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After decades, 'Mutts' comic strip creator frees Guard Dog character

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

NEW YORK (AP) — Something is different on the comics pages this week. In the panels of “Mutts,” there's the long-delayed sight of freedom.Patrick McDonnell, the cartoonist who draws the popular strip, is freeing his character Guard Dog, liberating an animal who has become for decades a symbol of the cruelty of dog chaining.“I think it just hit me that I can’t do it forever and that it has to happen,” McDonnell told The Associated Press ahead of the publication of Thursday's panel showing Earl's owner kneeling beside the dog and announcing: “We have to remove this chain.” On Friday's strip, it will be gone.“I had a vague idea what the story was going to be, but I finally took some time and said, ‘Well, what is that story?’ And I was happy with what I came up with. So I said, ‘Now’s the time to do it.’”"Mutts" premiered in 1995 with two heroes — the small canine Earl and the feline Mooch, fond of saying “Yesh.” There's also Woolfie, Sid the fish, Crabby, Sourpuss and Butchie, the ever...

DPS agent denied transfer to care for terminally ill father

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — A veteran law enforcement officer at the Texas Department of Public Safety said he feels betrayed by his own agency after he was repeatedly denied the ability to transfer to the DPS office in his hometown to help take care of his terminally ill father and be with his family.KXAN reached out to DPS for a comment and will update this story once a response is provided. Special Agent Calvin Green has been with DPS for nearly 14 years where he primarily worked out of his hometown of El Paso where his family lives. In April 2021, Green transferred to a new position in Austin with the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) in DPS' Capitol Region. Image of Calivin Green and his father (Courtesy: Calvin Green)The following year, Green learned that his father, who has been battling multiple sclerosis for years, was diagnosed with myasthenia gravis, an autoimmune disorder with no known cure, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. “Ever since ...

Austin's Family Business Loan Program revamped for modern costs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin City Council voted Thursday to increase the maximum amount of money local businesses can get through the Family Business Loan program and created a process for approving loans that exceed the maximum amount. When the loan program started in 2012, the maximum amount a local business could get approved for was $1 million. But since costs for commercial real estate and payroll have gone up in the past decade, the city decided to raise the maximum amount to match the current market. Now businesses can get up to $4 million dollars from the program, and if a company needs to go past that, there is a process set in place for the loan review committee to get approval on. Who does it help?The FBLP was set up to help enable local businesses to grow and hire more employees. It's a private-public partnership between the city of Austin, Housing and Urban Development, and private investors. Sheyenne Alvarez, the program manager, said it is for businesses of all sizes. The ...

Texas birds renamed due to links with colonialism, slavery, racism

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

AUSTIN  (KXAN) – Starting in 2024, the American Ornithological Society (AOS), the largest international group of its kind, will begin an initiative to rename some species birds with English names found in the U.S. and Canada.The group said it is taking on the effort to “address past wrongs” in the naming process – for example, excluding Black and Indigenous people when naming birds or honoring historical figures linked to slavery and racism. “There is power in a name, and some English bird names have associations with the past that continue to be exclusionary and harmful today. We need a much more inclusive and engaging scientific process that focuses attention on the unique features and beauty of the birds themselves,” AOS President Colleen Handel said in a press release. “Everyone who loves and cares about birds should be able to enjoy and study them freely—and birds need our help now more than ever,” she continued. AOS said it would change all English bird names, r...

Demonstrators hold rally, silent protest to demand Austin leaders call for ceasefire in Gaza

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Hours before a temporary truce ended in Gaza, pro-Palestine demonstrators gathered outside and then went inside Austin City Hall Thursday to demand Austin City Council members make a formal call for a ceasefire in the fighting between Israel and Hamas. Pro-Palestinian demonstrators gather at Texas State Capitol Sunday, call for ceasefire in Gaza The Austin for Palestine Coalition, which led the protest, wants council members to pass a resolution that was adopted by the Austin Human Rights Commission on Nov. 6. That resolution called for the council to:express support for de-escalation of the warexpress support for an "explicit ceasefire" demand of release of "civilian hostages abducted by Hamas on Oct. 7"demand resumption of essential supplies including food, water and fuel to civilians in Gaza The coalition wants the council to take up and approve the resolution at the council's Dec. 14 meeting. The group held a rally in front of city hall Thursday morning then...

Minnesota’s Leslie Fhima and the emotional finale of ‘The Golden Bachelor’

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

In the emotionally charged finale of “The Golden Bachelor,” 72-year-old retired Indiana restaurateur Gerry Turner proposed to a woman who was not Minneapolis fitness instructor Leslie Fhima. And Fhima was clearly crushed.“You made it sound like you chose me,” she said between sobs. “You led me down a path and then you took a turn and left me there. It’s mindboggling, to be honest, how you can talk to me all night, say you love and then one day — not even a day, 12 hours later – you’d change your mind. I poured my heart out. I fell in love with you.”The episode, which aired Thursday night on ABC, took place at a resort in Costa Rica, after Turner went on overnight dates with 64-year-old Fhima and 70-year-old New Jersey financial services professional Theresa Nist. (At the end of the finale, which was half prerecorded material and half live-in-studio, host Jesse Palmer announced Turner and Nist were going to get married on Jan. 4, with the ceremony broadcast live on ...

St. Louis City winter operations starting today through March 31

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

ST. LOUIS - With winter upon us, the city of St. Louis is launching its winter operations program on Friday to help the homeless find places to stay and get out of the cold.Although it's not snowing, Friday morning's cold rain is certainly a sign of things to come this winter in the area. City officials say if you're in need of shelter this winter, call 211 for a referral to a shelter. However, if you don't have a phone, you can come to the Centenary United Methodist Church on Pine during cold weather to get a referral for a place to stay.Here is a breakdown of the number of city-funded beds for the homeless:City officials say the 744 beds are available year-round. That is a 23% increase over the situation in 2022. There are just over 100 additional overflow beds that are available during inclement weather.AmeriCorps is also providing 40 beds when the temperature drops below 20 degrees. Tow truck operator killed in Illinois served as volunteer firefighter It's known just how dange...

Clayton murder suspect's bond hearing today

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

ST. LOUIS - The man charged with a murder in Clayton two weeks ago has a bond reduction hearing scheduled for Friday.The Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis arrested 18-year-old Trenell Johnson in the death of 41-year-old Joshua Harris. According to court documents, Harris was shot after he confronted Johnson, who was allegedly breaking into cars. Tow truck operator killed in Illinois served as volunteer firefighter Johnson had been out on bond for other car theft charges in St. Louis County. He was arrested after a large manhunt.Johnson faces second-degree murder and armed criminal action charges.

Schnucks Ladue Crossing Hanukkah celebration

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. - Schnucks at Ladue Crossing is celebrating with singing, storytelling, and other activities for kids.Children who stop by will receive Hanukkah gelt - chocolate gold coins. It's happening December 5 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Schnucks on Ladue Road. Tow truck operator killed in Illinois served as volunteer firefighter Later on FOX 2 News in the Morning at 8, Rabbi Miller and Steve Turner of Schnucks join us to share more about what to expect from this celebration

Former St. Louis Lambert Airport Police Chief Paul Mason dies at age 76

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 10:51:57 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Former St. Louis Lambert International Airport Police Chief Paul Mason has died.He retired in 2014 after 26 years on the job - 17 as chief. The former military police officer also served as the personal security officer for the late St. Louis Rams owner, Georgia Frontiere. The ‘center’ of Missouri isn’t too far from Jefferson City Visitation for Chief Mason is next Thursday, and the funeral is next Friday. He'll be buried with full military honors at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.Chief Paul Mason was 76 years old.