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'It can and has destroyed families': Travis County fentanyl deaths more than double between 2021, 2022

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:24 GMT

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Fentanyl-involved accidental overdoses more than doubled between 2021 and 2022, as Travis County leaders detail an ongoing public health crisis.The 2022 annual report from the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office confirmed there were 417 accidental overdose fatalities countywide in 2022, with 245 of those linked to fentanyl. By comparison, 308 total people died from fatal accidental overdoses in 2021, with 118 of those involving fentanyl."The problem has grown significantly worse," Travis County Judge Andy Brown said during a press conference Wednesday morning. As Travis County nears its fiscal year 2023-24 budget approval, Brown said he will be asking county commissioners for $750,000 next fiscal year to support an overdose fund. He said the necessity to build a more robust response network and expand its critical infrastructure and support for community partners is critical.At the state level, Brown called on politicians to approve a number of init...

Texas Doula Association formed to advocate for growing profession

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- In order to better advocate and regulate professional birth companions, or doulas, in Texas, several doula groups in the state formed the Texas Doula Association (TDA), announcing it in a press release on April 19.“We couldn’t be more excited to start this new chapter in doula advocacy in Texas. We believe that doulas can and will create happier, healthier pregnancy, birth, and parenting experiences for Texans," said TDA President Qiana Arnold in the release.The organization's scope covers "all types of doulas" from "full-spectrum" doulas, who focus on the reproductive process, and end-of-life doulas, who focus on death.According to the group's website, it is focused on establishing a high standard of care, reducing barriers to entering the profession and better integration with Medicaid. The organization is already working with Texas lawmakers on bills to advance these goals.TDA Secretary Quanisha McGruder said that the organization came together quickly earlier th...

Texas sprinter Julien Alfred on a quest to become the fast woman alive

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Julien Alfred has been tremendously successful this year, winning the 200 meters and the 60 meters at the NCAA Women's Division I Indoor Track and Field Championships, setting collegiate records for both. According to Alfred, it's been an arduous process to get to that level and it's not just in the physical sense. "Seeing myself and picturing myself as one of the best, has helped me a lot," Alfred said. It's helped her become an 11-time All-American and this year's USTFCCA Indoor Female Track Athlete of the Year. "I'm a winner and I like to win and that's what drives me to be the best," Alfred said. In fact, she was so good at the indoor championships that she even beat her own collegiate record six times in the 60 meter dash her time of 6.94 was the second best time in that event ever, ran by college or professional athlete. Despite achieving such marks, she refuses to settle. "I think having the mindset that there's somebody coming and trying to stay on top I thin...

After slow start, Twins’ Jose Miranda breaks through at plate

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:24 GMT

The hopeful signs were there for Jose Miranda.After spending the first part of the season hitting the ball into the ground repeatedly, he finally had started feeling more like himself at the plate. And Wednesday, the third baseman slugged his first two home runs of the season, driving in three Twins six runs in a 12-6 loss to the New York Yankees.“This is the type of day we were looking to see from him,” manager Rocco Baldelli said. “The types of at-bats he’s had over the last week were signaling positive things for Jose, and he was making some better decisions. He was, again, using the whole field. He was doing the things we wanted to see that eventually lead to bigger swings.”Miranda was hitless during the first two games of the series, but had been 7 for 19 (.368) in the five games before that, as he started to get the results he sought at the plate.“The past few games felt OK, but the five or six games before that, something was starting to click a little bit,” Miranda said. “Hi...

Scheibel, Bolon, Carlson, Ploger: For Hamline University, a phoenix moment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:24 GMT

It has been a tumultuous year for Hamline University. The crisis about academic freedom and diversity centered us in a debate that was reported across the globe.Now a working group of students, faculty and staff are beginning an assessment process to discover what is needed to bring the campus together. The crisis has made us examine how to be a vibrant and relevant institution of higher education in today’s world.Hamline University is poised for a phoenix moment. In mythology, the phoenix is a firebird that arises reborn from its own ashes.It’s an important moment for Minnesota’s oldest university as it has the opportunity to rise up.Hamline may not be unique from other private liberal-arts institutions in its needs for contemporary branding, a rich curriculum, met-budgets, and strong enrollment. However, what Hamline has faced in early 2023 has provided it an opportunity to “take the lead” in reimagining itself. And that makes it unique.As is typical of colleges and universi...

Other voices: Stop sniping and work on stopping fentanyl gangs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:24 GMT

A round of indictments against a major Mexican fentanyl trafficking ring last week presents an opportunity to hobble the multinational drug enterprise killing people on both sides of the border — but only if leaders in the United States and Mexico can stop sniping at each other and overcome a rift between them.U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland, announcing the indictments against Sinaloa cartel leaders and other alleged drug traffickers Friday, called it “the largest, most violent and prolific fentanyl traffic operation in the world.” But it didn’t take long for Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador to question the investigation that led to the charges against Los Chapitos, four sons of the infamous drug lord Joaquín Guzmán, known as El Chapo and believed to have handed leadership of the Sinaloa cartel to his sons. López Obrador on Monday accused the U.S. government of spying and violating Mexico’s national sovereignty.Such discord is, unfort...

Woman dealing with nesting neighbor

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:24 GMT

SCHOHARIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) - As spring has sprung and nature comes back to life, a turf war is developing in Schoharie Village and NEWS10 is on the frontlines.Here in the village of Schoharie where most neighbors get along, one woman is battling it out with the community’s newest residents. No names added to DWI Victims Memorial, this year Meredith Foster has a new neighbor 10 feet from her back porch that she says threatens her safety.“They started moving in in 2019. They started scoping out my property,” said Foster.These neighbors don’t just live next door, they live in a tree. Meredith has named him Daryl and says she has been dive-bombed several times by him and his family, while working in her backyard or relaxing on the patio.“They are very aggressive. And if you make a movement, they don’t like, they can go for you,” said Foster.She says she has reached out to several agencies for help with her fickle feathered friends, including the Department of Environmental Conservation....

NYS Budget: Republican lawmakers don't want messages of necessity

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:24 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)--- The New York State budget is nearly a month late. In a letter to the Governor, the state comptroller said a budget or budget extender must happen no later than noon on Tuesday in order for state workers to get paid on time."We’ve been told today that we don’t need to do another extender on the budget until next Tuesday," said Senator Tom O'Mara. "So we don’t know when the next day of session will be. We are now 26 days late on the state budget. The latest budget in 13 years."Republican lawmakers on Wednesday held a press conference saying that while they are still awaiting to see what’s included in the final budget, they want time to read the bills before voting."We’re here today to demand that the governor not issue messages of necessity on this budget when the bills are done, when the agreements are made," said O'Mara. And if the governor does issue messages of necessity, that the leaders of the legislative majority do not accept those and allow these budg...

Three Kings blaze started in back of the building, firefighters say

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:24 GMT

UNIVERSITY CITY, Mo. – An early morning fire in the Delmar Loop destroyed one business and left a firefighter injured.The University City Fire Department received a call around 3:30 a.m. Wednesday for a fire that had fully engulfed the flagship location for Three Kings Public House.“They had heavy fire inside Three Kings and in the rear of the building,” University City Fire Department Chief Bill Hinson said. “Some crews went in to evacuate the residents, which were already evacuated. They started checking the walls and found there was fire on the first, second, and third floors of the walls, following the pipe chases and utility chases.” Top Story: Mushroom hunter describes discovering body in the woods By all accounts, a prepared team of firefighters, with assistance from St. Louis City and County units, were able to contain the fire and make sure no one else was injured. One firefighter suffered only minor injuries while extinguishing the blaze.Three Kings management released a...

'Weirdest St. Louis thing?' Funny comments from FOX 2 fans

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:58:24 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- What's the weirdest thing you've seen in St. Louis? That is the question FOX 2 posed to Facebook and YouTube fans Friday. We received thousands of creative, funny, and sarcastic comments.Many people stated that it could take a long time to come up with a list. Others joked that they didn't know where to start. Some people tagged friends, while others said that the entire city was weird, or that they were strange. This St. Louis restaurant has the best soul food in Missouri, food writers say Some fans did get specific about the weird things they've encountered while living in the area. Here are a few selected comments and some more information about the topics our fans chose to highlight.Weird St. Louis things"Naked bike ride throughout the city," recalls Brenda. Yes, that is strange. Check out our pics from last year."Pickle jar on Manchester and 270," writes Lisa. Yes, you can often see a pickle jar there. It also has a very active Facebook group called Team Pickle, ...