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TxTag customer: ‘Amazing how fast it was all fixed’ after KXAN report

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for May 23, 2023. Watch Josh Hinkle's investigation tonight at 6 p.m. on KXAN.Investigative Summary: This story is part of KXAN’s “TxTag Troubles” investigative project launched May 7, 2023. Following related reports in recent years, our team rededicated its resources to this major consumer issue, after hundreds of viewers complained to us about resurfaced billing and customer service problems with the state’s tollway operator and its contracted vendors. During our reporting, the Texas Department of Transportation began reaching out to viewers who had contacted KXAN to resolve their issues, and state lawmakers renewed their approach to fixing future TxTag problems.AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Transportation confirms it has attempted to contact the more than 720 KXAN viewers who reached out to our team after receiving no resolution or reply from the state agency about persistent problems with the tollway...

Transportation tech startup opens headquarters in Austin

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Getting around Austin’s busy roads can be tough at times, and transportation for larger groups presents even more of a challenge.With a goal to transform the charter bus industry through technology, one tech startup just opened a headquarters in Austin.CharterUP runs an online charter bus booking platform that aims to connect customers with available shuttles in under 60 seconds.CEO Armir Harris launched the company in 2018.“Historically, this was an experience that took several hours to several days with very little transparency,” he said. “We've been able to compress that to 60 seconds.”CharterUp plans to hire over 100 employees, driving job opportunities and further establishing Austin as the country’s next tech hub.Similar to Expedia or Priceline — for booking group transportation — the online platform is one-stop-shop connecting riders and corporations with available charter services, on-demand booking, ratings, real-time tracking and more.CharterUP is already w...

Texas man sentenced to 4+ years for role in January 6

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

WASHINGTON (KXAN) – A Texas man was sentenced to 57 months in prison Friday for assaulting law enforcement resulting in bodily injury related to the breach of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2020, according to an announcement from the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia.The U.S. Attorney's Office said Donald Hazard, 44, of Hurst, Texas, was sentenced for assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers. Hurst is a suburb of Fort Worth. Hazard pleaded guilty on Feb. 16, 2023. The press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office said U.S. District Court Judge Randolph Moss also ordered Hazard to serve 36 months of supervised release and pay restitution of $2,000.According to court documents, Hazard was the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Patriot Boys of North Texas, a self-described militia. In preparation for attending the Jan. 6 rally in Washington, Hazard gathered protective gear and other supplies including a military-style helmet, knuckle gloves, goggles, body armor, ...

Non-alcoholic bottle shop Marigold set to open St. Paul location this summer

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

Marigold, a popular South Minneapolis non-alcoholic bottle shop, is expanding to St. Paul with a second location set to open within a few weeks in St. Anthony Park.In addition to zero-proof spirits and other alcohol-free liqueurs and mixers, the shop also stocks a selection of THC beverages. Marigold will be in the Milton Square development off Como Avenue, a few doors down from Nico’s Taco Bar.“There has to be more of a space for people who don’t want to fall into the pressure of constantly having the ‘mommy happy hour,’” owner Erin Flavin said. “There’s got to be a better way for people to be social without alcohol.”Flavin, who also owns the hair salon Honeycomb in South Minneapolis and herself no longer drinks alcohol, opened Marigold’s first location in 2022, next door to the salon. The shop has plenty of regular customers from St. Paul, several of whom suggested the particular storefront the shop is now taking over, she said.In recent years, especially during the pandemic, non-...

Korean fried chicken chain to open in former Bap and Chicken spot on Grand Ave

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

Bb.q Chicken, a global chain of Korean fried chicken restaurants, is opening its second Minnesota location on Grand Avenue in mid-June.(The name is an abbreviation for “best of the best quality” — no relation to barbecue!)The restaurant, which first came to the Twin Cities with a location in Uptown Minneapolis last winter, is taking over the former Bap and Chicken space on Grand and Hamline avenues.“We do a lot more scratch prep than people know,” said Emily Krouse, who owns the local bb.q franchises. Yes, she has the support of a global brand behind her, she said, but she aims to run her stores with a small-businessowner’s focus on quality. Nothing is frozen; chicken is marinated for 12 hours before being fried super-crispy.As Korean chicken chain bb.q prepares to take over the spot on Grand Avenue once home to Bap and Chicken in summer 2023, the space is undergoing some changes, as shown in this undated photo. Bb.q’s local franchises are owned by Emily Krouse, who, like Bap ...

St. Louis County man charged after White House crash

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

WASHINGTON — Police have arrested a Missouri man they believe intentionally crashed a U-Haul truck into a security barrier at a park across from the White House.The box truck's driver smashed into the barrier near the north side of Lafayette Square on Monday at around 10 p.m., Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement. He was identified as a 19-year-old from Chesterfield, a St. Louis suburb. US Park Police identify the suspect as Sai Varshith Kandula, 19, of Chesterfield, Missouri. No one was injured in the crash.Officers from the Secret Service and the Metropolitan Police Department searched the truck after the crash. Video posted by WUSA-TV shows a police officer at the scene picking up and inventorying several pieces of evidence from the truck, including a Nazi flag.Based on a preliminary investigation, investigators believe the driver "may have intentionally struck the security barriers at Lafayette Square,” Guglielmi said. Authorities of...

Police search for suspect after chase ends near MetroLink station

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- MetroLink trains are not running between many Illinois stations. A police chase ended in ended near one of them and officers are looking for a suspect.MetroLink Station Shuttles are currently taking customers between the stations. Riders may have delays up to an hour.This is a developing story. More details will be posted here as they come into the FOX 2 Newsroom.

Florissant crash kills 3 people Monday night

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Three people died in a late night crash in Florissant. It happened just after nine last night on New Halls Ferry Road near Seven Hills Drive.Officials said it appears a woman driving a Ford Fusion crossed the center line and hit a Cadillac SIV. The crash instantly killed the driver of that Cadillac and her passenger. Win a trip to Margaritaville Lake Resort at Lake of the Ozarks The driver of the Ford Fusion was taken to a hospital where she also died.

Denver weather: Tuesday could be last day of heavy smoke, poor air quality

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

An end to the poor air quality in Denver is on the horizon.The air quality alert for Denver and the northern Front Range due to Canadian wildfire smoke is set to expire at 4 p.m. Tuesday, and thunderstorms in the forecast could spell the end of the smoke in the area.The smoke Tuesday will be lighter than Monday, so temperatures in the area will increase to a high of 78 degrees.The mountain areas are expected to receive more scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening, and some instability across the Palmer Divide could cause some scattered storms to develop there.There is a slight chance a few of the storms could move into the Interstate 25 corridor Tuesday night, but the greatest storm chance for Denver won’t be until Wednesday when there is a 70% chance of storms.While Denver waits for the storms to develop, residents should still be aware of the poor air quality.Ozone and fine particulate levels have steadily increased and have now reached the Unhealthy...

Jockey suicides shadow horse racing, bring attention to stress and mental health concerns of the job

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 12:00:49 GMT

By STEPHEN WHYNO (AP Sports Writer)BALTIMORE (AP) — Eurico Rosa da Silva was in a dark place. On the track, the jockey in his early 30s was winning races and making money. At home, he was fighting suicidal thoughts every day.“I got to the point where I have no more choice but to go for help,” he recalled recently. “I went because if I have no choice, I would kill myself.”Da Silva got help in 2006 and rode for more than a decade before retiring. He’s one of the lucky ones.Earlier this year, horse racing was stunned by the suicides less than six weeks apart of two young jockeys, 23-year-old Avery Whisman and 29-year-old Alex Canchari. A friend of Whisman’s, Triple Crown-winning rider Mike Smith, said he has seen similar tragedies over three decades.“I know several riders that I knew very well committed suicide when it was all said and done,” Smith said. “This is not all of a sudden just happening. It’s been going on. Yo...