PHOTOS: Spoooooky season underway in Austin

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:19:43 GMT

PHOTOS: Spoooooky season underway in Austin AUSTIN (KXAN) — Halloween is creeping up on us, and ghoulish activities are underway.Many homes in Austin and Central Texas have gotten in the spirit and decorated their yards in anticipation of the holiday. Austin family waiting for City inspection turns trench into Halloween display Here’s a look at some haunted houses in the area! Scroll through the slideshows below for a little trick-or-treat.AustinEaston Park CommunityCOURTESY: Michelle GerstenCOURTESY: Michelle GerstenCOURTESY: Michelle GerstenCOURTESY: Michelle GerstenOak HillCOURTESY: Oak Hill Haunt COURTESY: Oak Hill Haunt COURTESY: Oak Hill Haunt COURTESY: Oak Hill Haunt COURTESY: Oak Hill Haunt COURTESY: Oak Hill Haunt Northwest HillsCOURTESY: Becca FrasierCOURTESY: Becca FrasierCOURTESY: Becca FrasierSouthwest AustinCOURTESY: Chase and Brittany BurchCOURTESY: Chase and Brittany BurchCOURTESY: Chase and Brittany BurchCOURTESY: Chase and Brittany BurchCOURTESY: Chase and Brittany BurchLiberty HillHalloween decorations in...

San Marcos removing trees due to 'drought stress and disease'

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:19:43 GMT

San Marcos removing trees due to 'drought stress and disease' SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — The San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department confirmed multiple trees will be removed from City Park Monday due to "drought stress and disease," according to a Facebook post Sunday.Three pecan trees will be removed Monday. Two of them are being removed due to drought stress and disease, while a third's removal is attributed to its location "in a high use area between the river and the Pauline Espinosa Community Hall," per the post. That third tree's trunk is also reported to be 35% dead, with officials adding both insects and disease "have further compromised the structural integrity."The San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department confirmed multiple trees will be removed from City Park Monday due to "drought stress and disease," according to a Facebook post Sunday. (Courtesy: San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department)The San Marcos Parks and Recreation Department confirmed multiple trees will be removed from City Park Monday due to "drought stress and d...

Would you buy an energy drink made from urine?

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:19:43 GMT

Would you buy an energy drink made from urine? KDAF (DALLAS) — A new "drink" called Release Energy has been making waves as it became the No. 1 bestseller on Amazon. That was before it was taken off the platform. The bottles were actually filled with collected urine from Amazon drivers who had discarded urine on the side of the road, according to reports by Wired. But don't worry the bottles weren't sold to actual Amazon customers, and it was actually part of a new documentary called "The Amazon Heist" which was created by British filmmaker Oobah Butler. Butler collected samples from the UK and parts of the United States. He reportedly labeled the "product" with the brand name "Release Energy". Which was described as an energy drink without caffeine, as reported in Wired. The goal is to raise awareness of the labor workforce.It’s the film lawyers told you would never get made! After over a year in the works, my new film ‘The Great Amazon Heist’ is coming out this Thursday on @Channel4! It’s taken everything I have to make this o...

Lost history: The first capital of Texas was in Louisiana

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:19:43 GMT

Lost history: The first capital of Texas was in Louisiana SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – The first capital of Texas wasn't in Texas at all. It was in northwest Louisiana.Spain claimed Louisiana in 1541But to understand how and why the Texas state capital wound up in Louisiana, you've got to go back to May of 1541.The whole mess began when a Spanish explorer, Hernando de Soto, and his men encountered the Mississippi River. they called it Rio del Espiritu Santo, the River of the Holy Spirit. Or it might have been the Atchafalaya River, a distributary of the Mississippi, that he named the River of the Holy Spirit. (Scholars have differing opinions.)Illustration of the de Soto expedition in the early 1520s painted by Alfred Russell 1904. Image in public domain. But regardless of which river he named after the Holy Trinity, things did not go well for de Soto afterward. Some rumors claim he died along the Mississippi (Rio del Espiritu Santo?) in what is now Arkansas, and other rumors boldly claim that de Soto died along the same river in Ferriday...

Chimp Haven gives rare glimpse of 'the chimp life'

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:19:43 GMT

Chimp Haven gives rare glimpse of 'the chimp life' KEITHVILLE, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A sanctuary for chimpanzees will soon open its doors and give visitors a rare opportunity to look into the lives of northwest Louisiana chimps.Chimp Haven, the United States chimpanzee sanctuary, hosted Chimpanzee Discovery Day from 9 a.m. until noon Oct. 21.Chimps at Chimp Haven spend part of their lives chilling out in hammocks. Image: Chimp Haven website. The sanctuary, a nonprofit organization located on 200 acres of forested land near Shreveport, is home to more than 300 chimps who are spending the rest of their lives in a peaceful retirement. At Chimpanzee Discovery Day, experts will talk to the public about the individual personalities of the chimps and discuss what it's like to provide medical care for primates.Chimp Haven is proud to meet the needs of the chimps, who can live out the remainder of their days exploring natural forests in northwest Louisiana.Guests can visit the sanctuary and get a rare glimpse of the chimps and their habitats. Mo...

The 5 highest - and lowest - paying college degrees in the US

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:19:43 GMT

The 5 highest - and lowest - paying college degrees in the US (NEXSTAR) — Student loan payments are due once again, marking the first time in over three years many have had to pay up for their college education. If you're among those, you may be even more aware of the payoff — large or small — of attending college and getting your degree.Overall, the U.S. Census Bureau found Americans with bachelor's degrees earned, on average, $74,154 in 2022, roughly $600 below the national average of all earners, regardless of their education.There are, however, degree-holders earning much more — and much less — than that.According to data released by the Census Bureau this week, roughly 37% of Americans between the ages of 25 and 64 have a bachelor's degree.While many degrees were categorized individually by the Census Bureau, there are catch-all "other" categories for science and engineering, business, education, and simply, "other." Those were, in many cases, considered the most popular field of degrees across the metro areas.Outside of those expansive c...

Lions RB Mohamed Ibrahim, a Baltimore native, carted off the field in first NFL game vs. Ravens

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:19:43 GMT

Lions RB Mohamed Ibrahim, a Baltimore native, carted off the field in first NFL game vs. Ravens Detroit Lions running back Mohamed Ibrahim, a Baltimore native, was carted off the field with a hip injury in his first career NFL game Sunday against the Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium.Ibrahim returned a squib kick in the third quarter and was hit below the waist. He remained on the ground for several minutes as trainers tended to him before a cart was brought onto the field. Ibrahim was put on a back brace with his right leg immobilized before being loaded onto the cart, but he gave two thumbs up to the crowd as he exited the field.The Lions quickly ruled the 25-year-old rookie out for the rest of the game.Ibrahim, who attended Our Lady of Good Counsel High School in Olney before becoming a college star at Minnesota, was elevated from the practice squad Saturday to make his NFL debut. The Lions signed him as an undrafted free agent to provide depth behind fellow rookie Jahmyr Gibbs, who received the bulk of the carries Sunday in place of injured starter David Montgomery (ribs).A t...

Halfmoon man charged with meth distribution

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:19:43 GMT

Halfmoon man charged with meth distribution SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Halfmoon man was arrested following a drug distribution investigation, according to police. Michael Scensny, 33, is facing multiple charges. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! An investigation by police into drug sales throughout Saratoga County yielded that Scensny allegedly possessed and sold quantities of methamphetamine on numerous occasions within the county. Scensny was taken into custody on October 17. The investigation was conducted by the Saratoga County Sheriff's Office Narcotics Unit and the Saratoga Springs Police Department. Scensny now faces the following charges:ChargesThird-degree criminal sale of a controlled substance Third-degree criminal possession of a controlled substanceFifth-degree criminal possession of a controlled substanceThree counts of seventh-degree criminal possession of a controlled substanceCriminally using drug paraphernalia Schenectady Police investigating ...

St. Louis Fire Department holds annual fire safety festival

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:19:43 GMT

St. Louis Fire Department holds annual fire safety festival ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Fire Department hosted its seventh annual Fall Safety Falloween Festival on Saturday, featuring fun and games as well as important safety information for parents.The department hosted the event at its headquarters in north St. Louis.Fire Chief Dennis Jenkerson said it was a great way for the community to meet first responders in a fun way, and to reinforce Halloween and fire safety tips for kids.

AP college football poll, Week 9: Air Force climbs after win over Navy, Georgia is No. 1 for 19th straight poll

Published Mon, 16 Dec 2024 15:19:43 GMT

AP college football poll, Week 9: Air Force climbs after win over Navy, Georgia is No. 1 for 19th straight poll Georgia extended its streak of No. 1 rankings in The Associated Press college football poll to 19 straight weeks, the third best in the history of the rankings, and Alabama moved back into the top 10 on Sunday.The Bulldogs received 38 of 63 first-place votes, their second-lowest total of the season, after an off week but still bested No. 2 Michigan, 1,536 points to 1,504.Georgia’s No. 1 streak, which started on Oct. 9, 2022, is behind only Miami’s streak of 21 weeks from 2001-02 and Southern California’s 33 in a row from 2003-05.The Wolverines received 19 first-place votes after their latest blowout, 49-0 against Michigan State on Saturday night. Michigan was unfazed after a week in which it was revealed the program is being investigated by the NCAA for a sign-stealing scheme that allegedly involved impermissible in-person scouting.Ohio State held steady at No. 3 after winning a top-10 matchup with Penn State. The Nittany Lions slipped three spots to 10th. The Buckeyes received thre...