Metro Transit commits up to $6 million for unarmed security details at six bus, light rail stations

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:13:10 GMT

Metro Transit commits up to $6 million for unarmed security details at six bus, light rail stations Alarmed by an uptick in both crime reports and nuisance complaints, Metro Transit will spend up to $6 million over the next two years contracting a private security firm to patrol six bus and light rail transit stations, including the Green Line’s Central Station, where two men were shot dead last December.The unarmed security details will be expected to communicate with and supplement Metro Transit’s sworn police force, which has struggled, like other police departments, to recruit and retain officers amid a national labor shortage.The Metropolitan Council voted Wednesday to authorize Metro Transit’s general manager to execute a one-year contract with Allied Universal for $3 million, with the option to renew for a second year.“It’s unfortunate that we need to do this, but we really need to do this,” said Wendy Wulff, a Met Council member from Lakeville, during Wednesday’s council meeting. “We’ve seen just a decline in the behavi...

Gov. Walz adds nearly $1.2 billion to his budget plans

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:13:10 GMT

Gov. Walz adds nearly $1.2 billion to his budget plans Gov. Tim Walz’s plans for Minnesota’s next two-year budget got more ambitious Thursday when the Democrat added almost $1.2 billion to the request he first detailed in January.Altogether, Walz has proposed that the state’s next two-year spending plan to be $66 billion with nearly $11 billion in new spending and about $4 billion worth of tax cuts. That’s roughly a 23 percent increase in state spending as well as a possible decline in revenues because of tax changes.The biggest new pieces of Walz’s budget are $250 million more for public safety funding, pushing his total proposal to $550 million for local governments to hire and retain public safety personnel. Another $250 million has been proposed to help Minnesotans replace lead water lines throughout the state.All of the items Walz put forward in his initial proposal remain, including big spending increases for education, paid leave, broader access to health care and rebate checks for taxpayers. The ext...

Pregnant woman hospitalized after St. Paul shooting has died

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:13:10 GMT

Pregnant woman hospitalized after St. Paul shooting has died A 21-year-old pregnant woman has died after she was shot in St. Paul this week, police said Thursday.Officers responded to Regions Hospital just before 5 p.m. Monday on a report of a woman who’d been brought to the emergency room. She had a gunshot injury to her head, said Sgt. Mike Ernster, a police spokesman.Investigators determined the woman was shot inside a vehicle near St. Anthony Avenue and Marion Street before she was rushed to the hospital in the vehicle. The woman was early in her pregnancy and the fetus also died, Ernster said.Police are asking anyone who may have been near the location around the time of the shooting to call them at 651-266-5650.Officers secured the scene to collect any evidence and spoke with other people who were with the victim to determine what happened, according to Ernster. Police did not announce an arrest Thursday.The woman was admitted to the hospital and recently died. Police said they will release her name after the Ramsey County medical...

Valatie 8-year-old with cerebral palsy inspires through family business

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:13:10 GMT

Valatie 8-year-old with cerebral palsy inspires through family business VALATIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) — An 8-year-old Valaite girl turned her cerebral palsy diagnosis into a message of hope for the community with the help of her family business. Riley Thomas-Clark is a third grader at Ichabod Crane Primary School. After class, Riley does it all—everything from golf and cheerleading to gymnastics. Currently, she's learning to do a cartwheel off the balance beam, but moves like that weren't always a possibility for Riley. At 18 months old, she was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, also known as CP. According to the CDC, Cerebral Palsy is a group of brain disorders caused by brain damage or abnormal brain development that can affect movement, muscle tone, or posture. The severity and symptoms vary. Eight-year-old says goodbye to leukemia with first pitch at Fenway “We did not know anything about it. When my husband and I were told she might have CP, we were in shock," Sarah Thomas-Clark, Riley's Mom, said. An MRI confirmed Riley had a form of CP called "spastic h...

Two arrested after incident at Queensbury hotel

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:13:10 GMT

Two arrested after incident at Queensbury hotel QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (NEWS10) - On Wednesday, two people were arrested following an altercation at a hotel in Queensbury. Stacy L. Blair, of Queensbury, and Jerry Rogers, of Glens Falls, were arrested after New York State Police responded to a report involving a possible firearm on hotel premises. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Police arrived at the Days Inn by Wyndham on Big Boom Road in Queensbury at around 8 p.m. on Wednesday. Police determined that Rogers and Blair had used BB guns - one in the style of a handgun, another shaped like a rifle - to injure a victim. The weapons were found hidden by Blair in the hotel room where the altercation took place.The victim, whose name has been kept anonymous, was injured, but the injuries were not considered to be life-threatening. They were transported to Glens Falls Hospital.Blair was charged with Criminal Possession of a Weapon in the Fourth Degree, Assault in the Second Degree, a...

Ballston Spa construction owner accused of damaging building with skid steer

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:13:10 GMT

Ballston Spa construction owner accused of damaging building with skid steer GLENVILLE, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Glenville police are searching for a wanted man, Adam Sipe, 36 of Ballston Spa. Sipe is accused of causing an expensive amount of damage to a building on Saratoga Road. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Glenville police report they were called to 446 Saratoga Road on February 20 around 2:40 p.m. for a report of someone vandalizing the building. Police discovered someone had used a skid steer with pallet forks to cause about $13,500 in damage to the building. Officers interviewed several witnesses and watched security camera footage to identify Sipe as the suspect. Adam SipeDamage at 446 Saratoga Road (Photo: Brian Corrigan)Damage at 446 Saratoga Road (Photo: Brian Corrigan)Damage at 446 Saratoga Road (Photo: Brian Corrigan))Police explain Sipe is the owner and operator of Sipe and Sons Construction. He was reportedly the original contractor working on the project at 446 Saratoga Road. A warrant has...

Sex trafficking remains a growing concern across New York

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:13:10 GMT

Sex trafficking remains a growing concern across New York ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Online platforms have contributed to the rise of sex trafficking across New York, with many cases involving minors under the age of 18. While lawmakers push to decriminalize sex work and provide stronger protections for victims of sex trafficking, local government agencies and nonprofit organizations have been at the forefront of providing support services and aid to victims in need. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! What is sex trafficking?As defined by Nicole Consiglio, the Safe Harbour Coordinator for the Albany County Department for Children, Youth, and Families, sex trafficking is the term used for anyone under the age of 18 who is engaged in commercial sex or any adult who is involved in commercial sex in which the elements of force fraud and coercion are used. "Younger people are more vulnerable to trafficking and are easily influenced as they do not have the awareness to protect themselve...

Things to do in the Capital Region this weekend: March 17-19

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:13:10 GMT

Things to do in the Capital Region this weekend: March 17-19 ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- The weekend is almost here! From St. Patrick's Day to Maple Weekend to the 2023 NCAA Men's Basketball tournament, there are quite a few things happening on March 17, 18, and 19. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Here are some of the events going on around the Capital Region this weekend.Friday, March 17St. Patrick's Day. Many restaurants are having Irish specials.St. Patrick's Day events around the North Country.Stewart's Shops offering 99-cent ice cream cones for St. Patrick's Day.2023 NCAA Men's Basketball, MVP Arena in Albany, various times. You can buy tickets and check out the schedule on the MVP Arena website. Stores coming, going and staying in Stuyvesant Plaza Saturday, March 18The 27th annual Maple Weekend, various location around the Capital Region.St. Paddy’s Day Pub Fest, downtown Amsterdam, 1 p.m. to 8 p.m.Voices of the Americas by the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Saratoga P...

The St. Patrick's Day forecast for St. Louis

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:13:10 GMT

The St. Patrick's Day forecast for St. Louis ST. LOUIS -- Mild, wet and windy across the region, with high temperatures near 60 degrees. Rain with a chance of thunderstorms through late tonight. Around .50” of rainfall in St. Louis. St. Louis radar: See a map of current weather here The weather should be drier and cold on St. Patrick’s Day. Expect wind gusts up to 30 mph and temperatures will be much colder. Morning temperatures will be in the 30s with wind chills in the teens. Afternoon high temperatures will be in the low 40s. The normal high for this time of year is 57 degrees. The weekend will be dry but cold. We’ll hold onto the gusty north winds on Saturday, but less windy on Sunday. Highs, only topping out in the 30s. Milder on the first day of Spring, with highs near 50 degrees. Chance of rain by late Tuesday.

Smoke from Wright City building fire over I-70

Published Sun, 29 Dec 2024 14:13:10 GMT

Smoke from Wright City building fire over I-70 WRIGHT CITY, Mo. - Firefighters are working to put out a commercial structure fire in the 15000 block of Veterans Memorial Pkwy. The Scott’s Company building has been heavily damaged by a fire. Smoke from the building can be seen over I-70, which is located nearby.