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Rapper Travis Scott won't face criminal charges in deadly Astroworld crowd surge: lawyer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:50 GMT

HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas grand jury has declined to indict rapper Travis Scott in a criminal investigation into a massive crowd surge that killed 10 people at the 2021 Astroworld music festival in Houston, his attorney said Thursday.Lawyer Kent Schaffer confirmed that the grand jury had met and decided not to indict his client on any criminal charges stemming from the concert. Schaffer said he was not sure what charges the grand jury had considered.“He never encouraged people to do anything that resulted in other people being hurt,” Schaffer said, adding that the decision is “a great relief.”Houston police and federal officials have been investigating whether Scott, concert promoter Live Nation and others had sufficient safety measures in place. Kylie Jenner, Travis Scott changing son’s name because it ‘didn’t feel like it was him’ Schaffer said he feels sympathy for those who were killed at the festival and their families.FILE - Travis Scott performs at Day...

What will colleges do in wake of affirmative action ruling?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:50 GMT

The Supreme Court just shot down the use of race-based admissions in a move that will force many colleges to change the standards by which they admit students. The ruling came in response to cases against Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), which both released statements that didn’t outline their next steps but emphasized their commitment to diversity on campus. The situation is bound to lead to other fights as many are already speculating colleges are going to try to find loopholes in the court’s ruling, with Democrats and supporters of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) efforts forcefully denouncing the move.“The Court recognized the Constitution guarantees equal treatment for all races, and exceptions to that rule should be rare and fleeting. I do not expect universities to take this decision lightly — DEI has become one of the highest (if not the highest) priority at many schools — and I expect universities to look for looph...

'Doesn't represent our family's values': San Marcos couple sues over historical balcony tied to KKK

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:50 GMT

SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) --- A couple in San Marcos is suing the city over a century old metal balcony on their home. On the balcony is the initial of a previous homeowner who had historical ties to the Ku Klux Klan. The letter "Z" is at the center of the lawsuit. Kristy Money and her husband Rolf Straubhaar are taking on the City of San Marcos and its Director of Planning and Development Services. "It doesn't represent our family's values," Money said. History of the "Z"The metal decor sits on top of a balcony on their home in the Burleson Historic District. According to the lawsuit, previous homeowner Frank Zimmerman installed it. Money said it wasn't until she did more research into Frank Zimmerman that she found out about his ties with the KKK. (Photo: KXAN) Money said it wasn't until she did more research into Frank Zimmerman that she found out about his ties with the KKK. (Photo: KXAN) Money said she and her husband didn't know about Zimmerman's Ku Klux Klan ties until after b...

A snail causes an Austin Woman's dog to become severely ill, racks up thousands in vet bills

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:50 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Emily Holden said she brought her dog, Royce, to the veterinarian for a mass on his leg in May. While there, she mentioned to the vet that Royce drank an abnormal amount of water the night before.“They said, ‘Well, you know, let's run a panel, and we'll see if anything turns up,’” she recalled. Unfortunately, something did turn up.  “The blood test results came back, and they said that his calcium was extremely high,” Holden said. These results precipitated a slew of tests costing thousands of dollars while Royce’s health began deteriorating, Holden said. “He was lethargic, not eating, vomiting multiple times an hour,” she said. “He was not doing well.”Veterinarians believed that Royce’s symptoms were consistent with lymphoma, a type of cancer, though they couldn’t see it on the imaging. The only oncology appointments available were towards the end of the summer, but luckily, a spot opened up at the Heart of Texas in Round Rock. There, the ve...

Two Minnesotans, including SPPD employee, win gold medals at Special Olympics World Games

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:50 GMT

Two Minnesotans returned home this week with gold medals from the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin.Matthew Krohn, of Inver Grove Heights, took the top honor in the 25 meter backstroke. Tiffany Carey, of Brooklyn Park, won the gold medal for all-around artistic gymnastics; silver for the uneven bars; and bronze medals for both the vault and floor.Matthew Krohn won a gold medal in the 25-meter backstroke during the Special Olympics World Games in Berlin.(Courtesy of Curt Krohn)Krohn, a St. Paul police department employee who cleans the department’s headquarters, said Thursday he was a little nervous at first, when the competition began, and overall had “a blast” at the World Games.His mom and dad, Chris and Curt Krohn, joined Matthew in Germany. “We were just elated,” Curt Krohn said of seeing their 27-year-old son win a gold medal. “It was an unbelievable feeling.”Carey described her experience as “unforgettable.” Her parents, Mar...

Charges dismissed against St. Paul man accused of sex assault near state Capitol

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:50 GMT

A criminal case against a St. Paul man accused of sexually assaulting a woman last summer has been dismissed.Louis Rogers, 65, was charged Aug. 22 with first-degree criminal sexual conduct after the woman reportedly identified him as the suspect through a photo an officer showed her shortly after the alleged incident.Though the woman identified Rogers as the suspect, DNA testing ultimately cleared him of involvement, said Sgt. Mike Ernster, a St. Paul police spokesman, on Thursday.The Ramsey County attorney’s office dismissed the charge against Rogers this month, according to court records.“After further investigation, it became clear through video and DNA that the charge against Louis Rogers is no longer supported by the evidence,” Dennis Gerhardstein, county attorney’s office spokesman, said Thursday. “The investigation will continue.’The DNA that was collected has not been matched to a suspect, Ernster said. If that happens, he said, police would contact the victim ab...

2 elderly women dead, 6 others injured in Jennings 4-vehicle crash

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:50 GMT

JENNINGS, Mo. – An investigation is underway after two women were killed Wednesday night in a collision that caused their car to catch fire.The crash happened shortly after 10 p.m. along West Florissant Avenue.According to a report filed by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, the driver of a BMW was driving too fast on West Florissant, causing it to hit a Chevy Equinox with three children inside.This started a chain reaction crash, with the Equinox smashing into one vehicle, and that car hitting another one. ‘Sk8 Liborius’ church skate park burns down The vehicle struck by the Equinox caught fire. The two women inside that car, identified as Gwendolyn Thomas, 74 and Carol Brown, 80, were caught in the fire and died at the scene.There’s been no word yet on the condition of the six others injured.One resident, who declined to go on camera, said she heard the accident, adding that accident response crews didn't clear the scene until around 2:30 a.m. Thursday.State troopers said the in...

'Devastating loss' - Sk8 Liborius burns down in overnight fire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:50 GMT

ST. LOUIS – A massive fire overnight destroyed a former church that had been converted into an indoor skate park.The four-alarm fire at Sk8 Liborius began around 10:45 p.m. Wednesday. Firefighters raced to Hogan and North Market streets in an effort to save the 134-year-old Gothic Revival church building.“I got a call letting me know the church was on fire,” said Bishop Michael Robinson, founder and CEO of City Hope, located next door. “There was a small fire in the rectory that spread to the church.” Neighbors upset over smelly home with rats and insects in Fenton Bishop Robinson said the three people in his shelter got out safely. Two people in the church, and one in the rectory, also escaped uninjured from the quickly-spreading fire.“I couldn’t even get off the highway and saw the flames shooting in the sky and smoke all over,” he said. “It was horrible.”One of the owners of the building involved with Sk8 Liborius for years called it a devastating loss.Firefighters were also do...

Federal judge throws out lawsuit filed by chess star over cheating allegations at St. Louis competition

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:50 GMT

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by a 19-year-old chess grandmaster who alleged his career was ruined by allegations that he had cheated.Last year, Hans Niemann sued former world champion Magnus Carlsen and the online chess organization Chess.com. He was seeking $100 million in damages for slander and libel.In a lawsuit filed in federal court in St. Louis, Niemann also accused Carlsen and Chess.com of violating antitrust laws by merging online playing platforms and refusing to let him play on them.On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Audrey Fleissig found Niemann's antitrust claims had no merit. She also dismissed libel and slander claims because she said she didn’t have jurisdiction to oversee them, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News ...

Driver arrested after several fireworks found inside stolen U-Haul in Illinois

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:50 GMT

POSEN, Ill. — A driver was arrested after fireworks worth "thousands of dollars" were found inside a stolen U-Haul early Thursday morning in Posen.Just after midnight, Posen police told WGN News a U-Haul, which was later determined to be stolen, was pulled over at 147th Street and Kedzie.Inside, several fireworks, which are illegal to sell and possess in Illinois, were located.Police believe they were going to be illegally sold in the state prior to the Fourth of July. After more than 3 years, family of woman killed in Logan Square wants answers; $15K reward The driver, whose identity is not available at this time, was arrested and charged with unlawful possession of fireworks, criminal trespass to a motor vehicle and driving on a suspended license.WGN News will update this story once more information becomes available.