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Gymnast from Round Rock named 2023 USA Gymnastics National Champion

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:01 GMT

AUSTIN( KXAN) — A gymnast from Round Rock was named the 2023 USA Gymnastics Collegiate All-Around National Champion.Velandra Brochi, 19, is a sophomore at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and she has competed with the school’s woman’s gymnastics team since 2021, according to AFA.Image courtesy Oh Shoot PhotographyImage courtesy of Marivel RodriguezImage courtesy of Marivel Rodriguez(U.S. Air Force Photo by Justin R. Pacheco)Image courtesy of Marivel RodriguezImage courtesy of Marivel Rodriguez(U.S. Air Force Photo by Justin R. Pacheco)Image courtesy Oh Shoot PhotographyImage courtesy Oh Shoot PhotographyMarivel Rodriguez, Brochi’s mother, said during the USA Gymnastics Championships, Brochi made First-Team All-American on Bars, Beam and All-Around. She also made Second-Team All-American on Vault.According to USAG, Brochi secured all-around gold with a 39.125 and posted a 9.800 on floor exercise and a 9.775 on vault, uneven bars and balance beam.Brochi was also a student-at...

Sinkhole along MoPac prompts concern for drivers

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:01 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Along the northbound service road of MoPac, between Loop 360 and Spyglass Drive, a recurring sinkhole prompted a concerned viewer email to KXAN.Vickie Klepper sent the photos below and shared her concern."There is and has been a sinkhole along MoPac northbound frontage road for at least two years near Bartons Bluff Lane," Klepper said. "It is dangerous with a lack of signage and warnings. Today a car was traveling really fast and at the very last minute it changed lanes. If someone had been in the lane next to him he would have gone straight into the hole."Viewer-submitted photo of a sinkhole on the side of the road on MoPacViewer-submitted photo of a sinkhole on the side of the road on MoPacViewer-submitted photo of a sinkhole on the side of the road on MoPacKXAN reached out to the Texas Department of Transportation -- which manages this type of issue along this section of MoPac -- and we found out this is a recurring issue that TxDOT is aware of. TxDOT said it is ...

First 2023 Atlantic Hurricane forecast released

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:01 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Colorado State University and Meteorologist Phil Klotzbach Ph.D. issued the first mainstream forecast for the Atlantic Basin on Thursday.The good news, they expect a slightly below average number of named storms, hurricanes and major hurricanes this year.But, as we always say, it doesn't matter the number, it matters where a storm impacts. One landfalling major hurricane, in an otherwise quiet season, could cause devastation and loss of life. El Niño watch: Here's what that means Still, the forecast calls for 13 named storms (average is 14), 6 hurricanes (7 is average) and 2 major hurricanes of category 3 strength or stronger (3 is average).CSU 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Forecast (April release)Landfalling potential in TexasColorado State University also issues probability forecasts on a near-landfalling hurricane impacting the coastline of the United States. In a typical year the Texas coastline (or within 50 miles of it) has a 61% chance of having a named storm, 3...

Gophers’ Mara Braun invited to U.S. nationals 3×3 team trials

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:01 GMT

Mara Braun, who led the Gophers women’s basketball team in scoring this season as a freshman, has been invited to participate in the 3×3 Women’s Senior National Team Trials in Colorado Springs, Colo., from May 13-18.The trials will serve as the primary event to determine the athletes selected to compete on the USA Basketball 3×3 National Teams in 2023.Braun led Minnesota with a 15.6-point scoring average this season and was named to the Big Ten’s all-freshman team. She led the Gophers in 3-pointers made (65), free throws made (84) and was second on the team in steals (44).A combo guard from Wayzata, Braun was the first Gophers freshman to lead the team in scoring since Rachel Banham averaged 16.1 points in 2011-12.By competing in trials Braun will be considered for selection to events such as the World Cup, Pan American Games, the AmeriCup and more. Based on point-earning and experience requirements in FIBA 3×3, Braun’s participation and succes...

Ace Parsi: Living the learned experience of bridging differences

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:01 GMT

When I was 8, my family and I immigrated to the United States from Iran. It goes without saying that neither my older brother nor I learned the intricacies of democracy in Iranian schools — quite the opposite.If I hadn’t immigrated, chances are that I would have, like so many others, still desired to live in a democracy. After all, I’m the nephew of uncles imprisoned for being part of the Iranian pro-democracy student movement. But even this familiar connection is no guarantee that I would have learned about democracy, for such knowledge is not passed down to us through the gene pool.This is why it is essential — in our self-governing society — to ensure each and every student in our country attains the knowledge, skills, and dispositions to be informed and engaged participants in our constitutional democracy. As we approach the National Week of Conversation this April 17-23, in which we are called to make active efforts to bridge differences, we would ...

Letters: Don’t blame Public Works for the condition of St. Paul streets

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:01 GMT

Don’t blame Public WorksHey folks. We need to quit beating up Public Works and focus our rage over the condition of St. Paul streets where it is due: on our legislators, who have yet to restore local government aid to the levels it was when then Gov. Pawlenty convinced them to ransack that long-standing form of revenue-sharing to fill a state budget hole; on our mayors and councils for falling for quick fixes and revenue shifting ever since Norm Coleman started giving St. Paul’s property tax base to developers 30 years ago.And, on us voters who continue to insist on no gas-tax increase even as our miles driven have plummeted and our miles per gallon skyrocketed greatly, reducing our gas-tax payments, and all the while the cost of road maintenance is in the stratosphere. And on ourselves if we don’t participate in civic affairs and express our opinions to our elected officials.Ellen T. Brown, St. Paul This house of cardsThe federal debt is $31 trillion. The federal budget ...

Corinth CSD goes from 'Tomahawks' to 'River Hawks'

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:01 GMT

CORINTH, N.Y. (NEWS10) - Another New York school district is moving away from a Native American mascot, after state mandate has districts reconsidering their identities. Corinth Central School District is donning a new icon, and taking to the skies. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! At a school board meeting last month, the district announced that it would be donning the name and mascot of the Corinth River Hawks for mascot and sports team purposes. The district previously went by the Corinth Tomahawks.Corinth CSD put out a survey in late January, asking students, residents and stakeholders for opinions on what kind of name would best represent the school district. The survey asked for applicants to suggest a new name to represent the district, and the final four choices were sent out across the student body. Corinth CSD intends to keep its current orange-and-black color scheme once the River Hawks identity is fully adopted. ...

St. Louis nominated for 'most walkable city' in national poll

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:01 GMT

ST. LOUIS - The Gateway to the West is in the running for the title of America’s “most walkable city” as part of a national poll conducted by USA TODAY.St. Louis has been nominated for national spotlight through the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. A panel recently nominated 20 large cities around the United States for recognition.As of early Thursday afternoon, St. Louis is currently ranked third among the 20 U.S. cities, trailing only Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Long Beach, California. Top Story: Missouri students physically restrained, secluded thousands of times The City of St. Louis stretches 66.17 square miles, much of it along the Mississippi River, and consists of 79 unique neighborhoods. Some well-known destinations to walk around in city limits include the Gateway Arch grounds, the Riverfront Trail, Forest Park, Mississippi Greenway and John F. Kennedy Memorial Forest. Voting closes at 11 a.m. CT on May 8. USA TODAY will announce the winners of the competitio...

Draft lottery odds, conditional pick at stake in Blues season finale

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:01 GMT

ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Blues are in a bit of a fluid situation with their first-round draft picks heading into their season finale against the Dallas Stars. The Blues fell short of playoff contention for just the second time in the last 12 years this season. The season ends Thursday with the road end of a back-to-back games against the Dallas Stars. With every NHL playoff spot now clinched as of Wednesday night, the game might be viewed as essentially meaningless to some. However, there are a lot of scenarios in play that could determine the Blues' first-round fate for drafting this summer. RELATED - See the Stanley Cup at Centene Community Ice Center this weekend The Blues currently hold the 11th-best lottery odds for this year's No. 1 overall pick, which hockey experts believe on a near-unanimous consensus will be Canadian junior league star Connor Bedard. Heading into Thursday, they have just a 3% chance to be selected for the draft's first pick, a fortune that they haven't...

Editorial: Colorado will protect America’s pregnant women from Republican zealots

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:01 GMT

Abortion saved Lauren Miller’s baby.Doctors in Texas told Miller last fall that one of her twins had Trisomy 18 and that, like the vast majority of babies with Edwards syndrome, the genetic mutation would kill the baby in her womb. Outcomes for the remaining baby in such situations are often dire and routinely doctors perform selective abortions to save the life of the remaining twin and prevent health complications for expectant mothers.Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has banned abortions after six weeks of gestation – only days after a woman’s elevated hormones are the only indication she is pregnant.Miller came to Colorado for the procedureThen she bravely shared her story with the Colorado General Assembly, begging lawmakers to protect her medical records from Texas prosecutors and abortion bounty hunters who can file civil lawsuits.Days after she testified, Miller gave birth to a healthy baby boy. We hope he grows up knowing his mother is a selfless champion for what is right.This is wh...