Austin news

• VIRAL: Smiling preemie ‘Happy to be alive’

  21-10-2016 15:22 via kxan.com
  
  (WFLA)— An adorable photo of a smiling preemie baby is getting hundreds of thousands of likes on Facebook.
  We’re not surprised. You can’t help but smile when you look at the photo.
  Mother Lauren Vinje posted the photo of her daughter on the “Love What Matters” Facebook page. The picture was taken when her daughter was just five days old and only weighed 3 lbs and 4 oz.
  “She was happy to be alive,” wrote Vinje in the post. “This picture was one I lo
  
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• Judge fines HHSC $100K per day over abuse and neglect investigations in Texas foster care

  16-04-2024 04:22 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A federal judge is fining Texas Health and Human Services officials $100,000 dollars per day for failing to investigate abuse and neglect allegations in the foster care systemin a timely manner. According to an order issued Monday, U.S. District Judge Janis Jack found HHSC's Executive Commissioner Cecile Erwin Young in contempt for violating two of the judge's previously ordered reforms to these types of investigations.BACKGROUND: Texas foster kids’ lawyers ask federa
  
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• Driver arrested after deadly crash with pedestrian in southeast Austin

  16-04-2024 03:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — One person was arrested following a deadly early morning crash on East Riverside Drive in southeast Austin, according to a release from the Austin Police Department.APD said police responded to a vehicle-pedestrian crash around 2:26 a.m. on April 12 near 1700 East Riverside Drive and Lakeshore Boulevard. The pedestrian, identified by police as 37-year-old Aaron Alcala Hernandez, was pronounced dead at the scene. MAP: Where have Austin’s fatal crashes occurred in 2024?
  
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• Advocates say new videos inside Texas temporary foster housing raises concerns

  16-04-2024 02:49 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Advocates are pointing to new pictures and videos filmed inside two temporary housing locations for some Texas foster children as evidence that longstanding issues in the state's child welfare system persist.
  Houston-based human rights advocate Dr. Candice Matthews also provided KXAN with a first-hand account from a child who described living in one of the state's unlicensed placements withbroken walls and a lack of food.‘Nightmare’: Former Texas foster care workers
  
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• Advocates say new videos inside Texas temporary foster housing raise concerns

  16-04-2024 02:49 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Advocates are pointing to new pictures and videos filmed inside two temporary housing locations for some Texas foster children as evidence that longstanding issues in the state's child welfare system persist.
  Houston-based human rights advocate Dr. Candice Matthews also provided KXAN with a first-hand account from a child who described living in one of the state's unlicensed placements withbroken walls and a lack of food.‘Nightmare’: Former Texas foster care workers
  
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• Neighbors say dead dogs found in creek, police investigating

  16-04-2024 02:43 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) - People who live near Shiloh Drive off of Menchaca Road in south Austin saw what they counted as 11 dead dogs in Boggy Creek.“It’s pretty disturbing,” said Jason Brooks, who saw the dogs. “I’m an animal lover. [It] was a hard day for me.”The Austin Police Department said it is “currently conducting an investigation in the vicinity of Shiloh Drive” in collaboration with Animal Protection. The department said it’s in the prelimin
  
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• Roads temporarily back open after deadly US 183 crash, investigation to resume in the morning

  16-04-2024 02:30 via kxan.com
  
  LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) -- Roads are temporarily back open after a deadly crash in in Leander on Monday, the Leander Police Department said on social media.Around 10:33 p.m., LPD said roads will close again at 9 a.m. to resume the investigation.The crash happened on U.S. Highway 183 at Sheila Drive, according to police.A KXAN photojournalist on the scene took a photo, which shows an overturned motorcycle. We're waiting to receive more details from LPD.The Leander Police are investigating a deadly
  
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• Heavy traffic delays expected after deadly crash on US 183 in Leander

  16-04-2024 02:30 via kxan.com
  
  LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) -- The Leander Police Department is investigating a deadly crash that is causing heavy traffic delays, the agency said on social media Monday.The crash happened on U.S. Highway 183 at Sheila Drive, according to police.Police said southbound U.S. 183 and Sheila at Glass Drive are closed, and northbound U.S. 183 is open.Drivers should expect delays or seek an alternate route, as police said the closure "will last for hours."
  
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• New quarterback, new expectations for Texas State football

  16-04-2024 01:11 via kxan.com
  
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — Jordan McCloud won conference player of the year in the Sun Belt in 2023. When James Madison's head coach left for Indiana, McCloud entered his name in the transfer portal in hopes of finding a new home for his seventh year of college football.Not only will he have seven years of college football under his belt, but McCloud is now with his fourth team. After spending three seasons at South Florida, two at Arizona and one at James Madison, he's now at Texas State.
  
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• Some H&R Block users report filing issues on tax deadline day

  16-04-2024 00:48 via kxan.com
  
  PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) -- Popular tax preparer H&R Block experienced issues with the company's electronic filing software Monday as many tried to submit their taxes by the end of day on April 15.
  Many users said they got "bad gateway" or "502" errors when filing online.
  The issue started Sunday night and extended into Monday, the deadline day for individual income tax returns, according to user reports and DownDetector. Many users commenting on DownDetector also claimed to have repeated H&am
  
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• Can dogs link words to certain objects like humans? A new study says yes

  16-04-2024 00:48 via kxan.com
  
  BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) — Many dog owners believe their pets understand and respond not only to commands such as “sit” and “stay,” but also to words referring to their favorite objects. “Bring me your ball” will often result in exactly that.But science has had trouble determining whether dogs and other animals genuinely activate a mental image in their minds when they hear the name of an object, something that would suggest a deeper grasp of lan
  
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• Texas' Dillon Mitchell, Tyrese Hunter to enter transfer portal

  16-04-2024 00:03 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — After the Texas Longhorns made a big splash in the transfer portal Sunday with three commitments, two of their most productive players announced Monday that they'll leave the program.Dillon Mitchell announced on social media that he'll enter the transfer portal and test the NBA Draft waters again like he did last season before returning to Texas. Mitchell scored 9.6 points per game and grabbed 7.5 rebounds in his sophomore season for the Longhorns.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay
  
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• Arrest warrant issued for suspected organizer in July 2023 street takeover

  15-04-2024 23:32 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- An arrest warrant was issued for the suspected organizer for a July 2023 street takeover on Monday.On July 29, 2023, the Austin Police Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety responded to the events, which ended at the intersection of South Lamar Boulevard and Barton Springs Road. Three people were taken to the hospital after the street takeover, according to police. Crash sends 3 to hospital while DPS troopers respond to car meet"In street takeovers, intersections
  
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• Why do some Austin neighborhoods have black asphalt on sidewalks?

  15-04-2024 23:11 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Just off Menchaca Road in south Austin lies the Canterbury Trails neighborhood. Throughout the community is a smattering of black asphalt covering portions of the sidewalks.A spokesperson for the Austin Transportation and Public Works Department told KXAN those asphalt coverings offer a temporary, structurally-sound reprieve for sidewalks in need of repair. Each year, the city regularly responds to hundreds of requests made via 3-1-1 for the service before longer-term solutions
  
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• $1.1M project could pay homeless artists to paint murals in downtown library garage

  15-04-2024 22:12 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A pilot program could pay people experiencing homelessness to create art murals in Austin.
  The art program, which would pay people experiencing homelessness for same-day work to paint murals, is up for consideration at this week's city council meeting. RELATED: How many people are homeless in Austin? City commits to more transparencyAustin council members will consider a roughly $1.1 million contract Thursday with local art nonprofit Raasin in the Sun for a pilot project pa
  
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• LIVE Horns Report: Texas men's hoops busy in the transfer portal, Orange-White spring game coming up Saturday

  15-04-2024 22:07 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team was busy in the transfer portal last week, and that's the main topic of discussion in this week's Horns Report with Roger Wallace and Billy Gates.Head coach Rodney Terry landed three recruits Sunday, including one of the most sought-after guards available in Arkansas' Tramon Mark. Texas also snagged two players from Indiana State, Julian Larry and Jayson Kent, fresh off an appearance in the NIT championship game and the most success
  
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• Horns Report: Texas men's hoops busy in the transfer portal, Orange-White spring game coming up Saturday

  15-04-2024 22:07 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns men's basketball team was busy in the transfer portal last week, and that's the main topic of discussion in this week's Horns Report with Roger Wallace and Billy Gates.Head coach Rodney Terry landed three recruits Sunday, including one of the most sought-after guards available in Arkansas' Tramon Mark. Texas also snagged two players from Indiana State, Julian Larry and Jayson Kent, fresh off an appearance in the NIT championship game and the most success
  
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• PHOTOS: Re-experience the spectacle of the total solar eclipse across Central Texas

  15-04-2024 22:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — It's now been a week since the total solar eclipse dazzled audiences across North America, including right here in Central Texas. What impact did the solar eclipse have on temperatures?KXAN received hundreds of photos from viewers across the region sharing their view. Here are some of our favorite photos from the day.Total solar eclipseTotal solar eclipse over Kingsland, Texas, on April 8, 2024. (Courtesy Dale Murphy)The Morris family riding on horseback below a total solar
  
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• It's the last day to claim a piece of the $100 million Verizon class-action settlement

  15-04-2024 21:22 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) – Eligible Verizon customers — current and former — have just a couple hours left to claim a piece of the $100 million class action settlement fund.
  Affected users to get up to $100 each if they file a valid claim by April 15.
  The lawsuit alleges Verizon customers were hit with an administrative charge as part of a "deceptive scheme." Verizon denies any wrongdoing, but has agreed to the payout.
  All Verizon customers in the U.S. who “received postpaid wireless or
  
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• ‘Rust’ weapons supervisor gets 18 months in prison for fatal on-set shooting

  15-04-2024 21:21 via kxan.com
  
  SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — A movie weapons supervisor was sentenced to 18 months in prison in the fatal shooting of a cinematographer by Alec Baldwin on the set of the Western film “Rust,” at a sentencing hearing Monday in a New Mexico state court.Movie armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was convicted in March by a jury on a charge of involuntary manslaughter in the death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins and has been held for more than a month at a county jail on the outskirt
  
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• Walmart apologizes for Uvalde shirt amid backlash

  15-04-2024 21:13 via kxan.com
  
  UVALDE, Texas (ValleyCentral) — Walmart has issued an apology for selling a Uvalde-themed shirt after hundreds voiced their displeasure on social media."Where the heck is Uvalde Texas" T-shirt on the rack of a Walmart store (Photo: Brett Cross)
  Brett Cross, the father of 10-year-old Uziyah Garcia who was killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting in 2022, shared a photo of the shirt on X.The shirt features the state of Texas, with the text "Where the heck is Uvalde, Texas?"Cross shared
  
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• Austin airport to host open house on key expansions this month

  15-04-2024 20:46 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's note: The above video shows KXAN News' top morning headlines from Monday, April 15, 2024.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Members of the public can learn more about the multi-year expansion plans for the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport at a community open house later this month.The event will be held on Saturday, April 27 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Montopolis Recreation and Community Center, located at 1200 Montopolis Drive. Airport staff will be available on site to chat about upcoming
  
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• Air Force's 1st female fighter pilot is a UT alum, and she's this year's commencement speaker

  15-04-2024 20:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The United States Air Force's first female fighter pilot went to the University of Texas at Austin, where she graduated in 1990. Now, 34 years later, she's been selected as the university's keynote speaker for its 141st Spring Commencement.
  Retired Maj. Gen. Jeannie M. Leavitt, an aerospace engineering and engineering mechanics alumna, grew up in St. Louis and came to UT because she wanted to study aerospace engineering, UT said in a release.
  Leavitt dedicated 31 years of servic
  
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• Austin airport one of 4 nationwide to receive new runway safety technology

  15-04-2024 20:10 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's note: The above video shows KXAN News' top morning headlines from Monday, April 15, 2024.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is one of four airports nationwide to receive new technology to help enhance runway safety, the Federal Aviation Administration announced Monday.AUS, the Indianapolis International Airport, the Nashville International Airport and Dallas Love Field are the recipients of the new airfield surveillance systems, the FAA said. The focus of the ne
  
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• 'It's heartbreaking': Tesla employees in Austin blindsided by layoffs

  15-04-2024 20:02 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's note: The above video shows KXAN News' top morning headlines from Monday, April 15, 2024.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Some Tesla employees in Austin are now left without a job.Tesla plans to lay off 10% of workforce after dismal quarterly sales, multiple news outlets reportAccording to our media partners at the Austin Business Journal, the company is laying off more than 10% of its workforce globally.
  Tesla CEO Elon Musk detailed the plans in a memo sent to employees.
  Musk’s memo said th
  
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• 'It's heartbreaking': Tesla employee in Austin blindsided by layoffs

  15-04-2024 20:02 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's note: The above video shows KXAN News' top morning headlines from Monday, April 15, 2024.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Some Tesla employees in Austin are now left without a job.Tesla plans to lay off 10% of workforce after dismal quarterly sales, multiple news outlets reportAccording to our media partners at the Austin Business Journal, the company is laying off more than 10% of its workforce globally.
  Tesla CEO Elon Musk detailed the plans in a memo sent to employees.
  Musk’s memo said th
  
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• First vote to happen on Austin transgender protections measure

  15-04-2024 19:52 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — An effort to extend some protections to transgender Austinites and their ability to seek gender-affirming medical care will receive its first vote Monday evening.
  The City of Austin's LGBTQIA+ Quality of Life Advisory Commission is set to consider a resolution during its meeting, which will also include a town hall about an LGBTQIA+ Cultural Center and a discussion about the potential need for one.The meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the city's Permitting and Development Center
  
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• Austin eyeing nearly $23M contract to build new bridge over Lady Bird Lake

  15-04-2024 19:34 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's note: The above video shows KXAN News' top morning headlines from Monday, April 15, 2024.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin City Council could approve Thursday a nearly $23 million contract to build a new bridge across Lady Bird Lake near the Longhorn Dam.Council will weigh in on a construction contract with Jay-Reese Contractors Inc., with a $20.7 million baseline amount along with an additional $2 million in contingencies. The project will create a new pedestrian and cyclist bridge across Lady B
  
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• New Uvalde police chief announces plan to overhaul department

  15-04-2024 19:33 via kxan.com
  
  UVALDE, Texas (KXAN) -- The City of Uvalde's newly appointed Police Chief Homer Degado unveiled a plan Monday to overhaul the police department.
  Delgado, directed by the City Council and City Manager, unveiled the "Guardian Initiative," which, according to a release from the city, is a "comprehensive plan to overhaul the policies, practices, and procedures of the Uvalde Police Department to enhance community trust and safety while modernizing the city’s police force."The release furth
  
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• $1 million lawsuit filed against concrete pump truck driver, company after deadly bus crash

  15-04-2024 19:31 via kxan.com
  
  BASTROP, Texas (KXAN) – A mother of a child involved in the deadly Hays CISD bus crash on March 22 – where a concrete pump truck veered into oncoming traffic, struck the bus and caused it to roll – has filed a lawsuit against the driver, Jerry Hernandez, who admitted in a police report he had used cocaine within 24 hours of the crash, his company, FJM Concrete Pumping, LLC, and the owner of the company. The crash resulted in the death of a 5-year-old boy on the bus and a U
  
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