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Climate change, costly disasters sent Texas homeowner insurance rates skyrocketing this year

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:20:45 GMT

AUSTIN (Texas Tribune) — Insurance companies across Texas have dramatically increased home insurance rates this year, state filings show, as climate change spooks executives and inflation pushes up costs to rebuild after natural disasters.Texas is prone to hurricanes and flooding, both of which are made more severe by climate change. Now insurance companies are becoming increasingly concerned about more powerful thunderstorms that are wrecking homes with flooding, hail and strong winds, analysts and experts said.And as both the impacts of climate change and inflation have worsened over the last couple of years, insurers have “less of an appetite” for taking chances in catastrophe-prone states, said Tim Zawacki, an insurance industry principal research analyst for S&P Global.The impacts are being felt on homeowner’s pocketbooks: Insurance rates in Texas have skyrocketed 22% since the beginning of this year according to an S&P Global analysis of Texas Department of Insurance d...

KXAN LIVE, Raul Meza Case: The Field Search

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:20:45 GMT

KXAN crime reporter Brianna Hollis and digital reporter Sam Stark dive into the investigations into Raul Meza Jr. on “KXAN Live: The Meza Case” to give you a look behind the curtain at the team’s coverage. You can watch the streams live on Thursday mornings at 10:30 a.m.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Raul Meza, 62, is a convicted murderer who now faces charges in the 2019 death of his neighbor and the May 2023 death of an 80-year-old man.TIMELINE: What we know of Raul Meza’s criminal historyThe Austin Police Department arrested him in May after he called and confessed to the murder of Jesse Fraga, 80, of Pflugerville, and implicated himself in the death of Gloria Lofton, 65, of east Austin.Meza’s criminal history dates back to his juvenile years and includes a murder conviction in the death of 8-year-old Kendra Page, who he killed while on parole for an aggravated robbery sentence.Brianna and Sam address the following topics in this week’s episode:What did police find in the July field search...

UMD senior defensive lineman dies of genetic heart condition

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:20:45 GMT

DULUTH, Minn. (AP) — Reed Ryan, a senior defensive lineman at the University of Minnesota Duluth, has died of a genetic heart condition, his family says.Ryan, who was 22, died Tuesday at a Duluth hospital. His obituary said he went into cardiac arrest one week earlier following a football team workout in the weight room. Until then, no one knew about the heart condition.His obituary said he was “doing what he loved” and had “lived life to the fullest in his short years.” His pursuits included running an online vintage store.Ryan graduated from Waunakee High School in 2019 and was the State of Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Year. He started out at North Dakota State University, before coming to the University of Minnesota Duluth this year. During the season, he recorded seven tackles and assisted with an eighth.“He helped bring out the best in others with his positive attitude, infectious smile, and genuine care for the people around him,” head football coach Curt Wiese said in a ...

Fort Ticonderoga Reenactments: The Noble Train begins

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:20:45 GMT

TICONDEROGA, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- On December 16, stop by Fort Ticonderoga to witness an iconic moment in the Revolutionary War being brought to life. The reenactment will focus on General Henry Knox and his quest to move massive cannons from Ticonderoga to Boston, which aided the Siege of Boston. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! “See history come alive with this lively recreation of one of America’s most iconic stories of the Revolutionary War,” said Beth L. Hill, Fort Ticonderoga President and CEO. “Step into Fort Ticonderoga, a center of supply and command for the Northern Department of the Continental Army during the early years of the Revolutionary War. Witness the power of artillery as soldiers prepare for war against the British and walk alongside teamsters and their massive oxen as they move cannons weighing up to a ton each.”Knox’s “noble artillery train”—ordered by Continental Army Commander in Chief George Washington t...

Rock duo Loveless to perform at Empire Live

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:20:45 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Empire Live announced they will be hosting a performance by Los Angeles-based rock duo Loveless. The concert is scheduled for March 12, 2024. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The band has put out two full studio albums since their founding in 2020, with their latest release being "Picasso", a three song project that came out at the end of September. The show is set to begin at 8 p.m. Empire Live is located at 93 North Pearl Street in Albany. You can buy Loveless tickets online through the Ticketmaster website when they go on sale to the general public on December 1.

Feura Bush man pleads guilty to grand larceny charge

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:20:45 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Kenneth Frodyma Jr., 40, of Feura Bush, pleaded guilty to second-degree grand larceny on Monday. Frodyma is accused of stealing $1.29M from the Polish American Citizens Club, where he served as the financial secretary and treasurer. Get the latest news, weather, sports and entertainment delivered right to your inbox! The indictment alleges that he wrote unauthorized checks and made cash withdrawals between August 11, 2017, and December 1. Sentencing has been adjourned for a year to allow for the defendant to pay restitution. Frodyma was sentenced on his own recognizance. He faces four to twelve years in prison.

Victim beaten, forced into labor in St. Charles County for months; three charged

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:20:45 GMT

ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. - Three men face criminal charges in St. Charles County after they allegedly held a victim captive for several months, repeatedly beat him, and forced him into labor, according to court documents obtained Thursday by FOX 2. Prosecutors have charged Venkatesh R. Sattaru, Sravanvarma Penumetcha and Nikhil V. Penmatsa in connection with the investigation. Court documents state that Sattaru is a cousin of the victim, described as a 20-year-old Indian national. Police confirmed the victim is a brother-in-law of one of the other suspects, Tow truck operator killed in Illinois served as volunteer firefighter Per court documents, authorities learned of these allegations during a recent wellness check in Defiance, Missouri. Investigators say the victim came out the front door pleading for help and had suffered multiple scars and bruises. Sattaru, Penumetcha and Penmatsa were arrested moments later. The St. Charles County Police Department confirmed this incident wa...

Man who hit St. Charles officer with SUV gets 5-year sentence

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:20:45 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- Ameer Raff-Covington, 32, was sentenced to 63 months in prison on November 30 for hitting a St. Charles police officer with his SUV while fleeing arrest.On July 11, 2022, officers from the St. Charles Police Department responded to a call at a Waffle House, finding Raff-Covington passed out behind the wheel of a Mazda SUV. Prior information suggested he had been involved in an earlier argument with a waitress.After officers woke Raff-Covington up, he refused to exit the SUV, and gave them "false information." As officers attempted to arrest him, he reversed the SUV, hitting an officer in the knee and pinning him between his car and another vehicle, according to Raff-Covington’s plea agreement.During the incident, Raff-Covington also collided with two vehicles and two Ameren electrical boxes. He stopped when officers held him at gunpoint. Upon his arrest, a stolen Glock handgun was found between the driver’s seat and the center console.

Verdict reached after six-years in fatal St. Louis crash

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:20:45 GMT

ST. LOUIS -- After waiting six years, the family of Daniel Gregory Domain, 62, has now received a verdict. A speeding driver caused a traffic accident that resulted in his death. The jury convicted Mahdi Salah Gayar, 23, of first-degree involuntary manslaughter in the death of Domian on December 9, 2017. At the time of the incident, Gayar, a 17-year-old, was traveling on Gravois Avenue in his 2008 blue Maserati GranTurismo at a speed that was almost three times the 30 mph posted limit when he hit Domian's pickup truck. Domian was turning onto Kings Drive in the Princeton Heights neighborhood, where he lived. The ‘center’ of Missouri isn’t too far from Jefferson City Gayar has a history of driving recklessly in densely populated areas, including Clayton, Town and Country, Sunset Hills, Shrewsbury, and Bella Villa. He has committed multiple speeding violations, driven carelessly, failed to yield to an emergency vehicle, driven without a license, driven without insurance, and driven ...

Federal Boulevard closed at West 10th Avenue in Denver for pedestrian crash

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 11:20:45 GMT

Federal Boulevard is closed at West 10th Avenue due to a crash involving serious injuries, according to the Denver Police Department.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Colorado road conditions: I-70 reopens near Silverthorne Crime and Public Safety | Motorcyclist killed in hit-and-run crash on Speer in West Highland overnight Crime and Public Safety | Train derailment north of Central City in Gilpin County delays Amtrak trains, officials say Crime and Public Safety | Woman charged in crash that killed Littleton middle school student Crime and Public Safety | Woman dies after being struck by Cadillac on East Montview Boulevard in Aurora The crash between the driver and pedestrian resulted in serious injuries, Denver police posted on X at 12:18 p.m. The driver remained on scene.Alternate routes are advised, according to the department.This is a developing story. Sign up to get crime news sent straig...