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Excessive heat delays, cancels outdoor events in North Texas due to safety

Excessive heat delays, cancels outdoor events in North Texas due to safety

The near-record temperatures across North Texas are forcing the organizers of some outdoor events to either delay or outright cancel the events because of safety concerns.

Scorching temperatures across the metroplex prompted the National Weather Service to issue an excessive heat warning Thursday continuing at least through Saturday.

With highs over 105 and heat indexes over 110, the extreme heat is a top concern for those in charge of putting on various outdoor events this weekend.

Megan Gordon with the city of Irving says she decided to delay the start of Friday’s outdoor movie night at Heritage Park out of concern for the safety of attendees.

“As the event planner, I thought about it three days ago. But we always try our best to accommodate rather than cancel,” she said. “The event was originally planned for 6:30 p.m. As soon as we saw that heat advisory coming our way, we said let’s push it back when the sun sets a little bit so move it to 8 p.m.”

Typically, crowds can get up to 350. It was much smaller Friday.

Mom Sheniece Perkins admits she had second thoughts when she arrived.

“It’s for the kids, so I got to suck it up. They run around in the heat all of the time,” she said.

But families in Carrollton aren’t so lucky. The city announced Friday that this week’s Christmas in July event downtown would be canceled with no plans to reschedule.

“It’s probably a bummer for whatever kids were looking forward to it,” he said. “I wasn’t planning on coming, but I think it’s kind of sad for the community, but I can understand why. Safety.”

RELATED: Summer heatwave will test Texas power grid’s capacity, experts say

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2022 Independence Day fireworks, events in East Texas

2022 Independence Day fireworks, events in East Texas

EAST TEXAS (KLTV/KTRE) – Burn bans have put a damper on many Independence Day fireworks celebrations but there are still some activities scheduled in East Texas.

Canton – 4th of July Celebration Monday, July 4, Downtown Square/enter at First Monday Parking off 859 (West Gate Parking), 5 p.m. – fireworks at dark.

Henderson – Freedom Celebration, Saturday, July 2, Lake Forest Park 5 p.m. – fireworks scheduled for 9:30 p.m.

Jacksonville – July 4th Fireworks Monday, July 4, Lake Jacksonville, – fireworks approximately 9 p.m.

Kilgore – Fourth Of July Extravaganza Monday, July 4, Kilgore City Park, 5:30 p.m. – fireworks approximately 9:15 p.m.

Lake Palestine – Festival at Bella Vista Saturday, July 2, fireworks at 9:30 p.m.

Longview – Fireworks and Freedom Celebration, Monday, July 4, Longview Convention Complex Maude Cobb, gates open 4 p.m. – fireworks 9:30 p.m.

Lufkin – July 4th Celebration, Monday, July 4, Ellen Trout Zoo, 5 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. fireworks at dusk.

Nacogdoches – Freedom Fest, Monday, July 4, Festival Park, 5 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Tyler – Annual July 4th Celebration at Lindsey Park Monday, July 4, 2 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Copyright 2022 KLTV/KTRE. All rights reserved.

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SXSW festival coming to Sydney in major coup

K-Pop stars dancing on stage

News today that SXSW, a creative person’s paradise, will hit Sydney next October has musicians, influencers and fans jumping for joy.

But what is SXSW? Why is it heading to Australia? And how can you be part of the action?

Read on to find out.

What is SXSW?

Billie Eilish, Melinda Gates, Snoop Dogg, Barack Obama, Jordan Peele, Dave Grohl, Michelle Obama, Taika Waititi, Brené Brown, Steven Spielberg, Lady Gaga, Prince, Ava DuVernay.

These are just some of the prominent people who have attended SXSW in the past.

It’s pronounced “south by south-west” and also referred to in colloquial terms as “south by”.

SXSW has also attracted big name Aussies. Guy Sebastian, Troye Sivan and Peking Duk are among some of the stars who’ve made the trip to Austin, Texas, in the past to be part of the event.

It’s been going since 1987 and was the first event of its kind when it kicked off in March that year.

Music was its original focus, but it has since expanded to include film and interactive events, making it an annual get-together where people working in music, film, animation, gaming, media, technology and culture converge for a number of conferences, shows, festivals and events.

SXSW is basically a place to get noticed if you’re an emerging music artist or creative.

It’s also an environment to network. The big wigs are all there. In fact, tens of thousands of people usually descend on Austin each year for the event.

It was started by a small group of people in the city who felt local talent had limited exposure – and they wanted to change that.

And change that they did. The event has since grown to boast the largest music festival of its kind in the world.

SXSW went online last year and in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic preventing in-person attendance. But it is returning to its former glory in March this year.

Why is it coming to Australia?

The event will still take place in the US next year. But Sydney has been chosen as the city to represent the Asia Pacific with a separate SXSW festival.

This is probably the biggest thing to hit Sydney since the Olympics in 2000 and it will mark the first time SXSW has been hosted outside North America.

The Sydney Opera House on Sydney Harbour with buildings in the background
This will mark the first time SXSW has ventured away from its North American home.(Destination NSW)

Destination NSW, which is the NSW government’s tourism and events agency, has managed to secure Sydney as the Asia-Pacific arm of SXSW, meaning this event will not be a one-off.

The plan is for an annual Sydney event to compliment the Texas one.

It’s a great opportunity for artists in the region to shine. SXSW has proven to be the boost some artists need to go from obscurity to household names. So this is huge for creatives in the Asia-Pacific region.

“It will put a spotlight on Sydney as the major events and creative industries capital of the Asia Pacific, as well as being its premier business and lifestyle destination,” NSW Tourism Minister Stuart Ayres said.

SXSW Sydney will run for a week from October 15 to 22, 2023. That’s seven days and seven nights of action.

How can I take part or get tickets?

A SXSW Sydney website has been set up to register your interest and find out how you can get involved.

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TIMELINE: Events surrounding the Uvalde, Texas, school siege

TIMELINE: Events surrounding the Uvalde, Texas, school siege

In the hours and days following the fatal shooting of 19 children and their two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, on Tuesday, authorities gave shifting and at times contradictory information of what happened and how they responded.

The investigation of the massacre is still ongoing, but much is already known about the nearly two hours that passed between when authorities say Salvador Ramos shot his grandmother and when police radio traffic indicated that the 18-year-old gunman was dead and the siege was over.

TIMELINE

Sometime after 11 a.m. — Ramos shoots his grandmother in the face, according to Texas Public Safety Director Steve McCraw. Gilbert Gallegos, 82, who lives across the street from Ramos and his grandmother, heard a shot as he was in his yard. He ran to the front and sees Ramos speed away in a pickup truck and Ramos’ grandmother coming toward him pleading for help. Covered in blood, “She says, ‘Berto, this is what he did. He shot me,’” according to Gallegos, whose wife calls the police to report the shooting.

11:27 a.m. — Video shows a teacher, whom authorities haven’t publicly identified, propping open an exterior door of the school, McCraw said.

11:28 a.m. — The teacher exits to retrieve a phone and then returns through the exit door, which remains propped open, McCraw said. It’s not clear why the teacher was retrieving a phone. Department of Public Safety spokesman Travis Considine said Thursday that investigators hadn’t determined why the door was propped open.

11:28 a.m. — Ramos crashes the pickup into a drainage ditch behind the school, McCraw said. Two men at a nearby funeral home hear the crash and run out to see what happened. They see Ramos jump out of the passenger side carrying an AR-15-style rifle and a bag full of ammunition. The men run and Ramos fires at them but doesn’t hit them. One of the men falls to the ground but both make it back to the funeral home. A panicked teacher then emerges from the school and calls 911.

11:30 a.m. — 911 receives a call saying there was a crash and a man with a gun at the school, McCraw said.

11:31 a.m. — Ramos begins shooting at the school from the school parking lot as police cars begin to arrive at the funeral home, McCraw said. Ramos then makes his way around the school building.

The school district police officer who was working that day wasn’t on campus around this time, contrary to previous reports, McCraw said Friday. The officer drives to the school “immediately” after getting the 911 call and approaches someone at the back of the school who he thought was the gunman. As the officer “sped” toward the man, who turned out to be a teacher, McCraw said the officer “drove right by the suspect who was hunkered down behind“ a vehicle.

11:32 a.m. — Ramos fires multiple shots at the school and then makes his way toward the open door, McCraw said.

11:33 a.m. — Five minutes after crashing the pickup, Ramos enters the school and begins shooting into two adjoining classrooms, 111 and 112, McCraw said. He fires more than 100 rounds.

11:35 a.m. — Three city police officers enter the school through the same door that Ramos used and are later followed by four other officers, McCraw said, putting a total of seven inside the building. Two officers receive “grazing wounds” from Ramos, McCraw said.

11:37 a.m. — Gunfire continues, with 16 rounds being shot in total, McCraw said. It’s unclear who fired the shots.

11:51 a.m. — A police sergeant and other law enforcement begin to arrive, McCraw said.

12:03 p.m. — A female (age unknown) calls 911 and whispers that she’s in classroom 112, McCraw said. The call lasts 1 minute and 23 seconds.

12:03 p.m. — Officers continue to enter the school, with as many as 19 officers in the hallway near the room where Ramos is holed up, McCraw said.

12:06 p.m. — Anne Marie Espinoza, a spokeswoman for the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District, posts on the district’s Facebook page: “All campuses are under a Lockdown Status.

“Uvalde CISD Parents: Please know at this time all campuses are under a Lockdown Status due to gunshots in the area. The students and staff are safe in the buildings. The buildings are secure in a Lockdown Status. Your cooperation is needed at this time by not visiting the campus. As soon as the Lockdown Status is lifted you will be notified.“

“Thank you for your cooperation!”

12:10 p.m. — The female (age unknown) who called 911 at 12:03 p.m. calls 911 again and says there are multiple dead, McCraw said. She calls again at 12:13 p.m. and then again at 12:16 p.m., when she says there are eight to nine students alive.

12:10 p.m. — The first group of deputy U.S. marshals from Del Rio arrive from nearly 70 miles (113 kilometers) away to assist the various other law enforcement officers already on scene, according to the Marshals Service.

12:15 p.m. — U.S. Border Patrol tactical team members arrive with shields, McCraw said.

12:19 p.m. — Another girl in room 111 calls 911 and ends the call when a fellow student tells her to hang up, McCraw said.

12:21 p.m. — Ramos fires his gun again and officers believe he’s at one of the door of one of the adjoining classrooms, McCraw said. Police move down the hallway.

12:21 p.m. — Three shots can be heard during a 911 call, McCraw said.

Around this time, police are stuck in the hallway because both classroom doors are locked and they must seek keys from a school employee.

12:36 p.m. — A child calls 911 for 21 seconds.

Around this time, a girl calls 911 and is told to stay on the line and stay very quiet, McCraw said. The girl says, “He shot the door.”

12:43 p.m. —The girl urges the 911 dispatcher to “please send the police now.”

12:46 p.m. — The girl says she can “hear the police next door.”

12:47 p.m. — She again asks 911 to “please send the police now.”

12:50 p.m. — Officers open the doors with keys from a school employee, enter the classroom and kill Ramos, McCraw said. Shots can be heard over the 911 call.

12:51 p.m. — Officers can be heard moving children out of the room, McCraw said.

12:58 p.m. — Law enforcement radio chatter says Ramos has been killed and the siege is over, said Victor Escalon, regional director for the Texas Department of Public Safety.

___

For more AP coverage of the Uvalde school shooting: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting

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Timeline of events in Texas school shooting

Timeline of events in Texas school shooting

People mourn in front of memorial crosses for the victims of the mass shooting that resulted in the death of 19 children, and two teachers in front of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, U.S. May 26, 2022. REUTERS/Veronica G. Cardenas

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May 26 (Reuters) – Following is the timeline of the shooting rampage on Tuesday at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. Authorities said Salvador Ramos, 18, shot and killed 19 children plus two teachers after shooting his grandmother at the house they shared.

The information comes from statements by law enforcement and other public officials.

May 17 – Ramos legally buys a semiautomatic rifle on his 18th birthday at a sporting goods store in Uvalde.

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May 18 – Ramos buys 375 rounds of ammunition from an unknown vendor.

May 19 – Ramos buys a second rifle at the same sporting goods store.

May 24, some time between, 11 and 11:15 a.m. CDT – Ramos sends a series of three private social media messages.

— I’m going to shoot my grandmother.

— I shot my grandmother. (His grandmother survives the attack with a gunshot wound to the face.)

— I’m going to shoot an elementary school.

11:28 a.m. – Ramos wrecks his truck near the school after fleeing from the house where he shot his grandmother. He jumps out of the passenger side with a rifle and a bag. He sees two witnesses at a funeral home across the street and fires at them. He walks toward Robb Elementary School, climbs a fence into the parking lot and starts shooting at the school.

11:40 a.m. – The shooter walks into the west side of the school, apparently through an unlocked door, and fires multiple rounds.

11:44 a.m. – Officers from multiple law enforcement agencies begin to converge on the school. The gunman shoots at the first officers responding to the scene. The officers move back and take cover, then approach the suspect again.

Around this time, the shooter enters a classroom and massacres the students and teachers inside. Officers report hearing at least 25 gunshots from the classroom soon after arriving at the scene.

From 11:40 a.m. to about 12:40 p.m. – Officers on the scene call for more help, requesting tactical teams, specialty equipment, body armor, precision snipers and hostage negotiators.

About 12:40 p.m. – U.S. Border Patrol tactical teams arrive, enter the classroom, and kill the suspect.

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Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Cynthia Osterman

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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What did police do at Texas school shooting? A timeline emerges.

What did police do at Texas school shooting? A timeline emerges.

Four minutes after Ramos entered the school, Escalon said, Uvalde police and police with the school district “are inside, making entry.”

“They hear gunfire. They take rounds. They move back, get cover,” Escalon said. “And during that time, they approach where the suspect is at.”

Ramos quickly made his way to a fourth-grade classroom, officials said. Olivarez told CNN that Ramos “barricaded himself by locking the door and just started shooting children and teachers that were inside that classroom.”

“Officers are there, the initial officers,” Escalon said Thursday. But they did not enter the classroom because they were under gunfire, he said. Ramos fired most of his shots early on, Escalon said, saying he could not immediately offer a precise number.

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George P. Bush in Lubbock for meet-and-greet events

George P. Bush in Lubbock for meet-and-greet events

LUBBOCK, Texas (KCBD) – George P. Bush, the current Land Commissioner and is in a runoff election for Texas Attorney General, will be touring Lubbock on Wednesday and Thursday.

On Wednesday, May 11, George P. Bush will be at the Lubbock Republican National Hispanic Assembly meeting at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Lubbock, at 5215 South Loop 289 at 6 p.m. The hour-long event will be a meet and greet with the commissioner. Light snacks and drinks will be provided along with a cash bar.

Then on Thursday, May 12, he will be at a Meet and Greet event at He-Brews Coffee at 2709 Marshall Street at 9:15 a.m., which is near Hodges Park.

Then at 1 p.m., Bush will be at the McKenzie-Merket Alumni Center at 2521 17th Street for a meet and greet event with the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce.

Bush is running to push Attorney General Ken Paxton out of office.

Copyright 2022 KCBD. All rights reserved.

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Premier Rugby Sevens announces events in California, DC and Texas

The first US rugby union competition to offer professional contracts to women will hold tournaments in July in San Jose, Washington DC and Austin.

Premier Rugby Sevens staged a pilot tournament in Memphis, Tennessee last October. This year, as in that event, women’s and men’s squads will compete for equal pay in one-day showcases of the Olympic form of the game.

In a new feature, only one champion will be named, based on combined points totals earned by four women’s and four men’s squads.

Owen Scannell, chief executive of Premier Rugby Sevens, said: “We are extremely excited to scale PR7s across America, bringing rugby sevens to major venues that will act as regional hubs for the rugby community.

“We believe the Bay Area, central Texas and the DMV [DC and parts of Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia] will give our league a footprint for fans to easily witness the spectacle that is a PR7s live event.

“Each city brings entertainment options that will complement the festival and party environment that is synonymous with the sport of sevens around the world.”

Three Major League Soccer venues will host: PayPal Park (home of the San Jose Earthquakes, holding 18,000, on 9 July), Audi Field (DC United, 20,000, 16 July) and Q2 Stadium (Austin FC, 21,000, 30 July).

Men and women will compete in 14-minute games under squad names unique to PR7s: Experts, Headliners, Loonies and Loggerheads.

In Memphis last year, Perry Baker, an Olympian and two-time men’s world sevens player of the year, led the Experts to victory. Alev Kelter, an Olympian now playing in England with Saracens, led the Loonies to the women’s title.

PR7s said a “cumulative audience” of 472,000 watched on Fox Sports and TSN.

Ross Young, chief executive of sanctioning body USA Rugby, offered “a sincere congratulation to everyone at PR7s as they exponentially build on an impressive debut in 2021.

“The line of events in 2022 truly amplifies the sevens season this summer and in three of the best rugby cities the United States has to offer.

“With three-times the opportunity for current and aspiring Olympians to compete at a professional level, PR7s continues to present an invaluable platform for USA Rugby high-performance development and scouting.”

Three players who played in Memphis subsequently made US Eagles debuts: Logan Tago, Aaron Cummings and Sarah Levy.

The US sevens calendar is crowded, and PR7s will this year take place at a busy time in the amateur club calendar. In professional play, though, PR7s has set its stall out first. Its new events will follow the fifth season of Major League Rugby, the 15-a-side men’s pro competition. Sources within MLR said the league had no plan to launch its own sevens competition this year but could do so in future.

Last December, another USA Rugby-sanctioned sevens venture said it would hold an event in Las Vegas in October 2022. An announcement said US Rugby Sevens Major League would see “the world’s best international men’s rugby sevens players compete against the best US players for record-breaking prize money of $1m”.

The group behind the project, Rugby Football League (separate from the governing body of British rugby league, of the same name) also said that in 2023 it would stage 17 tournaments, featuring “up to 16 US team franchises playing with top international teams”. Little else has emerged.

The US market remains a tantalising prize, coveted across the rugby world. In sevens, the US hosted the last World Cup, in San Francisco in 2018. In 15s, it is on track to be announced in May as the host of the 2031 men’s Rugby World Cup and the women’s event two years later.