Home

Registered sex offender accused of finding 10-year-old victim on Snapchat, arrested in Hays County

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:58 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for July 7, 2023HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — A registered sex offender was arrested in Hays County Sunday in connection with child sex trafficking, according to the Hays County Sheriff’s Office.HCSO said 24-year-old Diego Alejandro Cortez was taken into custody in Kyle and charged with harboring a runaway child, a Class A misdemeanor. An additional charge of child trafficking to engage in sexual conduct, a first-degree felony, was later added, according to officials.Cortez does not have an attorney listed online.HCSO said Cortez was accused of enticing a 10-year-old victim to leave her home, and on more than one occasion, having sex with the missing child as well as other children in and around San Antonio.“Based on information provided, investigators know Cortez met his potential victims online, through the social media platform Snapchat, and would portray himself as a young teen in attempt to gain their trust,” HC...

Lawmakers to hear from public on property tax relief

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:58 GMT

AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- A special committee of Texas House lawmakers on Friday will hear public testimony regarding a slate of new legislation aimed at cutting property taxes.The House Select Study Committee on Sustainable Property Tax Relief convenes at the Capitol at 11:00 Friday morning to hear testimony "only on methods to reduce the tax burden of appraisal increases on all real property."Speaker Dade Phelan created that committee amid a months-long standoff on a deal to lower property taxes. He was a primary supporter of legislation to cap the amount that a property's appraisal value can increase each year, but that idea fell flat in the Texas Senate.The two chambers are now at odds over the strategies the state should employ to lower property taxes, primarily whether the raise the homestead exemption to $100,000. That is the Texas Senate's top priority, but Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas House have supported legislation without it.The House select committee consists of eight Repub...

U.S. hiring slows: 209,000 jobs added in June, unemployment at 3.6%

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:58 GMT

America’s employers pulled back on hiring but still delivered another month of solid gains in June, adding 209,000 jobs, a sign that the economy’s resilience is confounding the Federal Reserve’s drive to slow growth and inflation.The latest evidence of economic strength makes it all but certain that the Fed will resume its interest rate hikes later this month after having ended a streak of 10 rate increases that have been intended to curb high inflation.The June hiring figure reported by the government Friday is the smallest in 2 1/2 years. But it still points to a durable labor market that has produced a historically high number of advertised openings. The unemployment rate fell from 3.7% to 3.6%, near a five-decade low.Most of the details in the report underscored the job market’s durability. The length of the average work week edged up, a sign that customer demand is strong enough to keep employees busy. And wage growth accelerated: Hourly pay is up 4.4% from a year ago. Wa...

Swimming closed at Brown's Beach on Saratoga Lake

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:58 GMT

STILLWATER, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Town of Stillwater, along with the New York State Department of Health (DOH), has closed swimming at Brown's Beach on Saratoga Lake until further notice. This is due to potential harmful blue-green algae blooms in the water. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "This has never happened at Brown's Beach ever," said Town Supervisor Ed Kinowski.On June 21, a potential harmful algae bloom was spotted in the water at Brown's Beach. Swimming at the beach was shut down until the bloom could be tested by DOH. After the test results came back negative, swimming resumed on June 27.However, that only lasted a few days. Kinowski had to close swimming at the beach again on July 6 after another potential harmful algae bloom was spotted. Dick’s House of Sport in Latham sets grand opening Kinowski has contacted DOH, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, and the New York State Department of Environmental Co...

Niskayuna Farmers Market returns for the season

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:58 GMT

NISKAYUNA, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Niskayuna Farmers Market will be returning for its fifth season. The market's opening day is July 8. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The annual market will feature goods from local farmers and vendors, ranging from fresh produce and baked goods to handmade crafts and potted houseplants. The market's return will be celebrated with opening day activities, including lawn games, a bounce house, and live music by Kurt Siegel. The Farmers Market is held at Niskayuna Town Hall, located at 1 Niskayuna Circle. The events will run from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. every Saturday starting July 8 through October 14.

Herkimer County man found guilty of illegal dumping

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:58 GMT

MINDEN, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- A Herkimer County man was found guilty of illegally disposing of garbage on private property in Minden. The suspect was fined $2,000. The complainant property owner will receive $500 for restitution and damages. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Environmental Conservation Officer Willson launched an investigation into illegal dumping in October 2022. ECO Willson located several garbage bags with information that led back to an address in Herkimer County.ECO Willson interviewed an individual at the residence. The man claimed that he had cleaned out garbage from his girlfriend's new home but had properly disposed of the trash. ECO Willson told the individual that the trash was illegally dumped in Minden.The subject then changed his tune and claimed that a friend took the trash. When asked for the friend's contact information, he claimed a "friend of a friend" had taken the garbage. Since there was no co...

Blood drives coming to the North Country this summer

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:58 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - A series of blood drives is coming to the Saratoga and Glens Falls areas in the coming weeks. Spearheaded by New York State Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner, the drives will cover parts of the 113th Assembly District with the aim of adding more to New York's donated blood supply. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! “Local blood centers need our help," said Woerner in a release. "Their stocks are critically low, so please consider donating. These drives allow upstate New Yorkers to give back to their communities. From emergencies to cancer treatments, blood is needed for a variety of medical procedures. I encourage community members in good health to attend one of my blood drives this summer to help save lives.”Drive dates and locations include:Friday, July 71-6 p.m.St. Michael's Roman Catholic Church, 80 Saratoga Ave., South Glens FallsWednesday, Aug. 91-6 p.m.Kingsbury Fire Department, 3715 Burgoyne Ave., H...

State Police issue nearly 13K tickets during July 4 STOP-DWI campaign

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:58 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- New York State Police issued a total of 12,991 tickets statewide during their July 4 STOP-DWI enforcement campaign. Police say the enforcement period began on Friday, June 30, and ended on Wednesday, July 5. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Police say they arrested 193 people for DWI and investigated 949 crashes, which included 158 personal injury crashes and five fatalities. State Police saw an increase in tickets during this year's enforcement period, jumping from 12,106 in 2022. The campaign, which was funded by the Governor's Traffic Safety Committee, utilized sobriety checkpoints, additional DWI patrol, and also ticketed distracted drivers for using electronic devices. Troopers also targeted speeding and aggressive drivers across the state and released a breakdown of how tickets were distributed. Troy Police identify homicide victim Speeding - 4,671Distracted driving - 322Seatbelt violations ...

Two charged in shooting death of 10-year-old in Belleville

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:58 GMT

BELLEVILLE, Ill. - Two men face criminal charges after a ten-year-old boy was fatally shot inside his Belleville home Monday. Prosecutors have charged Jaylen P. Nicks, 26, of Florissant, Missouri, and Devin M. Dunbar, 26, of Spanish Lake, Missouri with first-degree murder in the investigation. Mayor refuses to talk about expired tags until he gets 25 push-ups Nicks and Dunbar are accused in the shooting death of Brandon Scott, which happened around 10 p.m. Monday in the 1800 block of Roosevelt Avenue."This unfortunate and tragic event has not only touched his family, but a community as a whole," said Shane Brown, Master Sergeant of the Belleville Police Department. "Brandon Scott lost out on the opportunity to live out a prosperous life due to senseless acts of those who are charged in this investigation. The Major Case Squad followed up on 50 leads and worked with the Illinois State Police Crime Lab team in locating and processing evidence. Close Thanks fo...

Flaherty deals as Cardinals avoid four-game sweep in Miami

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:13:58 GMT

MIAMI (AP) — Jack Flaherty hoped to take control of Thursday's series finale against the Miami Marlins right away.“I wanted to set the tone in inning one," the Cardinals right-hander said. "You just can’t coast into the game. You have to come out and do it right away.”Flaherty pitched shutout ball for his second straight start to help the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Miami Marlins 3-0 to avoid a series sweep.St. Louis dropped the first three games of the series. Two were one-run defeats, including a 10-9 walk-off loss Wednesday night.Flaherty (6-5) struck out five, walked two and allowed nine hits. He also threw six scoreless innings against the New York Yankees on July 1 and has lowered his ERA from 4.95 to 4.27 in the two starts.Chris Stratton replaced Flaherty in the seventh after Miami loaded the bases on a pair of two-out singles and a walk. Stratton got Jesús Sánchez to hit into an inning-ending forceout.Despite Flaherty giving up the two singles to Luis Arraez and one to Jorg...