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Biden touts climate efforts on tour of western United States

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

WASHINGTON (Nexstar) – President Biden is touring western states, touting his administration's accomplishments addressing climate change and announcing new actions as well.In New Mexico on Wednesday, President Biden and allies such as New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham lauded the administration's accomplishments in fighting climate change.“We can be climate leaders for the world,” Lujan Grisham said. The governor highlighted the administration making “the largest investment in clean energy jobs…because this president had the courage to make it a reality.”The president says companies are making major investments in green energy projects across the country in states like New Mexico, Colorado and New York.“CS Wind broke ground on what will be the world's largest wind tunnel manufacturing plant,” Biden added. “Every one of these companies has pointed to the clean energy law that we originated, and I signed as the reason for making these investments.”While visiting Arizona on Tue...

Pentagon: 'US will stand with Ukraine as long as it takes'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — The Pentagon on Wednesday doubled down on its support for Ukraine as it confronts new challenges in the Russian invasion."We knew this was going to be a tough fight," Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said. "The United States is going to continue to stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes."Ukraine's counteroffensive is struggling to retake significant territory held by Russian forces. But Singh said the Pentagon is confident in the weapons and training it has provided to the Ukrainian army.At the same time, a June Pew Research survey found a growing number of Americans, especially Republicans, are losing patience with the war. Forty-four percent of Republicans said the U.S. was giving too much aid to Ukraine, four percentage points more than in January."Americans want to know what the plan is," U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., said. "They want to know, is this going to be a 10-year thing, is this a two-year thing?"She said Congress must attempt to provi...

Homes evacuated for 15-acre brush fire near Pflugerville

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — Some homes have been evacuated Wednesday as emergency crews respond to a 15-acre brush fire off Jesse Bohls Road near Pflugerville. ‘Home ignition zone’ inspections can help with wildfires Travis County Emergency Services District No. 2, the Manor Fire Department, STAR Flight and the Texas A&M Forest Service are working to contain the fire, Travis County ESD No. 2 Fire Chief Nick Perkins said.Homes on Scoria Drive and Elk Horn Drive were evacuated as a precaution, according to Travis County ESD No. 2.This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

Texas wildfires: 'Home ignition zone' inspections can help prepare

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) -- Wind speeds combined with low moisture, dry trees, and possible dead limbs and vegetation left over from the winter freeze likely created ideal conditions for a Cedar Park wildfire to spread, according to experts."I'm intimately familiar with their operations," said Travis County Chief Fire Marshal Tony Callaway, who was previously a fire marshal in Cedar Park. "They have an excellent fire department that did an unbelievable job in their response yesterday and how they handled the situation that was thrown at them."On Tuesday, Cedar Park released new aerial video of the 50-acre Parmer Lane wildfire. It shows how the fire tore through grass and brush while appearing to stop short and spare dozens of townhomes and apartments. VIDEO: Drone footage shows scope of Cedar Park brush fire damage Callaway credits the emergency response on the ground, the good separation between the buildings and undeveloped land and how they were built. "It's going to be in reg...

Construction zone near Round Rock High School may affect commutes

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

Round Rock (KXAN) – With Back-To-School, morning and evening rush hour traffic in Austin is about to ramp back up. KXAN Traffic Anchor, Erica Brennes, has been highlighting construction zones in or near school zones. One of those is the RM 620 Roundabout project in Round Rock, just west of Interstate 35.Round Rock ISD returns to school on Aug. 15, and the RM 620 Roundabout project from I-35 to Deep Wood Drive will likely impact commutes to Round Rock High School and Round Rock Christian Academy.That means it will be busy for Round Rock ISD students, parents and drivers who use RM 620 during their commute.The project is adding an overpass at Chisholm Trail and Lake Creek Drive, a roundabout at 620 and Chisholm Trail beneath the new overpass, widened lanes, new frontage roads and bicycle and pedestrian accommodations.If this is your route, TxDOT recommends planning for added delays through the construction zone."You'll have a school zone and a construction zone going on at the same ti...

UT researcher innovates new device to purify water from creeks, streams

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – In response to recent natural disasters that have left millions of Texans without water for extended periods, a University of Texas at Austin researcher was motivated to innovate a device that can purify water from streams in creeks in minutes. D. Emma Fan, an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, led a team that developed a mug-sized device that uses a small jolt of electricity to remove bacteria from water. They tested the device using water from Waller Creek in Austin and found that within 20 minutes, 99.997% of E. coli bacteria were cleared from the water sample. “I think we need to improve the resilience of society during these natural disasters because they [are becoming] more frequent because of climate change,” Fan said. “I have developed the technology in the last few years…We are very confident this [device] is working.” Fan said the key to the device's success is what is called a “branched” electrode – something Fa...

St. Paul City Council approves $21 million tax incentive for office-to-residential conversion at Landmark Towers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

Developer Chris Sherman of Sherman Associates said he’s little more than a week away from finalizing a deal to acquire the 26-story Landmark Towers office building off Fourth Street, the first step toward a complete office-to-residential conversion that will create 187 new units of market-rate housing downtown, filling commercial space that’s increasingly becoming vacant.“We need a transformation of our downtowns, and it needs to happen starting now,” said Sherman, calling the alternative more vacancy and more blight. “There’s a long, long list of office users who are at risk of not renewing their leases.”Eager to close on the sale, Sherman on Wednesday appeared before the St. Paul City Council with a $21 million ask — a “tax increment financing” request that generated several concerned remarks from the seven-member council, given the lack of affordable housing in the proposal.Still, they approved the new TIF district following a...

Review: Alanis Morissette jukebox musical ‘Jagged Little Pill’ is full of surprises

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

At first glance, there’s an obvious narrative to build around the music of Alanis Morissette, specifically her 1995 breakthrough single “You Oughta Know,” an explicit and fiery rebuke of a former lover.While the jukebox musical “Jagged Little Pill,” which opened its eight-show run Tuesday at Minneapolis’ Orpheum Theatre, does use that smash to superb effect, the show takes an unexpected approach in transforming Morissette’s songs into Broadway fodder.A former child star, Morissette swiftly rose to worldwide fame with her 1995 album “Jagged Little Pill,” the songs from which form the backbone of the musical. Her unique take on female rage drew in the masses, but in reality, the bulk of her catalog is focused on introspection, healing and love.As a lyricist, Morissette takes a very specific approach to her work and she’s never been afraid to mangle the English language along the way. As such, her songs seem like an odd fit for a song-and-dance adaptation.In a r...

Local leaders want accountability from DocGo   

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

CAPITAL REGION (NEWS10) – Local officials and nonprofits expressed frustrations with DocGo on Tuesday night at a press conference. On Wednesday DocGo responded to some of News10’s questions about the lines of communication and services it’s provided. News10 has reached out to DocGo numerous times in the past, including calls out to its CEO, and it was Tuesday night when we received a response. DocGo’s statement said the press conference was the first time it had been made aware of any issues.The first bus arrived in Colonie, in the middle of the night, over memorial day weekend. Then weeks later more buses arrived in Rotterdam.In the statement released by DocGo, the company said it polled over 500 asylees in its care and 85 percent feel that they are ‘well supported’ in the program. Colonie Town Supervisor Peter Crummey disagreed.“If it’s such a great plan, why do you have to do it at midnight? That only underscores the problem,” said Crummey.When asked how DocGo is utilizing l...

After rollover crash, deputy fire chief reiterates importance of giving emergency vehicles their space

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:48:32 GMT

BLACK JACK, Mo. – Three firefighters from the Black Jack Fire Protection District are recovering after a rollover crash Tuesday evening on their way to a house fire.The crash happened just before 9 p.m. at the intersection of Old Halls Ferry Road and Country Club Court, about a mile away from Black Jack Fire Protection District Engine House 1.Deputy Fire Chief Paul Peebles said a car pulled out in front of the pumper truck. The driver of the pumper truck swerved in an effort to avoid hitting the car. The truck left the roadway and overturned.“Our main mission is to serve our residents and make sure we keep them safe. It's important that when we have lights and sirens going, people move over to the right,” Peebles said. “We do that for a reason. We’re trying to get there to save people.” Check the radar -- Storms expected Wednesday The firefighters were taken to a local hospital for their injuries, which were not life-threatening.“Very stressful, difficult job. It can be a fire tha...