Austin news

• Lines may be moving, but some voters still undecided

  08-11-2016 23:13 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – The lines at some polling locations can look daunting, but for the most part they’re moving quickly. What’s troubling some is that they’re still undecided as they wait in line.
  As of 3 p.m., Travis County reported that about 65,000 voters had cast a ballot. Among those waiting in line this morning were students from the University of Texas at Austin. There was a steady line moving in front of the Co-Op in west campus.
  One student in line admitted he&r
  
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• Legalization movement faces biggest test yet in 9 states

  08-11-2016 22:59 via kxan.com
  
  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The movement to legalize marijuana faced its biggest test yet Tuesday as voters in nine states, including the nation’s most populous, considered proposals to expand legal access to the drug, which is still forbidden by the federal government.
  California, the first state to approve medical marijuana two decades ago, was among five states weighing whether to go beyond medical use and permit pot for adults for recreational purposes. The other states were Arizona, Ma
  
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• Travis County voting surges, nearly half a million cast ballots

  08-11-2016 22:58 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The number of voters casting ballots in Travis County is surging. As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, over 65,000 voters have hit the polls, according to county clerk data.
  In early voting, which ended last Friday, more than 372,188 people went to the polls or sent a mail-in ballot, according to the clerk. There has not been a November election in the past 10 years with so many ballots cast.
  All considered, more than 437,000 individuals in Travis County voted by 3 p.m. Tuesday.
  
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• Sketch of suspect in attack on Georgetown girl released

  08-11-2016 22:56 via kxan.com
  
  GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — The sketch of a man who attacked a Georgetown girl last month has been released by police.
  At around 4:41 p.m. on Oct. 3, Georgetown police officers were dispatched to a home on Rocky Hollow Drive.
  Police were called by the girl’s father, who said his daughter was grabbed by an unknown man. The girl said she was walking from her bus stop when the man grabbed her right arm from behind and twisted it behind her back. He then wrapped his left leg around her le
  
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• Defiant into final day, Trump warns of election fraud

  08-11-2016 22:46 via kxan.com
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Defiant into the 2016 election’s last day, Donald Trump raised doubts about the integrity of the U.S. election system on Tuesday as he cast his own ballot for president.
  The Republican White House contender refused to say whether he would concede defeat if he loses and continued to voice concerns about voter fraud, two statements that challenged bedrock principles of American democracy: fair and free elections and the clean transfer of power.
  Trump offered an optimist
  
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• Texas priest videotapes aborted fetus on altar

  08-11-2016 22:30 via kxan.com
  
  AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — A Roman Catholic priest who has for years been is a vocal abortion opponent last Sunday placed an aborted fetus on his altar in Amarillo and posted a video of it on two social media sites.
  The Dallas Morning News reports that Rev. Frank Pavone, head of the New York-based Priests for Life, says in the video that a pathologist entrusted him with the fetus for burial.
  In the 44-minute video posted to Facebook, Pavone says Hillary Clinton and the Democratic platform will
  
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• Texas priest videos aborted fetus on altar

  08-11-2016 22:30 via kxan.com
  
  AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — A Roman Catholic priest who has for years been is a vocal abortion opponent last Sunday placed an aborted fetus on his altar in Amarillo and posted a video of it on two social media sites.
  The Dallas Morning News reports that Rev. Frank Pavone, head of the New York-based Priests for Life, says in the video that a pathologist entrusted him with the fetus for burial.
  In the 44-minute video posted to Facebook (Warning: Graphic content in video), Pavone says Hillary
  
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• Family receives 14 duplicate mail-in ballots

  08-11-2016 22:01 via kxan.com
  
  SANDY, UT (KSL) – Mary Petty has been getting a lot of important pieces of mail lately. Many of them not even addressed to her.
  She said in the last month she received 14 official mail-in voter ballots at her Sandy, Utah home.
  “When we started getting them, we got them all at once basically,” Petty said. “On the one day, I had seven of them or eight of them.”
  The only problem is that there are only four people living in her home.
  “Of the four who live here, th
  
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• North Texas polling place opens late after election judge found dead

  08-11-2016 21:21 via kxan.com
  
  GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas (KXAN) – A polling place in North Texas opened late after the election judge for the location was found dead in his home Tuesday morning.
  Grand Prairie police confirmed they found the judge who has not been identified at about 8:15 a.m. after they were asked to perform a safety check.
  The medical examiner ruled 60-year-old Gary Cox died of natural causes. Officials believe he had medical issues.
  An alternate judge was called to fill in at the judge’s polling loca
  
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• Nearly 30 years in the making, construction on SH 45SW Toll starts

  08-11-2016 20:44 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) —  It has taken about 30 years, but today construction on the SH 45 Southwest Project officially started.
  Drivers in Hays and Southern Travis County will eventually see some relief to their commute. Currently, travelers along SH 45SW will notice the road turning into Mopac in South Austin.
  As a result of growth and development, drivers are using local roads, such as Manchaca Road, Slaughter Lane and Brodie Lane as commuter corridors to access MoPac and downtown Aust
  
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• Nearly 30 years in the making, construction on SH 45 SW Toll starts

  08-11-2016 20:44 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) —  It has taken about 30 years, but today construction on the SH 45 Southwest Project officially started.
  Drivers in Hays and Southern Travis County will eventually see some relief to their commute. Currently, travelers along SH 45SW will notice the road turning into Mopac in South Austin.
  As a result of growth and development, drivers are using local roads, such as Manchaca Road, Slaughter Lane and Brodie Lane as commuter corridors to access MoPac and downtown Aust
  
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• Celebrities share their voting photos on social media

  08-11-2016 20:37 via kxan.com
  
  View the story “Celebrities share their voting photos on social media” on Storify
  
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• Potential victim identified after body found burning in car trunk

  08-11-2016 20:35 via kxan.com
  
  DEL VALLE, Texas (KXAN) — What crews thought was a car fire turned out to be a body burning inside the trunk of a vehicle in Travis County on Oct. 30. The suspected victim of that fire has now been identified by the Travis County Sheriff’s Office Detectives.
  Bastrop resident Aaron Lee Rogers, 27, is believed to be the person found dead on Buck Lane in Del Valle. Investigators used the clues left behind to name the person, but they say it will take several more weeks to confirm t
  
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• Election insiders are watching these key races as results roll in

  08-11-2016 20:23 via kxan.com
  
  WASHINGTON (MEDIA GENERAL) — Election Day is finally here and the stakes could not be higher, from the top of the ballot to the bottom.
  Thousands of candidates are running in races ranging from president to city council.
  After 500-plus days of news coverage, hundreds of opinion polls and zillions (a rough approximation) of think pieces on the state of American politics, here are the states and races that political insiders will be watching the closest Tuesday night.
  White House: Clinton st
  
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• Orlando to buy Pulse nightclub, turn it into memorial

  08-11-2016 20:02 via kxan.com
  
  ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) – The city of Orlando, Florida, has announced plans to purchase the Pulse nightclub and eventually convert the site of the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history into a memorial.
  Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer told the Orlando Sentinel on Monday that the city has reached a deal to buy the gay nightclub for $2.25 million.
  Dyer says the site should probably remain as-is for the next 12 to 18 months, as it has become a gathering place for mourners.
  He says the city will r
  
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• Problems reported at Hill Elementary School polling location

  08-11-2016 19:54 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — During the morning of Election Day laptop issues were reported at Austin’s Hill Elementary School.
  The problem took a few hours to be resolved. For voters that meant waiting in line for an estimated 15 minutes, which is double the typical time it takes to usually cast a vote at the north central Austin school.
  LIVE: Wait times at Travis County voting sites
  One voter explained what happened to him when he showed up to vote at 8 a.m.
  “When I showed up at
  
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• WATCH: Massive sinkhole swallows 5-lane road in Japan

  08-11-2016 19:27 via kxan.com
  
  FUKUOKA, Japan (NBC News) – A massive sinkhole caused chaos in the southern Japanese city of Fukuoka Tuesday.
  Amateur video captured the moment the sinkhole swallowed a five-lane road in the city.
  Japanese authorities evacuated nearby buildings as a safety precaution.
  No injuries were reported, but the sinkhole caused widespread disruptions to local electricity, water and gas supplies.
  The massive sinkhole measured 88 feet wide, 98 feet long and 49 feet deep.
  Water from broken pipelines fl
  
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• 102-year-old woman casts her vote for Donald Trump

  08-11-2016 19:13 via kxan.com
  
  JACKSONVILLE, FL (WTLV) — Frankie Gause was born July 16, 1914, six years before women gained the right to vote, and she takes voting seriously.
  “I voted every year since I was old enough,” she says.
  She’s witnessed 18 presidential elections in her first century.
  “Roosevelt was a good president,” says Gause, referring to FDR.
  And now, in her second century, there’s only been one political cycle and it is one she would like to forget.
  “It is the wor
  
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• Southwest Airlines pilots approve 4-year deal with higher pay

  08-11-2016 16:50 via kxan.com
  
  DALLAS (AP) — Southwest Airlines Co. pilots have ratified a new four-year contract that includes higher pay and bonuses.
  The Dallas-based carrier on Monday announced approval of the deal. About 84 percent of Southwest Airlines Pilots’ Association members who cast ballots voted in favor of the agreement.
  The contract includes an immediate 15 percent pay raise.
  Contract negotiations began in 2012. Mediated talks started in 2014. Pilots last November rejected another proposed contract.
  
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• Clinton casts her ballot: ‘It is the most humbling feeling’

  08-11-2016 16:30 via kxan.com
  
  CHAPPAQUA, N.Y. (AP) — Seeking to become the nation’s first female president, Hillary Clinton cast her ballot Tuesday and settled down to wait for the country to make its choice.
  The Democratic nominee and her husband, former President Bill Clinton, voted at an elementary school near their home in suburban New York before greeting supporters waiting for her outside.
  “It is the most humbling feeling,” she said of voting for herself for president. “I know how much res
  
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• Live Blog: Election Night in Central Texas

  08-11-2016 14:45 via kxan.com
  
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• Election Day Live Blog

  08-11-2016 14:45 via kxan.com
  
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• Skip the lines with the best kept polling secret

  08-11-2016 14:02 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — With record breaking early voting numbers long lines are expected on Tuesday as Austinites head to the polls.
  The Travis County Clerk, Dana DeBeavoir, says she won’t be surprised if voters have to wait an hour or more. Schools in east Austin are some of the most popular spots. Parents drop off their children and stay to vote.
  Full coverage: local races that matter to you 
  If you want to avoid long lines DeBeavoir says you should go to a h
  
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• Lake Travis rises after Starcke Dam floodgates briefly opened

  08-11-2016 13:23 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Lake Travis is now 102 percent full and up nearly one foot after the LCRA briefly opened the Max Starcke Dam floodgates overnight.
  The gates opened around 1:49 a.m. and were closed by 4 a.m. The floodgate operations went into effect after heavy storms moved across the Highland Lakes watershed Monday night.
  More rain expected on Election Day 
  One gate was opened to funnel storm runoff from Lake Marble Falls to the Starcke Dam. The water then moves into Lake Travis, whic
  
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• Lake Travis 102 percent full after Starcke Dam floodgates opened

  08-11-2016 13:23 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Lake Travis is now 102 percent full and up nearly one foot after the LCRA briefly opened the Max Starcke Dam floodgates overnight.
  The gates opened around 1:49 a.m. and were closed by 4 a.m. The floodgate operations went into effect after heavy storms moved across the Highland Lakes watershed Monday night.
  More rain expected on Election Day 
  One gate was opened to funnel storm runoff from Lake Marble Falls to the Starcke Dam. The water then moves into Lake Travis, whic
  
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• Travis Co. Republicans, Democrats last minute push to the polls

  08-11-2016 12:34 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Even with election day on Tuesday, the campaigning hasn’t stopped for the Travis County Republican and Democratic parties.
  Austinites can likely expect a phone call or even a volunteer coming by their house encouraging community members to get out and vote. Party representatives will also answer any questions you might have about the candidates.
  One thing both parties in Travis County agree on is informing voters about the candidates running for offices othe
  
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• Election Day: What you need to know to cast your vote

  08-11-2016 06:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — With a narrow race predicted for the presidential candidate front runners, long lines are expected on Election Day. In Texas, there has been a big shift from previous elections with a large number of voters still undecided.
  Aside from the race for the White House, there are congressional races and other local ballot items that will impact you. To find out what is on your ballot, check here. 
  Voter ID Requirement
  To cast a ballot in person in Texas, you’ll ne
  
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• Longhorns, Foreman run to winning streak

  08-11-2016 05:33 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The KXAN sports team hits More than the Score to discuss the Longhorns winning streak, D’onta Foreman’s Heisman hopes and the best coach for 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
  
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• An in-depth look at how the Texas electoral college votes

  08-11-2016 05:29 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texans will go to the polls Tuesday to decide which slate of people will cast their ballot for president: a team of 38 Republicans or Democrats. The electoral college was put in place by America’s founding fathers and it continues to this day.
  Texas electors aren’t technically bound to vote for the way Texans do. For a majority of electors and to win the presidency you need 270 out of 538. All of those electors were chosen by party members who will mak
  
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• Austin police officer arrested, accused of assaulting family member

  08-11-2016 04:51 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austin police officer has been charged with felony assault on a family member.
  Antwain Tarver, 40, was booked into and released from the Williamson County Jail on Monday following an incident on Saturday. The officer is charged with assaulting a family member twice within a year.
  Tarver, listed as an Austin Police Region 3 District Representative, also faces charges of interference with an emergency call. Additional details of what happened during his arrest were no
  
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• Travis County judge calls DNA testing backlog ‘critical’

  08-11-2016 04:39 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – A Travis County Criminal District Court judge is joining a growing chorus of criminal justice advocates saying the DNA testing backlog of sex assault cases has reached a critical point. Just this week Judge Karen Sage says she ordered one long-held suspect be released from jail in the interest of honoring his constitutionally-protected right to a speedy trial.
  “I know if I have a case in my court and there is DNA [involved], I don’t think about the pos
  
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• Food deserts: How Austin is tackling the problem

  08-11-2016 03:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — At least once a week, Melvin Green takes a 10-mile drive from his home in Del Valle to a grocery store in East Austin. His trip in traffic sometimes takes around 30 minutes each way, but it is the only way he says he can buy fresh and healthy food at an affordable price that fits his budget. The retired grandfather feeds a family of six, including his wife and four grandsons.
  A USDA map of the Austin area shows (in green) several food deserts scattered throughout the city a
  
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• Texas Tech’s touchdown led to Longhorns turning point

  08-11-2016 02:58 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns’ win at Texas Tech had some huge momentum swings. According to Charlie Strong, the biggest of swings was actually a Red Raiders touchdown.
  On Monday, D’onta Foreman received the award everyone expected, earning the Big 12 Offensive Player of the Week award. Foreman tallied 341 rushing yards against the porous Texas Tech defense, but it was the bizarre play involving a Foreman fumble that looked like it might turn the game in to a Texas Tech w
  
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• ‘I voted from space’: Lone American off planet casts ballot

  08-11-2016 01:41 via kxan.com
  
  CAPE CANAVERAL, FL (AP) – The lone American off the planet has cast his vote from space, keeping with NASA’s motto of “Vote while you float.”
  NASA said Monday that astronaut Shane Kimbrough filed his ballot in Tuesday’s presidential election from the International Space Station sometime over the past few days. He arrived at the orbiting lab in mid-October.
  Before launching on a four-month mission, Kimbrough said it was going to be special, being able to say “I
  
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• Bastrop ISD students getting a taste of food truck culture

  08-11-2016 01:38 via kxan.com
  
  BASTROP, Texas (KXAN) — It’s a sight you’d expect to see in Austin, dozens of hungry people lined up outside a food truck, ready to eat. Now the Austin staple can be found at various schools in Bastrop during lunchtime.
  “[Last year] I started bringing my lunch to school every day just because it wasn’t good food. Now I bring my lunch a lot less, because this stuff is amazing,” said Sutton Lindsley, a Bastrop High School student who serves on the Supe
  
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• Another Samsung phone model reportedly exploding

  08-11-2016 01:26 via kxan.com
  
  PARIS (AP) – A Samsung phone user in France says her Galaxy J5 smartphone caught fire and exploded on Sunday. The model is different from the Galaxy Note 7 that has been recalled worldwide.
  Lamya Bouyirdane told The Associated Press on Monday that she noticed the phone was very hot after she asked her four-year-old son to pass it over during a family gathering at her home. She said she threw the phone away when she realized it had “swollen up” and smoke was coming out.
  “I
  
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• Singer loses leg after Wimberley Farmers Market crash

  08-11-2016 00:50 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The loved ones of local singer-songwriter, Savannah Welch, say the injuries she sustained in last week’s crash at the Wimberley Farmers Market have forced doctors to amputate her right leg. Welch is a member of the folk music group, The Trishas.
  “Savannah is recovering remarkably quickly and her spirits are great,” her father, Kevin Welch, said. “It could have easily gone a lot of other ways, a lot of worse ways.”
  Savannah Welch and her so
  
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• Two schools open their doors to displaced Brown Elementary students

  08-11-2016 00:14 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Reilly Elementary School and Austin ISD’s Allan facility opened their doors Monday to give parents a tour of where their children will go to school in just two days.
  The sudden move came after T.A. Brown Elementary School was abruptly closed on Friday after structural damage made the building unsafe. Brown Elementary, closed for the remainder of the school year, will most likely not be repaired due to the high costs of doing so.
  Brown Elementary parents will be called
  
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• Senate work group recommends immediate funding for CPS changes

  08-11-2016 00:02 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A select group of senators announced Monday they believe Child Protective Services needs immediate funding to ensure child safety.
  Chairman of the committee, Sen. Charles Schwertner, R-Georgetown, says they’re recommending an influx of $75.3 million to phase-in yearly salary increases of $12,000 a year for CPS caseworkers and to hire 100 additional special investigators and caseworkers.
  “We owe it to the children of Texas to get this right,” Sen. Schwertne
  
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