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'It was amazing': Round Rock's Travis Sykora selected by Washington Nationals

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — Flamethrowing right-handed pitcher Travis Sykora didn't have to wait long on the second day of the MLB draft. Sykora was selected 71st overall by the Washington Nationals as the first selection of the day in the third round."It was amazing," said Sykora. "Growing up as a kid, your goal is to be a professional baseball player, to get to the big leagues and achieve that first step. It’s amazing."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/newslettersAfter not going in the first round of the draft, Sykora was able to take a deep breath from what he called one of the most stressful days of his life. He now appears ready to head to a Nationals organization loaded with young talent."I’m super excited to go to the Nationals," said Sykora. "They’re in a great area, and it’s just truly unbelievable. And as far as relationships, the area scout, we’ve known each other for a l...

Mathews Hollinshead: Think bigger about remaking I-94 and reconnecting Rondo

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

Never let the perfect be enemy of the good?Sometimes only a dream has the power to become reality.Right now, we have every reason to dream bigger about remaking I-94 in St. Paul, reconnecting Rondo and reimagining what’s possible and good — if we have the courage.Starting 70 years ago urban rail yards all over the U.S. converted to auto-oriented redevelopments. Freeways displaced minority communities. The Great Disinvestment began pushing wealth out to the suburbs.Now the freeways are at the end of their lives, no longer worth patching and gluing. Big boxes are succumbing to online shopping and the lawlessness of “shrinkage.” We have a chance to rebuild communities that have been sacrificed in the past.Rip the freeways and big boxes out, like the rail yards back in the 1950s, or replace them with new ones? These are now key choices. Many say, opportunities.American infrastructure is absurdly complicated from a legal, planning and operating standpoint:Rails, power lines a...

Murder charge: As Burnsville police investigate missing 82-year-old, son says he killed and dismembered her a year ago

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

When Burnsville police learned last month that an 82-year-old woman hadn’t been heard from for a year, they opened a missing person case.Sandra Viola Mitteness’s 56-year-old son initially told police she was in South Dakota and then said she died in June 2022, but a funeral home indicated they hadn’t provided services.Investigators interviewed Troy Michael Mitteness, who said he killed his mother at his Burnsville home “because he had spent all of her money, and she was becoming suspicious and wanted to see her finances,” according to a murder charge filed against him Monday. He said he then dismembered her and disposed of her remains.Troy Michael Mitteness (Courtesy of the Dakota County Sheriff’s Office)Dakota County Attorney Kathy Keena extended her sympathies to Sandra Mitteness’ family.“The facts alleged in this case make it one of the most horrific and disturbing cases I’ve experienced in the course of my 34-year career,” she said...

New York State responds to areas impacted by extreme flooding

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)--- Extreme flooding hit New York State hard over the weekend. Nine inches of water fell in the Hudson Valley Region. Governor Kathy Hochul held a press conference and viewed the damage in Highland Falls, saying the storm was deadly."A young woman, 35 years old, who came out seeing that her house was taking on too much water was with her dog. Her fiancée literally saw her swept away. Terror. Devastation. Right here less than 24 hours ago," said Governor Kathy Hochul.Water rescues took place as people were stranded in their cars. "All night long, I saw fire department doing from house to house and helping people and there were cars parked in 9W, in the median being abandoned, or people sitting in them. Like the governor mentioned, there were people trapped in their car in 3, 4 feet of water that stayed in their car. Those people all had to be rescued by EMS, police, and fire," explained Steve Neuhaus, Orange County Executive. Amtrak was forced to suspend services...

'They just need to stay home': Bennington officials warning residents of flooding danger

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

BENNINGTON, Vt. (NEWS10) -- Videos posted on social media show how relentless rain and flooding is creating a potentially catastrophic situation in Vermont. At Okemo resort in Ludlow, a guest's video posted on Facebook shows the grounds and area roadways awash in thick mud and rushing water. About an hour's drive southwest in Bennington, the situation was less precarious, but officials were still keeping a watchful eye on waterways. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! “Our concern right now is, because of all the rain," said Chief Paul Doucette. "But what effects are we going to have later tonight and tomorrow with all the water coming down off of the mountains?” Doucette is not only Bennington's chief of police, he's also the city's public safety director. “I participated in an emergency management director call just a short time ago," Doucette told NEWS10's Anya Tucker. "The governor was part of that, and the governor called ...

Glens Falls ranked No. 1 safest city in U.S.

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

GLENS FALLS, N.Y. (NEWS10) - The city of Glens Falls has been featured for a second year in a row on a prominent list of safest places in the U.S. Once again, Warren County's "Hometown U.S.A." has made it onto Rocket Mortgage's "15 Safest Cities in the U.S." - and for a second time, it sits at No. 1. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The article assembles a list of 15 cities from around the county, ranked based on several criteria. It takes into account population, violent and property crime rates, as well as median household incomes, and home prices. Taking all of those factors into account, the article puts the North Country city of Glens Falls up on a pedestal."With a thriving art scene and proximity to the beautiful Adirondack Mountains, Glens Falls has something for everyone," says Rocket Mortgage writer Sidney Richardson. "Sporting many reasonably affordable homes, Glens Falls is a perfect destination if you’re looking...

USDA Secretary issues 4 national disaster designations across Illinois

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

FULTON COUNTY, Ill. (WMBD) - United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack Issued four separate national disaster declarations for Illinois.According to an Illinois State news release, the declarations are due to the tornadoes and drought that occurred during the 2023 Illinois growing season.The designation allows the USDA Farm Service Agency to provide emergency loans to producers recovering from natural disasters. Which Illinois counties are eligible for disaster assistance after spring storms? The following primary and contiguous counties are eligible for assistance for the disaster designations:Designation 1: The tornado that occurred on March 31, 2023: Primary Counties: Bureau, Clark & Crawford. Contiguous Counties: Coles, Henry, Lawrence, Putnam, Stark, Cumberland, Jasper, Lee, Richland, Whiteside, Edgar, LaSalle & Marshall.Designation Number 2: A tornado that occurred during April 4, 2023: Primary County: Fulton. Contiguous Counties: Knox, Mas...

Judge orders new trial for suspect in 1991 Grand Junction pipe bombings that killed 2 people

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

A district court judge in Mesa County has ordered a new trial for the man convicted of killing two people in a series of pipe bombings in Grand Junction three decades ago, finding that the man was convicted based in part on faulty evidence.James Genrich, 60, was sentenced to life in prison after he was convicted of killing 12-year-old Maria Delores Gonzales and 43-year-old Henry Ruble in separate bombings in Grand Junction during the spring of 1991.Genrich, who was 28 at the time, was found guilty at trial after an expert for the prosecution told the jury that marks on the bombs must have been made by Genrich’s tools. The expert testified that his analysis ruled out the possibility that any other tools could have made the marks.But advances in science and forensics since then have shown that the expert’s testimony was flawed, District Court Judge Richard Gurley wrote in a 30-page order Friday granting post-conviction relief. The tool-mark expert could not accurately or r...

DIA on track to set new record for intercepted firearms in 2023 following record-breaking surge last year

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

Saturday afternoon, Transportation Security Administration officers at Denver International Airport discovered a loaded Ruger handgun in the bag of a Florida-bound traveler during a routine X-ray screening.The weapon was the third firearm discovered by TSA at the Denver airport this month, and one of 93 intercepted by TSA officers so far in 2023, officials stated in a Monday news release. At this time last year, DIA officers had seized 77 firearms from travelers’ carry-on luggage.DIA is on track to set a new record for firearms intercepted by TSA officers in 2023 following a record-breaking surge in gun seizures last year, the news release stated.Nationally, TSA officers intercepted 3,251 firearms at airport security checkpoints during the first six months of 2023, up from 3,053 at this time last year, the news release stated.Aside from COVID-disrupted 2020, the number of weapons intercepted at airport security has climbed every year since 2010. Nationally, from 2022 to 2023, ...

Good news for Colorado businesses: Job vacancies dropped during second quarter of 2023

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:57:55 GMT

The latest workforce trends are looking bright for Colorado businesses as the number of job vacancies plunged 8% in the second quarter of 2023.Fort Collins saw the most drastic change this quarter, with a 14% drop in job vacancies, followed by Boulder at 12%, Pueblo at 11% and Greeley at 9%, according to a jobs report by the Colorado Chamber of Commerce and Aspen Technology Labs publicized on Monday.Alternatively, job postings jumped 3% in Durango since April 1 – the most sizable boost in vacancies for a listed Colorado city this quarter.“These key workforce trends are a good indicator that more employment opportunities are available across the state and jobs are being fulfilled, which is critical for our job creators and the state’s economic health,” said Colorado Chamber President and CEO Loren Furman.The good news for entrepreneurs comes as the economic forecast for the U.S. remains shaky for the rest of the year. Although inflation is finally easing up across the cou...