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Police look to identify suspects in GTA roofing scam investigation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:40 GMT

Police are looking to identify two men as part of an ongoing roofing scam investigation that has targeted homeowners across the GTA.Investigators say the suspects, who claim to be owners of a roofing company called Alfa Masonry, go to homes unsolicited and inform homeowners that emergency roof or chimney repairs are needed. They use pressure tactics to get the homeowner to hire them to do the repairs, negotiating a cash deal in the process.Police say once repairs are started, the men inform the homeowner that further work is required and ask for more money. After receiving the additional cash payment, the duo fail to return to complete the repairs and cease all communication.The first man is described as having a medium build with a short black beard. He was last seen wearing a black and white plaid jacket, light blue jeans and a grey hat with a black brim.The second man is also described as having a medium build with blond hair and a short blond beard. He was last seen wearing a bl...

Chicago police officer charged, relieved of police powers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:40 GMT

CHICAGO — A Chicago Police Department officer is charged after reportedly hitting an eighth grader while off-duty.Craig Lancaster, 55, is now facing felony aggravated battery charges. MORE INFO: Off-duty CPD officer under investigation after shoving 8th grader The police department said he has been relieved of his police powers.School surveillance video from Gresham Elementary shows the officer striking a 14-year-old boy last May.The video does not show the teen interacting with Lancaster before the incident. Lancaster will make his first court appearance next week.

Man convicted nearly 7 years after death of 11-year-old girl

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:40 GMT

CHICAGO — A man has been convicted nearly seven years after the death of an 11-year-old girl in Chicago.A jury convicted Antwan Jones, 26, of fatally shooting Takiya Holmes. Man, 19, charged in fatal shooting of 11-year-old Takiya Holmes Holmes died from a stray bullet in the Parkway Gardens neighborhood in February 2017.Prosecutors said Jones fired 12 rounds at rival gang members, but the shots hit a minivan with Holmes inside.Her family released a statement saying justice has finally been served.

Concerns raised over aviation safety after multiple near crashes

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:40 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The push to increase safety at airports across the nation is heating up.This comes after reported close calls and near misses between airplanes, and now the topic is front and center."Our nation is experiencing a aviation safety crisis," said U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois.On Thursday, the Subcommittee on Aviation Safety, Operations and Innovation, discussed close calls and how to improve aviation safety.Lawmakers said a wave of retirements and buyouts drained valuable experience from the U.S. aviation system in recent years."Coupled with the surge in demand, created essentially a perfect storm that has eroded the systems safety margins down to dangerously thin levels," Duckworth said.Austin is no stranger to these safety concerns. Back in February a FedEx flight and Southwest flight nearly collided."We have had too many near misses including one that could have been a total catastrophe," said U.S. Congressman Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas.That same flight highlig...

Leander ISD board considers creating district police department

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:40 GMT

LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) -- One of the largest school districts in Central Texas looked at the cost to build its own police force to comply with a new state law.During a Leander Independent School District board meeting, trustees looked at a budget request, which is more than $1.1 million. The district does not have its own police force and instead is using other law enforcement as resource officers.This discussion comes after House Bill 3 went into effect on Sept. 1, which requires armed security officers at every campus. Schools struggle to find money, hire more officers after lawmakers gut safety bill The budget request from LISD includes a chief, at least 10 marshals, which also includes training and equipment.Part of the discussion included adding to the resolution what the police training should have according to the Texas School Safety Center."Mandated training includes child adolescent brain development, mental health crisis prevention, behavioral needs of children with disab...

Texas boasts top women's hoops recruiting class in early signing period

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:40 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — According to ESPN, the Texas Longhorns women's basketball team has the top 2024 recruiting class in the country.With three players ranked inside the top 50, and two in the top 10, the Longhorns are loading up for next season and starting the early signing period off strong. No. 13 Texas women’s hoops thumps Southern in season opener Longhorns head coach Vic Schaefer announced Wednesday the signings of Justice Carlton, Jordan Lee and Bryanna Preston as the early signing period for Division I basketball began. Carlton, a 6-foot-2 forward from Katy Seven Lakes High School, is the No. 7-ranked recruit by ESPN. She averaged 25 points and 10 rebounds per game in her junior season and holds seven school records at Seven Lakes, including most points in a game (46), most blocks in a game (10) and most rebounds in a game (23)."Justice Carlton may be the most physical high school player I've seen in a long time," Schaefer said. "Her ability to finish with contact is very unu...

High school football: Byron edges Hill-Murray in Class 4A state quarterfinal

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:40 GMT

Down by nine with less than three minutes remaining, things looked extremely bleak for Hill-MurrayBut the Pioneers would not go down that easily.Stopping a fake punt that for all intents and purposes would have sealed a Byron win, Hill-Murray made the most of its nearly last-gasp opportunity.On the first offensive play, Jackson Reeves dropped back, stepped up under pressure and threw a perfect strike to Gavin Berg, who didn’t stop running until he found the end zone to complete a 50-yard play and the Pioneers, who began the fourth quarter down by 10, were within 31-28.With just one timeout left and 2:21 on the clock, an onside kick had to be the call. The first attempt was called back as a Pioneer was offside.Take two was recovered by the Pioneers near the Byron sideline. Bears players and coaches were animatedly adamant a Hill-Murray player touched the ball before it went 10 yards.The officials gathered.And talked.And talked.And talked a little more before ruling a Pioneer did touc...

High school football: Centennial tops Rosemount to reach state semis for first time since 1984

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:40 GMT

Centennial made program history Thursday in Stillwater, while exacting a little revenge in the process.The Cougars bounced third-seeded Rosemount 24-0 in the Class 6A state quarterfinals to reach the semifinals for the first time since 1984. Centennial will meet the winner of the East Ridge-Lakeville South quarterfinal — which will be played Friday — next Thursday at U.S. Bank Stadium with a trip to the Prep Bowl on the line.Thursday’s result came a year after Rosemount beat Centennial 27-0 in the same round. But Centennial left no doubt as to who was the superior team this season.In two games between the two squads this season, Centennial outscored the Irish 33-0, shutting out Rosemount both times.Centennial’s 9-0 victory in Week 7 came on a night where the Cougars lost three fumbles. There were no such mistakes Thursday. Centennial dominated the night from the outset.The Cougars defense was relentless, stifling Rosemount’s Wing-T offense. The Irish ran for just 1...

Brock Faber falls on his sword after Wild’s 4-1 loss to Rangers

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:40 GMT

NEW YORK — Brock Faber fell on his sword after the Wild’s 4-1 loss Thursday to the New York Rangers, and it’s true: The go-ahead goal was scored 3 on 1 after the rookie defenseman’s unsuccessful pinch early in the third period.But it’s hard to put Minnesota’s loss on the rookie defenseman. Not when the Wild were outshot 14-2 in a lethargic first period, the latest in a series of slow starts for Minnesota this season.The Wild dominated the second period and tied the game on Brandon Duhaime’s redirect of a Faber shot, but that was the extent of their offense.Evason wasn’t inclined to blame the loss on the Wild’s start.“They obviously came out hard, and pushed, and we weathered it and got to our game. It happens, right?” Wild coach Dean Evason said. “Their team’s trying to win, too. Would we like to have the second period in the first? Sure. But there’s another team on the ice, as well.”Alexis Lafrenière broke the tie 1:41 into the third period, and Blake Wheeler all but put Minnesota ...

Vermont town preserving cemetery history online

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 18:14:40 GMT

SHAFTSBURY, V.T. (NEWS10) -History in the town of Shaftsbury is being preserved online one gravestone at a time. Burial records have been digitized by just a single person in the cemetery department for a year and a half.Jen Holley is saving all of this data for future generations. As the current cemetery superintendent, her love for coding led to the modern approach."The person I took over from was here for twenty years. He was a great guy, but he didn't use a computer," joked Holley. Real Estate Agent catches land selling scam Over 10,000 lots are among the sixteen public and private cemeteries on file. Not all are in use yet, and these graves go as far back as the 1800's."We need to protect our records. From the past and going forward. In doing so, we have created a whole new department," described HolleyThe town uses the program Cemify to upload files and locations of each grave. Holley says families do not even have to know what cemetery their loved one is buried in. "They ca...