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Forensic Science Dept. addresses concerns from District Attorney's Office

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:50:56 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- In July, the Travis County District Attorney's Office sent a letter to the Forensic Science Department expressing concerns of "potential significant violations," primarily centered around material the forensic science department has “previously improperly withheld.”On Wednesday, KXAN received the Forensic Science Department's response through an open records request. The response addressed specific examples in which the DA's office said the Forensic Science Department did not disclose information about certain concerns in a timely manner. Some of the items of concern the DA's office expressed in its original letter include:An email from a supervisor detailing lack of confidence in an analyst to perform their job dutiesCriminal conduct allegations by staff membersWithholding errors discovered by staff membersLack of supervision, which resulted in evidence not entering a chain of custody for two yearsAccording to the Forensic Science Department, the agency did disclos...

CDC: Health care workers facing mental health crisis

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:50:56 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A new report from the CDC suggests that burnout and experiences of workplace harassment have been increasing for U.S. healthcare workers in recent years, leading to a mental health crisis. Researchers surveyed healthcare workers in 2018 and 2022. They found that in four years, twice as many health workers reported workplace harassment, feelings of burnout increased by 32%, more healthcare workers endorsed worse mental health conditions and nearly half of the survey respondents were looking for new work, according to the study.The researchers pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic already exacerbated an already burnt-out healthcare workforce. “We depend on our nation’s health workers, and they must be supported. Employers can act now by modifying working conditions associated with burnout and poor mental health outcomes in health settings. And, CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) will be launching a national campaign—the Impact Wel...

BYU bringing charitable tailgate to Austin during UT game

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:50:56 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- In its first season in the Big 12 Conference, Brigham Young University's Cougars are bringing a new kind of tailgating to Longhorns territory.Members of BYU Alumni have organized "Cougs Care" pregame tailgates at away games, coordinating with local nonprofit organizations and community leaders to fundraise and collect food, books, toys and other essential goods. This Saturday, Central Texas BYU alums will host a holiday gift drive in benefit of the Travis County Sheriff's Brown Santa initiative. It'll be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, located at 2111 Parker Lane in Austin.Debbie Talbot, BYU's Austin alumni chair, told KXAN the university has more than 2,000 alumni living in the Central Texas area, along with 174 Central Texas natives attending BYU. She said the tailgates are a means of breathing life into BYU's motto: "Enter to learn, go forth to serve.""Any time we can be together, we like to try and do somet...

Vision Zero report finds drug, alcohol use undercounted in Austin traffic fatality victims

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:50:56 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- An October Vision Zero report found state crash reports undercounted the prevalence in drug and alcohol use in Austin traffic fatality victims compared to toxicology analyses from the Travis County Medical Examiner's Office.The research analyzed findings from TCME and compared it to analysis collected by the Texas Department of Transportation's crash records information system database, with those typically referred to as CR-3 forms. While Vision Zero's analysis doesn't mean the presence of drugs or alcohol was "a causal factor in all of these crashes," program officials stressed the need to consider more than just crash reports when looking for trends in fatal traffic crashes.Between Jan. 1, 2018 and Dec. 31, 2022, Vision Zero found there were 448 fatal crash victims within Austin's jurisdiction in Travis County. When broken down, that includes 12 cyclist fatalities, 56 passenger fatalities, 38 motorcyclist fatalities, 175 pedestrian fatalities, 161 driver fataliti...

Twins position breakdown: outfield

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:50:56 GMT

The Twins traded for Michael A. Taylor in late January, expecting he would serve as a backup for Byron Buxton. Instead, Taylor played in 129 games and Buxton did not see a single inning in center field.Over in the corner outfield spots, right fielder Max Kepler overcame a slow start to the season to become one of the Twins’ most productive players, and Matt Wallner established himself in left field.2023 RECAPWhen the Twins first devised a plan ahead of last season to ease Buxton in, the expectation was that he would start the season at DH and then eventually shift back to the outfield when his knee allowed.That never happened.It wasn’t until the very end of the season that the Twins tried Buxton out in center field — and that was in a single minor-league game. With Buxton out of the center field picture, that opened up every-day playing time for Taylor, where the former Gold Glover played Buxton-level defense and contributed a career-high 21 home runs.Willi Castro also logged more t...

St. Paul Northern Iron and Machine fined over $41K by Minnesota Pollution Control Agency

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:50:56 GMT

Northern Iron and Machine foundry in St. Paul was fined $41,500 by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency for air quality violations.An investigation carried out by the MPCA found Northern Iron had removed, modified or replaced pollution control equipment throughout the facility without updating its permits, according to a Tuesday news release from the agency.The foundry’s violations occurred over 15 years, the MPCA said, and over the course of five separate inspections the facility failed to disclose updates or changes made to the equipment.Located in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood at 867 N. Forest St., Northern Iron is a full service foundry that produces metal castings and machined parts and has St. Paul roots dating back to 1906.The inspections revealed that Northern Iron had removed and replaced emission units and control equipment and failed to recertify hoods after making changes that could lead to less efficient capturing of particulate matter, according to the MPCA.The found...

Drunken driver pleads guilty in South St. Paul crash that killed her ex, injured 2 others

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:50:56 GMT

An Eden Prairie woman has admitted to drunkenly crashing her minivan into an oncoming pickup in South St. Paul, killing her ex-husband and injuring two other people.Bobbie Jo Puttbrese, 53, pleaded guilty Tuesday to criminal vehicular homicide and two counts of criminal vehicular operation in the June 5 crash on Concord Street that killed Paul Edward Craven, a 60-year-old from St. Paul who had previously been married to Puttbrese.Bobbie Jo Puttbrese (Courtesy of Dakota County Sheriff’s Office)Puttbrese entered a “straight plea,” meaning there is no agreement between the defense and the prosecution on the terms of her sentence. Her sentencing has been set for Jan. 18.South St. Paul police collected surveillance video from a nearby business that showed Puttbrese’s minivan traveling south on Concord Street, crossing the centerline near Chestnut Street and colliding with the pickup, which was headed north, according to the complaint.A breath test revealed she had a blood-alcohol c...

Novelist Karen Dionne’s ‘The Marsh King’s Daughter’ hits the big screen

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:50:56 GMT

When novelist Karen Dionne learned her 2017 best-selling psychological thriller, “The Marsh King’s Daughter,” was being adapted into a movie, she had to pinch herself.“I’m pretty much black and blue from pinching myself and you can quote me on that!” said the former Shelby Township resident, laughing. “I have a fair number of writer friends whose books have been optioned. It’s not as rare as you think, but of those whose materials have been optioned and have been made (into a movie) – whether it’s in the theaters or went straight to streaming – is small. The number who have had it made (into a movie) for a theatrical release is smaller yet. I have no idea what the numbers are, but it’s definitely pinchworthy.”Karen DionneIn “The Marsh King’s Daughter,” Helena Pelletier is happily married with a loving husband and two beautiful daughters. But she has a dark past she hoped would stay buried. Her father, Jacob Holbrook, alias the Marsh King, abducted her mother and she was born two yea...

Beloved Saratoga police horse "King Tut" passes away

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:50:56 GMT

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A beloved member of the Saratoga Springs Police Department Mounted Unit is being remembered for his service to the community. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! King Tut was honored in a walk-out ceremony prior to his death.King Tut suddenly and unexpectedly passed away Tuesday. Many may recognize him from his 20 years of patrolling the streets and attending events in the Spa City.For two decades, King Tut stole hearts all over Saratoga. Whether he was patrolling Broadway with his late former partner, Jupiter, providing security at the Saratoga Race Course, or showing his therapeutic side at the farm, he made his presence known. He was the biggest horse in the mounted unit, yet no task was too small.King Tut at Therapeutic Horses of Saratoga“We could use him on Caroline Street after midnight, dealing with crowd control. The next morning we could bring him to the schools, let the kindergartners s...

Jury convicts sex offender on child pornography charges

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:50:56 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Gregory Kurzajczyk, 76, of East Durham, was convicted on four counts of child pornography charges following a three-day jury trial. He faces between 10 to 20 years in prison for the child porn charges and two more years for violating the supervised release conditions. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! Kurzajczyk is a convicted sex offender who spent three years in prison after being sentenced for child pornography charges in January 2017. He was released in October 2021 with a life term of supervised release.A United States Probation Officer located an unauthorized laptop during a routine home visit on February 16, 2022. Two more unauthorized laptops and dozens of hidden unauthorized computer devices were discovered. Two laptops and USB drives contained images and video files depicting children being sexually abused. Sentencing is scheduled for February 23, 2024.