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Netflix ditches cheapest ad-free plan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:27 GMT

(KTLA) – Netflix has done away with its most affordable ad-free option for subscribers. The streaming giant has removed its $9.99 advertising-free "Basic" plan in the U.S. and in the U.K., less than a month after it made the same move in Canada.This change doesn't affect people who already have the Basic plan, but it does force new subscribers to either sign up for a $6.99 "Standard with ads" tier, the $15.49 "Standard" (without ads) tier, or the $19.99 "Premium" option. Peacock to raise prices starting in August "The Basic plan is no longer available for new or rejoining members," Netflix posted on its FAQ page as of Wednesday morning. "If you are currently on the Basic plan, you can remain on this plan until you change plans or cancel your account."According to The Hollywood Reporter, Netflix executives said the ad tier draws higher revenue per subscriber than the Basic tier they just got rid of. These are the best, worst states to win the lottery in This is just the latest a...

Austin breaks record for most days at or above 105° in a row

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:27 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Yet another heat record has been broken in Austin, Texas.As of July 19, Camp Mabry, Austin's official weather reporting site, has hit 105° or higher every day for 10 days in a row. That breaks a 100-year-old record, set in August 1923. Weather Extremes: What are the hottest and coldest temps in Austin history? The KXAN First Warning Weather team is currently forecasting at least seven more days of 105° heat or higher, meaning the record will be extended even further. How often does Austin hit 100°? Here’s a breakdown by date, month, year and decade Temperatures above 105° are becoming more common. Austin has weather records dating back to the 1890s. Since then, 105° has been reached a total of 195 times.While we did see a surge in the cumulative total number of 105°+ days in the 1920s, the majority have been much more recent than that. In fact, more than 60% of all days at or above 105° have been since the year 2000.Put another way, the total number of 105° days ...

Austin collector creates dream house for 600+ Barbie dolls

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:27 GMT

Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN Live’s top headlines for July 19, 2023AUSTIN (KXAN) — Life in plastic really is fantastic for the vast collection of Barbie dolls that one woman keeps artfully displayed throughout her north Austin home. Diana Harris spent the past 25 years amassing more than 600 dolls, so her love of Barbie precedes the buzz whipped up recently over the movie about the iconic Mattel toy coming out Friday. However, she's incredibly excited by all the hype, just like so many others in Central Texas are. She already bought a ticket to see the new film and even added the latest Barbie and Ken dolls to her collection that sport some of the outfits worn in the movie by actors Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling. Ken adds to ‘I love you so much’ mural ahead of ‘Barbie’ movie release "It's definitely Barbie week, so I'm excited to see the movie and see which direction it goes," Harris said. "I just say that I hope that the movie is respectful to the legacy of Barbie....

Kyle Police Department relocates headquarters to new center

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:27 GMT

KYLE, Texas (KXAN) -- The Kyle Police Department announced it had officially relocated its headquarters and primary operations to its new public safety center, located at 1700 Kohlers Crossing.Residents in need of filing a report or complaint as well as speaking to police in person will do so at the public safety center. The department's non-emergency line remains the same, with residents able to call 512-268-3232 with all non-emergency needs.The department, alongside City of Kyle officials, will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 5 p.m. on Thursday at the new public safety center. The 64,000-square-foot facility was greenlit by Kyle voters in the November 2020 election.Ribbon-cutting attendees are invited to tour the new facility and learn more about its operations following the ceremony. More details on the event are available online.

BCSO's Facebook gets hacked, creates new one to gain followers back

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:27 GMT

BASTROP COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- The Bastrop County Sheriff's Office said on Twitter Tuesday that its Facebook page was hacked.According to BCSO, Facebook has "completely refused to help," so it currently has no access and is unable to regain control of or delete it.Furthermore, BCSO created a new Facebook page, so it can gain its followers back, the tweet said.

Three arrested in connection with June shooting in Elgin

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:27 GMT

Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN Live’s top headlines for July 19, 2023ELGIN, Texas (KXAN) — On Tuesday, the Elgin Police Department said three people were arrested following a shooting that occurred in Elgin back in June, according to an EPD news release.At approximately 5:45 p.m., June 20, EPD responded to a disturbance call in the 600 block of Alley A, police said. Officers arrived on the scene and found two men with gunshot wounds, according to EPD. Elgin Police: 2 shot, injured Tuesday evening Police identified the first person as Damien Hernandez, 20, who was arrested on June 25, the release said. The second person was identified as Raderrick Harvey, 19, who was arrested on June 30. The last person was identified as Homer Sutton, 17, and was arrested on July 10 by the U.S. Marshal's Office, EPD said.From left to right: Damien Hernandez, 20, Raderrick Harvey, 19, and Homer Sutton, 17Images provided by the Elgin Police DepartmentAccording to police, the three suspects...

Leander water issues improve as repairs continue on barge, water restrictions remain

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:27 GMT

LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — The City of Leander said water pumps that failed last week and caused tighter water restrictions are getting closer to operating at full capacity. As its water supplier continues those repairs, it asks customers to keep conserving water. Central Texas cities issue water restrictions Leander is currently under Phase 3 water restrictions, which limit all outdoor watering to hand-held only.These restrictions were a result of several water pumps on a raw water barge operated by the Brushy Creek Regional Utility Authority failing last week.As of Wednesday, BCRUA's General Manager Karen Bondy said almost all pumps on the barge are now up and running."BCRUA's raw water barge has seven pumps that supply lake water to the water treatment plant. Five pumps can deliver the full capacity of the plant, with two pumps as backups. Since Friday, six pumps have been available, with the seventh available 75 percent of the day. Crews are working to bring the seventh pump to f...

Review: Gloomy, repetitive ‘Oppenheimer’ is a, not the, bomb

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:27 GMT

Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” is his most Christopher Nolany film to date.As such, his many acolytes will absolutely adore every moment of its sprawling three hours and extol its virtues to anyone who will listen. More casual moviegoers, however, are going to walk out wondering what, exactly, they just endured.The 52-year-old London native broke through with 2000’s “Memento,” a complex and brilliant noir thriller about a man with a form of amnesia attempting to sort out both his past and his future. Shot in both color and black and white with a taut 113-minute running time, it established Nolan as one of the most creative filmmakers of his generation and allowed him to make a series of increasingly ambitious films, including the greatest comic book movie of all in 2008’s “The Dark Knight,” and earn five Oscar nominations on the way.Crucially, he spent two decades working exclusively for Warner Bros., a company that gave him the freedom to follow his muse. His 1...

No charges against St. Paul officer who fatally shot man who fired first, prosecutors say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:27 GMT

A St. Paul officer will not be charged with fatally shooting a 24-year-old man in December who was the first to fire his gun, the Ramsey County attorney’s office announced Wednesday.After an investigation by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, prosecutors concluded Sgt. Cody Blanshan’s use of deadly force against Howard Peter Holliday Johnson was justified under Minnesota law.Officers responded on Dec. 5 just after 6 p.m. on a woman’s report that Johnson assaulted her in the area of Earl Street and Hudson Road. She said it happened in the presence of their twin sons. He left before police arrived.Police set up a perimeter and were searching the area when officers saw Johnson walking while carrying a firearm, according to prosecutors’ memorandum about the case and their review. Officers told Johnson to drop his gun, but he ran away.A minute later, Blanshan was driving on Hudson Road and saw Johnson walking on the sidewalk with a gun. Johnson walked ...

High school freshman from St. Paul wins speech award at state Capitol

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:50:27 GMT

When approaching the topic “Securing the Blessings of Liberty in 21st Century America” Chesterton Academy (Hopkins) freshman Francesca Chastek, of St. Paul, says she realized that changing laws was only part of the solution, there is also a necessary mindset shift.“We could change all these laws, but if people don’t want to take advantage of their liberty, then it won’t matter. So we have to do is something a lot deeper than just changing our rules,” Chastek saidHer speech title “How to Escape the Prison You Build” recently won her first place at the Speaking Proudly speech competition and $2,500.Speaking Proudly is a non-profit project of Metro Republican Women. The competition is designed for young women to research and engage in the U.S. Constitution, according to Sherie Wallace, public relations for Speaking Proudly.On June 17, the day of the competition, Chastek got to the Capitol at 8 a.m. and ended up giving the speech four time...