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KXAN projects voters approve $500 million bond for Travis County roads and parks

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:34 GMT

TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) – Travis County residents approved two bonds worth $509 million, helping to fund park and roadway projects across the region, according to KXAN projections. Travis County officials said the bond will support growth and improve safety in the region. This is the largest bond package to ever be approved by voters in the county's history. ELECTION DAY BLOG: Texans vote on 14 state constitutional amendments, local propositions "I think the statement that the voters of Travis County have made is that they understand we need to invest in our future," Travis County Judge Andy Brown said. "That's what they did today and over the last two weeks is make sure that Travis County is going to be a beautiful place for years and years to come – for my kids and future generations to enjoy the parks and the safe roads and all the great things that Travis County has to offer," Brown continued. Proposition A costs $233 million and funds ten roadway capacity projects across ...

Lexington ISD proposes $51 million bond

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:34 GMT

LEXINGTON, Texas (KXAN) — Lexington Independent School District voters will decide on a $51 million bond. The two propositions named in the district’s proposal focus on classroom additions, instructional and stadium renovations. Prop A is the most expensive proposition, at the cost of $47.7 million. It would allow the district to build new classrooms in the elementary, middle and high school, and create additional space for libraries and science labs. The AG building will go through a renovation to reconfigure the classroom layout, upgrade shop equipment, add restrooms and air conditioning, and an additional outdoor covered space. The AP Kleinschmidt Gym will expand with three gym floors with new bleachers, locker rooms, weight rooms, restrooms and showers, and new parking. This is to accommodate the growing number of students. Prop B costs $3.3 million and centers around the athletic facilities. The stadium will increase its capacity to 4,000, install new lighting and a new perimet...

Caldwell County proposes a fifth emergency services district

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:34 GMT

CALDWELL COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — With Caldwell County rapidly growing, residents will vote on a proposition that will provide funding for more local emergency services. The city of Lockhart contracted with the Seton Family of Hospitals for EMS services in 2015, but it expired at the start of October 2023. This requires another means of obtaining EMS services, so residents in the county started a petition and gathered enough signatures.Because of this, the Caldwell County Commissioners ordered an election to create Emergency Services District No. 5.This would provide only emergency medical ambulance services and associated emergency medical services. Existing police and fire departments will remain the same. If ESD No. 5 is approved, residents will owe up to 10 cents per $100 property valuation tax to the ESD. For example, a property valued at $500,000 will cost the owner $500 per year. Five commissioners govern each ESD in the state of Texas, and according to the county’s w...

Feds: 3M worker’s death in Wisconsin preventable

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:34 GMT

A 3M Co. employee was helping set up a plastic extrusion line when they became caught in the machine’s rotating rollers and died, according to federal authorities.Maplewood-based 3M reported the May 2023 worker death at its facility in Prairie du Chien, Wis., prompting the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration to investigate, according to a news releaseTuesday.Investigators determined the worker’s death could have been prevented by 3M, described as “one of the world’s best known manufacturing companies,” according to the release.“The safety and health of all our employees is our top priority, and we are deeply saddened by this tragic incident,” a company spokesperson said in a statement to McClatchy News. “Over the last six months, we have worked closely with federal workplace safety and health regulators in connection with their inspection of our Prairie du Chien worksite. In addition, 3M has continued to implement improvements and investments to ...

A diverse new St. Paul City Council to be seated in January

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:34 GMT

St. Paul voters headed to the polls Tuesday to elect what stands to be the most racially diverse city council in city history, one likely to be led by a progressive female majority and immigrant and ethnic voices indicative of the capital city’s changing demographics.In all, 30 candidates filed for seven seats on the nonpartisan council, which with four open seats will turn over a majority of council members in January. Results in some council races may not be available before a manual ballot reallocation process begins Friday, given the city’s ranked-choice election system, which involves hand-tallying races where no candidate breaks 50% of the vote on Election Day.Overall voter turnout appeared mixed, with the 5,945 absentee ballots cast by Monday evening trailing totals in 2019 and 2021 by several hundred ballots. Voter turnout throughout the day Tuesday seemed about on par with or slightly below recent off-year elections, according to a spokesperson for Ramsey County...

Wild’s Pat Maroon continues to make his presence felt in 4-2 victory over Islanders

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:34 GMT

What a pickup Pat Maroon has been for the Minnesota Wild.Acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay on July 2, the veteran wing cost only a seventh-round pick, and the Lightning are paying $200,000 of his $1 million cap hit. And all the big guy has done is play up and down the lineup while giving Minnesota two goals and seven assists in 12 games.He had a goal and assist in the Wild’s 4-2 victory over the New York Islanders on Tuesday at USB Arena in Elmont, N.Y.Maroon put the Wild up 1-0 with a goal in the first 19 seconds of the game, then forced a neutral zone turnover and found Joe Eriksson Ek at the corner of the crease for an assist on a third-period goal that made it 4-2, all but sealing Minnesota’s second straight victory.ELMONT, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 07: Vinni Lettieri #10 of the Minnesota Wild celebrates his second period goal against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on November 07, 2023 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)Vinni Lettieri beat Semyon Var...

St. Paul voters consider raising city’s sales tax for 24 road rebuilds, parks projects

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:34 GMT

St. Paul’s off-year election ballot asked voters whether to raise sales taxes in the capital city to pay for its aging roads and parks.Mayor Melvin Carter’s office proposed increasing the city’s sales tax by 1 percentage point to 9.875%, which would be the highest sales tax in the state, to generate nearly $1 billion over 20 years for some 44 miles of arterial road reconstruction, as well as high-priority park maintenance and four designated parks projects.Leading up to Tuesday’s election, St. Paul Public Works officials and a progressive coalition including most of the city council had said the tax would amount to a badly-needed cash infusion for the city’s pockmarked roads, totaling some $30 million per year to rebuild long segments of 24 major thoroughfares like Phalen Boulevard and Grand, Hamline and Maryland avenues. The $30 million would roughly double what the city already spends on road reconstructions from local funding sources.Opponents, inclu...

John Safford declares victory in Saratoga Springs mayoral race

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:34 GMT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- In the race for Saratoga Springs Mayor, Republican John Safford is declaring victory over incumbent Ron Kim. Safford told NEWS10 that homelessness is an issue he wishes to address and that he has the experience and the contacts to unify the city. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! “The hope is that the homeless task force can kind of put everything together,” said Safford. Right now, he says different people are doing different things, but he adds, “I know all these people so I think I’m in a better position to put it all together and make it work.”Safford took the time on Tuesday night to thank the voters and people of Saratoga Springs. "We are so thankful for everything that has transpired in this election. It is a new day for Saratoga Springs, and we will make a difference."

Gary McCarthy declares victory in race for Schenectady Mayor

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:34 GMT

SCHENECTADY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Democrat candidate Gary McCarthy has announced his victory in the race for Schenectady County Mayor. McCarthy was running for his fourth term against Republican candidate Matt Nelligan and Ed Varno, who was running on the Working Families party line. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! McCarthy has been at the center of the downtown revival and says that remains a focal point. On Tuesday night, he took the time to credit the local community for rebuilding the downtown and investing in the neighborhoods. "We are creating real value in the City of Schenectady, and that doesn't happen by accident. It is a broad-based coalition of people producing real results."McCarthy says he is also concerned about issues like distressed properties and speeding. "Speeding produces an adverse environment, and unfortunately, you get accidents and other events that could be avoided with people just being compliant with veh...

'Strong' El Niño winter coming: Will New York have a white Christmas?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:23:34 GMT

(NEXSTAR) — El Niño is here, lasting through early winter. The Climate Prediction Center—a division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—recently said that a better than a 90% chance that it lasts into spring. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! El Niño typically divides the country in half, but where the dividing line falls varies from year to year. The southern third to half of the U.S., including California, is likely to be wetter during an El Niño winter. The Pacific Northwest and Ohio Valley are usually dry and warm. While El Niño's impacts are never a guarantee, the climate pattern tends to influence weather across the U.S. as it reaches peak strength in the winter. Does that mean El Niño will bring winter storms and feet of snow? NOAA releases fall weather predictions for New York Not everywhere and not necessarily, explained Michelle L'Heureux, a meteorologist with the Climate Prediction Center, in an ar...