Austin news

• Round Rock approves quiet zones for train traffic

  11-11-2016 22:54 via kxan.com
  
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — The Round Rock City Council has approved plans to keep trains quiet as they pass through two populated parts of town.
  To keep trains from blowing their horns, the city will install more signal arms along Burnet Street and Saint Williams Street. Residents who live along the streets tell us they’re glad it will mean no more unwanted 2 a.m. wake-up calls as trains pass by.
  After the quiet zones are installed, train engineers can still blow their
  
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• Facebook accidentally tells people they’ve died, including Zuckerberg

  11-11-2016 22:45 via kxan.com
  
  (WFLA) – People logging into Facebook have received disturbing – and untrue – news. The social media network is accidentally telling people they are dead.
  “Log on to your profile and there’s a good chance it will have a memorial banner sitting on top of it, urging your friends and family members to remember you,” The Verge reads.
  “We hope people who love (insert name) will find comfort in the things others share to remember and celebrate his life,”
  
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• Pres. elect Trump may keep parts of Obamacare in place

  11-11-2016 22:18 via kxan.com
  
  WASHINGTON (WCMH) — President-elect Donald Trump says he’s now willing to leave parts of President Obama’s healthcare law in place.
  Mr. Trump had campaigned on repealing Obamacare and replacing it with something else. But he now tells the Wall Street Journal that he likes some of the provisions in the law and may keep them in place.
  Two of those provisions include allowing children to stay on their parents’ healthcare plan until the age of 26 and the provision that preven
  
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• Woman runs into Hillary Clinton out hiking day after concession speech

  11-11-2016 20:53 via kxan.com
  
  (CNN) — You know when things don’t go your way, sometimes it’s best to just go take a walk. That’s what Hillary Clinton did after her election defeat.
  Margot Gerster spotted the former democratic presidential nominee near her New York home while hiking Thursday.
  “It was completely by chance and kind of amazing. I mean I literally hike that trail almost everyday,” Gerster told CNN. “So this is sorta incredible to randomly run into Bill Clinton and Hillary
  
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• Babysitter arrested after toddler found buried in shallow grave

  11-11-2016 20:30 via kxan.com
  
  FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) A Warsaw man has been arrested on a preliminary charge of murder in the death of his girlfriend’s 2-year-old he was allegedly babysitting after police found the toddler buried in a shallow grave in a backyard.Christopher A. GrimmettPolice were called just before 10:30 p.m. Thursday to a home at #53 EMS C17 Lane on Big Chapman Lake northeast of Warsaw on a custody complaint. There, 29-year-old Christopher A. Grimmett told investigators he was babysitting his girlfrie
  
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• Sunday marks 1 year since Paris terror attacks

  11-11-2016 20:09 via kxan.com
  
  PARIS (AP) — At the spot outside La Belle Equipe cafe where paramedics knelt over dead bodies on that terrible night a year ago, people gather to drink wine and catch up with friends.
  Where police in riot gear ran with their guns drawn in pursuit of a possible suspect, a girl wheels past on a scooter. Where thousands of anguished Parisians gathered for a national service outside the Notre Dame cathedral, tourists mill about, taking photos.
  A year after Islamic State group attacks killed 13
  
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• Judge orders Amazon to reimburse customers for in-app buys by kids

  11-11-2016 20:06 via kxan.com
  
  SEATTLE (AP) – A federal judge has laid out rules for how Amazon must reimburse customers whose kids made in-app purchases without permission.
  The Federal Trade Commission sued the Seattle company in 2014, saying it was too easy for children to spend their parents’ money while playing games on mobile devices. The agency settled similar cases against Apple and Google.
  All three companies now require a password for in-app purchases or an opt-in to enable purchases without a password.
  S
  
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• WATCH: WWII vet fulfills promise to friend to play Taps at his grave

  11-11-2016 19:17 via kxan.com
  
  UNION GROVE, Wisconsin (WTMJ) – World War II veteran Tom Sitter made a promise to his friend Eddie Toporsh 14 years ago.
  Titter told Toporsh he would visit his grave and play “Taps” after he died.
  Toporsh died in 2002.
  As the years went on following his death, Sitter said the promise he made kept eating away at him.
  “In a way, I felt a little guilty about not doing it but I knew Eddie where ever he is would understand,” said Sitter. “But the more I thought abo
  
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• Public Schools send letter home with students after fears of deportation arise

  11-11-2016 18:37 via kxan.com
  
  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The Albuquerque Public School District (APS) said there has been widespread fear among students that their parents may not be there when they get home. They are worried president-elect Donald Trump will have them deported.
  The district is reaching out to families and addressing their concerns. APS has a large immigrant population, it said it was surprised by the amount of families who visited schools after the election — scared about their future.
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• Red, White, and Blues 512 concert helping homeless veterans

  11-11-2016 16:49 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A weekend blues concert in Austin is working to help local homeless veterans.
  Karen Ingram with Red, White and Blues 512 and musician Jeff Plankenhorn joined us in the KXAN studio to talk about the House Our Heroes Festival. Their goal is to find homes for local veterans and provide them with the services they need.
  The festival kicks off at the Stubb’s Waller Creek Ampitheater on Sunday at 4 p.m. Get tickets and learn more here. 
  The “concert with a cause&
  
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• PHOTOS: Austin-area honors service for Veteran’s Day

  11-11-2016 15:22 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A day to honor the service of men and women fighting for freedom. It’s Veterans Day and Central Texas is celebrating with several events on Friday.
  In Austin, Congress Avenue will be shut down as the parade gets underway at 9:30 a.m. Austinites will line the streets starting on the Congress Avenue Bridge and heading towards the State Capitol. The parade lasts until 11 a.m. ending with a memorial ceremony on the south steps of the State Capitol.
  In Pflugerville, y
  
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• $10,000 in assistance offered for displaced Cactus Rose residents

  11-11-2016 14:54 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A deal has been struck by developers to help people who will be forced out of an East Austin mobile home park.
  The developer Oden Hughes wants to build apartments on the site of the Cactus Rose mobile home park. Residents are fighting to get help and to find new homes.
  Cactus Rose Trailer Park (KXAN file Photo)After more than a year of negotiations the developers have announced their plans to help the 50 low-income families who will be displaced. The deal gives cu
  
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• Free Fun in Austin for weekend of Nov. 12-13

  11-11-2016 14:07 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN)- Need help planning your holiday weekend? Here are some ideas from our partners at Free Fun in Austin.
  Close Assault 1944– Saturday and Sunday from 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. Remember the true meaning of Veterans Day with this stirring look back at World War II. Close Assault 1944 honors the service and sacrifice of America’s veterans by focusing on the history of the 36th Infantry Division of the Texas Army National Guard during World War II.
  
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• Dripping Springs residents upset over treated sewage dumping in Onion Creek

  11-11-2016 13:21 via kxan.com
  
  DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) — Treated sewage is being dumped into the Onion Creek Central Texas waterway as the area works to keep up with the all the people moving to Hays County.
  The tributary begins on the Blanco/Hays county line and snakes its way to the Colorado River in Austin. Along the way water flows into Barton Creek and then Barton Springs in Austin.
  But it is in Dripping Springs where there battle is taking place. Passing south of town, the city has filed a state permit to d
  
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• Dripping Springs residents upset over sewage dumping in Onion Creek

  11-11-2016 13:21 via kxan.com
  
  DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) — Treated sewage is being dumped into the Onion Creek Central Texas waterway as the area works to keep up with the all the people moving to Hays County.
  The tributary begins on the Blanco/Hays county line and snakes its way to the Colorado River in Austin. Along the way water flows into Barton Creek and then Barton Springs in Austin.
  But it is in Dripping Springs where there battle is taking place. Passing south of town, the city has filed a state permit to d
  
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• Police: Portland anti-Trump protest now considered a riot

  11-11-2016 12:38 via kxan.com
  
  PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — For a third consecutive night, throngs of protesters gathered in downtown Portland in a display of displeasure with the election of Donald Trump who will become the nation’s 45th president.
  Police were on high-alert after Wednesday’s graffiti and vandalism, but things escalated to extremes Thursday. A peaceful protest started in Pioneer Courthouse Square at 5 p.m. Demonstrators began to march around 6 p.m. and joined another group gathered at t
  
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• Vietnam War Memorial Wall comes to Pflugerville

  11-11-2016 12:11 via kxan.com
  
  PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — On this Veteran’s Day a somber reminder of the toll war can take on life stands in Pfennig Park in Pflugerville.
  The traveling Vietnam War Memorial Wall was assembled by veterans Thursday morning. As they trudged through a rain soaked, muddy field to carefully assemble each piece of the wall, veterans like Edmond Croix had tears in his eyes.
  “I have a lot of friends on that wall, it’s hard,” said Croix.
  Croix, a 53-year veteran of the Ar
  
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• Williamson Co. police chase ends in Austin crash

  11-11-2016 11:50 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Police are searching for the suspect after a police chase in Williamson County ended in a crash on Interstate 35 in Austin.
  The driver ran off after crashing on the 12200 North I-35 southbound frontage road, north of Braker Lane. Only one car was involved in the crash and police say no one was injured.
  We have a crew LIVE from the scene on KXAN TV. 
  
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• Police chase ends with 2 suspects in custody, 1 on the run

  11-11-2016 11:50 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Two suspects are now in custody and one is on the run after a police chase in Williamson County ended in a crash on Interstate 35 in Austin.
  Suspect in custody after a police chase ended in a crash on I-35The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office says a report came in of a brown Ford truck stolen in Georgetown around 3:45 a.m. The truck was spotted driving on Toll Road 130 with two other cars following close behind. As deputies tried to pull over the truck, all
  
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• Heart Gallery hopes to inspire families to foster and adopt

  11-11-2016 05:23 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Right now thousands of children in Texas do not have a home. This year, Child Protective Services has had to turn offices into bedrooms to accommodate all those in need.
  One program is seeing success in connecting children with new parents.
  Workers rushed around easels, pictures and name tags at the Blanton Art Museum. For these volunteers they have to be right, it’s a first impression after all.
  “They need a home. They need a family. So we really want
  
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• UT Experts: Running a government like a business

  11-11-2016 03:47 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Throughout the election season, Donald Trump pushed his business empire and corporate skills to the center of his political campaign. That now begs the question — can business skills really translate to the Oval Office?
  It’s a conversation Bradley Gold’s business law students are having inside the McComb School of Business at the University of Texas at Austin.
  “We actually can find some potential predictors in how he is going to run the cou
  
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• Two arrested during anti-Trump protest in downtown Austin

  11-11-2016 03:39 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Police officers arrested two people during protests against President-elect Donald Trump Thursday night marching through downtown Austin.
  A large group of protesters gathered in front of the Capitol building on 11th Street and Congress Avenue. The Department of Public Safety says the protesting ended around 11 p.m. with two people arrested.
  DPS Troopers arrested Alexander Befort, 25, who they say allegedly assaulted a person on Capitol grounds. Alexa Pena, 21, was
  
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• Several anti-Trump protesters arrested in downtown Austin

  11-11-2016 03:39 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Police officers arrested several protesters against President-elect Donald Trump Thursday night as they marched through downtown Austin.
  A large group of protesters gathered in front of the Capitol building on 11th Street and Congress Avenue. The Department of Public Safety says the protesting ended around 11 p.m. with some protesters arrested, but they could not give numbers on the exact amount.
  Wednesday, University of Texas at Austin students blocked both Congress A
  
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• Protesters block downtown Austin streets, bridges for second day

  11-11-2016 03:39 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Police officers are scrambling to block off streets as protesters of President-elect Donald Trump march through downtown Austin.
  Officers say the large group of protesters were moving on Guadalupe Street after blocking the First Street bridge. Wednesday, University of Texas at Austin students blocked both Congress Avenue and First Street bridges as they marched throughout Austin chanting a wide variety of anti-Trump slogans.
  KXAN has a crew at the scene. We’ll have up
  
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• Anti-Trump protesters block downtown Austin streets for second day

  11-11-2016 03:39 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Police officers are scrambling to block off streets as protesters of President-elect Donald Trump march through downtown Austin.
  A large group of protesters are in front of the Capitol building on 11th Street and Congress Avenue. Wednesday, University of Texas at Austin students blocked both Congress Avenue and First Street bridges as they marched throughout Austin chanting a wide variety of anti-Trump slogans.
  KXAN has a crew at the scene. We’ll have updates on
  
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• Man charged with capital murder in parking lot hit-and-run

  11-11-2016 03:31 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Zachary Looke, 27, listed by police as transient in Austin, has been charged with capital murder for the death of Mary Piette, 62, on Wednesday, Nov. 2.
  Last week, officers were called to the McDonald’s parking lot at 5355 N. Interstate 35 frontage road, just south of U.S. 290 at around 1:30 a.m.
  According to court documents, several witnesses in the neighboring Walgreens parking lot heard an argument moments before they saw a blue 4-door sedan run over Piette and the
  
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• In-Depth: Are trains the best solution for downtown Austin?

  11-11-2016 03:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — In the next 25 years, Austin metro area’s population is expected to nearly double to four million people, which means even more drivers on the roads. Interstate 35 is already among the top two most congested roadways in the state. And drivers will tell you Mopac isn’t much better.
  Many more will also say we’re long overdue for a new mass transit option. Namely, light rail. The Guadalupe/N. Lamar corridor has come up time and time again as a desired locatio
  
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• Study finds thousands of empty parking spaces downtown

  11-11-2016 02:35 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — If you ever drive around downtown and can’t find a place to park, it might seem strange that a new study from the Downtown Austin Alliance found thousands of spaces sit empty every day.
  “People are complaining that they can never find a parking space and yet at the same time, the data is clear that even at peak there are 20,000 empty parking spaces downtown,” said Jeff Tumlin, Principal and Director of Strategy at Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, whic
  
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• Poison ivy is flourishing on area trails due to excess rain

  11-11-2016 02:03 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Encouraged by late August rains, poison ivy is abundant this fall.
  Poison ivy, known as a pioneer plant, loves disturbed soil. The weed has been thriving due to weather patterns this year. Spring rains started the process for this deciduous plant. Things dried out a little in the summer, which should have kept numbers down this fall.
  Areas along the Hike and Bike Trail near Lady Bird Lake are brimming with the plant. Though there are some signs posted, in a lot of inst
  
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• Obama to Trump: ‘If you succeed the country succeeds’

  11-11-2016 01:45 via kxan.com
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump took a triumphant tour of the nation’s capital Thursday, holding a cordial White House meeting with President Barack Obama, sketching out priorities with Republican congressional leaders and taking in the majestic view from where he’ll be sworn in to office.
  Trump’s meeting with Obama spanned 90 minutes, longer than originally scheduled. Obama said he was “encouraged” by Trump’s willingness to work with his
  
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• Suspended AFD captain posted political comments on Facebook

  11-11-2016 00:55 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — KXAN News has obtained the Facebook posts a senior Austin firefighter is accused of making that resulted in his 30-day suspension.
  Capt. Gregory “Lance” Zenkner posted political comments during the two months leading up to this week’s federal election, the images show. Someone saw the posts online and forwarded more than a half dozen to his bosses at AFD according to online comments associated with the posts.
  One, posted Sept. 11, 2016, refers to Hillary C
  
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• Man found dead in Northeast Austin had been shot, dumped

  11-11-2016 00:37 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – A man who had been dumped on the side of a Northeast Austin road had been shot multiple times, Austin police said Thursday.
  Authorities found the unconscious body of Kenneth Johnson, 19, Sunday before 9 p.m. in the 7400 block of Geneva Drive. Attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.
  Investigators found Johnson had been shot several times and determined he had been left at the location. A Medical Examiner’s autopsy determined Johnson was murdered.
  Police believe
  
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• Officer will not be charged for slamming Breaion King to ground

  11-11-2016 00:36 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police officer Bryan Richter will not be charged for slamming Breaion King to the ground during an arrest on June 15, 2015.
  A Travis County grand jury made the decision Thursday to not indict the officer for his use of force, caught on dash camera video widely seen when it was released in July of this year.
  Office Richter pulled King over when he saw her driving above the speed limit on East Riverside Drive. The District Attorney’s Office says Richter
  
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