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Does Austin have enough workers this holiday season?

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:05 GMT

Austin (KXAN) — An Austin-based recruitment agency said things are looking better for the hospitality industry with the holidays quickly approaching.Casey Nichik and Todd Gerjes of Talent 512/Patrice & Associates said their business is helping other businesses find the employees they need.Nichik said the company's specialty is finding hospitality employees. She said this time of year, there's an uptick in demand for wait staff and hotel workers."Some of the smaller clients that we have are companies where they get really heavy seasonal influx of private bookings, and dining, and holiday parties. I've seen a lot of activity in terms of front desk staff, support staff, the non full time type of hires," Nichik said.Nichik said the hospitality industry as a whole is nearly recovered from the blow dealt to it by the pandemic which saw many employees leave the industry.However, Gerjes said more people are returning to the field and some to higher wages."We've seen wages increase acros...

Prep Bowl: Saturday’s football state championship game predictions

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:05 GMT

A look at Saturday’s high school football championship games at U.S. Bank Stadium:CLASS 5AChanhassen (12-0) vs. St. Thomas Academy (10-2), 4 p.m.So many times St. Thomas Academy has knocked on the door of winning its first state title since 1975, only to fall just short. But this year’s team -— led by star running back Savion Hart, who is perfectly complemented by a Max Sims and Luke Dobbs passing combination — may be dynamic enough to push the Cadets over the finish line. But as great as the Cadets’ offense is, the defense must find a way to slow down Chanhassen’s Max Woods, who joins Hart in the group of the state’s top running backs. This game has shootout written all over it, and will likely come down to which defense can muster up those one or two stops to determine the outcome. OUR PICK: St. Thomas Academy 41, Chanhassen 38CLASS 3AStewartville (13-0) vs. Annandale (12-0), 1 p.m.Annandale has proven itself to be a great team that grinds out and fin...

Gophers football: Close-knit Chris Autman-Bell, Brevyn Spann-Ford headline Senior Day

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:05 GMT

P.J. Fleck’s corner office at the Larson Football Performance Center has two gray cloth chairs facing his desk, and when the double doors are open, players can sit there to chat with the Gophers head coach.Mo Ibrahim was such a regular visitor during his six seasons at the U that his routine became known as “Mo Mondays.” Tyler Nubin has dropped in so often over his five seasons that Fleck jokes Nubin should wear an “assistant head coach” name tag.Chris Autman-Bell and Brevyn Spann-Ford have also nestled into those armchairs during seven- and six-year careers at the U. With Fleck, they have — of course — talked football and how each of those two players has had senior seasons that have fallen short of personal and team goals.But conversation topics veer elsewhere, too. Spann-Ford mentioned conversations about the stock market, and Autman-Bell referenced the importance of international travel.“When you go to other places, other countries, you see how small you are,” Autman-Bell said h...

Former St. Paul city council member Roberta ‘Bobbi’ Megard remembered for ‘tireless’ community work

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:05 GMT

Family and former colleagues of a longtime St. Paul activist and former city council member are remembering her for community work and a strong belief in government’s ability to improve lives.Two-term city council member Roberta “Bobbi” Megard died on Nov. 16, 2023 at age 87. Megard represented northwestern St. Paul’s Ward 4 on the council after being elected in 1993, and ran for mayor in 1997 and 2001.One of her lasting marks is on downtown housing, says Ann Cieslak, who was a legislative aide to Megard for four years. Cieslak remembers Megard making early calls for more housing in the then-floundering district, which has since seen significant residential development.Megard was an advocate for affordable housing, and a critic of former Mayor Norm Coleman’s unwillingness to raise taxes, something she said would only shift problems to future St. Paul residents, Cieslak said.“She didn’t make her decision based on the politics of it,” said Cieslak. “She would always say what was...

Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs enjoyed watching his parents go viral

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:05 GMT

Vikings quarterback Josh Dobbs saw the posts on social media. His parents were in the spotlight last weekend with the Vikings playing the Denver Broncos on Sunday Night Football. Nearly every time he made a play on the field, the camera would pan to his parents Robert and Stephanie in the stands.“They were aware they were going to get some TV time,” Dobbs said. “They did say, ‘We’ll put y’all on the TV probably pregame, and then during the game, we’ll keep it on the football.’ Then after every touchdown, they kept turning it to my parents. They had fun with it.”So did the Internet.There was a particular moment from the game that showed Robert and Stephanie looking rather disinterested. Somebody took a screenshot and posted it on the website formerly known as Twitter, with the caption, “Josh Dobbs parents still wish he worked for NASA.”That post got more than 3.5 million views, and hilariously, Dobbs found it so funny that he even reposted it...

Carjacking suspects arrested after Jennings police chase

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:05 GMT

JENNINGS, Mo. -- Several carjacking suspects are under arrest after a police chase today. A St. Louis County officer's vehicle struck another car during the pursuit. No injuries have been reported.Jennings officers noticed a grey Nissan Maxima at around 3 p.m. that was reported stolen in a carjacking earlier Friday near the intersection of Duke Drive and Chambers Road. The driver sped off when they tried to pull the vehicle over.A St. Louis County officer involved in the police chase struck another vehicle near the intersection of Lucas and Hunt Road and Kinamore Drive. No one was injured in the accident. Another St. Louis resident loses property via Recorder of Deeds Office The chase ended at around 3:10 p.m. after the Maxima struck a concrete barrier in the 9300 block of Scottdale Drive. Four suspects ran from the vehicle. Two of them were eventually placed under arrest and police found one gun on the suspects.The officers did not give a description of the two other suspects. Th...

Teens die in fatal Cahokia Heights Thanksgiving shooting

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:05 GMT

CAHOKIA HEIGHTS, Ill. -- Police were called to the 300 block of Adele Street Thursday at around 4 p.m. They found two teens with gunshot wounds inside a stolen black sedan.One of the victims, showing signs of life, was taken to a hospital to be treated for his injuries. He died later from his injuries.Police attempted to find a suspect using police dogs but were unable to find anyone in the area. The Illinois State Police are now assisting with the investigation. Cahokia Heights Police urge anyone with details to call them at 618-825-2681.

Illinois pig farmers brace for implementation of Proposition 12

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:05 GMT

PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) -- A shakeup on the pork shelves at the grocery store is coming as local pig farmers prepare for the January 1 implementation of a California animal welfare law mandating larger space requirements for pigs, cows and chickens.The fourth largest in the country, Illinois' pork industry contributes nearly $14 billion to the state's economy, according to Illinois Pork Producers Association.Fourth-generation pig farmer Cheryl Walsh owns one of the more than 2,100 pig farms in Illinois that will be impacted by the new law."Right now, the hardest part of my job is not knowing what the future holds for me and my family business," said Walsh, owner of Cowser's Family Sow Farm in Bradford.The Farm Animal Confinement Initiative, better known as California Proposition 12, requires sows to have at least 24 square feet of space with the ability to move and turn around. Most pregnant sows are kept in gestation stalls measuring two feet wide and seven feet long."The gestation cra...

Thousands of soldiers served Thanksgiving meals at Fort Leonard Wood

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:05 GMT

FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. — Thousands of soldiers at Fort Leonard Wood took a small break to enjoy a Thanksgiving meal.“We have about 60 25-pound birds for the turkey, about 500 pounds of prime rib, and there's about 400 pounds of ham, along with about 150 pounds of shrimp,” Chef and Manager Jimmy Helmuth said.   What restaurants are open on Thanksgiving in Springfield? That’s just for one hall. Overall, Fort Leonard Wood told OzarksFirst they’ll dish out over 12,000 meals to soldiers and families throughout the day.  The spread was noticed by those taking in the festivities.“My jaw dropped a little bit. You know, you don't really expect,” Jonathan Greco, Private First Class said. “You know I think you come to see something different, but they really went all out. I'm very impressed.” Higher-ranking officers were on hand to fill plates, a change from the norm.  “It's great and it's exciting because at this stage of their career, they're so youn...

Avalanche defenseman Samuel Girard enters players’ assistance program, cites mental health concerns

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 11:00:05 GMT

Samuel Girard will take an indefinite leave of absence from the Colorado Avalanche after entering the Player Assistance Program, the NHL and NHLPA announced Friday.Related ArticlesColorado Avalanche | Greasy goals, more Cale Makar magic leads Avalanche past Canucks Colorado Avalanche | Caleb Jones’ return to Colorado has been positive for him and Avalanche Colorado Avalanche | Cale Makar, Quinn Hughes set for a showdown between two early Norris Trophy favorites Colorado Avalanche | Predators score twice in final minute to stun Avalanche in “heartbreaking” fashion Colorado Avalanche | A few wobbles aside, the Avalanche is a destructive force of nature in third periods this season The Avalanche defenseman has been away from the team since he wasn’t available for the club’s game Monday at Nashville. Coach Jared Bednar said Girard had left the team for personal reasons after the...