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Austin's leisure and hospitality industry booming, 13.4% increase from last year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:08:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) - From South by Southwest, NASCAR at the Circuit of The Americas, the Texas Relays and the Country Music Awards, Austin is packed with back to back events. Visit Austin's Communication Director Wesley Lucas said it is one of the busiest times of the year. "We've got Kite Fest, the CMT Music Awards, the US Women's National Team will be here playing Ireland at Q2 Stadium. We have Moto GP, the Texas Relays," Lucas said. With all of those events, comes a boost to the local leisure and hospitality industry. "We're really fortunate to have such a strong tourism community that not only supports local businesses, but our local musicians, our heritage, our history," Lucas said. How big of a growth has it been?Amber Warren is the Director of Upscaling and Advancement at Workforce Solutions Capital Area. She said the leisure and hospitality industry had the greatest regional job growth over the past year. "The Austin metros leisure and hospitality industry grew 1,300 jobs from Ja...

2 arrested after traffic stop leads to pounds of suspected meth, marijuana being seized

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:08:59 GMT

UPSHUR COUNTY, Texas (KETK) - A traffic stop in Upshur County led to large amounts of drug paraphernalia being seized, officials said. 17-year-old arrested after high-speed chase ends in crash, police say On March 23, Upshur County investigators conducted a traffic stop on Camp Joy Road and Oliver Street. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Lee James Taylor II and the passenger was identified as Jessica Danielle Nicole Sellers.According to officials, when investigators approached the vehicle, they could smell the odor of marijuana coming from it. When Taylor was asked about the smell, he turned over a bag of suspected marijuana that was in his lap, authorities said. Athens man arrested for impersonating a police officer, allegedly followed high school girls During the search of the vehicle, officials said they found Taylor to be in possession of 6.4 grams of suspected cocaine and the passenger, Sellers, to be in possession of 13.7 grams of suspected methamphetamine. Both...

'Mattress Mack' loses over $4M on Houston Cougars' loss in NCAA Tournament

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:08:59 GMT

HOUSTON (KIAH) — It was a tough loss for the Houston Cougars on Friday night, falling to the Miami Hurricanes in the Midwest Regional semifinals of the men’s NCAA Tournament. But it was a tougher loss for Texas’ big-time sports bettor, Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale.The Houston furniture salesman lost out on a big payday when UH lost in the Sweet 16, losing $4.05 million on wagers for the Cougars to win the national championship. If the Coogs did win out and win in the Final Four in what would have been a very friendly crowd in NRG Stadium in Houston, Mattress Mack would have had a payday of $35 million.Not only did McIngvale lose out, but some of his customers did as well, because those who bought furniture at his store would have gotten it for free if UH had went all the way.The UH loss brings Mattress Mack’s total to $8.15 million lost in wages this year. McIngvale has lost bets on the Dallas Cowboys (losing to San Francisco) and the TCU Horned Frogs (to Georgia) in 2023 and ...

Berkshire County continues to investigate hoax threat calls

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:08:59 GMT

PITTSFIELD, M.A. (NEWS10) — Dozens of schools across Massachusetts, including a number in the Berkshires, were targeted this week with fake phone calls threatening violence. It’s a strain on law enforcement resources and terrifies students and teachers with Nashville’s deadly school shooting coming at the same time.The Berkshire County District Attorney's (DA) office says that 30 communities were affected by Monday’s hoax threat calls, including Monument Mountain Regional High School in Great Barrington, Pittsfield High School in Pittsfield, and Drury High School in North Adams. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! “All three became active shooter scenes, even though we didn’t have active shooters. It took all our resources from our state police and tactical units to try to go into the schools,” Timothy J. Shugrue, District Attorney Berkshire County, said. “We had children calling their parents, scared to death, saying stay...

New technology helps identify victim in a nearly 40-year-old Lincoln County murder case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:08:59 GMT

LINCOLN COUNTY, Mo. - New forensic technology helped provide answers to the family of a man reported missing in 1982. Lincoln County detectives recently identified the victim as Jack Langeneckert, nearly 40 years after his murder.Skeletal remains were found in a farm building in Lincoln County in 1984. Investigators ran down every lead but weren't able to identify the well-dressed, six-foot-tall man who had been shot in the back of the head."The technology available at the time didn't allow us to identify him, and it had been two years," said Capt. David Hill for the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office. "So he was severely decomposed at the time. Information went out, but we were never able to identify him." Top Stories: Officers injured in Maryland Heights crash Detectives began working with Southeast Missouri State University and Othram, which is a private forensic company. They said that's when they began seeing progress in the cold case."We were able to get a DNA family match. Col...

Urban explorer says Millennium Hotel in better shape than you'd think

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:08:59 GMT

ST. LOUIS – FOX 2 News has an exclusive interview with a man whose illegal activity could help change the future of a downtown building that’s been a fixture in the St. Louis skyline for more than 50 years. The old Stouffers, turned Clarion, turned Regal Riverfront, and then Millennium Hotel, has been empty for nearly a decade.A man who calls himself an urban explorer feels the building still has a story to tell and you’ve got to go inside to tell it.“It just kind of gives people an idea of what most people don’t see,” he said of his explorations. He goes by the name “Krispy” on social media. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News SIGN UP NOW He did not want to share his true identity for this report, but did share his photos from the hotel, noting it stil...

Homeless downtown call for help after riverfront camp closing

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:08:59 GMT

ST. LOUIS - After the City of St. Louis closed the riverfront homeless camp, many had to look elsewhere for shelter; now, new camps are cropping up, and not far."We call this here the sandpit, the sandpit is a peaceful place, a humble place,” said Nathan Franklin, an unhoused person. Just off the river in downtown St. Louis, remnants of a community now displaced still remain."They're pushing housing and cots, and shelters for us now, but when people are freezing to death, the city doesn't care,” said Tasha Thacker, an unhoused person.  Top Stories: Officers injured in Maryland Heights crash The city has found space for dozens of people from the riverfront and Interstate 44/Hampton encampments, and said it will continue to offer help to those who need it.However, some feel their only choice is to stay with what they know, despite the city's move on Friday to move the homeless once again."It makes some people feel down, unwanted, helpless,” Franklin said.The riverfront enc...

Downtown St. Louis businesses prepare for new MLB pitch clock  

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:08:59 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Pat McGlynn is the longtime owner of Stadium Liquor on South Broadway, just south of Busch Stadium. He also owns the neighboring Shamrock Pub and French Market Pizza.On Wednesday, McGlynn was re-striping his parking lot in anticipation of baseball fans flocking downtown for Thursday’s St. Louis Cardinals home opener.“Starting about nine o’clock, people will start pouring in,” he said. “Arrive early.”McGlynn also prepared for fans to arrive at his businesses sooner than usual following the end of baseball games. A new Major League Baseball rule requires hurlers to deliver pitches before the time on a pitch clock expires. McGlynn predicts the pitch clock could be good for business, especially for fans who follow games when the Cardinals win and want to celebrate. Top Stories: Officers injured in Maryland Heights crash “We’re getting stocked up, getting the place cleaned up, getting the staff ready for tomorrow, and looks like it’s going to be a beautiful day," McGlynn sa...

Defendant sentenced to 96 years in prison for 2018 road rage shooting in Parker

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:08:59 GMT

A 34-year-old defendant has been sentenced to 96 years in prison for a 2018 road rage shooting in Parker.Abraham Paquet, a repeat felon, was convicted in February by a Douglas County jury of attempted first-degree murder and assault seriously bodily injury with a deadly weapon, both felonies, among other charges, according to a Douglas County District Attorney’s Office news release.During the evening commute of May 22, 2018, Paquet shot another driver near Parker Road and E-470, according to the release. The injured driver was able to get to Parker Adventist Hospital for treatment and had surgery on his hand. Multiple bullets that hit the victim’s vehicle, a witness account and video surveillance footage led investigators to Paquet.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Boy charged with attempted murder of Denver police officer Crime and Public Safety | Denver man sentenced to 20 years in prison for attempted murder, assault and strangulation of g...

Man found stabbed to death in Lancaster, authorities investigating

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:08:59 GMT

Authorities are investigating after a man was found stabbed to death in Lancaster on Wednesday.Deputies responded to reports of a person down and not breathing on the 43200 block of Sierra Highway around 10:10 a.m., according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.When authorities arrived, they found a Hispanic man aged 25-35 years old “suffering from apparent stab wounds to his upper torso,” said LASD.The man was pronounced dead at the scene. No suspect was spotted and no vehicle description was available.The deadly incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact the LASD’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Anonymous tips can be submitted to "Crime Stoppers" at 800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org.