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WATCH: Bear 'ding dong ditches' West Virginia home

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) — Bears in West Virginia have taken to surprising elementary school principals, and now, it appears they've branched out their pranks to include "ding dong ditches."On Tuesday, Dustin Smith posted the video on his Facebook page, saying, "Last night we were a victim of the good old fashioned ding dong ditch, but this time it wasn’t being performed by a teenager."Smith said it happened in Fairmont, located in northern West Virginia, just after 11 p.m. on Monday.The video shows the bear go up to the Ring doorbell and ring it before taking off into the night. ‘If you are not already awake, that will wake you up’: West Virginia principal shares story of bear encounter The incident comes just a week after a principal at Zela Elementary School in Summersville, roughly 115 miles away, made a surprising discovery while checking the dumpster. According to Nexstar's WOWK, security footage from the Nicholas County Board of Education showed Zela Elementary School Princip...

Kyle Fire reducing response times, adding positions as city continues to grow

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Kyle Fire Department is looking for new firefighters and will soon add another fire station as growth in the city continues."So we have watched it (Kyle) grow from 5,000 and we are approaching 90,000 in this area," said Mark Schultz, who moved to Kyle as a volunteer firefighter in 1999.With more people moving to Kyle, calls to Kyle Fire have increased significantly over the years."We were running 500 calls when I first started volunteering," said Schultz. "Now we are going to run about 6,800 calls this year."In January Kyle Fire averaged about seven and a half minutes for a response, but right now they average about 6 and a half minutes.One resource that has helped is a system that helps fire engines get through intersections much easier."It is the opticom system," said Schultz. "It controls the lights for us through our siren system." City of Kyle adds new traffic solutions to decrease congestion, focus on first responder safety "The technology utilizes advanc...

Travis County unanimously votes to bump corrections officers, deputies pay

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Travis County Commissioners voted unanimously to increase base pay for both its corrections officers in the jail and deputies in the field. Both will get a $5,000 base rate increase. The conversation was brought forward largely due to understaffing at the jail. The Travis County Sheriff's Office said of it's 731 corrections officer positions, 248 are vacant. That's a roughly 35% vacancy rate. Corrections officers will go from a base rate of $50,000 to $55,000 starting in June. TCSO law enforcement deputies will go from $63,000 to $68,000. There will also be adjustments in pay for people in higher positions to ensure the pay scale remains balanced. "We have a lot of staff that are stuck inside the jails. They don't get to go home in the evenings to see their families," said Jacob Bentura, a senior corrections officer and the president of the TCSO Association.Bentura said because there are state minimums for staffing, corrections officers are being required to stay fo...

Austin FC expects 'combative' New Mexico United as Verde seeks first-ever win in U.S. Open Cup

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin FC certainly hopes its second try at the U.S. Open Cup tournament goes better than its first.The team's first appearance in the tournament last year was brief after they fell 2-1 to San Antonio FC in the third round — the round that Verde and Black entered the tournament in. On Wednesday, Austin FC has another shot to advance in the tournament when it takes on New Mexico United at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Q2 Stadium.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/newslettersWith a "congested" schedule as Austin FC head coach Josh Wolff puts it, the club's May calendar is jam-packed. They'll have four matches in a 10-day span starting with the Open Cup, and if they win Wednesday, they'll have another Open Cup match on the backend of the hectic slate. Wolff said he'll use his available roster to its fullest, and in the end, he's playing every game to win."The ambition is to win t...

MN state tuition freeze and free college included in higher ed funding bill

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

The Legislature will tap $650 million from the state’s budget surplus to freeze tuition at Minnesota State institutions the next two years and provide free college to some students.House lawmakers approved a conference committee report Tuesday with a 69-62 vote along party lines. Now the Senate needs to OK the updated bill that was worked out over the last week by a bicameral panel of lawmakers from both chambers.“Minnesotans deserve a higher education system that is affordable, accessible, and prepares them for the workforce of tomorrow,” Rep. Gene Pelowski, House Higher Education Committee chair, said in a statement after the updated bill was approved in the House.Pelowski added that it was only the second time the Legislature provided funding to freeze tuition at state institutions. At about $4.2 billion over the coming two years, the overall higher education spending increase is about 19 percent more than current spending levels.“There is a great need in higher education, ...

MN State Patrol, other law enforcement to focus on street racing, other dangerous driving this spring and summer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

Minnesota State Patrol troopers and other law enforcement partners will be working to halt street racing and other dangerous driving this spring and summer.“Street racing and intersection takeovers are not innocent acts. They put lives at risk, cause major disturbances to neighborhoods, and damage to private property and public roadways,” said Col. Matt Langer, chief of the Minnesota State Patrol, in a statement. “Communities are tired of it. We are dedicated to working with our partners to keep Minnesotans safe and send a message that street racing will not be tolerated.”Efforts to address street racing began in the summer of 2021 and since then fewer incidents have been reported, according to the State Patrol. It does continue and has become more aggressive in certain cases with high speeds in populated areas.Work will include partering with other law enforcement agencies and gathering intelligence from analysts behind the scenes, according to the State Patrol.According to the Sta...

As state moves to ban ‘forever chemicals,’ law will be named after young Maplewood cancer victim

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

Minnesota is on the verge of banning nonessential uses of “forever chemicals.” And lawmakers say they are naming the legislation after a young Maplewood woman who spent the last months of her life campaigning for restrictions that will be some of the toughest in the country.Legislators, environmentalists and family members paid tribute Tuesday to Amara Strande. She died two days shy of her 21st birthday last month from a rare form of liver cancer. She grew up in the suburban east metro, where the groundwater is contaminated by PFAS linked to 3M Co. manufacturing, and believed the chemicals were part of what caused her cancer, which was diagnosed when she was 15.“Through her pain and exhaustion, Amara was willing to be a voice of those who have become the victims of illnesses that are linked to these forever chemicals,” said her father, Michael Strande. ”Amara called on the lawmakers of Minnesota to do what is right in passing laws that will not only protect our environment, an...

Timberwolves’ Jaden McDaniels misses out on NBA’s All-Defense teams

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

Despite being considered by many to be one of the league’s elite perimeter defenders this season, Minnesota’s Jaden McDaniels was snubbed from either of the NBA’s two All-Defensive teams that were released Tuesday.McDaniels was listed as a forward — meaning he had to compete with the likes of Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Cleveland’s Evan Mobley and Golden State’s Draymond Green for spots on the All-Defense rosters, which only have room for four forwards.Jackson and Mobley were first-team All-Defense, while Green and Toronto’s O.G. Anunoby earned second-team honors.McDaniels finished sixth among forwards in voting, behind Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo. The 22-year-old received three first-place votes and 34 second-place votes out of 100 total media voters. McDaniels almost certainly would’ve fared better had he been classified as a guard and dueled the likes of Memphis’ Dillon Brooks or Boston’s Derrick White ...

St. Paul lawyer gets 16 months in prison for car-crash scheme involving chiropractors

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

A St. Paul personal injury lawyer was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison Tuesday for defrauding auto insurance companies with phony injuries from car crashes.Brad Ratgen, 52, admitted in November that between 2015 and 2021, he paid runners to recruit car-crash clients who would seek treatment from chiropractors who were in on the scheme.Ratgen sought $59,483 in fraudulent payments and ended up with $22,748, according to federal prosecutors.The Minnesota Commerce Fraud Bureau informed Ratgen in July 2021 that he was the target of an undercover investigation. Yet, Ratgen continued negotiating with State Farm on behalf of recruited client, reaching a $3,500 settlement months later.U.S. District Judge Joan Ericksen told Ratgen on Tuesday she was “struck by the determined approach you took to committing the crime,” even after he was interviewed and other defendants were indicted. “It still didn’t click that you should stop.”Prosecutors charged Ratgen in October, and he pleaded guil...

Dog attack reveals alleged squatting in building

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:28:59 GMT

TROY, N.Y. (News10)-A recent dog attack that sent a woman to the hospital has uncovered some complicated underlying issues at a property in Troy. The problem involves a battle between a woman who claims to be the current property owner and the people who feel they have the right to live there."That should not happen to her, and I feel sorry for her. But I don’t feel sorry that she was here. If she wasn’t here, it wouldn’t have happened.” That's how Debbie Plante, views the dog attack at 876 River Street in Troy. "There’s not even supposed to be dogs here," added Plante.  Troy Police say the woman suffered wounds to her arm and leg during the unprovoked attack by the American bulldog but is expected to make a full recovery. The dog, which police say belongs to the injured woman, is being held at an area shelter until a determination over what to do with the animal. Monday's attack has exposed a larger more complicated problem. The building is currently in foreclosure. Plant...