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Celebrating the life of WGN's beloved 'Mr. Crane'

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:58:38 GMT

Sad news to share from our WGN family, a remarkable man, Mr. Bill Crane has died.He worked behind the scenes here for 45 years.“Mr. Crane, as we called him respectfully, might have been one of the happiest, funniest, intelligent and amazing men you'll ever meet. The man never took a day off, except for the month of February, to spend with his beloved wife, children and grandchildren.He's been the twinkle of everyone's eye at WGN. When we heard the news of his passing Thursday morning, so many people huddled together telling wonderful stories.There's no one else like him, nor will there ever be.Mr. Crane was an audio engineer who worked long past most people's age of retirement.At 84 years old, he said coming here each day, being part of the news, meeting the newsmakers and doing a job he loved, helped keep him young.Before Channel 9, Mr. Crane was a popular DJ in Chicago in the ‘60s and ‘70s He also served in the United States Navy.  He still wore that uniform to work every year on ...

Additional downpours coming after significant rainfall event

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:58:38 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- After 6-8 inches of welcome rain in the Hill Country Wednesday night into early Thursday, and flow returning to many of our creeks and rivers, we are expecting another wet and gray day on Friday.Storms early Thursday brought rain totals as high as 8.34" on the San Saba/Llano County line, 7.41" in western Llano County, and 6.53" in Lampasas County. Some parts of Austin tallied nearly 4" of welcome rain. View your neighborhood rainfall totals Storms also brought one confirmed tornado at 8:01 a.m. four miles north-northwest of Lockhart, well southeast of Austin. The Natl. Weather Service will conduct a damage survey to determine the intensity and size of the tornado early Friday. The Flood Watch continues through midnight for additional runoff issues as some low water crossings remain closed and dangerous. Remember, "Turn Around, Don't Drown!"Flood Watch in effect through midnightDeep, tropical moisture swings back over our area Friday,...

Is the recent storm going to fill Lake Travis?

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:58:38 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A classic October rainstorm fueled by tropical moisture from Hurricane Otis led to over 8 inches of welcome rainfall in parts of the Hill Country Wednesday night. But with the rain falling on drought-stricken soil, how much of an impact will it make on our lake levels? KXAN First Warning Weather forecast Rain totals were as high as 8.34" on the San Saba/Llano County line, and 7.41" near Castell in western Llano County. Heavy rain falling in a short period of time briefly boosted the Llano River into a minor flood stage Thursday morning.All of that water flows from the Llano River into Lake LBJ, which the Lower Colorado River Authority (LCRA) defines as a 'pass-through lake', maintaining a relatively stable level. This led the LCRA to open one floodgate partially on Wirtz Dam and two floodgates at downstream Max Starcke Dam. This is dumping more than 100,000 gallons of water per second directly into Lake Travis."This is a good slug of water that is going into [Lake...

One person ejected in east Austin crash, ATCEMS says

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:58:38 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One person was ejected after a vehicle struck a guardrail in east Austin on Thursday, Austin-Travis County EMS said on social media.Shortly before 5 p.m., medics responded to the 600 block of 183 Toll SB for reports of a rollover, which then led to the vehicle crashing into the guardrail.One adult person, who was not identified Thursday, was taken to St. David's South with "potentially serious" injuries, medics said. One additional person on the scene refused EMS assistance, medics said.No other information was available Thursday.

Medical Examiner walks through autopsy of Mike Ramos in APD officer's murder trial

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:58:38 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The state continued to bring witnesses Thursday in the trial of Austin Police Officer Christopher Taylor, who was charged with murder in the death of Mike Ramos. Taylor shot and killed Ramos, 42, during a confrontation with police back in April 2020 at a south Austin apartment complex parking lot. Taylor is on administrative leave with APD.K-9 unit body camera footageJared Retkofsky with the Austin Police Department's K-9 unit was the final witness Thursday. His body camera video was shown to the jury. In that body camera footage you can see Retkofsky's K-9 looking for any guns around the apartment complex where Ramos was shot, but none were found. In the footage you can hear protesters chanting. Role of Taylor's uncle debated in courtThere was back and forth Thursday about how much information the jury should have about Taylor's uncle, who is also employed with the Austin Police Department. Sheldon Scott Askew was a manager within the unit that oversees police...

Maalik Murphy will start at QB for No. 7 Texas Longhorns on Saturday vs. BYU

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:58:38 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Redshirt freshman Maalik Murphy will start at quarterback for the No. 7 Texas Longhorns against BYU on Saturday.Murphy, named the backup quarterback during training camp, will fill in for Quinn Ewers while Ewers recovers from a shoulder injury he suffered last week against Houston.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/newslettersLonghorns head coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday that Ewers is considered "week-to-week" with his injury and Murphy will make his first career start. Arch Manning will serve as the backup.Sarkisian said Thursday's practice was the best one Murphy has had while at Texas."As the week has gone on, his game has elevated," Sarkisian said. "His understanding of the gameplan has elevated, his comfort level managing all the things we do at the line of scrimmage and his confidence have elevated. He had a really good day at practice (Thursday)." Sarkis...

Man found dead in marshy area off St. Paul freeway had been reported missing

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:58:38 GMT

A man found dead in St. Paul this week was a 53-year-old who’d been reported missing earlier this month.Police are investigating the circumstances of Eric McCloud’s death.His body was found Tuesday in a marshy area near Interstate 35E and Cayuga Street.The Ramsey County medical examiner’s office has not issued a ruling on his cause of death, police said Thursday.Police asked anyone with information to call investigators at 651-266-5650.McCloud’s family last had contact with him Oct. 8 at his St. Paul home, according to an Oct. 18 alert issued by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on behalf of St. Paul police, requesting the public’s assistance in finding him.Related ArticlesCrime & Public Safety | DJ Jade Tittle is leaving The Current due, in part, to harassment from a stalker Crime & Public Safety | A list of mass killings in the United States since January Crime & Public Safety | Girl, ...

High school football: Can pass-first teams succeed in Minnesota playoffs’ wintery weather? They think so

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:58:38 GMT

Temperatures will approach freezing in parts of the metro Friday night. Winds will be in the double-digits at kickoff for many of high school football’s Class 6A first-round playoff games.On Saturday, there is a chance of snow when all other classes compete in their respective section semifinal games.In other words, welcome to the Minnesota high school football playoffs.Bad weather has seemingly become synonymous with outdoor, postseason high school football games in this part of the country. It is those conditions that leave so many believing you must be able to run the ball to win games this time of year.And, depending on those conditions, that could be true.East Ridge has featured a pass-heavy offense in recent years with gunslinger Tanner Zolnosky at quarterback. But in its second-round playoff game in Maple Grove in 2021, the air game wasn’t much of an option.“I think it was a 40-mile-per-hour, gusting wind,” Raptors coach Dan Fritze recalled. “You couldn’t punt into the ...

High school football: Class 6A first-round playoff predictions

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:58:38 GMT

Here are some of Friday’s most interesting high school football games in the East Metro and western Wisconsin. Teams are listed by section seeds:No. 5 White Bear Lake (3-5) at No. 4 Eagan (3-5), 7 p.m.White Bear Lake responded to a rough start this season by winning three of its final four regular-season games. The Bears were able to establish the ground game with Avian Atkins. Eagan, meanwhile, lost four straight games before downing rival Eastview in the regular-season finale. Free from the blender of their regular-season schedule, perhaps the Wildcats could regain form and make a run? OUR PICK: Eagan 24, White Bear Lake 14No. 5 Prior Lake (4-4) at No. 4 Mounds View (4-4), 7 p.m.Mounds View put together a strong season with a few impressive wins and very competitive losses to earn a home playoff game. Its reward? A date with Prior Lake, which has won three straight and is a team few higher seeds would want to see in the early rounds. OUR PICK: Prior Lake 24, Mounds View 16No...

Vikings defense has more celebrations planned. Now the hard part: More turnovers to unveil them.

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 11:58:38 GMT

Maybe the most stoic person the Vikings have on their coaching staff, defensive coordinator Brian Flores always encourages his players to have fun. So much so that he recently appointed rookie cornerback NaJee Thompson as the defense’s celebration coordinator.As a result, the Vikings have started carving out a few minutes each week to discuss potential defensive celebrations. They got to bust out a couple of them on Monday Night Football against the San Francisco 49ers, performing a variation of “The Limbo” using cornerback Akayleb Evans as the bar, then the classic “Duck, Duck, Gray Duck” with safety Josh Metellus taking center stage.It raises the question: What else do the Vikings have in store?“We’ll see what they come up with next week,” Flores said. “We’ve got to earn the right to do those things.”That isn’t lost on the Vikings as they prepare to play the Green Bay Packers on Sunday at Lambeau Field. They h...