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UT Austin launches pilot housing scholarship program

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:24 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – The University of Texas at Austin launched a pilot housing scholarship program to offset student housing costs up to $1,800 per academic year, with a priority on first-year students. Eligible students are those qualified for free or reduced tuition through Texas Advance Commitment (TAC) and elect to live in the university residence halls.“We have already made progress in reducing and, in some cases, eliminating the cost of tuition for our students who can least afford it, through programs such as the Texas Advance Commitment,” said UT Austin President Jay Hartzell. “Now we are actively working to identify new and more expansive solutions to mitigate the rising cost of Austin’s housing market, which has become a more acute financial barrier. This pilot program is the next step in our strategic effort to support our students in new ways.” The scholarship is available to offset housing costs for an estimated 3,500 eligible students. Scholarships will be awarded in order...

Beginning April 25, southbound U.S. Highway 61 converts to single lane in Cottage Grove

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:24 GMT

The Minnesota Department of Transportation announced that at 6 a.m., Tuesday, U.S. Highway 61 going southbound between 70th Street and U.S. Highway 10 near the Cottage Grove area will be reduced to a single lane, in an effort to repair concrete damages.The lane is expected to reopen as a two-way lane at 11 p.m. on May 8.After southbound U.S. 61 is repaired, the northbound roadway will be reduced to single-lane at 9 a.m.,on  May 8 and reopen May 22 in order to complete the concrete repair project.Further road updates and information can be found at 511mn.org.Related ArticlesNews | White Bear Lake ice-out contest winners announced News | MDH: Test water from private wells for contamination if flooded News | Washington County takes steps to complete highway connection by taking over road in Oak Park Heights News | Woodbury works to clean up ‘forever chemicals,’ as federal, state agencies eye new standards News ...

AmeriCorps launches summer program to support youth, homeless and environment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:24 GMT

AmeriCorps, a federal agency that hires service members and volunteers to complete community projects, is launching a seasonal program dedicated to providing Minnesotans the opportunity to provide support to youth, people experiencing homelessness and the environment.More than 400 positions are available in 48 communities statewide within the Summer Impact Corps for 12 weeks this summer. More than half of all placements will be in the Twin Cities metro, according to an email statement from AmeriCorps. Potential positions include tutoring students, supporting nonprofit and state agencies in mitigating climate change and connecting people experiencing homelessness to housing services.Corps members must be at least 17-years-old, with some positions requiring members to be at least 18, and have graduated from high school. The corps requires no specific experience, and members will be trained, the statement said.Members will earn a stipend of $6,600 along with $1,374 for those who need a...

Jets' Barron receives 75-plus stitches after skate to face

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:24 GMT

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Winnipeg Jets forward Morgan Barron took a skate to his face Tuesday night, requiring more than 75 stitches, but he returned to the ice less than a period later. Barron was injured in the first period during a big scramble in front of the Vegas Golden Knights' net in Game 1 of the teams' Western Conference first-round series, which Winnipeg won 5-1. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! As players collapsed around the front of the net in pursuit of a loose puck, Vegas goalie Laurent Brossoit's skate cut Barron. “I was trying to figure out if the puck went in because it was pretty close,” Barron said. “I saw the skate coming. It was an unlucky play. The first thought was that I could see out of the (right) eye was the main thing."Barron immediately went to the Jets' locker room but returned in the second period wearing a full cage on his head. “Looks like he got attacked by a shark," center Adam Lowry said. “It's ...

$1M bond remains for man accused of killing St. Charles woman

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:24 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - The man accused of killing a St. Charles woman appeared in St. Louis County Circuit Court on Wednesday for a pre-trial hearing. A judge ruled Joseph Dejoie will remain jailed on a $1 million cash-only bond, per the recommendation of county prosecutors.Dejoie, 49, is charged with second-degree murder, tampering with physical evidence in a felony prosecution, and abandonment of a corpse. Police and prosecutors claim Dejoie murdered Jacquelyn “Jacque” Elizabeth Mitchell in his Maryland Heights apartment in the 2200 block of Palestra Drive, sometime between March 15 and March 20.Mitchell was last seen on March 14. Her family said she went to Maggie O’Brien’s in Sunset Hills around 7 p.m. to grab a bite to eat after work. She was reported missing to St. Charles police on Thursday, March 16. Top story: Trial date set in case to remove Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner Police from Maryland Heights and St. Charles launched a cooperative investigation, which led to the d...

Police: Maine man killed parents before firing on motorists

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:24 GMT

By PATRICK WHITTLE and DAVID SHARP (Associated Press)BOWDOIN, Maine (AP) — A man confessed to killing four people, including his parents, and then firing on motorists on a busy interstate highway, just days after being released from prison, police said Wednesday. Law enforcement officials released more information including identities of the victims of the shootings Tuesday at a home in Bowdoin and 25 miles (40 kilometers) to the south on the highway in Yarmouth, Maine. Joseph Eaton, 34, had been released Friday from the Maine Correctional Center in Windham, where he was picked up by his mother after completing a sentence for aggravated assault, police said. That crime was serious enough to prevent him from possessing a gun in Maine.The shootings in Maine began in the small town of Bowdoin, where four people were killed Tuesday, with three bodies discovered in a home and one in a barn, police said. Then a chaotic scene developed in which shots were fired at vehicles on Interst...

Four proposals to reduce Colorado’s ozone pollution and improve air quality, explained

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:24 GMT

If there’s one thing that can be agreed upon when it comes to protecting Colorado’s environment, it’s that the state must act to clean its air. But there are widespread ideas on how to do that.This spring, multiple plans from politicians, environmental activists and state agencies have been announced — all with the goal to bring Colorado into compliance with the federal Clean Air Act by reducing ground-level ozone pollution.Colorado needs improvement after the Environmental Protection Agency last year declared Denver and the northern Front Range were in “severe non-attainment” of federal ozone standards, leading to higher gas prices and more regulations on industry.Already, the Front Range has recorded its first high ozone day of 2023.On April 11, an air monitoring station in Evergreen recorded ozone concentrations at 71 parts per billion, narrowly exceeding the federal daily standard of 70 parts per billion, said Jeremy Nichols, climate director ...

Many Los Angeles County residents dissatisfied with the quality of life, UCLA study says

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:24 GMT

Many Los Angeles County residents aren’t too happy with the overall quality of life in the area, according to a new study from UCLA.The findings come from the Quality of Life Index, a Los Angeles project Initiative at the UCLA Luskin School of Public Affairs that created ratings based on satisfaction levels in nine categories.NeighborhoodHealth CareRelations between people of different races, ethnicities and religionsPublic SafetyJobs/ EconomyTransportation and TrafficEducationCost of LivingL.A. County’s rating improved by two points this year over last year, from 53 to 55, researchers said.Researchers found that inflation remains a top concern for county residents who fear they won’t be able to afford housing or food as interest rates continue to increase. This California city is the ‘happiest’ place in America, study says Some residents found that their quality of life has also been affected by homeless encampments and believe that the pandemic left a lasting impact on the count...

Los Angeles dinged yet again by air-quality report

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:24 GMT

Los Angeles' parks, beaches, mountains and more offer plenty of changes to get some fresh air — well, maybe fresh isn't the right word.The American Lung Association's "State of the Air" report gave L.A. failing scores on ozone levels, 24-hour particle pollution and annual particle pollution."Residents in the region face some of the most polluted air in the country," said Will Barrett, senior director of National Clean Air Advocacy. "Despite decades of progress and cleanup, there's still a long way to go." ‘The difference is astonishing’: Graph shows how much better California smog is now Nearly 10 million Angelenos are endangered by air pollution, including more than 2 million children and 1.4 million seniors. More than 7.3 million are people of color, and nearly 1.4 million live in poverty.Statewide, 38.5 million Californians live in a county that got an F from the ALA, according to the Los Angeles Times.The California Air Resources Board will consider two air-related measures ne...

Lofi Girl’s Stunning Synthwave Surprise: A New Wave of Innovation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:22:24 GMT

Lofi Girl has done it again! The brand has enamored the music industry through the debut of its Synthwave 24/7 livestream. The much-anticipated launch has generated widespread excitement among its 12 million fans and music lovers worldwide. The captivating new music genre relies heavily on synthesizers with sounds from the 1980s.The project debuted in a 24-hour livestream event, and once again, Lofi Girl has proven its status as a trailblazer in lo-fi beats and anime aesthetics. Fans were transfixed by a strange blue window in a nearby building for 24 hours before the new character and project were revealed, creating a massive social media buzz.Designed by the talented artists at Lofi Studio, the new character is a change from the familiar anime girl while still oozing the approachable charm fans love about Lofi Girl. The Synthwave livestream offers a diverse range of ambient music that is perfect for studying, gaming, or unwinding. The tracks have been carefully curated to delight ...