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Starbucks rolling out new ice cubes, dividing customers

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 21:11:26 GMT

(WJW) — Starbucks is changing its ice cubes, and not everyone is happy about it. According to an email from a Starbucks spokesperson, stores will be getting the new machines that make nugget ice after customer testing as part of a multi-year rollout. Customers who have tried the different ice during testing had a "resoundingly positive response," according to the statement. Target recalls nearly 5 million Threshold candles due to burn hazard But a post on Reddit sparked some intense debate. Some said the new smaller and more dense ice cubes will melt faster than the regular, ruining the taste of the drinks.One poster wrote: "Normally this ice IS IT!!!! But I worry that they will melt too fast in iced espresso drinks."Another said: "I used this ice when our machine broke, you are right. The ice is not dense enough to not simply melt even in iced tea drinks."Others don't mind the change. One poster wrote: "Higher surface area means it cools your drink to the ice's temperature faster...

Severe Thunderstorm Watch in the Hill Country, where flooding is also possible tonight

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 21:11:26 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Severe thunderstorms and flash flooding are most likely in the Hill Country Friday night into early Saturday morning, but rain and thunderstorms will also be possible in the Austin area.A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for the entire Hill Country, but not currently the Austin Metro area, until 10 p.m. Friday night. Large hail and strong, damaging wind gusts are the main threats.Storms are developing now in the Hill Country and may produce hail and damaging wind gusts in a few communities this evening and tonight.Heavy rain is also likely in the Hill Country as storms continue overnight, with a 2 out of 4 risk of flash flooding near the Highland Lakes -- welcome news for the low lake levels, but potentially dangerous for low water crossings. Flash flood risk: 2 out of 4A few isolated storms begin to develop in the Hill Country late afternoon / early eveningStorms grow in coverage and intensity Friday evening and night INVESTIGATION: LCRA didn't plan for cli...

Texas Attorney General to investigate 2nd children's hospital over reports of gender care provided to minors

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 21:11:26 GMT

HOUSTON (KXAN) -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has launched his second investigation into a children's hospital in the state within a month. Paxton announced Friday morning an investigation into Texas Children's Hospital, which is based in Houston, to "determine if the entity is actively engaging in illegal behavior and performing 'gender transitioning' procedures on children," the announcement said. He did not specify what laws it may have broken, but indicated "I've been clear that any 'gender transitioning' procedures that hurt our children constitute child abuse under Texas law."“Recent reports indicate that Texas Children’s Hospital may be unlawfully performing such procedures, and my office is working to uncover the truth. I am committed to investigating any entity in our state to ensure that our children are protected," Paxton said in the announcement. Paxton did not specify which report he was referencing, but there are articles circulating online about Texas Children's...

Bill to close 'dead suspect loophole' one step closer to final vote

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 21:11:26 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the one-year anniversary of the mass shooting in Uvalde approaches, a bill that would end a controversial legal loophole used to block victims and families from seeing important records is the closest its ever been to closing.The “dead suspect loophole” refers to an exemption in Texas’ public records law that gives police discretion to withhold information in criminal cases that haven’t gone through the court process — even when a suspect dies in police custody.“There’s no greater need for the people to know the truth then when an interaction with their government leaves one of them dead,” said State Rep. Joe Moody, D-El Paso, at a hearing earlier this month. He filed House Bill 30 and has been pushing for years to close the loophole, which is blocking Uvalde families from getting answers.“Law enforcement refused to release those [Uvalde] records,” Moody previously said. “And, we all knew very well that they never had to release them, ever, because of th...

Austin ISD plans to pull millions from reserve funds to give educators 7 percent raise

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 21:11:26 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin ISD Board of Trustees on Thursday approved using up to $53 million dollars of the district's reserve funds to give teachers and school employees a raise next school year.It comes as the legislature has yet to get a bill addressing teacher pay to the governor’s desk after months of promising solving the state’s teacher shortage was a top priority.In a statement to KXAN, the district’s Chief Finance OIfficer Ed Ramos said it could not wait on legislative decisions because educators were making employment decisions now. Why this Texas teacher stayed amid an education vacancy crisis “These raises projects we will have to use our savings based on current state funding. It is a much-needed investment in our employees who struggle with inflation and cost of living increases,” Ramos said. “We hope the state also chooses to invest in our students and teachers.”Round Rock ISD Trustees also approved a 3 percent raise for its teachers and librarians this week.The mo...

Woman says lemur attacked her at Austin Aquarium

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 21:11:26 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Charmaine Dickerson's trip to visit her boyfriend ended with her in pain - and is considering a lawsuit. "I remember looking down and my face was like dripping blood," she said. The culprit was a lemur at the Austin Aquarium, according to Dickerson. The location is one of two in the United States that allows guests to interact with lemurs, according to the aquarium's website. Dickerson said she signed up for an "animal encounter," where she was told she could pet a lemur under supervision of a handler. "I take probably two steps in, the lemur lurches at me," she said. "It lands on my shoulder. I turned my face. There's a bite on this side, and then a scratch. I just felt bleeding."Charmaine Dickerson said the lemur bit her on her upper cheek. Charmaine Dickerson said the lemur bit her on her upper cheek. Charmaine Dickerson said the lemur bit her on her upper cheek. The aquarium told us in a statement that it's conducting an internal investigation to gather and find...

‘Fast X’ review: An unleashed Jason Momoa saves the latest in the ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 21:11:26 GMT

Michael Phillips | Chicago TribuneUnlike “Fast X,” let’s keep this review quick and fuel-efficient.“I’ll kill Dominic Toretto. I’ll kill ‘em all.” So says the disturbed, ballet-loving Dante (the movie comes pretty close to implying the two adjectives are interchangeable), the son of the Rio drug lord killed off in “Fast Five.” An extraordinarily campy Jason Momoa dines out upon this vengeance-driven role, sporting dandy pigtails one minute and “Swan Lake”-ing around the next, when he’s not blowing up half of Rome or kidnapping Dom’s son.Momoa is the chief, merrily depraved reason to sit through “Fast X,” even as he becomes its emblem of code-switching, tone-juggling mania. The movie’s OK. Produced on a reported $340 million budget, it’s 340 million dollars’ worth of OK.On Instagram, while filming, star Vin Diesel called “Fast X” the “beginning of an epic ending.” Now, unless you’re “The Empire Strikes Back” or thereabouts, that sort of project can feel like time spent watching track...

Students discuss use of phones in school

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 21:11:26 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10)--- There’s no denying cellphones are a big part of our everyday lives."Cell phones are not going away. We know that. They are here to stay," said Kyle Belokopitsky, Executive Director of the New York State Parent Teacher Association. So that begs the question, should cellphone usage be restricted in schools and should it be done on a state or local level? The New York State Education Department says cell phone policy decisions are made at the school and/or district level. The New York State Parent Teacher Association encourages schools to have a policy."Whether you allow them out during free time again those policies have to be developed at the local level each school district all 750 of them are very different," said Belokopitsky.Recently, one New York State school district decided that starting in September, high school students would need to keep their phones sealed during the school day with a magnetized locking device.https://www.news10.com/news/bethlehem-...

Displaced veterans story unfolds as false

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 21:11:26 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) -- More reports are finding veterans getting kicked out of a hotel to make room for migrants as untrue. On Wednesday at the Capitol, republican lawmakers pointed to an article first reported by the New York Post stating that 20 veterans were being displaced from the Crossroads Motel in Newburgh to make space for migrants, causing an uproar.  Multiple reports have since come out finding holes in that story, and the motel denying that any veterans were being displaced.  NY GOP proposes two “migrant crisis” bills The source of the initial claim comes from Sharon Tony-Finch, a disabled military veteran. She’s also the Founder of Yerik Israel Toney Foundation for Preemies. The website claims it provides housing assistance for families of preemie babies as well as homeless and military vets. According to that initial Post article, Tony-FInch stated that veterans were being placed in another hotel due to the migrant situation - a story that’s now being falsified. Sena...

Lawmakers aren't monkeying around with this bill

Published Tue, 18 Feb 2025 21:11:26 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) -- New legislation could eliminate the use of primates for entertainment use. The bill would prohibit the Department of Environmental Conservation from issuing a permit that would allow primates such as monkeys, apes, chimpanzees, and orangutans from being used for entertainment purposes. This legislation comes after a lawmaker said he saw that the Orange County Fair had monkeys dressed up, chained and forced to ride on dogs. It’s unknown how long this practice has been going on at the fair, but Senator James Skoufis says it must come to an end. "I guess whoever came up with that idea, thought, somehow that that constitutes entertainment meanwhile, the vast majority of good people look at that as animal abuse. This is an issue that speaks directly to just being humane to animals. It’s not a democratic or republican issue," he said. The bill states that using primates for entertainment can cause severe physical and psychological harm to animals. That bill has not ...