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How suspected 'serial killer' Raul Meza's civil case impacted Texas justice system

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:58:56 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Raul Meza Jr. has been an infamous, headline-grabbing name for years in Central Texas, after he pleaded guilty to the 1982 murder of 8-year-old Kendra Page. Meza resurfaced in May when he was charged with two more murders and described by one local official as a “serial killer.”Compared to those high-profile murder cases, relatively little attention was paid to a 2005 civil rights lawsuit Meza filed against state prison and parole officials. But legal experts say that civil case has had a lasting impact on the system.Meza, now 62, sued Texas Department of Criminal Justice and TDCJ’s parole division officials, roughly three years after his mandatory 2002 release from prison. In 2002, Meza was placed under mandatory supervision and housed in the Travis County Jail in Del Valle. In his 2005 suit, Meza argued his civil rights were trampled by overly restrictive supervision rules and sex offender conditions imposed on him, even though he was not convicted of a sex offense...

Georgetown car club makes donation for school lunch deficit

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:58:56 GMT

GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) -- The Georgetown Texas Area Car Club donated $750 to help pay off some of the lunch deficit balances in the Georgetown Independent School District. In total, the school district received $5,700 from various donors in the past year to help pay off the lunch deficit, but there is still a negative balance of $9,250 across all student accounts, according to a district spokesperson. Reduced or free lunch program The district spokesperson said the pandemic and high inflation impacted family budgets, and families can not always pay for the school lunch. In fact, 42% of the student population in GISD qualify for a reduced or free lunch program, but there still may be more families who qualify for the program and have not filled out the proper paperwork, according to the spokesperson. GISD said it will not let kids go hungry and will take on any deficit to provide a meal. If the school district does not get enough donations to pay remaining deficit, it will cover th...

Girl, 8, wounded in shooting in St. Paul’s Payne-Phalen

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:58:56 GMT

A shooting injured an 8-year-old girl in St. Paul Tuesday night.Officers were called about 10:15 p.m. to a home in the Payne-Phalen neighborhood in the 800 block of Bradley Street on a report of a shooting. As they were responding, they received updated information that a child was injured by the gunfire.The girl was apparently in the yard when shots were fired toward the house, said Sgt. Mike Ernster, a police spokesman.Paramedics took the girl to a hospital for treatment and preliminary information indicated her injuries were not life-threatening, according to Ernster.No one was immediately under arrest. Police said they’re investigating the circumstances of the shooting and who was responsible. Related ArticlesCrime & Public Safety | Dru Sjodin’s killer moved to Florida prison to served life sentence Crime & Public Safety | 3 southern Minnesota men charged with January 2021 attack on U.S. Capitol Crime & Public Safety | ...

Menands elects new mayor, trustees

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:58:56 GMT

MENANDS, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- After 12 years, the Village of Menands has a new mayor. Brian Marsh, a current trustee for Menands, was elected mayor with 396 votes compared to William Nevins' 297 votes in the June 20 election. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Mayor Meg Grenier chose to not run for reelection after three terms and retire. Before she was mayor, she served six years as a village trustee."While stepping down as Mayor is difficult, doing so will allow me more time now to spend with my family, (who I can’t thank enough for their support over the years), including my three beautiful grandsons," said Grenier in her last Mayor's message. "I am forever grateful for the trust people have put in me over the past 12 years and I wish the next board the very best." Free music celebrations in Albany for Make Music Day Marsh has served as a village trustee since 2019. He was raised in Menands, and after living in Boston for 20 ...

Berlin High School senior's artwork to be featured at Smithsonian

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:58:56 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Daniel Rivera, a senior at Berlin High School, will have his painting "Tears of Miss Justice: Mourning a Broken System" displayed at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, D.C., for their "Art Activations for Democracy" event in September. Rivera's artwork won "Best in Show" at the annual "Democracy Collection Student Art Competition," which is sponsored by the National Art Education Association and the Art in Embassies of the U.S. Department of State. Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! Rivera's "Tears of Miss Justice: Mourning a Broken System," was a long time in the making, as he started the project in Mrs. Samantha Colbert's High School Intermediate Studio Class last year in the fall. Rivera continued to work on the project for the next five months. Rivera's painting was chosen by a panel of visual arts professionals, who chose five winners from 30 finalists, four regional winners, and one "best in s...

Catskill High School quadruplets, cousin graduate top of senior class

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:58:56 GMT

CATSKILL, N.Y. (NEWS10) - After spending their academic careers together, quadruplets and their cousin will graduate from Catskill High School on Friday. Four of them rank in the top 10 of their senior class. 2023 Senior Send-off Adam Konsul is Salutatorian, Christopher Konsul is third in his class, Joseph Konsul is fourth in his class and Nicholas, their cousin, is graduating sixth in the class. William, one of the quadruplets and beloved brother, is an out-of-district Catskill student who attends Wildwood. All five of them will walk the stage at graduation together.So what’s next? Nicholas plans to attend the University of Buffalo, while Adam, Joseph and Christopher are attending Northeastern University. While the brothers will be going to the same school they aren't living together and will use the time to live as individuals. Schroon Lake seniors camp at school as prank NEWS10 wants to recognize and honor the Class of 2023 with a Senior Send-Off! Submit a picture of your sen...

5 things to know this Wednesday, June 21

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:58:56 GMT

ALBANY, N.Y. (NEWS10) -- Happy official first day of summer! At 10:57 a.m., it will officially be summer, and according to Meteorologist Jill Szwed, the forecast looks great to enjoy the "longest day of the year." Get the latest, news, weather, sports and community events delivered right to your inbox! New York State Police say while most concert-goers were peaceful this past weekend at SPAC, 24 arrests were made during their opening weekend. Meanwhile, close to 100 advocates and community members gathered to protest against the closure of the Burdett Birth Center at Samaritan Hospital. These stories, and more, are covered in your five things to know this Wednesday morning. 1. Community members protest against Burdett Birth Center closureIn Troy, close to 100 advocates and community members gathered to protest against the closure of the Burdett Birth Center at Samaritan Hospital. Especially since closing the center will mean Rensselaer County will lose its only maternity unit.2. A...

Arson fire burns Denver house north of Washington Park, leaves at least one person hospitalized

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:58:56 GMT

An arson fire burned in a single-family house and garage just north of Washington Park early Wednesday, leaving one person injured.Firefighters raced to the fire near the intersection of South Downing Street and East Alameda Avenue and were dousing flames shortly after midnight.Denver police also responded and were assisting firefighters in the investigation of what happened, according to an agency posting on Twitter.The person was hospitalized, police said. It was unclear whether other residents of the house suffered injuries.ALERT: #DPD is assisting #DFD on an arson in the 300 Block of S Downing St. Updates will be posted to this thread as they are made available. #Denver pic.twitter.com/R3OXzyUmEx— Denver Police Dept. (@DenverPolice) June 21, 2023Sign up to get crime news sent straight to your inbox each day. 

Denver Council approves controversial zoning change despite low-income health clinic’s objections

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:58:56 GMT

The owners of a southeast Denver clinic serving refugees, immigrants and other groups that struggle to afford medical care say they are at risk of shutting down after the City Council changed the land use rules governing their property and cut the maximum building height on their land in half.They feel singled out over the way the rezoning of their property was handled.Homeowners in the surrounding neighborhood — and some of the councilmembers who approved the changes — referenced an active development plan that proposes replacing the clinic with a seven-story apartment building when supporting the controversial rezoning. Nearby residents say they welcome the clinic in the University Hills neighborhood and want to see it succeed.Ramin Vatan, CEO of the Evans Medical Center, dismissed that sentiment. The previous zoning, which allowed buildings as tall as 75 feet, factored into the value of the building that he and his wife Dr. Sara Vatan moved their clinic there in 2020....

Letters: Slumping Colorado Rockies need big change at the very top

Published Sun, 23 Feb 2025 10:58:56 GMT

Rockies need change at the very topStan Kroenke owns the Denver Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche, the Mammoth and the Los Angeles Rams. Those teams have all won championships in their respective sports. If you ever want the Colorado Rockies to win a title, Kroenke will have to buy them from the Monfort brothers.Leroy M Martinez, DenverThe Rockies are mired in last place in a five-team division, not quite yet eliminated from postseason competition, but almost.Players are being blamed, but anyone who knows baseball knows that’s only part of it. Team ownership, scouting, and player development are very important, and, in this franchise’s case, all three are failing the team and, therefore, the community.Some teams that did poorly in the past turn things around. This year, Arizona is a good example. The Rockies have been sub .500 for years. When the Broncos go south, ownership and management do something about it.None of this is manager Bud Black’s fault, although he does leave starters in t...