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Retailers keeping a close eye on inflation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:38:18 GMT

WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) -- As retailers are gearing up for Black Friday and Small Business Saturday, they are keeping a close eye on inflation.Experts say shoppers are expected to return to their pre-pandemic habits this holiday season.Long before Black Friday, retailers have been cranking out deep discounts and sales. “It was basically Black Friday in October, and that is going to keep rolling through the holidays,” Ted Rossman, Senior Industry Analyst at Bankrate.com said.Rossman says the state of the economy has many retailers and shoppers concerned.“Our survey found that about a third of holiday shoppers specifically say that inflation is affecting their buying decisions.” Currently, the inflation rate is 3.2%. Still, Rossman says retailers are preparing for record sales.“It's the best discounting season since the pandemic. The inventory situation is better.”The National Retail Federation says an estimated 182 million people will shop either online or in person this Thank...

Police investigating southeast Austin homicide Wednesday

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:38:18 GMT

Editor's Note: The video at the top of this story shows KXAN’s morning headlines for Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department is investigating a homicide in southeast Austin Wednesday afternoon, officials said in a social media post. The homicide happened near the intersection of Deer Run Drive and Blue Dawn Trail, police said. That's located near East William Cannon Drive and Bluff Springs Road.Police said the department will host a media briefing at a yet-to-be-determined time on Wednesday.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

STAR Flight responding to crash involving motorcycle in southwest Austin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:38:18 GMT

Editor's Note: The video at the top of this story shows KXAN’s morning headlines for Wednesday, Nov. 22, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — STAR Flight is responding to the scene of a crash involving a motorcycle and another vehicle in southwest Austin Wednesday afternoon.Medics from Austin-Travis County EMS responded to the crash around 1:20 p.m. on W. U.S. Highway 290 at Circle Drive. That's west of the Y at Oak Hill.One adult was taken to Dell Seton with potentially serious injuries, ATCEMS said.ATCEMS says to expect road closures in the area.This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Austin Energy rate increasing 5% in December

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:38:18 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Changes are coming to Austin Energy's power supply adjustment rate, with a 5% increase slated to take effect on Dec. 1.Officials said the increase is "due to a lack of adequate progress toward making up for the existing PSA under-recovery," according to a Tuesday memo. AE added the typical residential customer will see a financial impact of less than $2 each month tacked onto their AE bill. PAST COVERAGE: Austin Energy rate to rise for the third time in a year The PSA is described as a pass-through cost to electric utility customers "for the recovery and crediting of ERCOT settlements, fuel costs, and net purchased power costs," per the release. Both the weather and ERCOT-established market prices can impact the amount of revenue collected, in turn affecting the collection and return of any under/over balances, the memo added.Under Austin City Council's direction, Austin Energy's administrative team was permitted to increase the PSA in increments, "not to exceed pl...

Austin creating standalone homeless strategy office

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:38:18 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The City of Austin announced Tuesday plans to relocate its homeless strategy division from the purview of Austin Public Health and into its own, standalone office.After historically operating under APH's umbrella, the new office will report directly to the city manager's office. Back in June, Interim City Manager Jesús Garza spearheaded a homeless strategy special assignment to incorporate "the broad spectrum of programs, policies, and funding the City utilizes in support of addressing homelessness in the Austin community," per a city release.One of the central findings from that assignment determined the homeless strategy division's current operations under APH do "not effectively respond to this critical priority." AUSTIN NEWS: Austin City Council to vote on additional funding for two hotels meant to house the homeless “While the Homeless Strategy Division was embedded within one department, the initiatives to address homelessness span multiple departments and re...

City of Austin rolls out new telework policy, helping city meet climate goals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:38:18 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Starting in 2024, many City of Austin employees will have the option to work from home 50% of the time, according to a new telework policy. As COVID-19 cases waned and employees from various industries started to leave their working-from-home arrangements, Interim City Manager Jesus Garza announced it was also time for city employees to prepare to return to the office. PREVIOUS: City of Austin employees to return to the office, union not on board Garza said in May that all workers would return to the office by the end of 2023, which caused some employees to protest, citing a better work-life balance when getting to work partially from home. “I know when I announced a Citywide standard, employees were concerned about changing their schedules. Some felt they were losing what many viewed as a new benefit the city had been able to offer. But at the heart of our organization is our ability to serve the public and be available for those city needs. It is through tha...

Woodbury boy needs special care and Gophers football team provides weekly highlights

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:38:18 GMT

When Jessie and Dan Starken tell Mitchell about an upcoming visit with the Gophers football team, the couple’s 5-year-old son doesn’t have much to say.That doesn’t mean he isn’t thrilled.“His body starts wiggling,” Jessie said of Mitchell’s response. “He gets excited. He smiles. He understands, and he enjoys it.”Mitchell Starken has been welcomed into the Gophers locker room this season. Like other players, he has a locker inside the Larson Football Performance Center. His jersey is No. 11, which matches his birthday.Mitchell isn’t going to be giving a pregame pep talk before the Wisconsin rivalry game Saturday, but all season he has boosted the Gophers’ understanding of what families in need go through on a daily basis. Amid the Thanksgiving season, players shared gratitude for the ability to give back to them.Mitchell has a rare, genetic, multi-system health disorder known as Gould Syndrome. He is nonverbal and non-ambulatory, but his mother says he can “work a room” with his “cha...

Stillwater to host World Snow Sculpting Championship for third time

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:38:18 GMT

The city of Stillwater will host the World Snow Sculpting Championship this winter for the third time.The event will be held Jan. 17-21 in Lowell Park.Teams from around the world will come to town to compete for prize money and the title of “World Champions,” said Robin Anthony, executive director of the Greater Stillwater Chamber of Commerce.Sculptors will have 72 hours to carve their sculptures out of snow. Spectators can watch the entire process, visit with the teams and vote for their favorite sculpture; the team with the most votes will win “The People’s Choice Award.”The event, sanctioned by Finland-based Association Internationale de Sculpture sur Neige et Glase, was first held in Stillwater in January 2022. Last year’s event brought 50,000 visitors, Anthony said.“It’s a great event for the city,” Anthony said. “The bars and restaurants are always full. This year, we’re going to have two tents on site — one is hospitality and one is c...

East Metro football player of the year: St. Thomas Academy’s Savion Hart

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:38:18 GMT

Larry Suggs remembers the first time Savion Hart was dropped off for a West Side Boosters football practice.Hart, just a young boy at the time, refused to get out of his mom’s car.“So I had to stop practice, walk all the way up there, basically get him out of the car, and tell him, ‘You’re going to play football today,’ ” said Suggs, the father of Orlando Magic guard Jalen Suggs.“I was crying,” Hart recalled from that day. “That’s all I know.”But once he got down to the fields, he watched as his peers ran around and played the game. His interest was piqued enough to give it a shot.“When I first tried it, I didn’t really like it at first,” Hart said. “Because I was getting hit so much.”Then he scored his first touchdown.“That’s kind of what flipped the switch,” Hart said. “I just wanted to play football.”He hasn’t stopped since. And now, instead of getting hit, the St. Thomas Academy senior running back is the one delivering the blows.“What surprised me more than anything is just how...

Water main break in Mechanicville

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:38:18 GMT

MECHANICVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Department of Public Works is responding to a significant water main break on Underwood Ave. All water service will be shut off to allow for repairs. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The shut-off is expected to happen by 4:30 p.m. There is no current estimate on when the service will return. Residents should expect a boil water order when water service is back. Questions can be directed to the Department of Public Works at (518) 664-7171. A reverse 911 message will be sent out soon.