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Austin's interim city manager reorganizes top leadership positions

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:30 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Late Friday night, the City of Austin announced in a news release Interim City Manager Jesús Garza is reorganizing the city's top leadership positions "to prioritize the public's needs and ensure reliability of services for Austinites." The changes made will be as follows, according to a memo from the city manager to the department directors: The city's Chief Financial Officer (CFO) will now report directly to the city manager. That will also mean the Fleet Mobility Services Director and Building Services Officer will report to the CFO A new executive position "of Strategic Communications and External Affairs" is being created and will report directly to the City Manager. That will mean the Intergovernmental Relations Officer and Chief Communications Director will report to that personSammi Curless, an advisor to the Assistant City Manager is being promoted to an Assistant City Manager Ken Snipes, currently the director of Austin Resource Recovery, will be on "speci...

Want to be a teacher? Marble Falls ISD will pay for your degree

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:30 GMT

MARBE FALLS, Texas (KXAN) — With just a few months left of school, districts across Central Texas will start holding hiring events to fill any vacant teaching positions that need to be filled.As many teachers leave the profession, Marble Falls ISD is looking at ways to attract teachers and keep them in the district. One way they hope to do that is through the Love Inspire Teach Scholarship.“We are actually funding as a district some of our para professionals to receive a bachelors degree and certification,” said Yarda Leflet, the assistant superintendent for curriculum in Marble Falls ISD.“We want to invest in being able to fuel the pipeline for educators in our system,” said Leflet. “As you know not as many people are choosing to be an educator.”Misty Reid is a teaching assistant at Colt Elementary School, she is one of 10 participants in the program which allows her to work at the school and take online classes.”I love Marble Falls ISD,” said Reid. Teacher retention still a...

State boys basketball: New Life Academy does all the little things to advance to first state final

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:30 GMT

New Life Academy’s individual stats weren’t gaudy Friday. Nothing about the Eagles’ box score jumps off the sheet. A quick glance won’t generate any instant headlines.That’s fine with the Eagles. Because they did exactly what they had to do to notch the only thing that mattered: a victory.New Life Academy dominated the glass and held Spring Grove to just 28 percent shooting en route to a convincing 51-35 victory over the No. 3 seed in Friday’s Class A state semifinals at Target Center.For the first time in program history, the Eagles will play for a state title. Second-seeded New Life Academy will meet top-seeded Russell-Tyler-Ruthton at 11 a.m. Saturday at Target Center.“They are just so committed to winning and doing whatever it takes to win. That’s what I’m so proud of with this team,” Eagles coach Robbie Whitney said. “They don’t care about individual stats, accolades. All they care about is winning, so they’re going to do whatever it takes.”New Life Academy outrebounded Spring ...

LAUSD Workers Minimum Wage Raised To $22 After New Contract Agreement Reached

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:30 GMT

The Los Angeles School District (LAUSD) and its essential workers reached a new contract agreement Friday after a three-day strike forced a shut down of all schools.The contract was years in the making, as workers represented by Service Employees International Union Local 99 (SEIU-99) sought wage increases, more staff support and health insurance for part-time employees.Negotiations between LAUSD and SEIU-99 reached an impasse this year, which eventually led to a three-day strike and all schools in the district shutting down in that time.On the final day of the strike Thursday, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass met with both sides in an attempt to help reach an agreement.“On behalf of all SEIU Local 99 members, including the 30,000 members we represent at LAUSD, appreciate Mayor Bass for stepping in and allowing us to find a pathway to communicate and reach an agreement that is historic at LAUSD,”SEIU 99 Executive Director Max Arias said in a press conference Friday. “I...

Several Trump aides, including Meadows, ordered to testify

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:30 GMT

By Zachary Cohen, Kristen Holmes and Katelyn Polantz | CNNA federal judge has ordered several former Donald Trump aides, including Mark Meadows, to testify before a grand jury as part of the criminal investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election, rejecting the former president’s claims of executive privilege, multiple sources confirmed to CNN.Trump’s legal team had challenged subpoenas issued by special counsel Jack Smith demanding testimony and documents from Meadows, the former president’s White House chief of staff, as well as several others by asserting executive privilege.In a sealed decision last week, then-Chief Judge Beryl Howell rejected the Trump team’s claims of privilege for Meadows and other top Trump administration officials who were subpoenaed by Smith, including former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe, former national security adviser Robert O’Brien and former Department of Homeland Security official Ken Cuccin...

Intel co-founder Gordon Moore dies at 94

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:30 GMT

Gordon Earle Moore, who became a legendary Silicon Valley figure by cofounding microchip makers Intel and Fairchild Semiconductor and for formulating his famous law about the inevitable advances to come from chip technology, died Friday. He was 94.Intel’s phenomenal growth inspired legions of tech entrepreneurs across the valley and elsewhere, while making Moore one of the richest men on the planet. But he was a down-home, self-effacing person who was rarely happier than when he was off in some wilderness fishing. And he was praised for donating much of his wealth to environmental and other causes.Born Jan. 3, 1929, in San Francisco, Moore was raised in Pescadero and Redwood City by his homemaker mom and his dad, who patrolled the area for the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. While in his teens, he began toying with a neighbor’s chemistry set and enjoyed triggering explosions by hammering drops of nitroglycerin on an anvil.The blasts were so loud “my ears would just ring like hell...

LA schools, union leaders reach deal on new contract

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:30 GMT

By Robert Jablon | Associated PressLOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Unified School District and union leaders said Friday they reached a deal on pay raises for bus drivers, custodians and other support staff after a three-day strike that shut down the nation’s second-largest school system.The deal includes a series of retroactive raises going back to 2021 that will collectively hike worker pay by about 30%, said Max Arias, executive director of SEIU Local 99.The deal also provides workers with a one-time $1,000 raise, sets the district’s minimum wage at $22.52 and creates a $3 million educational and professional development fund for union members, district Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said. Free health care will be provided for any employee working at least four hours a day, he said.“I have no doubt that this contract will be seen as a precedent-setting, historic contract that elevates the dignity, the humanity of our workforce, respects the needs of our students,...

Alcaraz, Fritz, Andreescu advance to Miami Open 3rd round

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:30 GMT

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Carlos Alcaraz picked up a straight-set win at the Miami Open on Friday to keep his world No. 1 ranking over idle Novak Djokovic. Djokovic is not participating in the Miami Open because he still cannot travel to the United States as a foreign citizen who is not vaccinated against COVID-19.Alcaraz, who beat Casper Ruud in the 2022 U.S. Open final for his first No. 1 ranking, defeated Facundo Bagnis 6-0, 6-2 to advance to the third round in Miami. Rafael Nadal dropped out of the top 10 on Monday for the first time in 18 years. Alcaraz, a 19-year-old from Spain, rose into that spot a day after ending Daniil Medvedev’s 19-match winning streak by beating him in straight sets in the final at Indian Wells, California. Ruud, who’s ranked No. 4, won his match against Ilya Ivashka 6-2, 6-3. He’ll face No. 26 Botic van de Zandschulp on Sunday in the third round.No. 1 American and No. 9 seed Taylor Fritz began his tournament campaign with a 6-4, 6-1 win ov...

NHRA Arizona Nationals Qualifying

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:30 GMT

FridayAt Wild Horse Pass Motorsports ParkChandler, Ariz.First Round ResultsTop Fuel1. Doug Kalitta, 3.679 seconds, 330.23 mph; 2. Mike Salinas, 3.689, 335.73; 3. Austin Prock, 3.696, 330.31; 4. Brittany Force, 3.722, 323.12; 5. Steve Torrence, 3.724, 329.02; 6. Justin Ashley, 3.724, 328.06; 7. Leah Pruett, 3.737, 330.39; 8. Shawn Langdon, 3.755, 327.35; 9. Jim Maroney, 3.960, 311.49; 10. Clay Millican, 4.335, 181.06; 11. Krista Baldwin, 4.660, 160.59; 12. Tony Schumacher, 4.706, 154.86; 13. Antron Brown, 5.932, 113.31; 14. Buddy Hull, 7.326, 96.38; 15. Josh Hart, 12.919, 53.22.Funny Car 1. Blake Alexander, Ford Mustang, 3.927, 322.50; 2. Chad Green, Mustang, 3.952, 319.29; 3. Terry Haddock, Mustang, 4.044, 308.14; 4. Paul Lee, Dodge Charger, 5.064, 149.81; 5. Matt Hagan, Charger, 5.101, 145.88; 6. J.R. Todd, Toyota Supra, 5.412, 133.26; 7. Bobby Bode, Mustang, 5.697, 119.15; 8. Tim Wilkerson, Mustang, 5.817, 156.92; 9. Alexis DeJoria, Supra, 7.014, 103.36; 10. Ron Capps, Supra, 7.25...

Final No. 1 seed falls as Houston gets blown out by Miami

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:30 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The next stop for Houston’s resurrected basketball program is the Big 12.The Cougars would’ve preferred it to be the Elite Eight.The lone No. 1 seed left in the NCAA Tournament after Alabama fell to San Diego State about 30 minutes earlier, the Cougars simply couldn’t overcome a 3-point barrage from Nijel Pack, the rebounding of Norchad Omier and some dazzling offense from Miami’s talented backcourt in an 89-75 loss Friday night.Sasser had 14 points but missed an open 3 early in the second half, when the Cougars made their only big run of the night against the fifth-seeded Hurricanes.Tramon Mark also had 14 points, but eight of them came on three straight possessions early in the game. Jamal Shead tried to put the Cougars on his back, scoring 15, but many of those came with the game already out of reach.It was a frustrating end to a season spent strutting around the top of the AP Top 25.The problems began when Houston was trailing 40-3...