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New mobile app aims to reduce foster parent, case worker turnover

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:59 GMT

Austin (KXAN) — A Central-Texas-based nonprofit has launched a mobile app aimed to reduce the volume of paperwork and documentation required for foster parents to keep up. This is in an effort to reduce the rate at which foster parents and case workers leave the system.The Miracle Foundation officially launched its FosterShare app this month. Leslie Beasley, the CEO, said research and development on the app started two years ago but was already being used by more than 100 Texas foster-care agencies.She said the app was a "one-stop-shop" of sorts for its users. It tracks and documents everything from daily behavior logs to medication log records.Beasley said the app has been piloted in Texas but 5 other states have expressed interest in using it as well.She said the overall goal was to make life easier for foster parents and reduce trauma for foster children."What we discovered is: the system is severely stressed and there’s a high volume of paperwork and documentation to maintain. T...

Austin toy store to celebrate anniversary with new location

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:59 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin’s iconic toy retailer Toy Joy will celebrate its 36th anniversary this summer with a new location in the Brentwood/Allendale neighborhood. They plan to open on Saturday, July 1.The store will take the place of the building formerly occupied by Karavel Shoes. Juice Consulting said it’s 50% larger than the previous north central location on Airport Boulevard, which was its home for five years.Toy Joy’s sister business, Yummi Joy, will be co-located at the new location with an expanded format and more offerings.The locations of Toy Joy and Yummi Joy on West Second Street will remain in the same spots where they have been for the past 10 years.

Behind All-Star candidates, Orioles beat Blue Jays, 4-2, for fifth straight AL East series win

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:59 GMT

Only three major league pitchers have surrendered more home runs this season than Baltimore right-hander Tyler Wells. Fortunately for the Orioles, they were facing one of them Thursday.After Danny Jansen’s second home run of the afternoon off Wells in the top of the fifth, Adley Rutschman tied the game with a solo home run off Toronto Blue Jays left-hander Yusei Kikuchi to open the frame’s bottom half. Rutschman’s third hit of the game came an inning later, the second of three straight two-out singles off reliever Yimi García that gave Baltimore a one-run lead it held onto over the final three innings.Austin Hays, who provided the first of those hits, provided insurance with a solo home run in the eighth.With the rubber-game victory, the Orioles (43-25) improved to 5-1 against the Blue Jays this season and won their fifth straight series against an American League East opponent. It’s the first time Baltimore has achieved that feat in a single season sinc...

Minnesota recorded 70 fire deaths in 2022, the highest number since 1995

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:59 GMT

Minnesota has seen an increase in fire deaths since 2018 with 70 fatalities in 2022, the highest number since 1995.So far in 2023 there have been 19 fire-related deaths, according to the Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division. At this time last year there had been 17.“Many (of these deaths) stem from lifestyle and behavioral decisions,” said Interim State Fire Marshal Amanda Swenson. The state fire marshal keeps data on fire-related deaths on their web site at https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/sfm/Pages/Fire-Deaths.aspx.Forty fires were labeled undetermined. Of those, in which the cause was determined nine were a result of careless smoking including smoking while on oxygen or falling asleep without properly extinguishing a cigarette. Thirteen were vehicle crashes resulting in fires and three were from gas leaks. Other categories include accidental and intentional.Of all the deaths 29 involved alcohol or drugs, prescription or illegal.Greater Minnesota accounted for 59% of dead...

OCM fining illicit shops as CAURD licenses roll out

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:59 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (WTEN) -- The office of Cannabis Management has approved an additional 36 Conditional Adult Use Recreational Dispensary licenses. Seven of those are from the Finger Lakes Region, where a now settled lawsuit, previously held up the licensing process. There are 13 retail dispensaries open for business statewide with an additional two opening shop on Friday. One in Syracuse, and one in the Bronx which is delivery only, but will transition to full shop.  Hochul signs legislation to curb illicit cannabis market in NYS "What’s been exciting about watching this map expand is that we now literally have seeds of this retail market now planted right across the state from the bottom to the top of the state and this is going to continue to grow," said one member at the Cannabis Control Board meeting on Thursday. Last month, the Governor signed legislation to allow OCM to conduct raids on illicit shops. They've since issued notices of violation and fines of up to $10,000 a day, bu...

Albany Rural Cemetery hosting scavenger hunt and wine tasting

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:59 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The Albany Rural Cemetery will be hosting an adult scavenger hunt and wine tasting. The event will run from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on June 21. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! The evening of fun and education will have an age requirement of 18+ to attend. Participants will register a team of up to 4 people and will be given instructions and clues. Team start times will be recorded, with the scavenger hunt taking place within a restricted area of the cemetery. Entries must be turned in by 7:30 p.m. for scoring, and a prize will be given out to the team with the most correct answers. Berkshire Mountains Faerie Festival opening in Adams The scavenger hunt is $15 per person, with snacks and water being provided. Stable Gate Winery will be offering a tasting of 3 wines for $10, with glasses and bottles of wine being available for purchase. Reservations can be made on Eventbrite. The rain date for the even...

Schroon Lake seniors camp at school as prank

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:59 GMT

SCHROON LAKE, N.Y. (NEWS10) — Usually, senior pranks live up to the name, and the Superintendent doesn't know about them ahead of time. But Dr. Harry Brooks, Interim Superintendent at Schroon Lake Central School, said his students are different. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! "The students did in fact test the waters," said Dr. Brooks. "They sent emails and texts, and they gave me a preview of what they might be doing." A master plan, complete with camping, balloons, and saran wrap. But the class didn't just leave the place trashed. Museum day camps for kids set in Glens Falls "By the end of the day, there was no trace left behind that they had even been there," said Schroon Lake Central School Principal, Kemm Pemrick. "So, they followed through on their half of the bargain." Pemrick added it was no surprise the class was so respectful. "This end-of-the-year prank is a demonstration of their maturity and the respect th...

Twitter worst among major social media platforms for LGBTQ safety, GLAAD says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:59 GMT

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — All major social media platforms do poorly at protecting LGBTQ+ users from hate speech and harassment—especially those who are transgender, non-binary or gender non-conforming, the advocacy group GLAAD said Thursday. But Twitter is the worst. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! LGBTQ+ advocates have long warned that online hate and harassment can lead to violence offline. But even when it does not, online abuse can take a toll on a person's mental health. In its annual Social Media Safety Index, GLAAD gave Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Twitter low or failing scores, saying the platforms don't do enough to keep their users safe.That said, most improved from a year ago. Twitter, which was acquired by Tesla CEO Elon Musk last October, was the only exception. GLAAD's scorecard called it “the most dangerous platform for LGBTQ people" and the only one that saw its scores decline from last year. Once-...

Man charged in shooting that killed 19-year-old, injured 3 others

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:59 GMT

ST. LOUIS – The St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office has charged a man in connection with a shooting in April that left a 19-year-old dead and three teenagers injured.According to Evita Caldwell, a spokeswoman for the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department, the shooting happened just after 10:15 p.m. on April 26, in the 2800 block of Chippewa Street.Police claim the four victims were inside a truck that was reversing on Chippewa Street when a suspect fired shots. The driver, Kobe Dotson, then struck a fire hydrant, causing both driver’s side doors to be ripped off. Dotson then crashed into a home. A Missouri doctor’s death is steeped in mystery and speculation. Authorities aren’t talking Dotson suffered gunshot wounds and was also ejected from the vehicle after the crash. He was pronounced dead at a local hospital. Three teenagers—two 16-year-old girls and a 15-year-bold boy—suffered minor injuries in the incident.Homicide detectives eventually arrested Clyde Sanders, 34, for the...

7 Kansas City firefighters injured battling large warehouse fire

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:31:59 GMT

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Seven firefighters were injured as more than 160 firefighters from dozens of units battled a fire that consumed a wood pallet-building business.Firefighters responded to burning warehouse near Monroe and Nicholson Avenues in Kansas City's Northeast Industrial District shortly after 12 p.m. Thursday. The fire department said three of the firefighters went to hospitals for treatment. Another four firefighters were treated at the scene.Firefighters searched the building and then moved out of the building to tackle the fire."They moved into a defensive posture, meaning they put the ladder sticks up all the way to the top and extended them and we have a large amount of water," Jason Spreitzer, KCFD, said.A YouTube Shorts video from Brandon Wood shows a view of the fire smoke from the inside of an airplane over Kansas City.Pretty ominous from the air. Saw it on the way out of town. https://t.co/bzMK6Kbcdh— Brandon Wood ☕️ (@BrandonWouldnt) June 15, 2023 "The whole yard...