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A Kentucky family gets an early gift: a baby owl in their Christmas tree

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:34:24 GMT

LEXINGTON, Ky. (AP) — One Kentucky family got a little something extra when they picked out their Christmas tree this year: a baby owl.Lexington resident Michele White told WDKY-TV that it’s a tradition for the family to pick out a Christmas tree every year and this year seemed no different. They had the tree in their home for four days and didn’t notice anything unusual.“I have three dogs,” White said. “We use this room nonstop: watch TV; the kitchen’s right here; no indication.”Bobby Hayes, who owns Magic Carpet Cleaning and was at the home while the family was out, first noticed the bird after plugging in a piece of equipment and seeing the tree start to sway.“The owl was literally sitting on a lower limb here,” Hayes said.“It crawled up into the tree further,” Hayes said. “It took me several minutes to even find it.” He sent photos to White, who said she was glad he was there to deal with the animal. Hayes said he was able to safely release the owl in the family̵...

Violent crime spree ends in Bridgeport neighborhood, death of suspect

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:34:24 GMT

CHICAGO — A violent crime spree on the city's South Side ended in the Bridgeport neighborhood Friday morning with the death of a suspect.According to the Chicago Police Department, a suspect wanted for multiple crimes, including the sexual assault of a female victim, kidnapping and armed robbery, was killed in a car crash. The crash happened after the suspect hit a squad car then rolled into a field.According to police, an unidentified man entered a residential building in the 1500 block of South Wabash Ave. very early Friday morning. He approached a female, produced a knife and proceeded to batter and sexually assault the victim.Police say the offender then encountered two more female victims and forced them and the sexual assault victim into a residence, then robbed all three at knifepoint. A male then entered the residence and was also held at knifepoint and robbed. Body found in trunk of burning vehicle on South Side At this time, according to police, the sexual assault victim...

Man shot five times after basketball game in LA Fitness parking lot, shooter in custody: Tinley Park PD

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:34:24 GMT

TINLEY PARK, Ill. — A person is in custody after a man was shot five times in an LA Fitness parking lot following a basketball game in Tinley Park on Thursday night. The Tinley Park Police Department said a man from Richton Park is in custody for shooting another man five times in the parking lot of an LA Fitness location in Tinley Park. Tow truck driver shot multiple times on Eisenhower According to the Village of Tinley Park Public Safety, the incident took place near the 18400 block of Convention Center Drive around 8 p.m.Police said an argument ensued at a basketball game inside the gym that carried into the parking lot.Shortly after, the Richton Park man went to his car, retrieved a gun and walked back to the man and shot him five times. The victim was transported to a hospital and is in critical but stable condition, according to police.The shooter was taken into custody, and charges are pending.This was an isolated incident, and the scene is secure.

NASA scientists find evidence of ‘key ingredient for life’ on one of Saturn’s moons

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:34:24 GMT

(The Hill) - A new study spearheaded by NASA scientists discovered that there is “evidence of a key ingredient for life” on one of Saturn’s moons — meaning that the moon likely meets the basic requirements for habitability.The findings were published Thursday in the Nature Astronomy journal using data researchers collected from NASA’s Cassini mission. The researchers ultimately found that there is “strong confirmation” that hydrogen cyanide was present on Saturn's moon Enceladus, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.Hydrogen cyanide is one of the essential molecules in forming amino acids, which are one of the most basic ingredients in life.This June 2023 image provided by the Space Telescope Science Institute shows the planet Saturn and three of its moons, from left, Enceladus, Tethys and Dione, captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. In infrared, the planet appears dark because sunlight is absorbed by methane in the atmosphere. (NASA, ESA, CSA...

Former Austin ISD tutor was banned from working in state juvenile detention centers

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:34:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The person accused of inappropriately touching a student during a tutoring session this semester at Akins High School was banned from working as a juvenile corrections officer for any Texas Juvenile Justice facilities after a 2022 investigation, according to agency officials. Isaiah Xavier Smith, 28, who is charged with indecency with a child by contact, was also a volunteer for the Texas Juvenile Justice Department and juvenile corrections officer at the Giddings School from 2021 to 2022. The agency fired Smith after six weeks as a juvenile corrections officer and decided he could not be hired by the agency again after its Office of Inspector General investigated him, according to TJJD officials. The agency has not yet detailed or released the OIG findings to KXAN.  Man accused of molesting child while tutoring at Austin ISD Smith’s name was also put in the Integrated Certification Information System, or ICIS, which would prompt all county juvenile...

Delta adds nonstop service to New Orleans for Longhorns' Sugar Bowl game

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:34:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Are you planning a trip to New Orleans to cheer on the Longhorns in the Allstate Sugar Bowl on New Year's Day?One airline is helping make the trip easier, adding five nonstop flights to and from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport for fans making the trip.Delta Air Lines will operate three flights from AUS to New Orleans, on Dec. 29, 30 and 31. Flights leaving on the 29th and 30th leave Austin at 1:50 p.m., while the flight on the 31st leaves at 1:05 p.m. By the numbers: Stats to know about the Texas Longhorns’ 2023 season Game day is Monday, Jan. 1, with kickoff set for 7:45 p.m.Two return flights will operate on Jan. 2, one at 1:40 p.m. and the other at 3:10 p.m. What UT fans need to know before attending the Sugar Bowl American Airlines and Southwest Airlines both operate the AUS-New Orleans route as part of their regular schedule.Delta is also adding nonstop flights from Seattle to New Orleans to shuttle Washington fans to the game against the Longhorns. ...

Christmas trees you can plant after the holidays

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:34:24 GMT

KEITHVILLE, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – Would life be easier if you could buy a Christmas tree that would magically decorate itself and help the planet? Because that can happen when you buy Christmas-season trees and shrubs from a Shreveport plant nursery. "Ever since Covid, people have gotten more focused on sustainable living," said Kim Liles. She and her husband, Robert, own Louisiana Nursery on Mansfield Road in Keithville. "We have the Eastern Red Cedar, Leland Cypress, Green Giant, and different types of Hollys. You can even have a boxwood that's shaped like a cone."Yaupon holly, pictured above, is a great native plant to use as a Christmas tree and then plant after the holiday season. (Source: KTAL/KMSS's Jaclyn Tripp)Meet Yaupon Holly, a plant native to North America that has thick, Christmas-green leaves and some of the prettiest little red berries that you've ever seen. It starts blooming in early winter and really pops out around Christmastime when the green leaves and merry red be...

Zillow's 2024 housing market predictions for Austin, nation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:34:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Real estate marketplace Zillow has predictions for what will happen to the Austin and national housing markets in 2024, including cost decreases, supply increases and the arrival of generative computer programs (often called artificial intelligence or AI) to the buying process.Zillow on Austin's market from 2021-2023In 2021, Zillow declared Austin the nation's hottest housing market. It cooled slightly on Austin in 2022, but still ranked the city as the 10th hottest. In 2023, the company declared Austin's housing market "ice cold."But in a Thursday interview, Zillow Senior Economist Orphe Divounguy said that 2023 has been "a great year" for Austin and the U.S."We started the year with high inflation that of course affected mortgage rates, and a cooling housing market," Divounguy said. "Austin is one of those metros that really lead the way when it comes to the building of new housing... housing inventory is now up 23% compared to before the [COVID-19] pandemic."He ex...

Stage 1 of new Midway development: A giant loon at St. Paul’s University and Snelling avenues

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:34:24 GMT

A massive loon taking flight — the emblem of the Minnesota United soccer team — will soon land at the corner of University and Snelling avenues in St. Paul.The loon statue, a permanent installation measuring some 35 feet tall with wings spread 90 feet across, is expected to anchor a new sculpture garden at the northwest edge of United Village, the 35 to 40 acre “super block” that is currently home to the Allianz Field soccer stadium, a drive-through/walk-up McDonald’s and not much else.Officials with the Snelling-Midway Redevelopment Group say the lack of commercial activity will soon change as work begins on the first phase of real estate development: the sculpture garden, an all-abilities playground, a small office building with structured parking for Minnesota United management and other tenants, a 160-room hotel along University Avenue with additional structured parking, a pavilion with two restaurants, and new segments of roadway and public sidewal...

New Minnesota laws beginning Jan. 1: License plates, renters’ rights, sick time and more

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:34:24 GMT

As the new year begins, Minnesotans will see some changes to state law, ranging from free menstrual products for public or charter school students to guaranteed sick time for almost all workers.The new laws take effect on Jan. 1, 2024, and the summaries come courtesy of the nonpartisan Minnesota House Public Information Services. Longer summaries are available at house.mn.gov/newlaws/search/2023.Menstrual products in schoolsMinnesota public and charter schools will be required to provide access to menstrual products at no charge. Products are required to be available in restrooms regularly used by students in grades 4 to 12, following a plan developed by each school district.Political donation refund increaseAs part of the tax and policy finance law, the political contribution refund that Minnesotans can give to in-state political parties and candidates for state offices is increasing from $50 to $75 for individuals and from $100 to $150 for married joint filers.Limiting internation...