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DOJ: Former Austin ISD teacher sentenced after traveling to Colombia for sex with minors

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A former Austin ISD teacher was sentenced to serve 84 months, or seven years, in prison Wednesday after engaging in illicit sexual conduct in a foreign country, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.The DOJ said 41-year-old Michael Wayne Roberts was living in Medellin, Colombia, when he paid money for sex with three Colombian girls between the ages of 13 and 15 on multiple occasions between December 2020 and June 2021. RELATED: Austin ISD employee traveled to Colombia for sex with minors, DOJ says “Roberts was arrested on Sept. 15, 2022, and has remained in federal custody. He pleaded guilty in February to all three counts in his indictment,” the DOJ said.According to the department, the U.S. district judge ordered Roberts to pay $147,844.51 in restitution to the victims and register as a sex offender.“This sentencing reflects that those who engage in sexual conduct with minors, regardless of where it occurs, will be held accountable for their heinous, predat...

Survivor Fund activated for family of fallen Cameron officer

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

AUSTIN (FOX 44) -- The 100 Club of Central Texas has activated the Survivor Fund in response to the death of the Cameron Police Department officer who was shot and killed in the line of duty overnight.  The Cameron Police Department, Milam County Sheriff’s Office, Rockdale Police Department, and Texas Department of Public Safety were serving a warrant following a 9-1-1 call of a victim shot in the neck when the incident occurred."The family is facing immense grief and The 100 Club is acutely aware of the financial burden placed on them during this time," the organization stated in its announcement of assistance. "Our mission is to help ease this burden so they can focus on honoring the life of their loved one. Donations to the Survivor Fund will be used to support the families of first responders killed in the line of duty serving our communities."Donations can be made here. You can also mail donations to The Club’s office at 3200 Steck Avenue, Suite 240, Austin, Texas 78757. You c...

How to prepare for flooding

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – A high-impact flash flood event is looking more likely as we inch closer to the weekend. The time to prepare is now. Here are some measures you can take ahead of a flooding threat to best protect your life and property. Here is the latest forecast from the First Warning Weather Team Flash Flood Preparation TipsSecure or bring in patio furnitureBring in or tightly secure your patio furniture to avoid any damage or displacement from flooding water. Unplug outdoor appliancesAnything that is plugged in outside or on the exterior of your home you will want to unplug. If you can, bring those appliances indoors.Stock up your emergency kit This could include a flashlight with batteries in case the power goes out. Your prescription medication, water bottles, non-perishable foods and toiletries. You'll want to place important documents such as passports, social security cards and birth certificates in a water proof container. If you have a pet, make sure you stock up their e...

Police search for missing Woodbury man last seen riding bicycle

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

Daniel Mastel left his house in Woodbury on his blue 10-speed bike on Wednesday night and hasn’t been seen since.Daniel Mastel. (Courtesy of Woodbury Public Safety Department)Woodbury police are asking for help in locating Mastel, 71, who has dementia. He left his house on Cedarwood Road around 5:30 or 6 p.m., and normally rides to Oakdale and Maplewood, especially Battle Creek Park, police said in a Facebook post.Mastel does not have his phone or wallet on him. He is described as 6 feet tall and 165 pounds with salt and pepper hair and an unkempt goatee and glasses. He was last seen wearing green shorts, a dark-colored shirt and brown shoes. He has tattoos on his arms that include a “sailor girl,” a “heart with Mom” and “dark side of the moon,” according to the post.Anyone who sees Mastel or knows of his whereabouts is asked to call 911.Related ArticlesCrime & Public Safety | Gasthaus Bavarian Hunter’s biergarten opens Friday...

Wisconsin boy lost for 2 days in Michigan park prayed he wouldn’t spend ‘rest of my life’ in woods

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

SILVER CITY, Mich. (AP) — An 8-year-old Wisconsin boy who spent two days lost in a remote, rugged northern Michigan park before being found says he prayed during his ordeal that he wouldn’t be “stuck out here for the rest of my life.”Nante Niemi said he was helping relatives gather wood at the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula when an uncle told him to return to camp last Saturday afternoon.“So my uncle, he said to go back to camp and I couldn’t say, `I don’t know the way back to camp’ because he’d already turned around and left,” he told ABC’s “Good Morning America.”Nante said he started walking toward where he thought his family had been camping but ended up lost, by a river.His mother, Jessica Buerger, said that after the group returned to the campsite and found that Nante wasn’t there, they searched for him before calling for help.“I was worried about the cold and that he was by himself, …” she said. “We were hoping he wasn’t walking around ...

Cohoes releases 2023 'Rock the Block' lineup

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

COHOES, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The lineup has been announced for the 2023 "Rock the Block" concert series in Cohoes. The concerts take place Thursdays from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. in Canal Square Park at 72 Remsen Street. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! LineupJune 15: Tusk (Fleetwood Mac tribute band)June 22: Steven Adler of Guns N' RosesJune 29: Skeeter CreekJuly 6: EaglemaniaJuly 13: Vinny Michaels BandJuly 20: Ten Most WantedJuly 27: The RefrigeratorsAugust 3: Hammer of the Gods (Led Zeppelin tribute band) The concerts are free. Attendees are asked to bring their own lawn chair to sit on. Food and drinks will also be available for purchase.

Celebrate Asian culture at the Empire State Plaza!

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- On Saturday, the Sino-American Culture and Art Foundation is hosting an Asian cultural festival at the Empire State Plaza Concourse. The celebration highlights Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month and will feature a themed exhibition and diverse cultural performances from multiple Asian American communities. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! “This series of AAPI celebrations is a great opportunity to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander cultures in the Capital District, from ancient to modern, local to international, farm to table,” said Ms. LiLi, the President of the Sino-American Culture and Art Foundation. “This event is a celebration of the vibrant and diverse cultures which connect the AAPI community throughout New York State and the U.S. We invite people of all backgrounds to join us in experiencing and appreciating the beauty and richness of these unique traditions.”Cultu...

Rotterdam's Via Aquarium hosting octopus naming event

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

ROTTERDAM, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Via Aquarium inside Viaport Rotterdam needs help naming its new octopus. The event is scheduled for May 20 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Attendees can choose from one of eight names, and the name with the most votes gets to be the new name of the octopus. Via Aquarium is currently narrowing down the names for the final eight. Names so far could include "Inky," "Ursula," or "Ophelia."The event will also feature special octopus-themed crafts and activities for kids. You can get tickets for the event on the Via Aquarium website.

Schuylerville, Fort Edward get canal grants

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

FORT EDWARD, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Forty-two nonprofits and municipalities are getting financial assistance for tourism, infrastructure and more along canal waterways in New York. Some of those organizations are in the North Country communities of Hudson Falls and Schuylerville. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! This week, the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor and the New York State Canal Corporation announced $190,000 in event and infrastructure grants headed to groups along the canal. In all, that money is going to seven tourism initiatives and 35 individual events. “For nearly 200 years, the Erie Canal has been an economic engine and as we near its third century of operation, the strategic investments being made through this program are key to ensuring it continues to support the communities that grew alongside it," said New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian Stratton. "Improving infrastructure and bringing resid...

Charges filed after second arrest in Cherokee St. shooting

Published Thu, 13 Feb 2025 11:41:47 GMT

ST. LOUIS - One man wanted in a Cherokee Street shooting over the weekend is behind bars, leading to two arrests in the investigation. Charges have been filed in the second arrest, unlike the first.Police announced the arrest of Darion Benton, 33, one day after reporting the arrest of Amber Booker, 33. Both were arrested in connection with a shooting Saturday evening as a Cinco de Mayo festival was wrapping up for the day. Photos shared by police Monday in connection with the case showed two people, presumed to be Benton and Booker, holding weapons around the time of gunfire. Crime ring based in St. Charles targeted small towns On Wednesday, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department told FOX 2 that the circuit attorney’s office refused all possible charges against Booker. Despite the police photographs, the office cited a “lack of evidence” and stated the “victim refuses to assist” in the case of each charge. Investigators had tried for two counts of first-degree assault and t...