather is starting to come around and warm up for springtime," said Ryan Kelley, operations manager for Rottler Pest and Lawn Solutions. "The combination of that and standing water and sunshine that really makes the mosquitoes breed pretty quickly. You'll notice that when you're outside in the evening trying to enjoy your time outside."Kelley is treating a Chesterfield home on a warm Wednesday afternoon, looking for low spots, standing water, and places mosquitoes might hide, like around a clogged gutter or the undersides of a gutter. Goat senior prank ends Missouri athlete's competition "It is known that some things attract mosquitoes more than others, however if mosquitoes are in the area, they're going to find you no matter what," Kelley said. "Male mosquitoes do feed on plant nectar, but they don't bite humans. The females ...