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US passport application delays surge amid 'unprecedented' demand

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:36 GMT

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) -- If you're looking to travel abroad and need a passport, you're not the only one. Currently, the rush of applications has pushed the wait time to several months."We're getting 500,000 applications a week for passports," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said March 24, calling the renewed demand for travel "unprecedented."The State Department warns it is taking 10 to 13 weeks to receive a passport and the expedited process, which costs an extra $60, will take seven to nine weeks. Staffing shortages are being blamed for some of the delays. Spring break: What to know about Mexico’s ‘do not travel’ warnings The Secretary of State reports in the 2022 fiscal year, a record 22 million passport books were issued and the government is on track to break that record in 2023.Passport demand always increases from March through the summer as travel ramps up but this year is unusual. The U.S. Travel Association reports 52% of Americans plan to travel in the next six months and...

Colonel Jeremy Hansen, To Be 1st Canadian Astronaut To Orbit The Moon

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:36 GMT

APD: No evidence of foul play in Lady Bird Lake death, man identified

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:36 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department identified a man who was pulled from Lady Bird Lake Saturday, according to an APD news release.At approximately 12:50 p.m., APD officers found the man, who was later identified as Jonathan Honey, 33, in Lady Bird Lake near 10 Rainey St., the release said.Homicide and Missing Persons Unit detectives, the Lake Patrol Unit and crime scene specialists responded to the scene to investigate, the release said. APD confirms body found at Lady Bird Lake is missing man from Rainey Street Honey was reported missing to APD on March 31, according to police.In February, the body of Jason John, 30, was also pulled from Lady Bird Lake.John was previously reported missing Feb. 5 and was last seen walking on Rainey Street near Lady Bird Lake, according to police.In a statement Monday, APD said while the drownings are still under investigation, "there is no evidence in any of these cases to support allegations of foul play."APD said the "circumstances, ex...

12-year-old girl found following Amber Alert issued by Texas DPS

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:36 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for April 3, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — A 12-year-old girl who went missing Saturday from the town of Gonzales was found Monday after an Amber Alert was issued.The Texas Department of Public Safety issued the alert in partnership with the Gonzales Police Department just before 2 p.m. Monday. The alert was canceled at 3:40 p.m. by DPS, who said she was found.According to the Gonzales Inquirer, local police said the girl was found in Tarrant County and a 19-year-old man was taken into custody in connection with the case.KXAN asked the Gonzales Police Department for more details about the case and will update this story once we hear back.

Daniel Perry murder trial: Interview with APD, body cam footage shown in court

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:36 GMT

Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for April 3, 2023.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Daniel Perry paced back and forth for about 30 minutes, waiting for an Austin Police Department detective to question him after he shot and killed a Black Lives Matter protester in downtown Austin in July 2020.That's according to APD footage. Perry is accused of murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the death of Garrett Foster. The interview footage shown in court was from a short time after the shooting. ‘I am scared. I am terrified’: Daniel Perry’s 911 call played in court "Sir...hello?" Perry yelled from the inside of the interview room at APD headquarters, as he knocked on the door, according to the footage. Multiple APD officers tried to calm Perry down, offering him water and asking him to take deep breaths. In the interview video, you hear one of the officers empathize with Perry, saying he knows the process is stressful. Perry then proceeds to start hyster...

Tracking cooler, wetter weather late this week following record heat on Monday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:36 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Monday afternoon brought record heat, with Camp Mabry's high temperature soaring to 93° and Austin-Bergstrom Intl. Airport peaking at 90°. This broke their daily temperature records of 90° and 89°, respectively.A few isolated strong to severe storms are possible this evening with large hail, wind damage, and a low tornado threat.The Storm Prediction Center has the area under a marginal 1-out-of-5 risk for severe thunderstorms.1 out of 5 risk for severe weather late this afternoon/early evening UPDATED April forecast increases chances for rain Gusty south winds tonight and tomorrow lead to the potential of more record warmth. Austin's overnight low temperature is only expected to drop to 71° -- tying the record-warm overnight temperature for the date. Austin's high temperature Tuesday soars to 91°, just one degree shy of tying the record-warm afternoon high.Cooler, wetter weather comingA strong cold front is projected to move through the area Wednesday. High temper...

Texas softball swept by Oklahoma, Iowa State on the road up next

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:36 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A 7-game winning streak came to an abrupt halt for the Texas Longhorns softball team after being swept by top-ranked Oklahoma.The Sooners topped the Longhorns 8-1 Friday at Hall of Fame Stadium in Oklahoma City, and then two more times in Norman 4-3 on Saturday and 10-2 on Sunday.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersOn Sunday, Texas' day ended early after six innings due to the mercy rule. The Longhorns allowed five unearned runs in the third inning to blow the game open for the Sooners.The game started off nice for Texas with a Mia Scott home run in the first inning, but Oklahoma's Tiare Jennings blasted a 3-run home run in the third inning to give the Sooners a 4-1 lead before the wheels fell off for Texas.By the end of the third inning, it was 9-1 Sooners. Lou Gilbert singled to left field to drive in a run for Texas in the fourth, but Oklahoma plated two...

Eagan officer released from hospital, continuing recovery at home after squad crash

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:36 GMT

An Eagan police officer was released from the hospital Sunday, nearly three weeks after he was injured in a squad crash.Officer Kade Eggum will continue to recover at home, the police department said in a Monday statement. Eggum, who is 22, was critically injured on March 14 just after 5 a.m. when he was responding to a medical incident.“Officer Eggum’s family continues to express their appreciation for all the support during these difficult times, but ask for their privacy as Kade works to make a full recovery,” the statement said.Eggum merged onto Interstate 35E from Pilot Knob Road and was traveling in the right lane of the northbound freeway with his squad’s emergency lights activated. He attempted to make a left turn at the median cross-over at Yankee Doodle Road and collided with a semi truck, which was also traveling north, according to the Minnesota State Patrol. Related ArticlesCrime & Public Safety | Rosemount sports dome collapses after heavy sn...

Wisconsin Senate special election could give GOP a supermajority in chamber

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:36 GMT

A special election to fill an open Wisconsin Senate seat will determine whether Republicans gain a supermajority that would allow them to impeach Democratic Gov. Tony Evers and other office holders as well as move the GOP a step closer to overriding gubernatorial vetoes.Voters on Tuesday will pick Democrat Jodi Habush Sinykin or Republican state Rep. Dan Knodl to represent Milwaukee’s northern suburbs. The seat has been under Republican control for decades but came open in November after longtime incumbent Alberta Darling chose to retire after 30 years in the Senate. Evers scheduled a special election to fill the position to coincide with the state’s spring Supreme Court election.The stakes are huge. A Knodl win would give Republicans 22 votes in the chamber, enough to override gubernatorial vetoes if the state Assembly also votes to do so and enough to convict civil officers in impeachment trials.Knodl denied accusations from Habush Sinykin that he would vote to impeach...

Appellate court rejects rural Minnesota prosecutor’s attempt to intervene in abortion case

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:50:36 GMT

The Minnesota Court of Appeals on Monday rejected an attempt by the Traverse County prosecutor to appeal a judge’s decision last year that threw out most of the state’s restrictions on abortion as unconstitutional.Ramsey County District Judge Thomas Gilligan ruled last July, in a lawsuit filed by abortion rights supporters, that Minnesota’s restrictions — including a 24-hour waiting period and a parental notification requirement — violated the state constitution under a 1995 Minnesota Supreme Court ruling. Attorney General Keith Ellison angered abortion opponents when he declined to appeal, letting the decision stand.The appeals court on Monday affirmed Gilligan’s decision last September that Traverse County Attorney Matthew Franzese failed to meet the legal standards necessary to qualify to intervene in the case so that he could appeal Gilligan’s original ruling himself.Gilligan last month rejected an attempt to intervene by another third party, Mother...