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Snnaaake! S. African pilot finds deadly cobra under his seat while inflight

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:16 GMT

CAPE TOWN, South Africa (AP) — A pilot in South Africa made a hasty emergency landing after discovering a highly venomous cobra hiding under his seat.Rudolf Erasmus had four passengers on board the light aircraft during Monday's flight when he felt “something cold” slide across his lower back. He glanced down to see the head of a fairly large Cape Cobra “receding back under the seat,” he said.“It was as if my brain didn't know what was going on,” he told The Associated Press.After taking a moment to compose himself, he informed his passengers of the slippery stowaway.“There was a moment of stunned silence,” he said. Everyone stayed cool, especially the pilot.Erasmus called air traffic control for permission to make an emergency landing in the town of Welkom in central South Africa. He still had to fly for another 10 to 15 minutes and land the plane with the snake by his feet.“I kept looking down to see where it was. It was happy under the seat," Erasmus said. “I don't have a big fea...

Residents of 12 east Austin apartment units displaced after fire caused by smoking materials

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:16 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Residents of 12 units in an east Austin apartment complex were displaced after an overnight fire late Wednesday. It happened at the Mueller Flats Apartments on Clayton Lane, near the intersection of I-35 and Hwy 290. The Austin Fire Department responded to the fire around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday and found flames that were 10-15 feet above the roof line. The fire started on the third floor balcony because of improperly discarded smoking materials, according to AFD. The fire spread to the attic and second floor, AFD said. Firefighters had to rescue residents who were trapped on the third floor. AFD said no one was hurt in the fire.Residents of 12 units at Mueller Flats Apartments were displaced after a fire caused by smoking materials (Photo: Austin Fire Department)Residents of 12 units at Mueller Flats Apartments were displaced after a fire caused by smoking materials (KXAN Photo/Tim Holcomb)Residents of 12 units at Mueller Flats Apartments were displaced after a fire c...

San Antonio Spurs help refurbish 5 basketball courts around Austin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:16 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The San Antonio Spurs, along with the city of Austin and the Austin Parks Foundation, unveiled a refurbished basketball court in the Dove Springs neighborhood this week as the start of a new program to upgrade some of the parks around the city. The initiative, known as Play ATX, is a $500,000 investment to build and refurbish five basketball courts around the city. The money was donated by Spurs Give and the Austin Parks Foundation (APF). Play ATX planDove Springs District Park was the first park identified to have the refurbished park. Colin Wallis, the CEO of APF said the Dove Springs park had the most need for a new basketball court. "It means a ton. We're super excited to work with the Spurs and the city to get these things done and hopefully it's just the beginning of a whole lot more to come," Wallis explained. The other four courts will be finished in the upcoming years. It is not yet clear which areas will receive the refurbished, Spurs-themed courts, but th...

Local HVAC businesses recruiting at BOCES job fair

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:16 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Over a dozen local HVAC businesses will recruit employers during a job fair on Thursday from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Captial Region BOCES Career and Technical Education Center's Albany Campus, located at 925B Watervliet-Shaker Road in Albany. The event looks to connect high school and adult students with employers but is also open to the public. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! According to a spokesperson from the Capital Region BOCES, the HVAC/R industry is expected to grow by 6.5% in the next seven years. A 20,000-worker influx into the HVAC/R tech industry is expected, according to federal labor statistics.

5 things to know this Thursday, April 6

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:16 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Happy Friday eve! According to Meteorologist Jill Szwed, fog is taking over now that the rain has moved on. However, you shouldn't put away your umbrella just yet. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! A fire on Grand Street in Albany Wednesday morning displaced over a dozen people. In a press conference held later that day, Albany Mayor Kathy Sheehan, with other city officials, said multiple buildings involved would have to be demolished. Also, a gas leak in Troy caused road closures and evacuations. Those stories, Delmar Bistro closing, the "Crossing with Dignity Act," and Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy buying a house in Saratoga Springs are all covered in your five things to know this Thursday morning. 1. Troy: Gas leak causes road closures and evacuationsOn the corner of Hutton Street and 15th Street, National Grid crews remained on scene to finish repairing a gas break from Wednesday morn...

Bollinger County tornado confirmed an EF-2, peaked at 130 mph

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:16 GMT

GLENALLEN, Mo. - National Weather Service officials confirmed that an EF-2 tornado ripped through southern Missouri early Wednesday morning.According to NWS, the twister formed in Bollinger County around 3:30 a.m. and lasted nearly half an hour. It peaked with gusts up to 130 miles per hour with a 22-mile path length and a 150-yard path width.Five people died, and four people were hurt in Wednesday's storms, per NWS. Trending: St. Louis-area April 4 municipal election results Much of the destruction happened in the Glenallen and Grassy communities near Marble Hill, Missouri. There was extensive damage to homes, uprooted trees and crushed cars. Debris remains scattered around many homes and roads, while a local fire station was also destroyed. The NWS tracked the tornado from two miles southwest of Grassy to three miles west of Millersville. Hundreds of trees are snapped, while dozens of homes and farm buildings along the path sustained major damage. Fire crews from Kirkwood, Flori...

Jordan Walker slugs first home run, adds to strong rookie-season start

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:16 GMT

ST. LOUIS - Jordan Walker is quickly climbing the ranks from prized prospect to a force in the St. Louis Cardinals lineup, delivering the best game of his young rookie season Wednesday. Walker slugged his first MLB home run off of Atlanta Braves relief pitcher Michael Tonkin, a solo shot in the seventh inning of a 5-2 loss to the Braves. For Walker, a Georgia native, his first home run coming against the Braves made it special. Trending: St. Louis-area April 4 municipal election results "Pretty surreal feeling," said Walker via Bally Sports Midwest. "I guess if you could draw it up that way, it's just how it happened. But I'm super excited about it."The 20-year-old also drove in one run on a double with the Cardinals down to their final out in the ninth inning. In his first homestand, Walker enjoyed a six-game hitting streak and went 8-for-24 (.33 batting average) with one home run, 5 RBI and a stolen base. Walker gave his first hit ball from Opening Day to his dad and intends to...

Crews battle house fire in Vinita Park

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:16 GMT

VINITA PARK, Mo. - Crews have responded to a house fire Thursday morning in Vinita Park. Small flames and smoke were coming out of the home, located in the 1900 block of Anita Dive, as fire crews arrived to the scene. Damage appears to be between the first floor and the roof of the home. Top Story: Predawn Missouri tornado kills at least 5, sows destruction Crews from University City are helping with the response. Firefighters are cutting into the home in an effort to vent the fire and prevent further damage. No injuries have been reported at this time, though there is believed to be extensive damage to the home. The homeowner was awakened by the firearm and able to call 911 and escape quickly. FOX 2’s Nissan Rogue Runner arrived to the scene to show impacts. We will update as more information becomes available.

Opinion: Trump indictment is a risky bet for New York and the nation

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:16 GMT

The criminal indictment of former president and current presidential candidate Donald Trump is historic and unprecedented. It stands for the principle that, in the United States, no one is above the law.At the same time, from the perspective of protecting U.S. democracy, the indictment is poorly timed. It would have been far better for the stability of our democracy if Trump had first been charged with crimes connected to his attempts to subvert that democracy by pressuring Georgia election officials to find more votes, not to mention interfering with the transfer of power on and around Jan. 6, 2021. If prosecutors in different jurisdictions consider it improper to confer with each other on timing, then Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg should have waited for others to move first.The relatively minor charges brought by the Manhattan district attorney regarding Trump’s alleged hush money payments to cover up extramarital sexual encounters do not target the core of Trump’s chall...

Dramatic photos show how storms filled Northern California reservoirs

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:19:16 GMT

By TERRY CHEA, NOAH BERGER and JOSH EDELSON | Associated Press|FOLSOM — Water levels fell so low in key reservoirs during the depth of California’s drought that boat docks sat on dry, cracked land and cars drove into the center of what should have been Folsom Lake.Those scenes are no more after a series of powerful storms dumped record amounts of rain and snow across California, replenishing reservoirs and bringing an end — mostly — to the state’s three-year drought.A dock floats in the Browns Ravine Cove area of Folsom Lake, March 26, 2023, left, and the same location on dry land on May 22, 2021, in Folsom, Calif. (AP Photo/Josh Edelson) Now, 12 of California’s 17 major reservoirs are filled above their historical averages for the start of spring. That includes Folsom Lake, which controls water flows along the American River, as well as Lake Oroville, the state’s second largest reservoir and home to the nation’s tallest dam.It’s a stunning turnaround of water availability in t...