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Affidavit: 3 arrested in connection with Austin street takeover

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:18:49 GMT

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Three people were arrested in connection with a street takeover event that happened in Austin last week, according to an arrest affidavit.Aiden Rojas, 20, Jonas Gonzales, 19, and a 17-year-old were taken into custody and charged with engaging in organized criminal activity, which is a class A misdemeanor, court documents said.On Dec. 8, the Austin Police Department was made aware of a group who planned to meet at the Home Depot, located at 3600 North Interstate Highway 35 Service Road southbound, according to the affidavit. Police saw "several hundred cars fill the parking lot, and the participants were asked to leave by management."As the night progressed, court records said the group "relocated to several locations throughout Austin." APD saw videos of those groups blocking off an intersection for "vehicles to do donuts on the public roadway." One person from the group was live on their Instagram and posted multiple confirmed locations before other ve...

No. 5 Texas puts undefeated mark on the line in first true road game vs. Arizona

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:18:49 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The No. 5 Texas Longhorns play their first true road game of the season on Wednesday when they take on the Arizona Wildcats in Tucson, and head coach Vic Schaefer is excited to see how the team reacts to a less-than-hospitable crowd."I'm excited to take our team on the road, and we'll go into a place with a lot of people and be challenging for us," he said. "This will be good for us. You always find out about your team when you play good teams on the road."MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersArizona is 7-2 with losses to current No. 23 UNLV and Ole Miss, ranked No. 23 at the time the teams played. The Wildcats clobbered UC-San Diego 81-38 on Dec. 7 with five players scoring in double figures. Longhorns guard Shaylee Gonzales is from Gilbert, Arizona, a southeast suburb of Phoenix about a 2-hour drive to the McKale Center, and Schaefer said it'll be nice for...

Dane Mizutani: Josh Metellus is the queen on the chessboard for Vikings’ defense

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:18:49 GMT

Josh Metellus got his flowers on Sunday afternoon with the Vikings locked in a stalemate with the Las Vegas Raiders. It came in the form of a graphic that popped up during the television broadcast detailing all the positions Metellus has played for the Vikings this season amid a breakout campaign.The list was so long it almost didn’t fit on the screen.As the most versatile player on the defense, Metellus has proven he doesn’t have a true position, playing strong safety, free safety, slot cornerback, outside cornerback, inside linebacker, outside linebacker, defensive end and defensive tackle. Sometimes all in the same game. He joked that he should be listed simply as “athlete” on the gameday roster for the VikingsTo say that Metellus has carved out a niche for himself under defensive coordinator Brian Flores would be putting it lightly. After starting his career as an ace on special teams, Metellus has developed into an irreplaceable player on defense, moving...

Anoka County jail inmate found dead in cell, officials say

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:18:49 GMT

An inmate at the Anoka County jail was found dead in his cell Saturday morning, officials say.A sheriff’s deputy doing rounds at the jail discovered the man unresponsive in his cell about 11:36 a.m., according to a news release issued by the county Monday afternoon.Medical personnel from Allina EMS and private contractor Advanced Correctional Healthcare responded and provided first aid to the man, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.The Sherburne County Sheriff’s Office will lead the investigation into the man’s death, along with the Midwest Medical Examiner’s Office.“The responsibility to provide care and supervision to all those legally confined to the Anoka County Jail is one I take very seriously,” Anoka County Sheriff Brad Wise said in the news release. “In-custody deaths bring profound impacts to many people including the individual’s family, friends, those housed with them, and detention staff. Both the staff of the Anoka County Jail and I continue...

Roseville teen acquitted by reason of mental illness in killing grandmother, beating mother and sister

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:18:49 GMT

A teen has been acquitted by reason of mental illness in an attack that left his grandmother dead and mother and sister with serious injuries last year in the family’s Roseville home.Ramsey County District Judge JaPaul Harris found 18-year-old Matthew Francis Hill not guilty due to his mental illness, writing in an order last week the “weight of the evidence, closest in time to the offense, suggests (Hill) was suffering from a psychosis or other symptoms that would render him incapable of knowing right from wrong.”In the first phase of the bench trial, Harris found in September that Hill was guilty of beating his 88-year-old grandmother, Patricia Maslow, with a baseball bat and fatally stabbing her, then striking his mother, 56-year-old Mary Hill, and 24-year-old sister, Anna Hill, with the bat.Prosecutors by juvenile petition had charged Hill, who was 17 at the time, with second-degree intentional murder and first- and second-degree assault in the Oct. 25, 2022, attack in the...

Building Bridges Beyond Borders with Ayat Abuznade: Unleashing Compassion on a Global Canvas

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:18:49 GMT

Embarking on the journey of helping those in need unveils a remarkable kaleidoscope of experiences and insights that stretch far beyond the immediate act of assistance. Each encounter with individuals facing adversity serves as a portal to new horizons, broadening one’s understanding of diverse struggles and challenging preconceived notions.It’s a journey that transcends geographical boundaries, offering a firsthand education in resilience, cultural richness, and the unyielding human spirit. As one engages with the foundations of each unique story, a profound realization takes root – that giving is not a unidirectional exchange but a reciprocal process that enriches the giver as much as the receiver. In this exchange of compassion, new horizons emerge, shaping one’s worldview and fostering a more profound, interconnected sense of humanity.One woman found her purpose amid the chaos of the largest refugee settlement in Syria. Ayat Abuznade, an unyielding force of com...

Paula Echeverri: A Neuroscience Expert’s Journey From Silence to Resilience

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:18:49 GMT

Today’s fast-paced modern lifestyle has come with its own set of challenges. As people are increasingly dependent on technology to make life easier, they are also compromising their health and social lives. This detachment from nature leads to health disorders affecting physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. Amidst these complexities of life, Paula Echeverri has emerged as a guiding light. She is a best-selling author, hearing loss advocate, and neuroscience expert illuminating the lives of countless individuals.Paula Echeverri‘s journey of triumph over unexpected challenges motivated her to help others struggling in similar situations. Her interest in neuroscience further empowered her mission. Paula’s journey is recorded in the pages of Emerge, a book she authored sharing her experiences through adversities to find resilience.Hailing from the bustling lanes of Silicon Valley, Paula stood at the helm of a new venture when her life took an unexpected turn. The birth of he...

‘Traces’: Dubravka Turić’s Directorial Journey to International Recognition

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:18:49 GMT

Dubravka Turić’s evolution from a film editor to an internationally recognized director and screenwriter embodies a journey of talent, dedication, and a distinct narrative style. As an Academy of Dramatic Art graduate from Zagreb University, Croatia, Turić’s early career focused on editing. This skill later formed the bedrock of her unique approach to filmmaking.Turić’s directorial debut, Belladonna, premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2015, earning the Golden Lion for Best Short Film. This recognition wasn’t just an award; it marked Turić’s entry into international cinema. Belladonna‘s success at festivals like Sundance and Rotterdam further solidified her position as a filmmaker to watch.Turić’s second short film, Cherries (Trešnje), premiered at Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight in 2017. Like Belladonna, it enjoyed a successful festival run, demonstrating Turić’s consistent ability to engage and captivate audiences globa...

Phillip Lopez Hurt in Pedestrian Accident on University Avenue [Lubbock, TX]

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:18:49 GMT

24-Year-Old Man Injured in Pedestrian Collision near 87th StreetLUBBOCK, TX (December 11, 2023) – Phillip Lopez suffered injuries Thursday morning, in a pedestrian collision on University Avenue. Authorities were called to the scene at 6:45 a.m. on University Avenue in the 8600 block following reports of a pedestrian crash.Upon arrival, officers discovered 24-year-old Lopez on the roadway, suffering from severe injuries. After conducting initial investigations, police revealed that Lopez was struck by 67-year-old Fernando Rodriguez while attempting to cross the road.Subsequently, a second vehicle hit the victim and promptly fled the area. As of now, no additional information has been disclosed publicly. Further details will be shared once they become available.Anyone with information about the incident is urged to promptly contact local law enforcement. Whether you are driving or walking, it is crucial to adhere to traffic regulations and prioritize safety measures. Drivers sh...

Pleasant Hill leaders defend police decision to ‘disengage’ with barricaded ex-detective

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 14:18:49 GMT

PLEASANT HILL — A retired police detective had killing officers on his mind and wanted to goad them into a firefight that would result in his death, the city’s police chief said Monday, defending his department’s decisions during a pair of standoffs last week.But what police said they did after the first standoff — “disengaging” and monitoring 40-year-old Chunliam Saechao, a retired Pittsburg police detective who had allegedly shot at his wife with a shotgun and was tweeting unstable messages from social media — left some residents feeling uninformed and unsafe. Police left the home on Cleopatra Drive in the city’s Sherman Acres neighborhood early Friday morning, but they were back hours later, engaging in a second standoff that included Saechao allegedly firing at officers and eventually surrendering for his arrest early Saturday morning.On Monday, Pleasant Hill police Chief Scott Vermillion said in an interview with the Bay Area News Group that ...