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Retired teacher and daughter scammed out of $200K while trying to buy townhome

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:52 GMT

LAKEWOOD, Colo. (KDVR) -- A mom and her daughter in Colorado want to warn others after they were scammed out of almost $200,000 while trying to buy a townhome. They said hackers created spoof emails posing as their lender, title company and realtor as they went through the home-buying process.“At some point, the chain of emails got hacked. I started getting fraud emails and I didn’t realize they were fraud emails," said Vicki Ragle, the victim of the scam. Ragle and her daughter, Sarah, said the fraudulent emails looked identical to the authentic emails they had been receiving before the scammers got involved. Are your old coins and bills valuable? Expert explains what to look for On Wednesday, two days before they were supposed to close on the townhome, Ragle said the people, who she believed at the time were the title company, requested the $196,662.81 due to close. The email said they required the funds to be sent within 48 hours in order to close on the home. “We were suppose...

Wizardry, warfare, and Wii on ballot for this year's World Video Game Hall of Fame class

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:52 GMT

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) — Wizardry, warfare and Wii are on the ballot as the World Video Game Hall of Fame narrows down its contenders for the class of 2023.The Hall of Fame on Wednesday announced 12 finalists that are being considered for induction in May. The games for consideration include Age of Empires, Angry Birds, Barbie Fashion Designer, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Computer Space, FIFA International Soccer, GoldenEye 007, The Last of Us, NBA 2K, Quake, Wii Sports and Wizardry.A panel of experts and the public will vote on the winners. ‘Family Feud’ contestant accused of murdering estranged wife “It’s always difficult to narrow the World Video Game Hall of Fame nominations down to just 12 finalists because there are so many games that have had an enormous influence on popular culture or the video game industry itself," said Jon-Paul C. Dyson, director of the The Strong's International Center for the History of Electronic Games in Rochester, where the hall is based.“This ye...

United Airlines wants to turn algae into jet fuel

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:52 GMT

(KTLA) -- United Airlines has made a multimillion-dollar investment into a technology company that is hoping to turn algae into jet fuel.United announced the $5 million investment in the biofuel company Viridos on Monday. Viridos specializes in bioengineering microalgae into algae oil, which could one day be scaled to produce sustainable aviation fuel, aka SAF.The airline has made an ambitious goal of being a 100% green company by 2050 and has started a venture fund to identify and invest in technology that will help the company achieve that goal. SAF is made from used cooking oil or agricultural waste, but scientists hope it can eventually be made from such things as household trash, forest waste or, in the case of Viridos, algae.Viridos identifies itself as a leader in bioengineering microalgae and says its algae have already achieved seven times the oil productivity compared to wild algae. With those scientific advancements comes the potential to create a more effective and susta...

Luck Reunion postponed due to weather threat

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:52 GMT

Editor's note: The above video shows KXAN News Today's morning headlines for March 15, 2023. AUSTIN (KXAN) — If you have tickets to Willie Nelson's Luck Reunion show, you'll have to wait one more day.Luck Presents announced Wednesday it made the decision to postpone Luck Reunion to Friday, March 17. The festival was originally scheduled to start Thursday, but it was pushed back due to expected severe weather. The KXAN First Warning Weather team is forecasting three rounds of storms Thursday, with the most severe round expected late Thursday into early Friday. Severe risk tomorrow ahead of colder, wet weather "The safety of fans, performers, vendors, and staff remains paramount. Without them, there is no Luck," the announcement said. "Same venue, same vendors, same Willie, and a little more sunshine. Hope to see you out at Luck on Friday."All existing tickets, parking passes and press credentials will be honored for the rescheduled Luck Reunion date on Friday. Any m...

Council to approve $510k for emergency repairs at Candlewood, Northbridge shelters

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:52 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin City Council is expected to sign off next week on emergency construction contracts for the Pecan Gardens shelter -- formerly the Candlewood Suites hotel -- and the Northbridge shelter, with a price tag of half a million dollars. According to council documents, Belfor USA Group, Inc. responded to both of the locations for water damage. They're owed $510,312, nearly $80,000 of which will come from the Capital Improvement Program budget and the remaining funding from Austin Public Health's capital budget.Pecan Gardens shelterAccording to documents, staff found the Pecan Gardens property had been vandalized on May 9, 2022. The vandalization resulted in pipes being cut or broken which led to "extensive water damage in multiple rooms and hallways." Williamson County sues City of Austin over project to house homeless The company was asked to clear the water and debris out of the former hotel and then "used air mover/carpet blowers, dehumidifiers, air filtration u...

After 30 years, iconoclastic St. Paul Saints will be in new ownership hands

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:52 GMT

The ownership group that brought minor league back to St. Paul in 1993 announced Wednesday morning it’s in the process of selling the team to a group that owns several other minor league teams.Diamond Baseball Holdings owns 13 other minor league baseball teams, including the Saints’ new Class AAA rival the Iowa Cubs in Des Moines. DSH“The decision to sell was a difficult and emotional one for me and it would not have been made were it not to an organization headed by people who ‘get it,’” Saints Chairman/CEO Marv Goldklang said in a statement.Diamond Baseball Holdings chairman Peter Freund has been a co-owner of the Charleston RiverDogs, a Goldklang Group owned team.The Saints started as an independent team playing at Midway Stadium in 1993, bringing minor league baseball back to St. Paul for the first time since the original St. Paul Saints left after the 1960 season. The team’s modus operandi, best explained by team motto “Fun is Good,” was as important — if not more important — a...

Timberwolves: Karl-Anthony Towns expected back ‘in coming weeks’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:52 GMT

The Timberwolves on Wednesday released an injury update on forward Karl-Anthony Towns, who has been sidelined since Nov. 28 because of a right calf strain.“Towns is continuing to progress in his rehabilitation program and has been participating in basketball activities.” the team said in a statement. “He is expected to return in the coming weeks and further updates to his playing status will be provided when available.”The Timberwolves have 13 regular-season games remaining, starting tonight against the Boston Celtics at Target Center. Tip is set for 7 p.m.Wednesday’s update wasn’t different from any of the updates the team has offered on Towns since the team returned from the all-star break. In 21 games this season, Towns is averaging 20.8 points, 8.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists a game. He is shooting 50.5 percent from the field.Related ArticlesMinnesota Timberwolves | Kyle Anderson continues to do it all for the Timberwolves Minnesota Timberwolves | Jimmy B...

Five big Twins questions with two weeks until Opening Day

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:52 GMT

The Twins have made their first round of cuts and have started to narrow down the number of players in camp, but there’s still plenty left to be solidified before the team heads north.With two weeks left before the Twins open the season in Kansas City on March 30, here’s a look at five questions that will need to be answered before then.Who will the Twins’ Opening Day starter be?Twins manager Rocco Baldelli has not yet announced an Opening Day starter, though he has good options.Kenta Maeda and Joe Ryan drew the Twins’ last two Opening Day starts. Tyler Mahle was the Reds’ Opening Day starter last season. Pablo López is certainly worthy of the nod. But the most likely of the bunch appears to be veteran Sonny Gray, whom the honor likely would have gone to last season had he been ready.Gray finished last season with a 3.08 earned-run average across 24 starts, but his season was disrupted three times by injuries. This year, he reported to camp ahead in his preparation in an attempt to ...

In flames: Local family navigates trauma after house-fire

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:52 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsA local family is just beginning to find a way out of the ashes.After a traumatic house-fire just a few weeks before the holidays, Danita McGinn said trying to navigate life post-fire has been a struggle.The lifelong Coaldale resident and her husband Buck, have several grown children and a three-year-old daughter who stays with Danita and her husband most of the time in a shared parenting arrangement.On Dec. 6, the family heard a loud explosion, and moments later, turbulent flames permeated their home, leaving them with mere moments to get out. A fire had erupted quietly behind the drywall. The cause: a decades-old handy-work error where a drywall screw had wound up through a wire tucked behind the walls of the storage room. Over time, the material encasing the wire wore away, causing heat, and eventual flames. Soon, the quiet whoosh of the steady flames spread up and out, eventually creating enough heat to trigger an explosion of the flammable materi...

McCain announces historic investment into Coaldale facility

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:30:52 GMT

By Erika MathieuSunny South NewsMcCain Foods has announced a $600 million investment in southern Alberta which will double the size of the Coaldale McCains facility and bring hundreds of new jobs to the region.President and chief executive officer of McCain Foods, Max Koeune, said the development in Alberta is the largest-ever investment in McCain’s 65-year history and will support Canadian producers and through the company’s commitment, “the future of agriculture and innovation in Canada.”Koeune said the expansion in Coaldale, “will fuel continued growth for the business, allowing us to serve key markets further by bringing customers high quality potatoes that begin with our dedicated local farming community.”According to McCain, the implementation of new technology in the Coaldale plant aligns with the company’s commitments to sustainable practices including goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half across global operations by 2030. Renewable sources such as wind and solar wil...