Latest news with #Statesman
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
‘Unusual flurry' of earthquakes shakes near Idaho mountain town
More than a dozen earthquakes have rattled Central Idaho since Sunday morning in an 'unusual flurry' of activity, according to Idaho state geologist Claudio Berti. Berti, who is the director of the Idaho Geological Survey, told the Idaho Statesman that researchers have been keeping a close eye on the seismic activity, which originated from the Basin Butte area north of Stanley. The geologist noted the earthquakes are not coming from the same area as the magnitude-6.5 earthquake that occurred nearby in 2020 and shook much of the state. That quake, which originated near the Cape Horn Mountain in the Boise National Forest, was the second-largest in recorded history and was felt by many Boise residents. Berti said the previous seismic activity likely made it possible for the U.S. Geological Survey to detect the recent tremors, which have ranged in magnitude from 2.5 to 3.2. Geologists installed earthquake monitoring tools in Central Idaho after the 2020 earthquake, he told the Statesman. Though small, Berti said the earthquakes are likely strong enough to be felt by people in Central Idaho, particularly if they're indoors. Idaho is one of the most seismically active states in the country, and Central Idaho has gained prominence in recent years as a particularly active area. Berti said numerous faults are in the area, and there's still a lot of research to be done. Clusters of earthquakes like the ones currently happening have helped teach researchers what's going on below the earth's surface, he said. 'When we get one single (earthquake) event somewhere in the middle of nowhere, it is hard to make any sense of it,' he said. 'As we see a number of those earthquakes that come one after another, concentrated or focused in some specific region, the alignment of those individual earthquakes, we say, illuminate a fault plane.' The clusters of earthquakes can't tell experts what will come next. Berti said there are diverging schools of thought on whether increased seismic activity predicts a larger upcoming earthquake or makes one less likely as energy is released in the smaller quakes. Regardless, Berti said, it's a good reminder of Idaho's earthquake risk. He encouraged people to be prepared for potential hazards by being aware of earthquake safety procedures.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Statesman reporters win Education Writers top honor for fatal Hays bus crash investigation
A team of Austin American-Statesman journalists who spent nine months investigating the state's deadliest school bus crash in nearly a decade last year received the highest honor Friday from the national Education Writers Association. The Fred M. Hechinger Grand Prize for Distinguished Education Reporting was presented to Latino community affairs reporter Emiliano Tahui Gómez, education reporter Keri Heath and Tony Plohetski, associate editor for investigations, who co-authored and oversaw the reporting. The prize, awarded in St. Louis at the group's annual conference, comes with $10,000. The team was selected among 14 of 17 category winners in the 2024 national awards for education reporting. The four-part series, 'A Fatal Field Trip,' investigated the March 2024 crash in Bastrop County involving a Hays school bus returning from a trip to a zoo. The crash killed a 5-year-old student on the bus and a man traveling in a car behind the bus after a concrete pumper truck crossed lanes and hit the bus. The driver of the truck was indicted on charges of manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide. The reporting team revealed how a school district's decision to deploy a bus without seat belts likely contributed to injuries and death; how a lack of regulation — and reduced enforcement of existing regulations — left a dangerous driver on the road; and how after the crash, families were left to fend for themselves because of a lack of programs and services to help them emotionally heal. The Education Writers Association also honored the work with a first-place prize in investigative and public service reporting. Judges wrote that the reporters "tied together disparate strands usually not woven in a news package." They added that they were "impressed by several aspects of this investigation: the deep sourcing with families and centering their stories; the excellent use of public records and analyzing the data related to buses with seat belts, inspections and more; and the 360 approach to the questions of what went wrong and what could have prevented this tragedy." Statesman Editor in Chief Courtney Sebesta said that the work exemplifies accountability journalism at its highest level. "There were so many layers of failure before and after this ill-fated event," said Sebesta. "These families deserved to know about regulation lapses and the public needs to understand the lack of resources available to help victims heal after an incident like this." This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Statesman journalists win EWA top prize for fatal bus crash coverage
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Austin ends plan to close Barton Springs early, but tough conversations about services loom
Good news for Austin's night owls and moon howlers. Proposed changes to Barton Springs Pool's evening hours, which would have closed the iconic swimming hole at 9 p.m., are no longer happening. This means beloved one-hour nightly free swims, and full moon swims with their accompanying primal howls, can continue as usual. Over the weekend, social media users posted photos of a sign at Barton Springs Pool indicating that effective June 1, the pool would close nightly at 9 p.m. This would have impacted post-sunset swims, a cherished part of Austin's culture. On most nights, pool access is free from 9 to 10 p.m. While free "swim at your own risk" hours from 5 a.m. to 8 a.m. would have remained, the extended evening frolics were off the schedule. The proposed changes would have meant an end to impromptu dips under the stars, potentially pushing famously wild full moon parties into earlier hours. Social media users expressed concern that Barton Springs' nocturnal allure would become less weird and a lot more … bedtime-friendly. Jessica King, City of Austin Communication Director, told the Statesman on Tuesday that the city anticipated a deficit in this year's operating budget. To avoid the deficit, she said, the City Manager instructed all departments to find 1.5% in cost-saving measures. While the Parks and Recreation Department did consider reducing pool hours as a way to save money, this idea was never officially approved. King said that City Manager T.C. Broadnax had not "decided if the cost savings achieved by reducing pool hours would justify the impact to our residents' experience." Given that the summer season is already here and the city prefers "to provide residents with advanced notice on such changes" she said no changes to pool hours will be implemented at this time. However, King noted that "as we prepare for next year's budget, we must also prepare for tougher conversations across all department services." Before the reversal, news of the potential early closure sparked a significant outcry on social media. Austinites took to platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to express their dismay and disappointment. Lifeguards United shared a photo of the announcement posted at the pool, saying no explanation had been given by the Parks and Recreation Department. Many shared personal anecdotes of late-night swims, emphasizing the role Barton Springs Pool plays in the community. One user on TikTok commented, 'Free night swim saved my life when I went through a divorce, why did they end it without any notice?!' Social media users expressed strong opposition to any changes that would limit access to the iconic pool, especially during the summer months. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Barton Springs Pool stays open late, Austin avoids early closing hours
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
American-Statesman journalists receive top honors from Society for Features Journalism
The American-Statesman received six top awards from the Society for Features Journalism in various categories for excellence in long-form storytelling. SFJ recognizes impactful, moving features stories across the country each year through its awards, which were announced Wednesday. Nearly 1,000 pieces were submitted to this year's national competition, according to the organization, and five Statesman reporters were among the winners. The Statesman received fourth place overall for 'Finest in Features Sweepstakes Awards,' among the top newsrooms honored in all 21 categories. Latino Communities Reporter Emiliano Tahui Gómez received two first-place awards for his 'enlightening' and strong reporting, judges said. Gómez won first place for a sports feature on a Venezuelan immigrant softball league in North Austin, and he received an honorable mention for his feature-writing portfolio. He and fellow Statesman reporters, Tony Plohetski and Keri Heath, placed first for a three-part series examining the 2024 fatal Hays school bus crash in Bastrop County. The three-reporter team also won third place for the same series in the features narrative category. The series has also been honored as a finalist for a 2025 Education Writers Award, which has yet to be announced. And the reporting team recently received an award from the Fort Worth chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists in general news writing. Judges called their narrative account of the bus crash an 'excellent retelling of the totality of this tragedy.' In the arts and culture criticism category for the national features contests, Matthew Odam, a longtime food critic for the Statesman, won second place for the 'clarity and vividness' of his writing, and Features Editor Deborah Sengupta Stith won third place for her 'beautiful' music reviews. The Statesman's Austin360 entertainment staff was awarded a prestigious international award Thursday from the International News Media Association for their Austin City Sounds event, which was held during the week between Austin City Limits Festival's two-weekend event last year. Awarded "Best Use of an Event to Build a News Brand," the team hosted a live music show at Guero's Taco Bar on South Congress Avenue featuring four Austin-based musicians and bands showcasing different stylings of the city's music. Statesman health reporter Nicole Villapando also won the Anson Jones Award on Thursday from the Texas Medical Association for her story on 10,812 Texas children who were unenrolled from Medicaid by the state and moved to another program with higher costs. Higher education reporter Lily Kenner earlier this year received a Texas School Bell Award for an outstanding feature on education issues for her story on the effects of the elimination of diversity-related jobs at the University of Texas. The award is administered through the Texas State Teachers Association. "I am immensely proud of the work our journalists produce at the Statesman," said Editor in Chief Courtney Sebesta. "They strive to tell the stories of every day Central Texans with compassion and honesty. Receiving recognition from our peers is a wonderful and humbling feeling." Other awards Statesman reporters have won this year can be found here and here. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Statesman journalists receive top honors at national features awards
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Popular Idaho Chain Restaurant Has Closed After 20 Years
A longtime fast food stop in the state of Idaho has reportedly closed its doors. Del Taco, located at 1306 S. Broadway Ave. in Boise, has shut down, according to the Idaho Statesman. The business had been the first Del Taco to open in the Gem State nearly 20 years ago. "The street sign now reads, 'Thanks for 20 years' on one side and 'See you at Vista I-84' on the other," said the Statesman's Michael Deeds. "The Del Taco logos on the building have been removed." The shuttering of the Del Taco near Boise State University comes after the restaurant was briefly closed in late January after fire. Following a short hiatus, the chain outpost reopened on Feb. 3. 'We were just lucky that we had good people that could get things fixed in a pretty fast amount of time," general manager Josh Deshazo said at the time. Nine Del Taco locations remain open in Idaho, including two others in Boise, as well as establishments in Caldwell, Coeur d'Alene, Kuna, Meridian, Nampa and Post Falls. Del Taco was founded in California in 1964 and currently boasts nearly 600 locations around the country. In addition to burritos, nachos, tacos and quesadillas, the chain also serves crispy chicken offerings, burgers, fries, breakfast and more. "By introducing The Del Taco, the Buck & Under Menu, and even more fresh ingredients like sliced avocado, Del Taco continues to be the leader in serving fresh, quality food for a value price," the chain's official website says. "We take pride in chopping, grilling and shredding in our restaurants every day."
