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Austin Fire Department celebrates new cadet graduates

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:38 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — College students aren't the only ones celebrating graduation this weekend.Cadets from the Austin Fire Department's latest academy class walked the stage Friday.The academy runs for six months, and afterwards cadets are officially recognized as probationary firefighters.AFD Cadet Class 135 graduated Friday, May 5. (KXAN Photo/Jake Sykes)AFD Cadet Class 135 graduated Friday, May 5. (KXAN Photo/Jake Sykes)AFD Cadet Class 135 graduated Friday, May 5. (KXAN Photo/Jake Sykes)AFD Cadet Class 135 graduated Friday, May 5. (KXAN Photo/Jake Sykes)AFD Cadet Class 135 graduated Friday, May 5. (KXAN Photo/Jake Sykes)Some, like graduate Keoki Stauber, are glad to be done but don't want to rest on their laurels."We never wanna lose sight of the training, and hopefully learn something new everyday we go to work" Stauber said.This is the 135th graduate class of AFD's academy.

BLOG: Severe weather rolls through parts of Central Texas

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:38 GMT

This blog is no longer being updated.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Severe storms are moving across Central Texas. The main concerns Friday evening are large hail and damaging winds. Isolated tornadoes are also possible.Scattered storms have already started developing in parts of the Hill Country. Isolated to scattered storms will continue developing as we head into the evening getting roughly 40% of Central Texas rain.The southeastward movement of storms has increased the chances for rain in at least part of the Austin Metro Counties.Tennis ball-sized hail has already been reported between Llano and Burnet. KXAN First Warning Weather forecast Weather ResourcesHow to talk to your kids about severe weatherWatches vs Warnings: Understanding how a storm is madeTraffic mapLive Central Texas radarCentral Texas rainfall totalsDownload KXAN Weather AppSign up for KXAN daily forecast newsletter and severe weather alerts newsletterLatest blog updates are shown below:10:51 p.m.Outages in the area:Austin E...

World premiere of ‘An American Tail’ comes at right time, thanks to Children’s Theatre

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:38 GMT

If you’ve ever left a theater performance mulling why its producers thought it important to present that particular show at that time, know that you won’t feel that after attending Children’s Theatre Company’s world premiere production of “An American Tail.”At first blush, one could wonder why CTC chose to commission an adaptation of a 1986 animated feature inspired by stories passed down within the family of superstar film director Steven Spielberg. But the motivation becomes clear quickly in this energetic, entertaining and quite well-executed staging.For surely playwright Itamar Moses (a Tony winner for 2017’s “The Band’s Visit”) and composers Michael Mahler and Alan Schmuckler looked around late last decade and saw that immigrants were being scapegoated for a host of American problems, our borders hardening against entry. So they set to work on a story from the late 19th century, when the country was far more welcoming to new arrivals and saw it as a central element to the natio...

John Shipley: MLB’s experimental “Challenge” system has legs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:38 GMT

Triple A baseball is a player’s last stop before making the Show. The same applies for new rules, which, like the players, tend to begin in low-A ball and work their way to the top.This season, the major leagues added the pitch clock, bigger bases and a ban on severe defensive shifts after they proved adequately successful in Class AAA ball. The rules being tested this season are just as radical, most notably using technology to call balls and strikes — what MLB is calling the Automatic Balls and Strikes system.Even more interesting is the “Challenge” system, a hybrid of ABS and human umpires. Basically, the ABS system is running but the plate umpire calls balls and strikes. Any one of three players — the pitcher, catcher and batter — can request a challenge.The challenge system was put through its paces for the first time at CHS Field on Friday when the Saints played host to the Nashville Sounds.“It’s kind of throwing the umpires under the bus a little,” Saints outfielder Kyle Garl...

Overnight double homicide, one injured, St. Louis shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:38 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- After a shooting, two people are dead and one is injured. It happened last night around 11:30 p.m. on Cherokee Street between Oregon and California Avenues.Two victims were taken to the hospital, where they later died. The third victim was shot in the leg. Homicide is investigating the scene.

Highest-rated free things to do in Missouri, according to Tripadvisor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:38 GMT

Whether for the weekend around town or to add to your out-of-town itinerary, free things to do are good. With the ever-rising costs of gas and food, the idea of disposable income can feel like a distant fantasy.The cost-of-living continues to rise across the country, forcing each dollar earned to stretch further. While vacations are undoubtedly beneficial for mental health, maintaining savings, paying down debts amid inflation, and regular expenses likely take precedence. But, not everything enjoyable has to come at a high price. In fact, there's probably a roster of completely free things to do in your current area.Think about the most common entries on a vacation getaway itinerary: Sight-seeing, touring landmarks, or completing a nature walk. Or, maybe you're just aiming to relax and want some peace and quiet.The truth is: Whether you're a history buff or aching to dip your toes in some cool water, you can find all this and more without swiping your card. Find and plan your next h...

The federal COVID emergency is ending, but Californians get 6 extra months of free tests

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:38 GMT

If your medicine cabinet is low on COVID tests, you only have a few days left to stock up for free from the federal government.And starting Friday, the feds also will no longer protect patients from being billed for their COVID testing.But there’s good news for Californians: The state legislature has given Golden State residents an extra six months of guaranteed coverage of COVID tests and reimbursements from their insurance.Changes are coming next week in much of the country as the federal government’s COVID national and public health emergencies end on May 11, more than three years after they were declared by then-President Trump and the Department of Health & Human Services as the virus was first detected in the United States.File photo of three drops being administered to tan at-home COVID-19 testing device in Fremont in 2022. You only have a few days left to stock up on free COVID tests from the federal government. Starting Friday, the feds also will no longer p...

Editorial: California must get ahead of the deadly fentanyl epidemic

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:38 GMT

California needs a multi-prong attack on the rapidly escalating fentanyl scourge devastating families across the state.That should include educating our kids on the deadly risks of the powerful synthetic opioid that is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, expansion of drug treatment programs and wider distribution of opioid-reversing medications that can save the lives of overdose victims.The Centers for Disease Control reports that fentanyl is responsible for the death of more Americans under 50 than any other cause, including heart disease, cancer, homicide, suicide and accidents. All told, fentanyl killed a record 5,960 Californians in 2021, according to the California Department of Vital Statistics — more than the 4,250 people who died in auto accidents.Yet, students and parents remain largely unaware of the dangers associated with today’s street drugs. Pills sold over the internet or on the streets that are purportedly prescription drugs like Adderall, oxycodo...

‘Spider-Man 2’ prequel issue coming out for Free Comic Book Day

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:38 GMT

Free Comic Book Day is here, and Insomniac Games and Marvel are teaming up to give Spider-Man fans something special. They’re releasing a special comic book prequel to its upcoming title “Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.”The original title and the Miles Morales follow-up are two of the finest Spidey games ever made. That’s partly because the storytelling was so good. The sequel will follow both superheroes and MJ Watson, who are all playable characters in the previous games.The prequel comic is written by Christos Gage, who also worked on “Marvel’s Spider-Man,” and artist Ig Guara’s beautiful artwork graces the panels. In the PlayStation blog entry, narrative director Jon Paquette said the comic delves into a few themes such as the idea of magic, and the Spider-Men and MJ face off against a familiar villain.“Marvel Snap” fans will know who he is. He’s a pretty good card in the game. Fans can pick up the comic at participa...

Opinion: Legal attack on California gig initiative threatens direct democracy

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:38 GMT

Direct democracy is a part of California’s DNA and is deeply ingrained in our state Constitution. For California voters, the Constitution has long given us the right to legislate directly at the ballot box.Direct democracy was a Progressive-era reform promoted over a century ago by former Gov. Hiram Johnson and designed as a public check on the influence of special interests in the state Legislature. When the establishment of the initiative, referendum and recall were put before voters in 1911, they passed with 76% of the vote. Today, two-thirds of California voters still back direct democracy, according to polling from the Public Policy Institute of California.The long-enshrined right of the people to legislate by initiative has been jealously guarded by our courts again and again. This right is sacred, and it’s one reason I was heartened that the First District Court of Appeal in March upheld the core elements of Proposition 22.In 2020, California voters approved Proposition 22 wi...