Austin news

• LIVE: At least one hurt in another package explosion in southeast Austin

  12-03-2018 18:06 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Officials are responding to a reported explosion in southeast Austin. The Austin Fire Department tweeted it was another package explosion.
  Multiple crews headed to the scene in the 6700 block of Galindo Street around 11:50 a.m., which is near Montopolis Drive and US 183. Austin-Travis County EMS says a woman in her 70s was taken to the hospital with serious, potentially life-threatening injuries. Another woman in her 80s had an unrelated medical issue.A package explod
  
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• Neighbors hold vigil for dead dogs found in south Austin creek

  18-04-2024 16:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Some locals held a vigil Wednesday night after several dogs were found dead in South Boggy Creek earlier this week.
  People who live near Shiloh Drive off of Menchaca Road in south Austin saw what they counted as 11 dead dogs in South Boggy Creek who were wrapped in trash bags or covered in garbage earlier this week.Previous: Neighbors say dead dogs found in creek, police investigatingThe Austin Police Department told KXAN Monday it was “currently conducting an investigatio
  
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• Local teen starts sock campaign for people in need

  18-04-2024 14:40 via kxan.com
  
  Austin (KXAN) — Instead of books or backpacks, Lake Travis student Milan Carlson's trunk is full of bundles of new socks ready to be handed out to whoever needs a pair.Carlson said her family has spent much of its time volunteering to serve the unhoused in Austin. It was during those experiences where she became aware of how great the need for socks is in the unhoused community.“They were always like 'socks are like gold out here' and always appreciate them," Carlson said.She said it
  
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• Amid illegal dumping cleanup, Austin data shows thousands of complaints citywide

  18-04-2024 14:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — There’s no such thing as an empty field for Matt McCaw and John Davis.As they walk through a portion of the Louis René Barrera Indiangrass Wildlife Sanctuary in east Austin documenting new growth, they see history and discovery.McCaw and Davis are some of the sanctuary’s guardians. They’re with the Austin Parks and Recreation Department, which is responsible for managing the nearly 300 acres that make up the preserve.Matt McCaw and John Davis with t
  
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• Benefits of composting

  18-04-2024 12:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Composting is one of several ways people can help take better care of the environment, and what makes it better is the ease of doing it.Composting food scraps reduces the amount of waste going to the landfill. Another benefit is creating a soil conditioner rich in nutrients to add to your gardens. While you're making your soil healthier, composting also helps to prevent soil erosion, and more importantly, conserving water.
  The Environmental Protection Agency estimates food waste
  
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• APD investigating shooting in east Austin

  18-04-2024 05:27 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department is investigating a shooting reported in east Austin on Wednesday.Around 10:01 p.m., APD said on social media the shooting happened on East 51st Street and Berkman Drive.
  The Austin Police Department is investigating a shooting that happened in east Austin on WednesdayPolice will hold a media briefing to provide more details. This is a developing story.
  
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• 1 dead after shooting in east Austin late Wednesday

  18-04-2024 05:27 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department is investigating a shooting reported in east Austin on Wednesday.APD said the shooting happened around 9 p.m. at Bartholomew Park near East 51st Street and Berkman Drive.
  Police said when officers arrived, they found a man inside a vehicle with a gunshot wound to his abdomen.
  The man was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
  APD said no one was taken into custody, but believe there is no threat to the public.
  Police ask anyone who may hav
  
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• 'I will sue you': Austin City Council public comment rules in limbo after judge ruling

  18-04-2024 04:59 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- If you've been to an Austin City Council meeting, chances are you know who Bill Bunch is. He's one of the more regular speakers at City Hall and the executive director of the Save Our Springs (SOS) alliance.
  During a city council meeting a couple of weeks ago -- where the body was considering a city manager contract, among other items -- Bunch used roughly half of his allotted two minutes to argue he should be given more time to speak during public comment. He then threatened to
  
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• Wednesday marks 100 days until Paris 2024 Summer Olympic games

  18-04-2024 04:40 via kxan.com
  
  NEW YORK (KXAN) -- Wednesday officially marks 100 days until the Paris 2024 Summer Olympic games.While 100 days may seem like a long time, it's hard to believe how close Paris 2024 is for the athletes, coaches and families.We got to connect with dozens of Olympians and Olympic hopefuls, and there is so much anticipation for what is to come.With flashing lights and endless questions, all eyes are on the athletic stars ahead of Paris 2024.That includes Austin's own track and field standout-- 2020
  
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• Lake Travis ISD making potential changes to high school 2 plan

  18-04-2024 03:51 via kxan.com
  
  LAKEWAY, Texas (KXAN) – Lake Travis Independent School District is considering lowering student capacity for the district's second high school.High school two was approved in 2022 with plans to open by Fall 2027, but there could be some changes coming as fewer students are projected in the district.According to LTISD's website, the update comes as a result of Travis County's pending purchase of two significant parcels of land within LTISD boundaries. These two parcels include more tha
  
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• Baby bald eagle reunited with parent by local wildlife rescue

  18-04-2024 03:01 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin Wildlife Rescue (AWR) treated a special type of patient for the very first time last week: a baby bald eagle.Several people found and brought the eaglet to AWR after last week's severe storms knocked down a tree branch containing its nest. Rescue staff checked the baby for injuries and provided it with fluids and nourishment.After clearing the eaglet for release and being informed its parents were still in the area, AWR partnered with Texas Parks and Wildlife to renest it
  
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• Upcoming US 281 relief project puts Blanco family's home at risk

  18-04-2024 01:33 via kxan.com
  
  BLANCO, Texas (KXAN) – “I think we bought it in 78 or late, or early 79,” said Carla Ernst, referring to their Blanco homestead, sitting next to her husband Bill. Bill said they were the first family to move into their area nearly 50 years ago. It took them a while before they even had electricity. “The place had a lot of undergrowth,” Carla said. “We've cleared out and pulled down sticker vines and hauled rocks.”“It was pretty much a for
  
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• Austin public safety agencies to switch to new radio encryption system

  18-04-2024 00:54 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Public safety agencies in Austin are expected to switch to a new radio audio encryption system beginning April 22, according to the City of Austin.The Austin Police Department will begin to use the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) on all its patrol sector radio talk groups to protect community members when responding to incidents and investigating criminal activity. Austin-Travis County EMS and the Austin Fire Department will also use AES radio audio encryption, acc
  
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• Patrick Mahomes on staying out of presidential race: 'I don’t want to pressure anyone' 

  18-04-2024 00:53 via kxan.com
  
  (The Hill) - Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes is declining to weigh in on this year's presidential race, urging voters in a new interview to do their own research before the election.“I don’t want to pressure anyone to vote for a certain president,” Mahomes said in an interview with Time magazine published Tuesday. “I want people to use their voice, whoever they believe in. I want them to do the research.”Time interviewed the three-time Super Bowl
  
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• Austin's housing reaches 4-month supply mark, median rent below national

  17-04-2024 23:59 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Last week, the Austin Board of Realtors (ABoR) announced that Austin reached an important metric: The supply of homes for sale is now enough to meet four months of demand.ABoR economist Dr. Clare Losey talked with KXAN on April 12 about the board's March report."When we see more inventory, of course, it means that there are more options across the board for buyers," Losey said. "For sellers, it means of course that there are more options for buyers to choose from. So they'r
  
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• UT Police searching for man accused of exposing himself near Union Building

  17-04-2024 23:42 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The University of Texas at Austin Police Department is searching for a man they say exposed himself and touched someone before leaving the campus on Wednesday.Around 2:05 p.m., UT Police officers responded to a report of indecent assault that happened at the Union Building, the agency said on social media. Witnesses told police a man "exposed himself and touched the victim." The man left before police arrived.Police described the man as white or Hispanic, 40 to 50-years-old
  
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• Reports: Russian hackers caused Muleshoe water tank to overflow

  17-04-2024 23:22 via kxan.com
  
  LUBBOCK, Texas -- Muleshoe City Manager Robert Sanchez on Wednesday told EverythingLubbock.com there was no danger to the public after a cyberattack that caused a water tank to overflow.
  This came after a report from CNN said Muleshoe, Lockney and Hale Center saw suspicious activity from Russian hackers, citing experts from US cybersecurity firm Mandiant. According to the report, a hacking group with ties to the Russian government was accused of a cyberattack in Bailey County that made the Mules
  
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• Son found not guilty by reason of insanity related to father's death

  17-04-2024 23:19 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man charged with murder in connection with an April 2023 incident was found not guilty by reason of insanity, according to Travis County court documents.Jesse Anthony Rivera, who was 31 years old at the time of the incident, was originally charged in the death of his father, 51-year-old Jesse Rivera Jr., which occurred April 13, 2023.Records showed Rivera waived his right to a jury trial and pleaded not guilty to the murder charge. PAST COVERAGE | APD: Son charged with mu
  
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• Multiple events scheduled during severe weather this weekend

  17-04-2024 23:13 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) --- We're just days away from severe weather. Heavy rain and flooding risks are expected this weekend.Heavy rain, flooding risk this weekendAt the same time, Central Texas will be full of events drawing big crowds.
  Rain in the forecast each day through at least Monday
  Some scheduled events this weekend are:
  The Two Step Inn Country Music FestivalThe Austin Reggae FestivalTexas Football's Orange-White Spring Scrimmage'Safety is our number one priority'Austin Reggae Festival Organize
  
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• Austin City Council could extend contract for Marshalling Yard homeless shelter

  17-04-2024 22:22 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- At a downtown meeting for leaders of Vocal Texas -- a group of people with lived experience who tackle issues related to homelessness -- it's not hard to find folks familiar with the City of Austin's Marshalling Yard shelter. Many of the group's leaders have stayed there, all know people who have.
  A warehouse, originally intended to support the city's convention center, is now used in-part to temporarily shelter some of the most vulnerable people experiencing homelessness in our
  
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• Rashee Rice, Theodore Knox being sued for over $1M in Texas crash

  17-04-2024 22:06 via kxan.com
  
  KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice and Southern Methodist University wide receiver Theodore Knox are being sued for over $1 million in damages and $10 million in punitive damages by two victims in the March 30 crash in Dallas, Texas, according to a lawsuit filed in Dallas County.The court document says the plaintiffs, Irina Gromova and Edvard Petrovskiy of Dallas County, are seeking monetary relief for over $1 million for severe injuries, including "trau
  
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• CDC investigating reports of counterfeit or mishandled Botox injections in 9 states 

  17-04-2024 22:05 via kxan.com
  
  (The Hill) -- Federal agencies and state and local health departments are investigating reports of reactions to injections of counterfeit or mishandled botulinum toxin, commonly known as Botox, across nine states.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said 19 people across nine states reported harmful reactions after receiving botulinum toxin shots from unlicensed or untrained individuals or in non-healthcare settings as of April 12. The states include Colorado, Florida, Illinois,
  
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• Lawsuit filed against Llano County, LCSO in shooting death of man having 'mental health crisis'

  17-04-2024 21:58 via kxan.com
  
  LLANO COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — A lawsuit was recently filed against the Llano County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) in connection with a response to an October 2022 mental health call that led to the death of Justin Harrod.The lawsuit was filed on behalf of Jillian Harrod, Justin Harrod’s wife.According to attorneys, the lawsuit alleged an excessive use of force by LCSO, Llano County, Texas, Sheriff Bill Blackburn, Deputy Byron Cervantez and Deputy Randy “Ty” Shaw.KXAN reach
  
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• TEA reaches agreement with US Justice Department to have testing accommodations for those with dyslexia

  17-04-2024 21:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The U.S. Justice Department reached a settlement with the Texas Education Agency (TEA) to resolve a complaint involving a student with dyslexia and dysgraphia who was denied an "alternative testing arrangement" for an exam, the U.S. Attorney's Office Western District of Texas said in a news release.According to the department, denying the student the testing arrangement was a violation of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The student requested oral administr
  
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• Here's what new LED lightbulb standards mean for American households

  17-04-2024 21:18 via kxan.com
  
  (The Hill) -- New standards for light-emitting diode (LED) lightbulbs announced by the Biden administration last week will likely mean measurable savings for American households, but experts say the bulbs last so long it may be years before consumers notice the benefits.The Biden administration’s final rule for LED bulbs, announced Friday, more than doubles the energy efficiency requirements for the bulbs, taking them from 45 lumens (the unit of measurement for brightness) per watt to more
  
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• Geothermal energy showcased in Austin, potential powerhouse for Texas’ grid

  17-04-2024 20:49 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — A historic area on South Congress unveiled a geothermal HVAC system on Wednesday morning. Penn Field hosts businesses like Google Fiber and Pandora alongside a former World War 2 airfield. Now, the property is revamping its energy sources by using Earth’s internal heat to power heating and cooling systems in commercial buildings. “Geothermal is unique because it's clean, it's abundant, essentially, limitless, and available everywhere,” Silviu
  
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• Appeals court grants state's request to halt $100,000 daily fines in Texas foster care case

  17-04-2024 20:48 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Texas is pushing back on a federal judge's decision to demand the state pay $100,000 per day over failures in the foster case system, and the appeals court has agreed to halt those fines, for now.
  One day after U.S. District Judge Janis Jack found the state in contempt of court for violating two of her previous orders in the longstanding foster care lawsuit, the attorneys representing the state asked the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals for a stay. On Wednesday, the 5th Circuit gran
  
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• APD issues arrest warrants for 2 people related to fentanyl overdose deaths

  17-04-2024 20:01 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Two people were charged and arrest warrants were issued in connection with fentanyl overdose deaths that occurred in September and December of 2023, according to Travis County court documents.An arrest warrant issued Tuesday was for a woman in connection with a fentanyl overdose death that occurred Dec. 25.Records showed 30-year-old Briyana Lenore Wilson had been charged with the manufacturing or delivery of a controlled substance causing death or serious bodily injury in c
  
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• February 2024: Which local restaurants received a perfect health inspection score?

  17-04-2024 19:47 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Public Health reported that it conducted 647 health inspections at locations (restaurants, grocery stores, school cafeterias, etc.) across Austin and Travis County in February, according to the agency’s public data portal. How Austin Public Health completes thousands of health inspections each yearNote, the numbers for March are preliminary. (Courtesy Amy McCurdy)For February, only two local restaurants earned perfect scores:
  The Steeping Room, located at 5621
  
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• Largest APD cadet class to graduate with 10 women

  17-04-2024 19:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department will welcome 39 cadets into the program Friday after completing the traditional Chief's Run on Wednesday. According to APD, 10 of the cadets were women.
  "This is the largest number of females that we've actually graduated in the class with," Interim Chief Robin Henderson said. "It's helping support our objective of having 30 percent of our workforce of the sworn officers to be represented by women.”The cadets ran in the mist Wednesday morning a
  
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