Austin news

• Gov. Abbott joins Meals on Wheels to serve Austin’s elderly

  24-11-2017 05:50 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN)– Gov. Gregg Abbott and his wife Cecilia joined Meals on Wheels to deliver meals to 500 homebound seniors throughout the city on Thanksgiving Day.
  For this mission, the organization partnered with H-E-B to deliver the meals which include turkey, mashed potatoes, vegetables, dinner roll and milk.
  Much of the work was done by volunteers like Gail Bell who simply saw a need and wanted to help.
  “I saw something on Facebook about needing volunteers and I thought ‘that&r
  
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• Photos: DPS troopers compete in Top Trooper competition

  23-04-2024 20:46 via kxan.com
  
  FLORENCE, Texas (KXAN) — Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) troopers are gathered in Florence, Texas this week to battle for the title of Top Trooper.
  Each year, DPS holds a multi-day competition testing troopers' driving and firearms skills, physical conditioning and endurance, and job knowledge throughout nine events. This year is the 12th annual competition.
  DPS holds Top Trooper Competition in Florence, Texas April 23, 2024 (KXAN Photo/Todd Bailey) DPS holds Top Trooper Competitio
  
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• A conversation with Jesús Garza as he prepares to leave Austin's top job next week

  23-04-2024 20:24 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) --One of Austin's most powerful figures, Interim City Manager Jesús Garza, returns to retirement at the end of next week.
  After a months-long search, Austin City Council picked outgoing Dallas City Manager T.C. Broadnax to take over the role permanently. He'll officially start May 6, but has already begun meeting with Austin leaders. When we interviewed Garza Tuesday morning, Broadnax was at City Hall.
  "He's been down here a couple days for the last two weeks and so he's alr
  
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• Foxtrot announces closures of all locations, including 4 in Austin

  23-04-2024 20:10 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin is losing all four of its Foxtrot cafes as the Chicago-based company announced Tuesday it's shutting down operations.
  Foxtrot is a cafe/marketplace plus coffee shop concept that had 33 locations in the Austin, Dallas, Chicago and Washington D.C. areas. It recently merged with Dom's Kitchen & Market, also Chicago-based, which will be closing its two locations as well.
  There were four locations spread across Austin:4818 Burnet Road
  2270 Guadalupe Street
  301 West Second
  
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• 'H-Town Made': Houston Texans reveal new uniforms

  23-04-2024 19:32 via kxan.com
  
  HOUSTON (KIAH) — The Houston Texans revealed new uniforms Tuesday, and fans are excited to see a new special look for their football team.The team put out a hype video on their social media channels, calling the new uniforms "fan-inspired" and " H-Town Made.""(The uniforms) are even more special because they are inspired by and for our fans,” Houston Texans Chair and CEO Cal McNair said. “Our fans asked us to be more H-Town and we delivered. They were with us every st
  
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• 'Protect our brave firefighters,' University of Texas students create firefighting robot

  23-04-2024 19:23 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) --- University of Texas students created a robot that can help protect firefighters. Their startup is called Paradigm Robotics.
  The technology is meant to assist with search and rescues in structure fires or other dangerous situations.
  Just last week, the Austin Fire Department reported two firefighters were injured after searching for a person inside a house fire.
  The invention is called FireBot.
  FireBotFounder Siddharth Thakur said fire departments around the country are testing
  
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• Round Rock ISD approves 1% salary raise for employees, retention incentive plan

  23-04-2024 19:17 via kxan.com
  
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — During a Thursday board meeting, Round Rock ISD approved the adoption of a new compensation plan that would provide salary increases to staff.Following a plan recommended to the board, the district adopted a 1% salary increase.According to the district, the starting salary for teachers and librarians would also increase to $56,500, and eligible employees would receive a $625 pay increase.Other eligible employees would receive an increase equal to 1% of the pay ra
  
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• Round Rock ISD approves 1% salary raise for employees, creates retention incentive plan

  23-04-2024 19:17 via kxan.com
  
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — During a Thursday board meeting, Round Rock ISD approved the adoption of a new compensation plan that would provide salary increases to staff.Following a plan recommended to the board, the district adopted a 1% salary increase.According to the district, the starting salary for teachers and librarians would also increase to $56,500, and eligible employees would receive a $625 pay increase.Other eligible employees would receive an increase equal to 1% of the pay ra
  
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• Austin illuminates northern city intersection in pedestrian safety pilot

  23-04-2024 18:48 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's note: The above video shows KXAN News' top morning headlines from Tuesday, April 23, 2024.AUSTIN (KXAN) — The City of Austin is collecting feedback on a new safety pilot designed to improve pedestrian safety and visibility in a north Austin neighborhood.The Austin Transportation and Public Works Department launched crosswalk upgrades at the intersection of Shoal Creek Boulevard and Treadwell Boulevard, near the Beverly S. Sheffield Northwest District Park. The project incorporated
  
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• Pflugerville police searching for woman last seen in mid-March

  23-04-2024 17:51 via kxan.com
  
  PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — Police in Pflugerville are searching for a missing woman who was last seen over a month ago, and they need the public's help.
  The Pflugerville Police Department said Crystal Monet Caudillo, 35, was last seen on March 15. She's described as a Hispanic woman, 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing about 115 pounds with brown hair and eyes.
  Anyone with information on where she could be should call the department at (512) 990-6700.
  
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• 18-wheeler rolls over on Highway 21 in Bastrop County; Delays expected during cleanup

  23-04-2024 17:47 via kxan.com
  
  BASTROP COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- Drivers traveling on Texas State Highway 21 in Bastrop County should expect delays Tuesday as crews clean up a scene where an 18-wheeler rolled over.
  The Bastrop County Emergency Services District No. 2 said on social media at 8:42 a.m. that crews were responding to an 18-wheeler rollover on Hwy 21 near Electric Avenue.
  The Department of Public Safety (DPS) said there were no fatalities. It's not clear if any injuries were reported.
  18-wheeler rolls over on Highwa
  
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• Thousands of Austin employees impacted by Tesla layoffs

  23-04-2024 17:12 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's note: the above video is from KXAN reporting on April 15, 2024.
  AUSTIN (KXAN) --- Thousands of Tesla employees in Austin were left scrambling to find a job after recent layoffs.
  Earlier this month, KXAN reported about the Austin-based company laying off more than 10% of its workforce globally.
  According to the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification letter sent to the Texas Workforce Commission, Tesla fired 2,688 of its Austin employees.‘It’s heartbreaking’: Tesl
  
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• City of Austin challenges locals to make eco-friendly choices

  23-04-2024 16:48 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Earth Day is celebrated on April 22. This year marks the 54th Anniversary of Earth Day. It started in 1970.The City of Austin's Office of Sustainability is issuing a challenge to its citizens. Called the 2024 Earth Month Challenge, locals were challenged to do up to eight eco-friendly things including taking climate-friendly trips, eating plant-based meals, having a zero-waste day, and caring for trees along with planting new trees.The Office of Sustainability's Aimee Aubin
  
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• Del Valle ISD board names acting superintendent

  23-04-2024 16:32 via kxan.com
  
  DEL VALLE, Texas (KXAN) — The Del Valle Independent School District Board of Trustees unanimously approved an acting superintendent after Dr. Annette Tielle announced her impending retirement from the role back in February.The board approved Jonathan Harris as acting superintendent, as well as approving Tielle as superintendent emeritus, effective immediately, according to a release from the school district.Del Valle ISD superintendent to retireThe board said the action was "approved accor
  
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• Tesla uses new state law to sidestep Austin regulations at gigafactory

  23-04-2024 16:16 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Austin Business Journal) — Tesla Inc.’s huge electric vehicle factory in eastern Travis County will no longer be subject to city of Austin environmental regulations after the company used a new state law to have the property removed from the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.The controversial law — which some municipalities are challenging in court — took effect Sept. 1 and allows landowners on the fringes of major cities to petition f
  
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• Voyager 1 spacecraft resumes sending data from beyond our solar system

  23-04-2024 15:56 via kxan.com
  
  SPACE (KXAN) -- One of only two spacecraft built by humans to have left our solar system is alive and kicking. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory announced April 22 that Voyager 1 is sending engineering data back to Earth for the first time since November.On November 14, 2023, Voyager 1 sent what was assumed to be its last message to Earth. Up until then, the spacecraft had sent science and engineering data for 46 years.Scientists discovered that a single chip had malfunctioned. A piece of compute
  
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• Williamson County wants public input on updates to hazard plan

  23-04-2024 14:54 via kxan.com
  
  WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- Williamson County is working to update its Hazard Mitigation Plan and wants to hear feedback from the public.Hutto, Liberty Hill and Georgetown are working with Williamson County and several school districts in the area to update the plan, according to the county's website.
  The county said the goal of the plan update is to "evaluate current risks and develop an effective mitigation strategy to ultimately minimize or eliminate the long-term risk to human life an
  
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• Health app developed by adults with autism for entrepreneur challenge

  23-04-2024 12:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN, (KXAN) -- Cameron Erb, a student at the nonPariel Institute in west Austin, recently lost 50 pounds. "I've struggled my weight for most of my adult life," he said while discussing the app he and his classmates recently developed. The app, called "Linked Heartbeats" aims to help people find an easier path to health.It was developed entirely by a team of adults with autism for The Conrad Challenge. "It is a competition to help make the world a better place." said fellow 'crew' member Tyler
  
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• Officials investigating airplane crash at Spicewood Airport

  23-04-2024 04:14 via kxan.com
  
  SPICEWOOD, Texas (KXAN) -- Officials are investigating an airplane crash that happened in Spicewood on Monday, Spicewood Fire Rescue said on social media.Officials responded to the crash shortly before 7 p.m. at the Spicewood Airport, SFR said.
  About an hour later, the fire department said it was clearing the scene. However, law enforcement remains.It was not immediately clear if there were any injuries in the crash. KXAN is working to get more information.
  This is a developing story. Check back
  
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• 1 dead after airplane crash at Spicewood Airport

  23-04-2024 04:14 via kxan.com
  
  SPICEWOOD, Texas (KXAN) -- One person is dead after an airplane crash at the Spicewood Airport in Burnet County, the Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed in a statement to KXAN Monday.Around 6:30 p.m. the Texas Department of Public Safety responded to a "single engine plane crash," which is located near 100 Piper Lane.It was not immediately clear what caused the crash, which remained under investigation Monday.The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will lead the investigation, DPS said
  
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• APD: 1 dead, 1 seriously injured in northwest Austin shooting

  23-04-2024 03:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One person is dead, and another was seriously injured, after a shooting at a northwest Austin apartment complex.
  The Austin Police Department is investigating a homicide that happened in northwest Austin Monday | Jordan Belt/KXAN NewsAround 5:58 p.m., officers responded to the 11100 block of Research Boulevard for a shoot/stab hotshot call, APD Public Information Officer Wesley Belcher said during a media briefing. That's near Braker Lane.Wesley said the first response from offi
  
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• 'Take back the neighborhood': 6 areas in Austin, including Lost Creek, could vote to ditch the city

  23-04-2024 02:52 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It's a neighborhood Leslie Odom describes as "a piece of heaven." She's lived in Lost Creek in southwest Austin for 13 years.
  She and her neighbors are in one of six Austin territories that will get to vote this May on whether they want to stay in the City of Austin or disannex after the city wrangled them into city limits less than a decade ago.
  "If the City of Austin delivered on the services that they promised us, then guess what? They have nothing to worry about on this vote
  
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• Six chunks of Austin, including Lost Creek, could vote to leave city limits this May

  23-04-2024 02:52 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It's a neighborhood Leslie Odom describes as "a piece of heaven." She's lived in Lost Creek in southwest Austin for 13 years.
  She and her neighbors are in one of six Austin territories that will get to vote this May on whether they want to stay in the City of Austin or disannex after the city wrangled them into city limits less than a decade ago.
  "If the City of Austin delivered on the services that they promised us, then guess what? They have nothing to worry about on this vote
  
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• Seattle hospital won't turn over gender-affirming care records in lawsuit settlement with Texas

  23-04-2024 02:34 via kxan.com
  
  DALLAS (AP) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is dropping a request for a Seattle hospital to hand over records regarding gender-affirming treatment potentially given to children from Texas as part of a lawsuit settlement announced Monday.
  Seattle Children's Hospital filed the lawsuit against Paxton's office in December in response to the Republican appearing to go beyond state borders to investigate transgender health care. Paxton, a staunch conservative who has helped drive GOP efforts
  
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• San Marcos police chief provides statement on deadly shooting involving officer

  23-04-2024 01:39 via kxan.com
  
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — The San Marcos Police Department police chief provided a statement on Monday in connection with a deadly shooting involving an officer from April 11.The incident resulted in the death of a 22-year-old man.Around 9:32 p.m., two men told police they were being followed by a man when they were walking in the area of East Hopkins and Cheatham Street in San Marcos. The men said “the man followed them from a convenience store on Cheatham Street.” Police ide
  
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• Former HGTV star gets jail time for real estate fraud

  23-04-2024 01:12 via kxan.com
  
  (KRON) -- Charles "Todd" Hill, who starred on the HGTV show "Flip It to Win It," was sentenced to jail in California for committing real estate and financial fraud against 11 victims, prosecutors said."The show’s concept was that he bought dilapidated homes, fixed them up, and then sold them for a profit. Instead, Hill spent millions on overbudget remodels, laundered profits, and pocketed millions in fraudulently obtained money," the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office wrote.Last
  
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• For the first time, a Disney World restaurant has earned a Michelin star

  23-04-2024 01:08 via kxan.com
  
  ORLANDO, Fla. (WFLA/NEXSTAR) — The Michelin Guide has awarded its first-ever star to a restaurant on a Disney property, bestowing the honor upon an upscale eatery in Disney World's Grand Floridian Resort.Victoria & Albert’s, a contemporary American restaurant, was one of nine newly starred restaurants announced at a Michelin Guide ceremony in Tampa last week.The organization gave the eatery high marks for atmosphere, service and food. Diners tip more when this little detail is ad
  
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• Oprah Winfrey and Dwayne Johnson pledged $10M for Maui wildfire survivors. They gave much more.

  23-04-2024 01:01 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's note: Video above aired on Sept. 1, 2023.(AP) – Lana Vierra misses the swing set at her Lahaina home, which was reduced to ashes in the wildfires that swept through her community last summer.“Multiple generations went through there playing in my front yard," she said. "Just with the animals and the turtles and the deer and goats that we once had in that little tiny yard.”A grandmother of four and a mother of five, Vierra had lived in the home on a corner lot
  
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• Tyrese Hunter transfers to Memphis, will play for 3rd team in 4 seasons

  23-04-2024 00:46 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Former Texas guard Tyrese Hunter will play for head coach Penny Hardaway next season.Hunter announced on social media Monday that he'll transfer to Memphis and suit up for the Tigers who went 22-10 last season with an 11-7 mark in the American Athletic Conference. Hardaway and the Tigers missed the NCAA tournament this season but went in 2022 and 2023 and won the National Invitational Tournament in 2021.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and
  
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• AUS airport expanding, breaks ground on latest project

  23-04-2024 00:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Traveling through Austin's airport is expected to get easier.Construction officially began Monday to expand one of the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport checkpoints and add a new outbound baggage handling system. How many passengers have flown through Austin-Bergstrom this year?"Our staff are very excited about this," U.S Deputy Chief of Communications and Marketing Sam Haynes said.The West Infill and TSA 3 Checkpoint Expansion project will add approximately 75,000 squ
  
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