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Austin moving to Stage 2 drought restrictions next week; Watering times shortened by 3 hours

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:52 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The City of Austin will move to Stage 2 of its Drought Contingency Plan next week, as water levels on Lake Travis and Lake Buchanan continue to drop.A press release from the city said the combined storage level in the lakes is projected to drop below 900,000 acre-feet within the next few days.Interim City Manager Jesus Garza ordered the move to Stage 2 effective Tuesday, Aug. 15."For many years, Austin has leaned into water conservation in normal weather as well as drought," said Shay Ralls Roalson, director of Austin Water. "As our current drought continues, we know that the entire Austin community will respond to the need to conserve our most precious resource. We’re all in this together, and there is no substitute for water." LIST: What are the current water restrictions in your city? Here are the changes to watering restrictions under Stage 2:Automatic irrigation and hose-end watering are restricted to once per week, based on address.Automatic irrigation can on...

Son kills mother in murder/suicide in Georgetown, sheriff's office says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:52 GMT

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- Two people are dead after a murder/suicide in Georgetown on Thursday, the Williamson County Sheriff's Office said on Twitter.At approximately 5 p.m., WCSO responded to a home in the 500 block of Vaughn Street in Georgetown after a 911 caller said two people were shot, according to a news release from WCSO.Officials arrived on the scene and found one man and one woman dead, the release said.According to the investigation, WCSO said it was an isolated murder/suicide incident. On Friday, it identified those who died as 73-year-old Sylvia Rodriguez and her son, 52-year-old Albert Rodriguez. WCSO said it believed Albert was the shooter. MAP: Where have Austin’s homicides occurred in 2023? There was no danger to the public, and the incident remained under investigation Friday, WCSO said.

Local officials weigh in on Albany Airport investment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:52 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- On Thursday, Governor Kathy Hochul announced a $60M investment in the Albany International Airport. The state grant will allow for the expansion of the main terminal and fund new improvements to the airport, including play areas for children, sensory-friendly areas, increased passenger seating, and concessions. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Local officials weighed in on how the renovations will impact the airport. Senator Chuck Schumer noted that many current issues will be resolved, including long wait times in the security line. “Ask anyone who has flown out of Albany International Airport during peak hours, and they will tell you the line for security can often back up into the pedestrian walkway and even all the way to the parking garage," said Senator Schumer. "While the airport is vibrant and growing, it was built long before modern TSA security screening, and for years has been in desperate ne...

Albany dog rescue leader's memory to be honored with festival

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:52 GMT

NASSAU, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Albany based dog rescue Out of the Pits announced they will be celebrating the life and legacy of their late president and beloved animal activist Cydney Cross by presenting a festival in her honor. "Cyd Stock" will be held at Lyons Lake Pavilion in Nassau on September 10. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The festival will feature food trucks, live music, games and activities as the organization carries on the memory and life's work of Cross, who passed away on August 1. The event will run from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Lyons Lake Pavilion is located at 307 Lyons Lake Road. You can support Out of the Pits by visiting their website.

Dunkin’ is releasing a line of spiked coffee and tea

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:52 GMT

BestReviews is reader-supported and may earn an affiliate commission. Details.America runs on Dunkin’ — and the coffee chain is making sure that statement stays true, even late at night and on the weekends. As alcoholic offerings like boozy seltzers and canned cocktails continue to “spike” in popularity (pun fully intended), Dunkin’ is getting in the game with a line of drinks that pack a different kind of punch: Alcoholic coffees and iced teas.As VinePair reported, Dunkin’ registered to launch an alcoholic collection of beverages and has already launched a website for Dunkin’ Spiked, teasing several flavors based on drinks fans love from its coffee chain.We don’t know exactly when Dunkin’ Spiked drinks will be released, but Dunkin’ received label approval from the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) back in May, so it could be any day now. Here’s everything else we know.What flavors of Dunkin’ Spiked drinks can you try?Dunkin’ is teasing two diff...

2040 plan underway for Warren County communities

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:52 GMT

QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - From the city of Glens Falls to communities in the lower Adirondack Park, Warren County is working on a plan for the future. This week, the county has announced Warren County 2040 - and the list of local leaders who hope to guide the set of North Country communities toward the future. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The plan is meant to serve as a roadmap for the future of the county. It will break down trends in demographics among those who live in and visit the region; look at where the county can do more to help individual communities; and look at how well-structured the county presently is for handling the demands of the terrain it covers. The county's range of municipalities rely on a combination of tourism and community engagement, and county staff and local elected officials know they can't get the job done alone.“Input from the public and other stakeholders in the county is critical to the de...

Opinion: Today SNAP pays for sodas but not hot food. That has to be reversed.

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:52 GMT

Sen. Michael Bennet recently announced new legislation, “The Hot Foods Act,” that would allow the purchase of hot foods from grocery stores via the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).SNAP, previously known as “food stamps,” provides assistance to 42 million Americans. Most recipients are children, elderly or disabled. Certainly, nutritious food cannot be defined by its temperature and Bennet deserves credit for listening to experts and SNAP recipients. The legislation includes provisions that keep SNAP dollars from being used at fast-food establishments and other restaurants.The Hot Foods Act addresses an archaic rule within the SNAP program and will allow greater food choices for individuals and families receiving aid. Kudos to Bennet. When politicians propose evidence-based policy changes that translate into better outcomes, it is worth noting.SNAP is a more than $100 billion yearly program that is reauthorized every five years via the Farm Bill. It provides critical...

Nearly 900,000-square-foot industrial park planned just north of Denver

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:52 GMT

A new industrial park is planned just north of Denver, one the developer says will help fill a gap in a part of the market where demand for industrial space outpaces supply.Hines, a global real estate investment and development firm, is building the 868,360-square-foot project in unincorporated Adams County, west of Interstate 25 on 56th Avenue.The first phase of Quantum 56 will be three buildings totaling 581,250 square feet of warehouse and manufacturing space, which is expected to be completed in the second quarter of 2024.“This is really the last large-parcel industrial development in the north-central submarket. There really are no other sites greater than 10 or 15 acres in this whole submarket,” said Jason White, managing director of JLL, a global commercial real estate company with an office in Denver.The entire site is 60 acres and the first phase will sit on nearly 32 acres. Courtney Schneider, director at Hines, said the north-central industrial market “h...

O.C. judge confessed to coworkers after shooting wife, prosecutors say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:52 GMT

Orange County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey Ferguson has been charged with multiple felonies in the shooting death of his wife at their Anaheim Hills home last week, a crime prosecutors say he confessed to his courtroom coworkers.Ferguson, 72, is accused of shooting 65-year-old Sheryl Ferguson on Aug. 3, then texting his court clerk and bailiff that he "just lost it," according to the Orange County District Attorney's Office and reporting by the Associated Press."I just shot my wife. I won’t be in tomorrow. I will be in custody. I’m so sorry," Ferguson allegedly wrote.According to the AP, prosecutors claim that after an argument at a restaurant, the Fergusons returned home, where the dispute continued.After Sheryl Ferguson said something to the effect of “why don’t you point a real gun at me?,” the judge produced a pistol from his ankle holster and shot her in the chest, according to court documents filed by prosecutors.The Fergusons' adult son, who reported the shooting to police, a...

Attorney general appoints Hunter Biden special counsel

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:36:52 GMT

Attorney General Merrick Garland on Friday appointed David Weiss, the Delaware federal prosecutor who has led the investigation into Hunter Biden, as a special counsel overseeing the investigation.Garland said he made the decision in the politically explosive case after Weiss asked for the appointment. “On Tuesday of this week, Mr. Weiss advised me that in his judgment, his investigation had reached a stage at which he should continue his work as a special counsel, and he asked to be so appointed,” Garland said in a statement to the press Friday. “Upon considering his request, as well as the extraordinary circumstances relating to this matter, I have concluded that it is in the public interest to appoint him as special counsel.”Republicans have sharply criticized how the tax probe into Biden was handled, citing claims from two IRS whistleblowers that Weiss was blocked from seeking special counsel status — a claim Weiss and DOJ have consistently denied.Meanwhile, the pending plea dea...