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Stopping the Stigma: Local suicide prevention organization advocates 24-hour helplines

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:09 GMT

September is National Suicide Awareness Month, and this local organization provides a service to ensure people can get the help they need.The organization Samaritans is working to create more safe spaces to talk about mental health..CEO and President Kathy Marchi said anyone can help someone in crisis.“People who are struggling have often really felt alone in those struggles and not talked about it and so we try to take advantage of a month like this, an opportunity to talk more about something that needs to be discussed so more people can reach out and get help when they need it,” Marchi said.Samaritans provides suicide prevention services throughout the state. Its volunteers answer the 24-hour helpline: 988. The organization also has a text line called “Hey Sam.”Marchi said the key is listening.“We really need somebody to say, I hear you, I hear how much pain you’re in, I hear how hard this is for you, I hear that you’re struggling, tell me more about that,...

Clinching their division but not their lease: Despite scoreboard announcement, Orioles remain unsigned at Camden Yards beyond end of year

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:09 GMT

It would not be the first time something said in the heat of the night turned out to be less than it seemed in the cold light of the morning.Thursday night’s electric announcement on the scoreboard that there was a deal to keep the Orioles playing at the state-owned Camden Yards for at least “THE NEXT 30 YEARS” was widely interpreted as saying a new lease had been signed. The resulting cheers were quickly followed by everyone, from Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott to the Ravens congratulating the O’s on their new 30-year “lease.”But the morning after, with fans still shaking confetti out of their hair after the team clinched its division, officials from the team and Gov. Wes Moore’s administration clarified: The deal wasn’t a much-anticipated new lease replacing or extending the one that expires Dec. 31, but rather a “memorandum of understanding” between the tenant O’s and their state landlord that was not leg...

Becky G proudly shows her roots in ‘Esquinas,’ inspired by regional Mexican music

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:09 GMT

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Growing up on the border between Mexico and the United States, Becky G spoke English, but sang corridos, boleros and mariachi in Spanish. All her life, she dreamed of an album that would honor her family’s roots and delve into those genres that she enjoys so much.“A lot of the times they would tell me that I am too Mexican to be American or too American to be Mexican and that you can’t be in the middle. Why would I have to give up a part of myself to be accepted here and the other way around?” said Becky G from New York in a recent video call interview conducted in English and Spanish.Now, that album is finally here: “Esquinas” was released on Thursday night. Becky described it as “a love letter to my abuelitos, to my younger self and hopefully to the future generations.”“It’s like the cross streets of two flags, two cultures, two languages,” said the singer, who was born in Inglewood, California, and thinks of her identity as 200%: 100% Mexican, 100% American.The...

Germany’s government and Elon Musk spar on X over migrant rescue ships

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:09 GMT

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s government rebuked X owner Elon Musk after he criticized the recent work of migrant rescue ships that German humanitarian groups operate in the Mediterranean Sea.Musk late Friday shared a video that showed migrants and aid workers on a boat. The right-wing account that first put the content on X, formerly known as Twitter, praised the populist far-right Alternative for Germany party, which has taken a hard line on migration issues.“Is the German public aware of this?” Musk wrote in his repost. The German Federal Foreign Office replied to Musk directly on X, writing: “Yes. And it’s called saving lives.” Musk responded that he doubted the German public supports the actions of non-governmental organizations that take asylum-seekers from unseaworthy vessels in the Mediterranean. He also asserted it was “surely” a violation of Italy’s sovereignty for German-operated ships to bring rescued migrants to Italian territory. “So you’re actually proud of it. Intere...

3 people in serious condition after Garfield Park shooting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:09 GMT

CHICAGO -- Three individuals are in serious condition after they were shot in Garfield Park overnight, police said. According to police, the individuals were standing on the sidewalk near the 3600 block of West Flournoy Street around 2:07 a.m. when someone inside a silver sedan fired shots.A 26-year-old man sustained a gunshot wound to the back and was transported to Mount Sinai Hospital in good condition. A 25-year-old woman was also transported to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the left leg. She is in serious condition. Chicago man accused of sexual assault, robbery captured in Oregon after manhunt A 53-year-old man was transported to the hospital with a gunshot wound to the right leg. He is in serious condition.There is currently no one in custody and police are investigating the incident.

ATCEMS: 1 taken to hospital with critical injuries after vehicle rescue in south east Austin

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:09 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin-Travis County EMS responded to a vehicle rescue call early Saturday morning in southeast Austin.The rollover collision, which caused the patient to become trapped under a vehicle, occurred before 6 a.m. in the 1100 block of Bastrop Highway Service Road, ATCEMS said. The adult patient was unconscious and transported to Dell Seton Medical Center with critical life-threatening injuries.

New pop-up course hopes to prepare Austin residents for the worst

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:09 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A new pop-up training course is hoping to keep the citizens of Austin safer. The City of Austin Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, or Austin HSEM, held a class on basic emergency preparedness called "Ready Together" on September 28th at the Montopolis Recreation & Community Center. The 2-hour course covered the four steps of emergency preparedness, which Austin HSEM describes as making a plan, building a kit, knowing your neighbors, and staying informed. It was developed in part by organizations like Ascension Seton and the University of Texas Medical Reserve Corps. Austin HSEM Director Ken Snipes said, “Our residents who take this class will be more self-reliant and better prepared.”This was the first time Ready Together was held, but Austin HSEM plans to host more of them in the future. Those upcoming training dates and more information on how to prepare can be found here.

East Austin affordable housing development to begin construction next month

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:09 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The City of Austin's Housing Department has officially closed on $74.5 million to help finance affordable, multi-family housing in East Austin. Construction on Phase 1 of the development, referred to as Seabrook Square 1, is meant to start in October. The Housing Department says the 204-unit, multi-family apartment building will be built at 3511 and 3515 Manor Road, now addressed as 2210 Pershing Drive. Construction of Phase 2, which consists of  60 units of permanent supporting housing, is meant to start next year, with the entire project hoping to be completed in 2026. The development is financed mainly through a $40 million bond from the City of Austin. It's named after Dr. John Jarvis Seabrook, a Black educator and pastor, who was the president of Huston-Tillotson University from 1955 to 1965.

New shade structures in East Austin make it easier to enjoy the outdoors

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:09 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Parks Foundation made it easier to beat the heat with the unveiling of new shade structures at the recently opened Pomerleau Park. It's part of a $2 million commitment the foundation has to match the city's funds for providing heat protection for playgrounds and recreational facilities across Austin. "I think this summer highlighted the need for shade more than ever," said Austin Parks Foundation CEO Collin Wallis. "And as council member Alter said, people won't use parks and open spaces if they're just beat down in the sun. So providing some shade at playgrounds and picnic tables and parks is huge for usability."Wallis went on to say that while the improvement of the parks is expected to take a long time, the Austin Parks Foundation hopes to have more structures completed by next summer.

A weekend of heat but cooler air is on the way

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:40:09 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Afternoon highs today through Monday will return to mostly the middle 90s. Temperatures will lower to the upper 80s to low 90s Tuesday and Wednesday. A cold front heading to Central Texas will deliver a north wind Thursday dropping highs to the upper 70s to low 80s for the end of the week. That's the first piece of good news. The better news is that rain chances will go up beginning Tuesday as Gulf moisture moves into the area. It's mostly rain Tuesday though there will be an increasing chance of thunderstorms in the afternoon.The cold front and upper-level trough continue to advance towards Central Texas on Wednesday bringing in moisture from both the Gulf and the Pacific to keep a good chance of showers and thunderstorms in the mid-week forecast.The front starts out in the Hill Country Thursday morning, gradually moving to the east. Prior to its arrival is when we see a good chance of thunderstorms that could be strong to possibly severe. The front will pass durin...