Tornadoes tear through northern Texas town, killing 4 people and causing widespread damage

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:40:45 GMT

Tornadoes tear through northern Texas town, killing 4 people and causing widespread damage MATADOR, Texas (AP) — A line of severe storms produced multiple tornadoes Wednesday evening on the Rolling Plains in Texas, killing at least four people and causing significant damage around the northern town of Matador.Lubbock Fire Rescue said on Twitter Thursday morning there were at least four confirmed fatalities and ten injured. Seven of those injured were transported for treatment by EMS and three by personal vehicles, the tweet said. The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal reported that the storms also produced softball-size hail and wind gusts topping 100 mph (161 kph) in other communities including Jayton, which also was under a tornado warning as the line moved southeast Wednesday night, according to the National Weather Service in Lubbock.Matador Mayor Pat Smith said initially at least three people had been killed, that others may be injured and that there was “a whole lot of damage,” The New York Times reported.There were widespread power outages across the Rolling Plains, includi...

'Feels like' temps topping 100+ degrees next 7 days

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:40:45 GMT

'Feels like' temps topping 100+ degrees next 7 days AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Recent rain and a slight nudge in our weather pattern well help bring relatively cooler temperatures to the forecast today... but extra emphasis on relatively. (We don't want to get your hopes up -- it's still going to be hot.)Morning storms will continue to clear with mainly to party sunny skies filling in shortly after daybreak. A few isolated storms may return late day but coverage looks limited and our severe threat will be lower than what was in place yesterday.Low risk of severe storms returns late day ThursdayAfternoon highs will return to the upper 90s today, but due to a bump in soil moisture and a slight westerly shift in the high pressure system that's been baking the state the last week, temperatures won't be quite as hot. Keep in mind, despite a "slight" decrease in air temperatures, heat index values are still likely to exceed 105° in most areas.Forecast heat index values Thursday afternoonA Heat Advisory is in effect 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. today.Heat Adviso...

Round Rock ISD staff to get discounted rent at 4 apartment complexes

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:40:45 GMT

Round Rock ISD staff to get discounted rent at 4 apartment complexes ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) – Round Rock ISD said Wednesday the Board of Trustees approved a Memorandum of Understanding with the Texas Workforce Housing Foundation to help provide staff with affordable rent prices at four apartment complexes in the Round Rock and Austin area starting in August. RRISD says budget concerns could lead to staff reassignments The foundation will establish an Affordability Fund of an initial minimum of $1 million at Legends Lakeline, Legends Lake Creek, Enclave at La Frontera  and Lakeside at La Frontera to be used exclusively to provide rent discounts to RRISD personnel that live at these apartment complexes, according to the announcement. The level of discounted rent will depend on income level.RRISD said the Memorandum of Understanding, or MOU, would not cost the district anything.The district gave the following examples of the discount:Income1-bedroom apartment current price1-bedroom discounted price2-bedroom current price2-bedroom discounted price$36...

Other voices: College isn’t the only path to success

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:40:45 GMT

Other voices: College isn’t the only path to success Spurred by a robust job market, a growing number of young Americans are choosing to forgo college for the workforce. Politicians of both parties should welcome this trend and build on it — not least, by shifting resources from traditional college pathways and toward work-based alternatives that provide students with real-world skills.Last year, 62% of recent high school graduates were enrolled in college, the smallest share in two decades and eight points lower than in 2009, when enrollment peaked. Some of that drop can be attributed to pandemic-era school closures, during which many college-age students abandoned their studies and never returned. Rising wages have also made entry-level work more appealing.Yet there’s evidence that many students are not so much rejecting higher education as seeking a better return on their investment. While overall enrollment in community colleges has plunged nearly 20% since the start of the pandemic, demand has risen for two-year progr...

Five notable Twin Cities brunches to kick off summer weekend days

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:40:45 GMT

Five notable Twin Cities brunches to kick off summer weekend days Restaurants really are bouncing back!The truest sign of that has to be that brunch is popping up at some of our favorite restaurants in the Twin Cities. Brunch is usually the last priority for a restaurant — mostly because chefs and servers are notoriously lukewarm about working it.But we’ve been impressed with the quality and popularity of places we’ve visited recently. Here are five notable brunches if you’re looking for a fun way to kick off a weekend morning.BaldamarN.Y.F. (not your father's) steak and eggs at Baldamar in Roseville It's part of the restaurant's Saturday Champagner brunch. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)Aglio e Olio at Baldamar in Roseville It's part of the restaurant's Saturday Champagner brunch. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)King Crab Bennie at Baldamar in Roseville It's part of the restaurant's Saturday Champagner brunch. (Jess Fleming / Pioneer Press)Nueske's Old Fashioned at Baldamar in Roseville. (Jess Fleming / ...

‘Frantically started calling’: J. Selby’s, other businesses forced to pivot due to missed construction communication

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:40:45 GMT

‘Frantically started calling’: J. Selby’s, other businesses forced to pivot due to missed construction communication Tameka Jones was getting ready to hire two new employees to work at Lip Esteem, her plant-based beauty supply store, when a notice in her mailbox derailed those plans.Just six days before construction began on a new bus rapid transit line, Jones was notified that Selby Avenue, where her 1-year-old store sits, would be closed for some 30 days during her busiest season of the year.Business owners in the historic Rondo neighborhood at the intersection of Selby Avenue and Victoria Street have dealt with a closed road, inaccessible sidewalks and a slew of other problems over the last month for the upcoming Metro Transit B Line with little to no support from local officials, Jones said.“If I would have known about the construction, I wouldn’t have invested so much into this season,” she said. Late spring is usually prime time for Lip Esteem with prom and graduation, Jones said, but this year, she worries that the product she has already invested in won’t sell due to the decreased foot tra...

98.3 TRY Social Dilemma: Would You Lie in Court To Get Out of a Speeding Ticket?

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:40:45 GMT

98.3 TRY Social Dilemma: Would You Lie in Court To Get Out of a Speeding Ticket? ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Today's 98.3 TRY Social Dilemma came from Marty and it's about going to court for a speeding ticket. Here's the email: Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Hi Jaime. I have a dilemma I don't think is a big deal, but I'm catching some flack from my family and my friends for it. Recently I was coming home from work and I got a speeding ticket. I got written up for going 82 in a 55mph zone. I'm not happy about it and I don't want any points on my license. So I basically have decided that I'm going to go to court and lie about it. I'm going to tell the judge that my car can't go that fast due to an engine problem and that the most I could have been going was 62 or 63. I'm sure people do this all the time, but for some reason my husband, and my friends are telling me it's not a good idea. My husband thinks I'm setting a bad example for the kids (they'll never know), and my friends think you should never lie i...

Ask Amy: Alzheimer’s disclosure is met with … silence

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:40:45 GMT

Ask Amy: Alzheimer’s disclosure is met with … silence Dear Readers: Like you, I’m often curious about what happens to the advice I offer once it leaves my desk, and so I’ve asked readers to send in “updates” to let all of us know how my advice was received, if it was followed, and how things turned out.The responses have flowed in, and I’m interested and often gratified to learn what impact this experience has had on readers.To refresh all of our memories, I’m running the original Q&A, followed by the update.Dear Amy: I am 58 years old. I was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s two years ago. My friends all know about my diagnosis.My question relates to my sister. She and I had been estranged for almost a decade. Two years ago, I realized that our disagreements were water under the bridge, and we re-established a relationship. She lives several states away and has no contact with my friends.I have never disclosed my diagnosis to her.I don’t want her to come to the conclusion that I broke down the barriers between us because of m...

Countries seek deal on weakened EU nature law

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:40:45 GMT

Countries seek deal on weakened EU nature law European Union countries' environment ministers attempted on Tuesday (20 June) to agree a common position on the bloc's landmark law to restore deteriorating natural habitats, having watered down the proposal after pushback from some governments.The EU proposal to turn around the ailing health of Europe's natural habitats - 81% of which are classed as in poor health - has sparked a fierce political debate, with EU lawmakers and some governments opposing the bill and questioning whether the EU is pushing too much environmental regulation onto industries.Draft negotiating documents showed countries plan to weaken parts of the law.The European Commission, which drafts EU laws, had originally proposed requirements to revive drained peatlands used in agriculture. EU countries look set to weaken those targets - at the request of countries including Ireland - and let governments avoid meeting them in certain cases.Another change would scrap an obligation to ensure that the health of mudfla...

Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg say they’re ready for a cage fight

Published Tue, 24 Dec 2024 17:40:45 GMT

Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg say they’re ready for a cage fight By Hanna Ziady | CNNLondon  — Business rivalry seemingly isn’t enough for two of the tech industry’s most powerful billionaires. Now Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg say they want to settle their scores in a cage fight.Twitter owner and Tesla (TSLA) CEO Musk recently tweeted that he would be “up for a cage fight” with Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta. In an Instagram story Wednesday, Zuckerberg fired back by posting a screenshot of Musk’s tweet overlaid with the caption: “Send Me Location.”Musk then responded to a tweet about the fight by Alex Heath, editor of tech news website Verge, with “Vegas Octagon” — a reference to the Las Vegas arena that hosts the Ultimate Fighting Championship.“I have this great move that I call ‘The Walrus,’ where I just lie on top of my opponent & do nothing,” he added in a separate tweet.CNN has contacted Meta for comment. A spokesperson for the company told Verge: “The [Instagram] story speaks for itself.”It remains unclear whether Zuckerberg and Musk are...