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Man executed for the 1996 killing of a University of Oklahoma dance student

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

McALESTER, Okla. (AP) — Oklahoma executed an inmate Thursday for the 1996 killing of a University of Oklahoma dance student, in a case that went unsolved for years until DNA from the crime scene was matched to a man serving prison time for burglary.Anthony Sanchez, 44, was pronounced dead at 10:19 a.m. following a three-drug injection at the Oklahoma State Penitentiary in McAlester. Even though he maintained that he had nothing to do with the killing of 21-year-old Juli Busken, he took the unusual step of opting not to present a clemency application to the state’s Pardon and Parole Board, which many viewed as the last chance to spare his life. Shortly before he was put to death, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a request for a stay of execution submitted by his new lawyer, Eric Allen, of Columbus, Ohio. Allen had said he needed more time to go through the case evidence.Sanchez was convicted of raping and murdering 21-year-old Juli Busken, a Benton, Arkansas, native who had just compl...

Stephen Sanchez conjures jukeboxes and early rock n’ roll on debut album ‘Angel Face’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

For his debut record, “Angel Face,” Stephen Sanchez travels back in time with songs that you can imagine listening to in a Ford Thunderbird or watching a performance of on “The Ed Sullivan Show.”“Angel Face,” out Friday, is a concept album, about a fictional musician in the late 1950s, known as The Troubadour Sanchez, who finds fame with a hit single. The Troubadour meets and falls in love with a woman named Evangeline and ends up in a dangerous love triangle. “Telling stories that aren’t entirely my own I think is a lot more fun,” said Sanchez, “then I’m not having to relive like a devastating moment over and over and over again.”Sanchez is only 20, but he’s been a fan of retro music since he was a child, listening to his grandfather’s record collection. He feels “honored” to be “carrying the torch” by sharing his version of the sound with a new generation, and hopes to delight older fans with its nostalgia.The record comes after a whirlwind year. Last September, he rel...

Indiana woman admits to mistakenly stabbing baby niece instead of dog that ate her sandwich, police say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

INDIANAPOLIS (WXIN) – An Indianapolis woman is accused of stabbing a baby inside a hotel while attempting to stab a dog for eating her chicken sandwich.The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department responded to a report of a stabbing shortly before 11 p.m. Tuesday at a Days Inn in the city's Castleton neighborhood.IMPD said they found a 1-year-old girl stabbed in the neck. A short time later, police found the suspect hiding near a bush outside the hotel.Police arrested the girl's 32-year-old aunt, Sharon Key, on allegations of criminal recklessness. Moose charges, headbutts and stomps on woman walking her dog on Colorado trail Sharon Key, 32, was arrested on allegations of criminal recklessness earlier this week. (Marion County Jail)According to police reports, the suspect tearfully said the stabbing was an accident.Police said Key told them the family went to Burger King to pick up food and then returned to the hotel. Key claimed her pit bull ate her chicken sandwich, according...

New Guinness brewery in West Loop gearing up for opening

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

CHICAGO — Fans of Guinness won't have to wait much longer for the opening of their second American brewery next week in Chicago's West Loop.After the announcement in March and a subsequent delay, the 15,000 square foot Guinness Open Gate Brewery, located at 901 W. Kinzie, is set to open up Thursday, Sept. 28.The project transformed a longtime vacant rail depot, which gained a second life for street art, into a new restaurant and taproom for the famous Dublin brewery. Photo by Kendall McCaughertyIt all starts with the beer, which will include five new beers brewed right at the Chicago brewery."The beer program is where everything begins for us," ambassador Ryan Wagner said. "For some people, Guinness isn't a brewery — it's a beer. Open Gate Brewery flips that on its head."While the famous Guinness Draught Stout will still be brewed and shipped over from Dublin, new beers like Corn Maize Cream Ale take shape from Illinois. The corn used in the cream ale was grown in Iroquois County.Be...

Durbin, No. 2 Senate Democrat, disagrees with change to dress code: 'We need to have standards'

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.) says he is “concerned” about a decision to loosen the Senate’s dress code to allow senators to wear whatever they want on the chamber floor, arguing “we need to have standards.”  Durbin, the No. 2-ranking Senate Democrat and chairman of the powerful Judiciary Committee, signaled he’s not ready to let hoodies, blue jeans or shorts become the norm on the Senate floor, which has been the venue of many important historic moments over the years. “Well, I’m concerned about it,” Durbin told “The Briefing with Steve Scully” on SiriusXM’s POTUS channel, when asked about the recent change in the rules of decorum.  Durbin acknowledged that changing the Senate’s dress code would accommodate his colleague, first-term Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), who’s well-known for wearing a hoodie and shorts instead of a business suit like most senators, but suggested the issue is bigger than one senator.  “The senator in question from Pennsylvania ...

48,000 mattresses sold at Costco recalled over mold risk

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

(WHTM) -- A Pennsylvania-based manufacturer is recalling 48,000 mattresses that were sold at Costco due to the risk of mold exposure, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission.FXI Inc. is recalling the Novaform ComfortGrande 14-inch and Novaform DreamAway 8-inch mattresses. The company has received 541 reports of mold on the mattresses so far. No injuries were reported. Kraft Heinz is recalling some American cheese slices over choking hazard The ComfortGrande mattress has a blue base with “Novaform” written in white letters. The DreamAway has a gray base with “Novaform” written in white letters.(CPSC)(CPSC)Included in the recall are only mattresses with the model/item numbers in the charts below and manufactured at FXI’s San Bernardino, California, facility between Jan. 2, 2023, and April 28, 2023. The mattress' item number can be found on the mattress box and on the tag attached to the mattress, which is where the manufacturing location can also be found.ComfortGrande...

Raul Meza Case: Detailing Meza's early criminal history

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

KXAN crime reporter Brianna Hollis and digital reporter Sam Stark dive into the investigations into Raul Meza Jr. on “KXAN Live: The Meza Case” to give you a look behind the curtain at the team’s coverage. You can watch the streams live on Thursday mornings at 10:30 a.m.AUSTIN (KXAN) – Raul Meza, 62, is a convicted murderer who now faces charges in the 2019 death of his neighbor and the May 2023 death of an 80-year-old man. The Austin Police Department arrested him in May after he called and confessed to the murder of Jesse Fraga, 80, of Pflugerville, and implicated himself in the death of Gloria Lofton, 65, of east Austin. TIMELINE: What we know of Raul Meza’s criminal history Meza's criminal history dates back to his juvenile years and includes a murder conviction in the death of 8-year-old Kendra Page, who he killed while on parole for an aggravated robbery sentence. Brianna and Sam address the following topics in this week's episode:Raul Meza's early criminal history.Latest o...

Matthew McConaughey again floats possibility of running for political office

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — After ruling out a run for governor, speculation is ramping up again that Texas voters may see Matthew McConaughey's name appear on their ballots sometime in the future. The Oscar-winning actor appeared earlier this week on an episode of the "SmartLess" podcast with Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett to promote his new picture book called "Just Because." Their discussion, though, turned to politics after McConaughey talked about his Greenlights Grant Initiative, which is a national program he launched connecting school districts to available federal school safety funding. Matthew McConaughey takes photos, signs new book ‘Just Because’ for hundreds in Austin Hayes asked, almost as an aside, whether McConaughey would ever revisit running for a political office in Texas — or even president of the United States. "It's not something I want to visit now because of what I said earlier," McConaughey responded. "I'm raising three children right now. It's a great ad...

Kyle City Council approves $272.5M budget, investments in infrastructure

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

KYLE, Texas (KXAN) -- The Kyle City Council unanimously approved the city's budget for Fiscal Year 2023-24, according to a city news release. The $272.5 million budget focuses on investments in infrastructure and services. The release said it was based on goals identified by both city council and staff during work sessions. "Priorities include increased street maintenance and rehabilitation, strategic planning, economic development, small business retention, increasing community engagement and enhancing public safety," the city said. RELATED COVERAGE: Tesla, dozens of restaurants and businesses coming to Kyle Long-term investments include: $31.1 million for downtown revitalization and $75,000 for a Downtown Façade Grant for businesses$21.4 million in water system improvements$1 million for increased street maintenance$5.7 million for parks improvements$4 million to create an Infrastructure Plan for development of retail centers and grocery stores on the E...

Noah Kahan to perform at Austin's Moody Center in 2024

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 16:10:43 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Singer-songwriter Noah Kahan will perform at the Moody Center in Austin next year as part of his "We'll All Be Here Forever" tour.He's slated to perform at the downtown Austin venue on June 14, 2024, the Moody Center announced in a tweet Wednesday. Advanced ticket registration is available online now through Sept. 24 at 11:59 p.m.Advanced ticket sales will begin Sept. 28 and run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., per the Moody Center.Kahan will be more than familiar with Austin come June 2024, as he's slated to tape an Austin City Limits Live performance on Sept. 25 and perform both weekends of the 2023 Austin City Limits Music Festival in October.Kahan's 2022 album "Stick Season" released to critical acclaim. He released the album's deluxe version, "Stick Season (We'll All Be Here Forever)" in May before collaborating with Post Malone on a special version of his single "Dial Drunk" in July.