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Alabama woman had 'highly unusual' search history before her disappearance, police say

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:59:20 GMT

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — An Alabama woman who reportedly vanished off the side an interstate is home safe, but the investigation has yielded new pieces of evidence police described as "highly unusual" on Wednesday.Carlee Russell, 25, became the focus of national attention when she called police to report a child walking along I-459 near Hoover, Alabama, on July 13. Police arrived where Russell had reported seeing the child, but found her car empty. She was subsequently declared missing, and a widespread search began. Timeline of Carlee Russell’s disappearance, return and the ongoing investigation into what happened to her On Wednesday, Hoover Police Chief Nicholas Derzis revealed search history that had been taken from Russell's phone before her disappearance. The police chief said the alleged searches included: Tuesday, July 11, 7:30 a.m. – “You have to pay for an Amber alert”Thursday, July 13, 1:03 a.m. – “How to take money from a register without being caught”Thursday, Ju...

3 people shot on Chicago's Near West Side

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:59:20 GMT

CHICAGO — Three people were shot Wednesday afternoon on the Near West Side of Chicago, according to police.Chicago Police Department officers were called to the shooting around 3:50 p.m. to the 100 block of North Oakley Boulevard. Man shot and killed during robbery in Humboldt Park Two boys, 16 and 17, and a 52-year-old man were all shot and taken to Stroger Hospital in good condition, police said.No one has been arrested yet.The incident is still under investigation.

'Once in a lifetime' catch: Virginia fisherman reels in rare blue-mouthed mutation

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:59:20 GMT

CAROLINE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) -- After fishing in the same private pond in Virginia's Caroline County for 20 years, one fisherman reeled in a catch he never would have expected.John Byrd, of Bowling Green, had caught a rare 11-and-a-half-inch blue-mouth chain pickerel. Byrd contacted a Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources regional fisheries biologist and was told that the fish had a “wild genetic pigment mutation” and that the catch "pretty much falls into the one-in-a-lifetime category of catches" but was otherwise normal.Blue-mouth chain pickerel caught by John Byrd (Photo: Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources)Blue-mouth chain pickerel caught by John Byrd (Photo: Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources)“The coloration expressed by the blue pickerel is extremely rare,” the DWR said. Catch this land-walking fish? Don’t toss it back – do this instead The chain pickerel, which nearly resembles a northern pike, is commonly found in rivers, streams and reservoirs. The fish i...

MedWatch Daily Digest: Cancer ages survivors — and more

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:59:20 GMT

For Wednesday, July 19, WGN’s Dina Bair has the latest on new medical information, including: More Coverage: WGN's Medical Watch Breast cancer survivors experience a faster rate of biological decline Better treatments have provided the opportunity to live after a breast cancer diagnosis. But women battling cancer do not undergo the same aging process as those never diagnosed. One in eight women will develop breast cancer. According to Moffitt Cancer Center researchers, there is a lasting impact on biological function. Breast cancer survivors have a higher rate of heart disease and a more rapid physical and cognitive decline. The type of breast cancer didn't matter, but treatment played a role. Those who received radiation showed faster biological aging.  There are currently 4 million breast cancer survivors in the US.Suicidality in young people increases during April and OctoberCertain times of the year are more dangerous than others regarding suicide. A study by public health exp...

Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ receives backlash over tip policy

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:59:20 GMT

BUDA, Texas (KXAN) -- The popular restaurant in Buda, Valentina's Tex Mex BBQ, is facing some backlash for its employee tip policy. If employees broke certain rules, they'd be at risk of not receiving tips. The owners said the policy has since changed. What was the policy?A woman who said she is a former employee told KXAN tips were taken at their discretion and when they were taken, they'd be taken for the entire week the incident happened. According to a screenshot of the policy circulating on social media, tips could be taken for a number of reasons: An employee was lateNo call, no showWrite-up during a shiftAn employee was fired An employee quit without two weeks' written noticeRestaurant owner, Miguel Vidal, confirmed that was their policy. "That was a screenshot of our handbook that we wrote in 2013 with the policy going in place in 2015 or 2016," Vidal said. But, he said it was never regularly enforced and that it hasn't happened for a few years. Instead, Vidal claimed it was...

APD identifies victim in gas station homicide, still searching for suspect

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:59:20 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department identified the victim in the Airport Boulevard gas station homicide Sunday and is also asking for the public's help in identifying the suspect, APD said in a news release Wednesday.Shortly after 9 p.m., July 16, officers responded to reports of a shooting at the Valero gas station, 1135 Airport Blvd, the release said.APD also released video of the shooting on its YouTube page. The video shows a man firing a gun inside the store and running into the parking lot. APD investigating homicide on Airport Boulevard When officers arrived on the scene, they found a man, Tijarious White, 19, with gunshot wounds, according to police. White died on the scene.According to police, White was inside the gas station as a customer when the suspect entered the gas station and shot and killed White.The suspect is described as:Black maleTallHeavy builtThis is being investigated as Austin's 39th homicide, according to police. MAP: Where have Austin’s homi...

Austin moves to #1 for hottest July on record

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:59:20 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The first 19 days of the month have now tied for the hottest July on record to date, matching the day and night temperature average from July, 2022.For the fourth consecutive day Wednesday, Austin tied or broke a daily record high, reaching 106° which ties the record set just last year. Austin also set an all-time record for number of consecutive days with highs of 105°+. The streak is now at 10 days, and appears it should continue for some time.Excessive Heat Warnings and Heat Advisories remain in place nearly areawide through Thursday at 8 p.m. These heat alerts will be extended on Friday.A 10% chance of isolated thunderstorms returns to the forecast this weekend, but rain will be hard to come by. Record high temperatures will be in jeopardy again next week.Other than a few isolated storms this weekend, most stay dry over the next 7+ daysSummer Fan DriveThank you for helping make our 33rd annual KXAN Summer Fan Drive a success! We exceeded our goals thanks to your...

Lucas Gordon signs with White Sox for $300K, other drafted Longhorns have yet to sign

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:59:20 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the deadline for Major League Baseball teams to sign their draft picks draws closer, a couple of Texas Longhorns are ready to get their professional careers started.Left-handed pitcher Lucas Gordon and right-handed pitcher Travis Sthele have agreed to terms with the teams that drafted them. Teams have until 5 p.m., July 25 to sign their draft picks or else they'll forfeit the player's draft rights.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/newslettersAccording to MLB Pipeline's Jim Callis, Gordon and the White Sox agreed to terms Wednesday with a $300,000 signing bonus. Gordon was the No. 179 overall pick in the draft that carried a $314,700 slot value, so technically the White Sox signed him at a little bit of a bargain.According to the MLB.com draft tracker, the Washington Nationals signed Sthele signed for a $150,000 bonus. He was drafted in the 12th round and was not ...

Decision to expand St. Paul downtown improvement district is postponed

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:59:20 GMT

The St. Paul City Council on Wednesday postponed a decision about expanding an improvement district to include a portion of West Seventh Street.Since 2020, the improvement service district has stretched across much of downtown, up to but not including Lowertown. Within the district, businesses pay a fee that supports street clean-up, graffiti removal and street greeters who provide a second set of eyes downtown, including non-police interactions with the homeless.Last spring, several West Seventh Street business owners signed a petition to expand the district further west to Grand Avenue along a corridor downtown West Seventh Street.Since signing the petition last spring, some business owners have retracted their support for the initiative.Dave Cossetta of Cossetta’s Alimentari voiced his concerns at the public hearing Wednesday, noting the proposed district boundaries had changed with time to exclude six lots he owns on Exchange Street.“The spokesperson for the Downtown...

St. Paul City Council puts sales tax for roads, property tax for child care on 2023, 2024 ballots

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:59:20 GMT

When St. Paul residents head to the polls this November to vote for city council, they’ll also find a question on the ballot asking whether to raise the city portion of the local sales tax by 1 percentage point, or a penny on every dollar. The added sales tax, according to the mayor’s office, could generate nearly $1 billion over 20 years, most of it for arterial road reconstruction, with one-fourth of the funding dedicated to major parks improvements.At the request of the mayor’s office, the St. Paul City Council on Wednesday voted 6-1 to authorize placing the sales tax question on the Nov. 7 ballot, with Council Member Jane Prince opposed.“We have a unique opportunity to make an exceptional investment in our city’s roads and parks, providing future generations with sound infrastructure,” said St. Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, in a written statement following the vote. “We look forward to bringing this conversation to our residents.”Prince urged the council to a...