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5 simple ways to step up your business’s TikTok game

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

Dan Oliver, founder of Dan-O’s Seasoning , was slinging his signature blends at trade shows and flea markets around the country when COVID-19 hit, shutting down his primary sales channel and forcing a hard pivot. Oliver turned to TikTok, going all-in on the video-sharing platform, and struck gold.First, a video of him making crab cakes went viral. Daily sales increased sevenfold. A few months later, his bacon-wrapped jalapenos caught fire (figuratively), catapulting sales again.Three years, hundreds of videos and millions of views later, Dan-O’s Seasoning has expanded from an e-commerce business to a supermarket staple and overall revenue has increased nearly 10,000%.Dan-O’s success isn’t a one-off case. Thousands of entrepreneurs have seen their businesses take off on the social video platform. After all, with TikTok you’re only one viral video away from becoming the next big thing. But you have to play your cards right.1. START STRONG“The most important part of your video is the f...

Officer injured in Blue Island shooting; investigation underway

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

BLUE ISLAND, Ill. — An investigation is underway after a police officer was injured in a shooting in Blue Island.The shooting happened around 2 a.m. Thursday near the corner of Broadway and Division. Police have not released details surrounding the shooting or the extent of the officer's injuries.At the scene, authorities focused on a silver Range Rover with the driver's window shot out. Off-duty Chicago police officer shot on city’s Near West Side No further details have been provided at this time.This is a developing story. Check back for details.

Boy, 16, shot by known family member in West Side home

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

CHICAGO — A 16-year-old boy was shot in his residence by a known family member in Humbolt Park early Thursday morning, police reported. According to police reports, the boy was laying in his bedroom at his home in the 4200 block of West Walton Street around 3:02 a.m. when a known family member shot him. Officer injured in Blue Island shooting; investigation underway He sustained a gunshot wound to the chest and arm and was transported to Stroger Hospital in critical condition. Police said an 18-year-old man is in custody and a weapon was recovered on the scene. There is no additional information at this time.

Thursday Forecast: Temps hit 90 with scattered storms

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

Thursday: Partly cloudy, 30% scattered storms, cooler lakeside, SE 5-10 G15. High: 90, Low: 84Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, 20% storm chance, NE 5-10. 65Chicago Weather | Tom Skilling and the WGN Weather Center's Forecast (wgntv.com)Friday: Mostly sunny, isolated shower/storm, cooler lakeside, E 5-10 G15. High: 91, Low: 80Chicago Area Radar | WGN TV

Austin City Council to vote on Project Connect rail line proposal Thursday

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin City Council is nearing its summer holiday deadline. Here is some of what KXAN is watching during Thursday's council meeting. Project Connect Austin City Council will vote on whether it wants to advance the Austin Transit Partnership's pick for the first Project Connect rail line. Mayor Kirk Watson and several council members have indicated they are pleased with the group's first steps and will vote to move it forward. Austin leaders react to Project Connect light rail recommendation “This option best reflects the needs and values of the Austin community and lays the best foundation for future expansions and extensions in all three directions,” Greg Canally, executive director of ATP, said. “We heard support from community and advocacy groups for this option as it provides critical connections for people, and we are proud to listen to and take into account that feedback.”You can see the plan here. Airport settlement On the agenda for Thursday, approving a...

Driver arrested on DWI charge after hitting off-duty officer, APD says

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin Police said a driver was arrested on a DWI charge after hitting an off-duty officer on U.S. 290 Wednesday night. According to police, the crash happened on the east-bound lanes of the highway in southwest Austin near Monterey Oaks Boulevard just before 9:20 p.m. Police said the officer was transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The officer, who was providing security for TxDOT crews, works for an agency outside of Travis County, according to APD.

City council could expand mobile pantry services in east Austin

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin city council will decide on a contract that will support a mobile food pantry service in the Eastern Crescent during Thursday's council meeting. The Central Texas Food Bank (CTFB) offers the service to central Texas counties and has been receiving funding from the city for the past two years to support its efforts. A city Public Health department spokesperson said the contract up for discussion during the council meeting would allow the food bank to expand its service in Austin's Eastern Crescent. Documents attached to the agenda item show the contract would last a year and cost $180,000. A spokesperson for council member Vanessa Fuentes said the district 2 member is in support of the contract and believes the increased help for the program will go toward combating the food insecurity issue in southeast and east Austin. Food insecurity issue in AustinThe city reported in 2022 that 16% of the population were facing food insecurity, which is two points higher t...

Stephen F. Austin State University is becoming part of the UT system. Will it change its name?

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation that abolishes Stephen F. Austin State University and effectively creates a new school within the University of Texas System. But that does not necessarily mean the university in Nacogdoches will get a new name, mascot or colors.“When we were in the evaluative process, a lot of our constituents really wanted to know if we would be able to retain our identity in the form of our name, colors, mascots and traditions,” said Graham Garner, a university spokesperson. “[The University of Texas System] has worked really well with us to help us preserve the things that are important to us, and also to improve the things that we want to improve with their help.”The SFA Board of Regents voted in November 2022 to accept the University of Texas system’s offer for affiliation. The decision was approved in an 8-1 vote with one member opposing, concerned that affiliating would lead to a name change, per KETK reporting.“We don't expect that. ...

Williamson County launches fraud alert program

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) – The Williamson County Clerk's Office announced Wednesday it was offering property owners a free way to protect themselves from fraud. According to the clerk's office, the Property Fraud Alert program is a notification service that alerts subscribers if a document with their name on it is submitted to the County Clerk Recording Office. Once property owners sign up for the free alert, they can choose the method of contact that best works for them and will be notified when a document with their name has been filed, according to announcement from the clerk's office.Subscribers can then go online to see the document or documents that were filed or call the Williamson County Clerk’s Office at (512) 943-1515 for that information.The county clerk did warn people with a common name may receive an alert that pertains to another individual with the same name and can contact the County Clerk’s Office to check on the status of the alert.According to the FBI...

VOTE: Help us choose the best KXAN viewer photo of May 2023

Published Sun, 16 Feb 2025 16:20:58 GMT

AUSTIN (KXAN) — Here at KXAN, we get hundreds of photos sent to us each month by viewers just like you.We want to showcase some of the best pictures we receive, so we narrowed them down to our 10 favorites for the month.Help us choose the best viewer photo of May 2023. Look through the 10 pictures below, then vote for your favorite. The winning photo will move on to represent May in the best viewer photos of the year competition once 2023 is said and done.If you’d like to submit a photo for June's competition, email it to [email protected]. Be on the lookout as KXAN may contact you to send a permission form so we can use your photo on air and online. All submissions for June's competition must be photos taken in June 2023.Here are the options for May, in no particular order.Bubbly SkiesBurnet, May 5. Courtesy Travis Pickford.Mammatus clouds over Burnet on May 5, 2023. (Courtesy Travis Pickford)Pink Skies AboveWells Branch, May 13. Courtesy Dave DeVore.Sunset over Wells Branch o...