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Former resident arrested after deadly 2018 apartment fire in San Marcos

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:50 GMT

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — A 30-year-old former resident is now in custody facing an arson charge almost five years after a fire at a San Marcos apartment complex killed five people.Investigators said Jacobe Ferguson is currently in the Hays County Jail on a charge of arson causing serious injury, a first-degree felony. During a news conference Thursday morning, the San Marcos fire marshal said authorities served an arrest warrant to Ferguson early Wednesday morning in the 700 block of East Slaughter Lane in south Austin. No other arrests are expected in the case, investigators said Thursday. In November 2018, San Marcos firefighters and the ATF announced they would investigate the Iconic Village apartment fire as arson and ruled the deaths as homicides. The people who died are Dru Estes, 20, Belinda Moats, 21, Haley Michele Frizzell, 19, David Angel Ortiz, 21, and James Phillip Miranda, 23. At least seven others suffered injuries during the fire. The city put up an $110,000 reward ...

Scientists hope to use diaper technology for drinking water

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As the world's climate warms and droughts increase in frequency and intensity, science is searching for ways to cope. Why are droughts becoming more common and more severe? Researchers at MIT are looking at using technology already in existence in diapers to help extract water from the driest desert air in the hope of finding cost-effective solutions to bring liquid to parched parts of the world.KXAN Meteorologist Nick Bannin spoke with Carlos Diaz-Marin, a mechanical engineer at the Device Research Lab at MIT, about the possible applications.Meteorologist Nick Bannin: Carlos, explain the breakthrough that you and your team were able to do where you pulled water out of dry air using technology found in diapers?Carlos Diaz-Marin, Mechanical Engineer, MIT: As you mentioned, we're pretty excited about what we're able to find. We've been able to capture record amounts of water from dry air and, as you mentioned, using this technology using diapers. This is not somethi...

Scattered storms today ahead of triple digit heat

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Relatively-speaking, today will the coolest and wettest day of the next 7... but given the time of year, we'll need to manage expectations.High temperatures will climb into the upper 80s and low 90s this afternoon, likely to shake out as our "coolest" day in a few weeks! Although we won't be reaching for jackets, today's highs are likely to fall short of average for this time of year.We'll have a mix of sun and clouds and occasional showers and storms today arriving from southeast and moving northwest. While some areas will miss out, a few spots may tally 0.5" to 1" of rain. Most areas, even those that get rain, will only end up with a quarter inch or less. Still, this will likely count as the wettest day of the month for many with not much additional rain coming after today for at least a week.Isolated to scattered storms Thursday afternoon & early eveningAfter today, our weather pattern returns to what it looked like most of last month (unfortunately) as a rid...

TxDOT to host public meeting on 10-year transportation plan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Texas Department of Transportation will host a public meeting Thursday for residents to weigh in on the agency's Unified Transportation Program, or UTP, a 10-year outlook on transportation projects statewide.Thursday's virtual meeting, beginning at 2 p.m., is the first of two meetings slated for July. A second, virtual public hearing will be held on July 25 at 2 p.m.TxDOT approves adjustments to the UTP annually, which helps determine transportation funding across the state. The UTP doesn't guarantee a specific budget or project will be built, but helps develop a long-form plan for identifying transportation needs across the state.Details on UTP documents and a project tracker are available online.Members of the public can weigh in on included or proposed projects through a public comment period, beginning on Friday and running through 4 p.m. CT on Aug. 7.

Humane society seeks suspects in animal cruelty case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:50 GMT

CLAVERACK, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA is seeking assistance in an animal cruelty case in Claverack. According to the humane society, two dogs were found on Schoolhouse Road. One passed away while being transported for emergency care. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The dog that passed away was very thin and had untreated open wounds. The second dog, a white American Staffordshire Terrier, was brought to the humane society and is being treated for starvation and dehydration.A $1,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the individual(s) responsible for the animal cruelty. “We’re asking the public’s help with these heinous acts of animal cruelty," said CGHS/SPCA President and Cruelty Investigator Ron Perez. "As a society, we are obligated to bring those responsible to justice. These two poor creatures were subjected to horrible neglect, starvation, an...

Where to go see a circus in the Capital Region

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:50 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- If you're looking to see some live entertainment under the big top, you're in luck. The circus may be coming to a town near you. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Going to the circus includes seeing clowns, acrobats, trained animals, trapeze acts, tightrope walkers, jugglers, and magicians, among other performers. Three different circus companies are making their rounds around the area, putting on several different shows.Here's when and where you can go to the circus in the Capital Region. New brewery, beer garden opening in Hudson Zerbini Family CircusFonda Fairgrounds, 21 South Bridge Street in FondaMonday, July 10 at 6 p.m. You can buy tickets on the Zerbini Family Circus website.Tuesday, July 11 at 6 p.m. You can buy tickets on the Zerbini Family Circus website.Wednesday, July 12 at 6 p.m. You can buy tickets on the Zerbini Family Circus website.Angelo Canna Town Park, Joseph D Spencer Lane in C...

Rensselaer man sentenced for unemployment insurance fraud

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:50 GMT

RENSSELAER, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Rensselaer man was sentenced to a year and a month in prison for taking part in a fraudulent scheme to make over $60,000 in unemployment insurance benefits under the names of two other people. Taquan Parker, 26, also received benefits from the federal government in response to the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the scheme, per the Department of Justice (DOJ). Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Parker previously entered a guilty plea of conspiracy and mail fraud charges. In his plea, Parker admitted he provided Kahleke Taylor (a.k.a Flex) with the personal identifying information of two other people, which Taylor proceeded to file false claims through the New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL).Per the DOJ, Parker further admitted that through the fraudulent applications submitted by Taylor, the NYSDOL paid out $60,132 in unemployment insurance benefits. Parker will serve a three-year term of s...

Man accused of battering, choking mother of their children

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:50 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - A St. Louis man is accused of battering and choking the mother of their children, as well as striking one of the kids.According to a report filed by the Berkeley Police Department, the incident happened on June 19 at a home in the 6000 block of Evergreen Boulevard.Police and prosecutors claim Emanuel Vaughn was outside the home when he and the victim got into an argument in front of their children. The victim took the kids inside and locked the door.Vaughn allegedly kicked the door in, then cornered and attacked the mother. Police say he struck the woman several times in the face, bit her head, pulled her hair, and put her in a chokehold. Two lives lost: Did 911 fail during St. Louis storm? The mother, who nearly lost consciousness, put both of her feet on the refrigerator and pushed off to escape the chokehold. She fell to the floor, and Vaughn kicked her.Police say the woman grabbed her son to protect the child, but Vaughn struck both her and the boy.The ...

What qualifies for an AMBER Alert in Missouri & Illinois?

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:50 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Authorities have activated a series of AMBER Alerts on the Missouri and Illinois sides of St. Louis in recent weeks. Since late-June, the Missouri State Highway Patrol has issued AMBER Alerts for at three incidents with tied to the St. Louis area. AMBER Alerts have stemmed out of Berkeley and Breckenridge Hills in Missouri and Collinsville in Illinois. There were two others issued last weekend elsewhere in Missouri. Two lives lost: Did 911 fail during St. Louis storm? The alerts are meant to assist with child abductions and similar high-profile situations. Many people are informed of ongoing AMBER Alerts through their phone, and those alerts been trending a little more than usual lately. So what exactly qualifies for an AMBER Alert in Missouri and Illinois? Both states follow relatively similar criteria. On a national level, the AMBER Alert system was launched in 1996 after a nine-year-old girl was kidnapped and murdered in Texas while riding her bike. To declare...

7 dogs found abandoned, one dead in boat in the Illinois River

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 11:08:50 GMT

PEORIA, Ill. - Peoria Fire Chief Shawn Sollberger confirmed that multiple dogs were located in a boat in the Illinois River near the Peoria Riverplex on Wednesday.According to Sollberger, there were seven dogs in the abandoned boat. One was dead, and the other six were in bad condition. The six dogs that survived taken to the Peoria County Animal Protection Services (PCAPS) for treatment. Two lives lost: Did 911 fail during St. Louis storm? The Fon du Lac Park District is the primary law enforcement agency on the Illinois River. Their police chief Chance Barlow said a call came in around 5:30 p.m. and the boat was pulled around 7:50 p.m.The boat is a 32-foot Cabin Cruiser with the anchor down. No one was on the boat except for the dogs. Police have not yet disclosed any arrests or what else might have led up to this incident.