Austin, TX
Austin firefighters participate in annual 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb
AUSTIN, Texas – The ceremonies held on Wednesday were not just about remembering who was lost, but to honor three other things: dedication, courage and sacrifice.
A steady line of Austin firefighters worked their way up and down the Pleasant Valley Training Tower. Each step added up to 1,368 feet, which is the height of the World Trade Center.
The annual climb in Austin was organized the day after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.
AFD Lt. Jerry Cohen said it is considered the longest running memorial of its kind in the nation.
“We have firefighters that are participating in this that weren’t even born on 9/11. We have a lot of them that were schoolchildren during 9/11. And then we have some guys like myself that were there as a firefighter during 9/11. So, now I think that’s the biggest thing is to see we have a generational change, but in a good way that they’re participating. And hopefully once I’m gone, they’ll continue, and this memorial to never forget 9/11,” said Lt. Cohen.
In downtown Austin, a memorial ceremony was held at the old Buford Fire Drill Tower. Among those attending was former New York firefighter Louis Strandberg. He was in Ground Zero when the second tower collapsed and now lives in Austin.
“It’s important that we never forget. We always remember, you know, I don’t want to say it’s nice, but it softens my heart that I have an event like this to come to,” said Standberg.
MORE STORIES:
It was noted that 10 firefighters from Austin went to New York 23 years ago.
“And keep in mind, those firefighters who served and went after the building collapsed, some of them are suffering from some serious medical conditions. So, we need to make sure they get the treatment they need,” said AFD Chief Joel Baker.
Austin Battalion Chief Travis Lee Maher was among those sent to New York. That mission was brought up by Governor Greg Abbott during a ceremony in North Austin.
“Chief Maher fought through the rubble to save and recover victims caught in the collapse of the World Trade Center. During that mission, he was exposed to a toxic mix of chemicals, debris and dust,” said Governor Abbott.
Maher passed away, and his family was presented with the Star of Texas Award. Maher’s heroism, according to Abbott, is what makes Texas and the USA exceptional.
“And we will also never forget the men and women who ran toward danger on that horrific day of 9/11. We marvel at the valor of the emergency first responders that day. We’re also grateful for the first responders who bravely serve Texans each and every day,” said Gov. Abbott.
The Star of Texas Award was given out to a total of 23 Texas first responders who have died or been injured in the past year. Other Austin recipients include:
- AISD PD Officer Val Barnes; who was shot by a gunman on the campus of Northeast Early College High School.
- APD Officer Anthony Dupree Martin; who was struck and killed by a vehicle while on his motorcycle near Liberty Hill.
- APD Officer Ysidro Ramon Mendoza; who survived after being hit by a vehicle.
- APD Officer Joseph Strother; who was shot by the same gunman that shot officer Barnes.
The names of all the 2024 recipients of the Star of Texas Awards are:
- Firefighter Brady Weaver, Arlington Fire Department.
- Officer Matthew J. Thorpe, Arlington Police Department.
- Battalion Chief Travis Lee Maher, Austin Fire Department.
- Sergeant Val Barnes, Austin Independent School District.
- Senior Officer Anthony Dupree Martin, Austin Police Department.
- Officer Ysidro Ramon Mendoza, Austin Police Department.
- Detective Joseph Strother, Austin Police Department.
- Officer Steven Robert Nothem II, Carrollton Police Department.
- Officer Kyle Mathew Hicks, Corpus Christi Police Department.
- Senior Officer Vicente Mathew Ortiz Jr., Corpus Christi Police Department.
- Detective Edgar F. Morales, Dallas Police Department.
- Officer Tyler Morris, Dallas Police Department.
- Deputy David Walter Bosecker, Eastland County Sheriff’s Office.
- Deputy Joseph J. Villarreal, Fort Bend County Sheriff’s Office.
- Officer David R. Lipsey Jr., Graham Police Department.
- Deputy Armando Esqueda, Harris County Sherriff’s Office.
- Senior Deputy Hugo Rodriguez, Hidalgo County Sherriff’s Office.
- Sergeant Mauricio Valle, Houston Police Department.
- Lieutenant Milton Gabriel Resendez, San Benito Police Department.
- Firefighter Danny Keith Ireton, Stanton Volunteer Fire Department.
- Deputy Brent Brown, Tarrant County Sheriff’s Office.
- Trooper Lyndon Johnson, Texas Department of Public Safety.
- Officer Troy Costello, Woodville Police Department.
The Star of Texas Award has been held since 2003. More than 700 awards have been issued.
The ceremony closed with “Peace” as the final word offered in the Benediction. It was a reference to what first responders try to bring in times of chaos.
Austin, TX
Texas A&M vs USC preview: Scouting report, predictions for Las Vegas Bowl
Texas A&M football: A closer look at next opponent, USC
Tony Catalina sits down with Trojans Wire’s Adam Bradford to talk Aggies-Trojans.
All that’s left in the season for Texas A&M football is the Las Vegas Bowl. With one game left, the Aggies head west to take on the USC Trojans for the first time since 1977.
Texas A&M (8-4, 5-3 SEC) dropped out of the US LBM Coaches Poll at the end of the season, while the Aggies’ next opponent is fighting to finish above .500. USC is 6-6 overall and is 11th in the Big Ten at 4-5.
BUY TICKETS TO TEXAS A&M VS USC
Will A&M take care of business in the final game of 2024? Can they send off Year 1 under head coach Mike Elko on a good note? How will the Aggies fare down three key defenders up front? Can Elko and the Aggies secure a nine-win season for the first time since 2020?
Here’s a full scouting report for the Texas A&M Aggies vs the USC Trojans:
Texas A&M vs USC in Las Vegal Bowl
When: 9:30 p.m. Friday.
Where: Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
TV: ESPN.
Radio: 1370 AM in Austin; 1150 AM, 93.7 FM in College Station.
Line: Texas A&M is favored by 3½.
Weather: Allegiant Stadium is a dome, rendering the weather to be a nonfactor.
Texas A&M vs USC history
All-time: USC leads 3-0.
Last meeting: 47-28 USC win (1977).
Most memorable meeting: It hasn’t been an extensive history between the two programs, and it hasn’t been a joyous one for the Aggies either. The latest matchup came in the 1977 Bluebonnet Bowl, played annually in Houston.
The final meeting between the Aggies and Trojans was also the last time A&M played in the bowl game. A&M lost to USC, 47-28, aided by a then-bowl record four-touchdown pass performance from USC’s Rob Hertel. Trojans’ running back Dwight Ford broke a school record with 94 rushing yards.
Know the foe: USC
Last game: 49-35 loss to Notre Dame.
Players to watch: Thanks to increased player movement, it’s oftentimes hard to get a beat on who will and won’t play in non-playoff bowl games. However, looking at the Trojans’ offense, their passing attack was led by sophomore wide receivers Makai Lemon and Zachariah Branch. The duo have combined for 93 receptions, 1168 yards and four touchdowns. Branch is in the transfer portal and is not expected to suit up against the Aggies.
The Trojans started the year with Miller Moss at quarterback, but thanks to USC making a switch, sophomore Jayden Maiava is the starting quarterback now. He has made the last three starts for the Trojans, while Moss has entered the transfer portal, reportedly joining Louisville ahead of the 2025 season.
As a starter, Maiava has totaled 840 passing yards, seven touchdown passes and three interceptions.
Central Texas connections: The USC Trojans football team is a national brand, and with that comes an extensive reach on the recruiting trail. As a result, the Trojans’ roster has its fair share of Texas natives. In total, 11 players call the Lone Star State home, including junior tight end Lake McRee who is from Austin and played at Lake Travis.
When Texas A&M has the ball
It will be interesting to see how the Aggies handle the Las Vegas Bowl, with 19 players reportedly in the transfer portal and at least Nic Scourton already forgoing the bowl game for NFL aspirations.
What Aggies fans can expect to see is Marcel Reed getting plenty of work with him being viewed as the unquestioned starting quarterback heading into the new season for the first time.
Also, preseason-projected starting running back Rueben Owens made his first appearance against the Longhorns in Week 14 following a knee injury that made him unavailable for most of the year. It will be interesting to see if they once again give him game action to close out the year.
Look for the Aggies to work in young players such as freshman wide receiver Ashton Bethal-Roman who finished the year with four receptions, 44 yards and one touchdown in limited action as they head into next season.
When USC has the ball
The Trojans’ passing game is well-documented. They enter the game with the 10th-best passing attack in the nation, averaging 291.7 yards a game. Maiava will be looking for Makai Lemon for much of the evening, while Austin native Lake McRee is also a viable option.
Even with all the attention being paid to their passing game, senior running back Woody Marks tallied 1,133 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns this year, and will be a problem the Aggies will need to contend with as well.
Texas A&M vs USC key matchup
Aggies’ defensive backs vs Trojans’ receivers
A&M’s secondary will have its hands full with this Trojans passing attack, and it will be up to Will Lee III, Dezz Ricks and BJ Mayes to limit the big-play ability of USC’s passing attack.
While teams have had success running on the Aggies recently, the Trojans’ strength lies in the passing game, and A&M should be prepared for an aerial attack during the season finale.
Texas A&M vs USC predictions
Tony Catalina: It’s hard to get a beat on how these non-playoff games will go with all the changes and uncertainty. However, Mike Elko has a chance to get his ninth win of the season, and there is still enough talent in the program and coming back that I think A&M is able to find a way. Texas A&M 27, USC 20.
Follow the American-Statesman on Facebook and X for more. Your subscription makes work like this possible. Get access to all of our best content with this tremendous offer
Austin, TX
Texas Longhorns HC Steve Sarkisian Prasies Clemson Tigers QB Cade Klubnik
The Clemson Tigers weren’t able to pull of the massive upset against the Texas Longhorns in the first-round of the College Football Playoff, resulting in their season coming to an end.
It was a really solid 2024 campaign for the Tigers. They were able to win 10 games, the ACC Title, and made the newly expanded CFP.
However, going on the road against the Longhorns proved to be no easy task. While it was a 14-point loss, the argument could be made that Clemson exceeded some expectations, especially on the offensive side of the ball.
Texas has one of the best defenses in the country, and certainly one of the best secondaries. Throwing the ball on the Longhorns has been something that few players have had success at this season. However, Cade Klubnik and the passing offense of the Tigers had one of their best games of the season in the big moment.
In the loss, Klubnik totaled 336 passing yards, three passing touchdowns, and one interception. Considering Texas was allowing less than 200 yards per game through the air, this was an impressive showing.
After the game, Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian spoke very highly of Klubnik and what he was able to do against the Texas defense.
“I’m proud of Cade,” Sarkisian said via Clemson Insider. “I’ve known him for a long time, been recruiting him I feel like forever when he was in high school, and the fact that his career didn’t start off maybe the way he would have liked at Clemson, and there was a lot of expectations for him there, but to come out and have the season that he had this year for them, to get them to the playoffs, to be ACC champs, that’s a credit to him. He’s a very good football player.”
After a mediocre sophomore season, the Tigers quarterback took a massive leap in 2024. Overall, Klubnik finished with 3,639 passing yards, 36 passing touchdowns, and just six interceptions. While a lot of the attention goes to him throwing the ball, he was also able to rush for nearly 500 yards with seven scores.
The junior quarterback quickly became one of the best players at the position in the country, and was a massive part of why Clemson achieved as much as they did this season.
Now, the hope will be for the Tigers that Klubnik returns for his senior season. If he does, they will be entering 2025 with one of the best passing offenses in the country.
Austin, TX
Fort Worth surpasses Austin to be Texas’ 4th-largest city
FORT WORTH, Texas — Move over, capital city. Cowtown is making Texas history.
According to census data from 2023 and released in November, Fort Worth has surpassed Austin in population and now ranks as Texas’ fourth-largest city.
According to the Texas Demographic Center’s 2023 Population Estimates report, Austin now ranks as the No. 5 Texas metro.
As of Jan. 1, 2024, Fort Worth had a population of 989,878. Austin is creeping up on a million people as well. It’s population at the same time was estimated at 986,928.
Not only is Fort Worth larger than Austin, it appears to be growing at a faster rate. Cowtown’s population increased 7.75% from 2020 to 2024. During the same period, the Live Music Capital of the World only grew 2.6%.
Not surprisingly, Houston was ranked Texas’ most populous city with about 2,318,657 people as of Jan. 1, 2024. San Antonio came in at No. 2 with roughly 1,496, 876 residents, and Dallas landed at No. 3 with 1,308,404.
Austin has been a popular relocation destination in recent years but may have lost some of its clout. As recently as 2023, it was ranked the 10-most populous city in the U.S.
It has since been knocked out of the top 10.
-
Business1 week ago
Freddie Freeman's World Series walk-off grand slam baseball sells at auction for $1.56 million
-
Technology1 week ago
Meta’s Instagram boss: who posted something matters more in the AI age
-
Technology4 days ago
Google’s counteroffer to the government trying to break it up is unbundling Android apps
-
News5 days ago
Novo Nordisk shares tumble as weight-loss drug trial data disappoints
-
Politics5 days ago
Illegal immigrant sexually abused child in the U.S. after being removed from the country five times
-
Entertainment6 days ago
'It's a little holiday gift': Inside the Weeknd's free Santa Monica show for his biggest fans
-
Lifestyle6 days ago
Think you can't dance? Get up and try these tips in our comic. We dare you!
-
Technology7 days ago
Fox News AI Newsletter: OpenAI responds to Elon Musk's lawsuit