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Some parents upset after Austin ISD decision to appeal state intervention

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Some parents are speaking out after Austin ISD announced they are asking for a review of the special education department.AISD district leaders began the process of appealing the state appointment of a conservator management team to oversee its special education operations on Monday. TEA plans to implement conservator team for Austin ISD special education department "We would like to instead have a monitor in place which is one notch below a conservator," Austin ISD Board President Arati Singh said. "Allow us to have a monitor for a year and then revisit the conservator option."The difference between the two levels of intervention is decision-making power. A management team, according to the TEA website, can direct the operations of a district in areas of insufficient performance. In contrast, the monitor reports to the TEA on the activities of the school board and superintendent."I am disappointed in the district's response," AISD parent Leah Kelly, whose daughter...

PHOTOS: Historic Fredericksburg home transformed into chic vacation rental

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) –  Fredericksburg’s first mayor’s home has been turned into a luxurious vacation rental available in Summer 2023. The rental – called the Menagerie –  is located in Fredericksburg’s historic district. The property was built in the early 1900s and was home to the first mayor of the town, Joe Stein, according to the design team behind the project, Twistleaf. Fredericksburg was founded by German immigrants in 1846.  “Much of the interior and exterior renovation work has been done to reflect, preserve and pay respect to the original designs from these time periods. This includes maintaining original features throughout the property, as well as sourcing antique furniture and vintage decor pieces, Sarah Yant, founder of Twistleaf, said. Fredericksburg’s first mayor’s home has been turned into a luxurious vacation rental available in Summer 2023 (photo courtesy: Avery Nicole)Fredericksburg’s first mayor’s home has been turned into a luxurious vac...

Slain deputy’s funeral details released; Walz orders state flags to be lowered in honor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:59 GMT

Funeral arrangements for a slain western Minnesota sheriff’s deputy has been finalized.Pope County Deputy Joshua Owen, of Glenwood, was fatally shot Saturday night on his 44th birthday after responding to a domestic incident at an apartment in the small community of Cyrus.Deputy Josh Owen and his dog, Karma, in a photo released on Sunday, April 16, 2023, by the Pope County Sheriff’s Office.Visitation for Owen will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. Friday at the Minnewaska Area High School in Glenwood. Visitation will continue from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the high school, followed by funeral services at 10:30 a.m.Arrangements are with the Hoplin-Hitchcock Funeral Home of Glenwood.Gov. Tim Walz has ordered all Minnesota flags to be flown at half-staff at all state buildings from sunrise until sunset on Saturday in honor and remembrance of Owen.“Deputy Owen was a dedicated law enforcement officer and a veteran of the Minnesota National Guard who was respected by his family, f...

Fractured rail being analyzed after western Minnesota derailment, NTSB says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:59 GMT

Federal investigators say BNSF railroad is analyzing a section of fractured rail after last month’s fiery derailment that prompted evacuations in west-central Minnesota, but they didn’t say definitively that the broken rail caused the crash.The National Transportation Safety Board issued its preliminary report Tuesday on the March 30 derailment that forced about 800 people from their homes in Raymond, Minn., after 10 ethanol cars derailed and several of them caught fire from the fuel additive leak. Those ethanol cars were among 23 cars that came off the tracks shortly before 1 a.m. that day.The fire burned into the following day before firefighters could extinguish it, but no one was hurt and everyone who evacuated was able to return home within 12 hours of the derailment. Investigators estimated that the derailment caused $1.9 million of damage to railroad equipment and the tracks.This Minnesota derailment only added to the growing concerns about railroad safety in the ...

As 3 workers are honored for helping teen shot outside St. Paul rec center, mayor details gun violence efforts underway

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:59 GMT

As three workers at a St. Paul community center rushed to help a 16-year-old who’d been shot in the head outside their building, they worried for him and for their own safety.David Albornoz, St. Paul aquatics facility supervisor, applied pressure to the teen’s head wound. “At that point, we didn’t know what the situation was” and without knowing where the shooter was, “I was terrified,” he said.The St. Paul fire department honored Albornoz and two other men on Tuesday, three months to the date since the shooting. Fire Chief Butch Inks presented each a letter of appreciation, which said their “deliberate efforts proved to be lifesaving.”The recognition for the men came before Mayor Melvin Carter gave his “State of Our City” address in the Oxford Community Center at Marshall Avenue and Lexington Parkway. The shooting of the Central High School student happened in the center’s parking lot and a St. Paul Parks and R...

State Fair favorite Baba’s expanding to Minneapolis brick-and-mortar this summer

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:59 GMT

Soon, you won’t have to wait for State Fair season to get a hummus bowl from Baba’s — they’re opening a restaurant.With their new “hummus house” in Minneapolis, siblings Rana Kamal and Khalid Ansari aim to create a space reminiscent of Palestinian street cafes. On the menu: hummus and pita, of course, plus mana’eesh, a traditional flatbread; Jerusalem-style bagels or ka’ak, which are more oblong and typically covered in sesame seeds; and other pastries and coffee.In addition to the retro Fairgrounds Airstream and, soon, the restaurant, Baba’s hummus is available year-round in many grocery stores around the Twin Cities, too. The siblings learned to make hummus from their father, Jamal Ansari, who runs Mediterranean Cruise Cafe in Burnsville.The Baba’s restaurant will be on Lyndale Avenue in Uptown Minneapolis, in a space designed by Jeremy Nelson and Little Box Architects, the same team behind A-Side Public House in St. Paul. Baba’...

Choose your own price Saturday concerts on tap for Minnesota Orchestra’s 2023-24 season

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:59 GMT

The Minnesota Orchestra has big plans for its newly announced 2023-24 season, which will be the first led by new music director Thomas Søndergård.It includes a full slate of holiday concerts as well as programs that commemorate Lunar New Year, Juneteenth and Pride; a commitment to spotlight works by underrepresented composers; earlier start times and choose your own ticket price options for most Saturday concerts; and local hip-hop star Nur-D making his debut with the orchestra.Ticket packages of three or more concerts are on sale now at minnesotaorchestra.org or by calling 612-371-5642. Single tickets will go on sale Aug. 4. Digital subscriptions are also available for $60.“It is an enormous luxury for me to take over an ensemble that is in such great shape and in such great spirit,” Søndergård said in a news release. “It actually feels to me as if it is just about finding the right way to place my arm around the shoulders of this orchestra, and we will continue the journey that is...

Community mourns loss of mistaken address shooting victim Kaylin Gillis

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:59 GMT

SCHUYLERVILLE, N.Y. (News10)- The community of Schuylerville is expressing its tremendous grief after the loss of Kaylin Gillis. Police say the 20-year-old was shot and killed by a homeowner when she and a group of friends got lost and found themselves at the wrong address. The Washington County Sheriff says Kaylin was a passenger in a vehicle that 65-year-old Kevin Monahan allegedly fired upon from his home in Hebron, a rural community in Washington County, New York. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! “She really was a friend to all and cared about everyone around her. And that just demonstrates the type of student she was. The person she was. And the loss that this entire community will feel,” said Katie Elsworth, principal of Schuylerville Middle School.Just two years after graduating from Schuylerville High School, Kaylin’s life was abruptly cut short. Her accused killer, 65-year-old Kevin Monahan, is now charged with 2nd...

Trial date set in case to remove Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:59 GMT

ST. LOUIS – A marathon court hearing Tuesday saw teams of lawyers representing St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner and Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey debate the merits of a suit filed by the state’s top law enforcer to remove the city’s chief prosecutor.The hearing started with arguments over the circuit attorney’s motion to dismiss. Defense lawyer Jonathan Sternberg argued that the attorney general's office comes nowhere close to proving "willful neglect." Counselor Andrew Crane countered that Gardner repeating a process that continues to fail is the definition of willful neglect.After several hours of legal arguments, which saw both sides go over details of objections and filings to outright dismiss the case, Missouri Court of Appeals Judge John Torbitzky set a timeline for lawyers to respond in writing to certain claims, and scheduled the trial for the end of September.Torbitzky said he will rule quickly after reading additional written arguments, which are due in one...

Top Missouri lawmaker unveils $2.8B plan to expand I-70

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:24:59 GMT

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A powerful Missouri state senator on Tuesday unveiled a $2.8 billion plan to widen Interstate 70 to at least three lanes across the state, an even more ambitious proposal than what the governor originally asked of lawmakers.Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Lincoln Hough added the plan to a draft state budget for the upcoming fiscal year during a committee hearing.Half the project would be funded with bonds. Hough estimated the state would pay around $132 million a year over for at most 15 years to pay off the expansion.Republican Gov. Mike Parson earlier this year asked lawmakers for $860 million to expand I-70 in the most congested areas: suburban St. Louis, Columbia and suburban Kansas City. Top story: Overland armored car robbery video reveals surprising actions House lawmakers initially balked at the request but on Tuesday gave initial approval to another budget bill that includes $860 million for the interstate. The House also on Tuesday...