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Ken adds to 'I love you so much' mural ahead of 'Barbie' movie release

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:51 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The iconic "I love you so much" mural on South Congress is becoming an even bigger draw for selfies after an update professes the love of one legendary toy to another. The mural, which is located on the north-facing wall of Jo's Coffee at the corner of South Congress and West James Street, now reads, "Barbie, I love you so much. -Ken." This sweetly destructive defacement is only temporary because it's part of a push to promote the hotly-anticipated release of the "Barbie" movie on July 21. The film, directed by Greta Gerwig, stars Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling as Barbie and Ken respectively. In the movie, the two dolls leave the imaginary Barbie Land to experience what the real world is like. The studio behind it, Warner Bros. Pictures, is on a marketing blitz that now includes a few stunts in the Texas capital. On Friday morning, people gathered to watch an unveiling and see the changes Ken made to the "I love you so much" mural. Dancers from Melody DanceFit, a loc...

ERCOT issues Weather Watch as forecast anticipates extreme, high temperatures

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:51 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Friday, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) issued a Weather Watch beginning Sunday until Tuesday due to forecasted higher temperatures, higher electrical demand and the potential for lower reserves.ERCOT said grid conditions were expected to be normal during the Weather Watch, but also said it would continue to monitor conditions closely and deploy all available tools to manage the grid. KXAN FORECAST: Extreme heat, ongoing dry conditions through the weekend On Thursday, ERCOT said it set a new unofficial July and all-time peak demand record of 81,406 MW; however, its 6-day Supply and Demand dashboard has shown the possibility of a new all-time peak demand record next week.“There is currently enough capacity to meet forecasted demand. Last year, ERCOT set 11 new peak demand records, surpassing 80 GWs for the first time ever,” ERCOT said.

LIVE BLOG: 481 fans donated, $74K raised so far for Family Eldercare Summer Fan Drive

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:51 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — For more than 30 years, Family Eldercare has been running a Summer Fan Drive to keep people cool amid Texas' summer heat.This year's drive comes on a week with multiple days in a row topping out over 100°. KXAN meteorologists forecast the excessive heat will continue for the next one to two weeks. On Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., people can drop off their fans at KXAN, Roger Beasley Mazda locations and Whittlesey Landscape Supplies. They can also donate online. KXAN will be tracking the number of fans collected and money raised and will share updates in this story. How to donate to the 33rd Family Eldercare Summer Fan Drive Fan donations trackerMonetary donations trackerLive blog11:30 a.m.As of 11 a.m., there were 481 fans donated and $74,794 raised. Whittlesey Landscape Supplies drop-off location for the 2023 Summer Fan Drive (KXAN Photo)Former Traffic Anchor Amanda Dugan at Whittlesey Landscape Supplies for the 2023 Summer Fan Drive (KXAN Photo)Donation made towa...

Traffic Alert: I-35 closures to set beams on the Williams Drive bridge

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:51 GMT

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Beginning Friday night, southbound Interstate 35 mainlanes near Georgetown will be closed, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. The closure is to help set beams on the Williams Drive bridge.The closure Friday will be from 9 p.m. until 9 a.m. Saturday. The northbound I-35 mainlanes will be reduced to one lane between State Highway 29 and Lakeway Drive. TxDOT said drivers should expect delays.On Saturday, the closure will last from 9 p.m. until 10 a.m. Sunday, according to TxDOT. The southbound I-35 mainlanes will close between Lakeway Drive and SH 29. “Drivers will use the Williams Drive exit (262) and re-enter the mainlanes at the SH 29 entrance ramp,” TxDOT said.Officials said the Williams Drive bridge would also be closed during the beam set.“Eastbound traffic will detour to the southbound I-35 frontage road and use the U-turn at SH 29 to access Williams Drive. Westbound traffic will detour to the northbound I-35 fro...

MoPac Service Road reopens after car hits power pole, fix puctures gas line

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:51 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – A portion of the northbound MoPac Service Road in southwest Austin has reopened after lanes were closed for several hours while crews repaired a gas line. Austin Energy said a car crashed into a power pole and crews were on site to replace it once it was removed. The crew pierced the gas line. According to APD, the construction crew hit the gas line off the Service Road between Ben Garza Road and U.S. Highway 290. The call was reported as a hazmat call to Austin Fire just after 2 a.m. APD said crews were focused on the northbound Service Road in front of the Marquis at Barton Trails. Police closed the service road of Northbound MoPac from Ben Garza Road almost to U.S. 290. Texas Gas Service said natural gas was interrupted for a "small non-residential portion of a nearby apartment complex" and it expects it to be fixed once repairs are done Friday afternoon.Earlier, police told KXAN that people had reported the smell of gas in the area. KXAN has reached out to Austin...

Now open in the former Dari-Ette Drive-In: Boga Ice Cream and Burger

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:51 GMT

A new burger joint is now open on the East Side, in the former Dari-Ette Drive-In.Boga Ice Cream & Burger serves classic diner fare like burgers, fries, onion rings and cheese curds, plus gelato and milkshakes. Some of their menu items, like the signature gyro burger, have a Mediterranean flair. They also offer coffee, with a menu of hot and iced espresso drinks.The restaurant is run by Loay Abukhdair and his son Layth Abukhdair; the family also owns Afandina Cafe in Columbia Heights.The Dari-Ette Drive-In, which opened in the early 1950s and served diner sandwiches and Italian fare seasonally during summers and early fall, closed permanently in 2021. The third-generation owner had put the property up for sale during the 2019–20 offseason.Once Dari-Ette closed, Layth said, the Abukhdair family noticed that particular section of the neighborhood no longer had a walkable option for quick, simple food.“We just looked around the area and were like, damn, there’s not a decent burger ...

Robin Lod was ‘the guy in the middle’ of Teemu Pukki’s move to Minnesota United

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:51 GMT

After his first training session with Minnesota United last Friday, Teemu Pukki strolled off the field and gravitated toward Robin Lod.It was a casual movement, yet seemed intentional. And it was completely fitting.Pukki is in Minnesota because of Lod, his compatriot on the Finland national team since 2015. Lod joined MNUFC in 2019 and told the Pioneer Press this week he started to lobby for Pukki to join the Loons in 2021.“I spoke with the gaffer (Adrian Heath), asking if we’re going to be interested in him coming to the MLS and everything,” Lod said. “And I think just now it was the right time.”But it’s not perfect.While Pukki scored his first MLS goal in his second appearance in the Loons’ 3-0 victory at Houston on Wednesday, he had to do it without Lod, who is out for the season with a torn meniscus in his right knee.At Pukki’s introductory news conference, he said Lod played a “huge” role in him moving from Norwich City in England to MNUFC on a high-priced Designated Play...

Driver in St. Paul fatal pedestrian crash released from jail as investigation continues

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:51 GMT

A 19-year-old was released from jail Friday, pending further investigation, after police say he fatally struck a pedestrian in St. Paul Tuesday night.The Ramsey County attorney’s office says they are awaiting information from blood testing and crash reconstruction.“These investigations are very detailed and it takes time to determine speed and toxicology” of the driver, said Sgt. Mike Ernster, a St. Paul police spokesman.The driver, who lives in St. Paul, was headed east on Concordia Avenue in the Dale Street area about 9:15 p.m. Tuesday when his vehicle collided with Tashawn Burks, who was a pedestrian. Burks, a 31-year-old from St. Paul, died at the scene.Police arrested the driver because “investigation revealed that driving conduct and speed played a role in this crash,” police said in a Wednesday statement. Related ArticlesCrime & Public Safety | Architect identified as suspect in Long Island serial killings, AP source says Crime &...

UnitedHealth shares rally as health care giant beats 2Q forecasts, eases care use concerns

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:51 GMT

By TOM MURPHY (AP Health Writer)UnitedHealth beat second-quarter expectations as an acquisition and more Medicare Advantage customers helped balance a jump in care use.The health care giant also raised the low end of its 2023 earnings forecast range on Friday after its profit jumped 8% to $5.47 billion in the quarter.UnitedHealth runs a health insurance business that covers more than 50 million people, mostly in the United States. It also has an Optum business that provides care and runs one of the nation’s largest pharmacy benefit managers.Optum revenue jumped 25% to more than $56 billion in the quarter, helped partly by UnitedHealth’s roughly $8 billion acquisition of Change Healthcare.The company also said it squeezed more revenue out of customers served through its Optum Health business, which runs clinics, outpatient surgery centers and provides home care. That business has been treating more people through value-based care arrangements, which base care provider pay...

Amsterdam's first cannabis dispensary looking to open in August

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:31:51 GMT

AMSTERDAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The City of Amsterdam is getting its first legal cannabis dispensary. Amsterdam Cannabis will be located at 1451 Route 5S. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Owners Anthony and Thomas Marcellino are two brothers from Amsterdam. They applied to get their CAURD license in September 2022 and it was granted in April 2023."The process for obtaining the license was tough," said Anthony Marcellino. "We had to track down a lot of paperwork, some from several years ago, and luckily we were able to find it all and get our application submitted to the Office of Cannabis Management." Swimming reopens at Brown’s Beach on Saratoga Lake Amsterdam Cannabis will have smokable cannabis, edibles, vape pens, prerolled joints, concentrates, and other cannabis products. Overall, they plan to carry about 100 different types of cannabis products."We hope that the local community comes to check out the variety of products...