Austin news

• Holiday Sing-Along, Tree Lighting and Stroll at Texas State Capitol

  03-12-2016 23:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN, (KXAN) — Whether rain or shine, the annual Holiday Sing-Along and Downtown Stroll will take place Saturday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Texas State Capitol.
  The annual event is being hosted by The Downtown Austin Alliance, KUT 90.5, Austin’s NPR station, KUTX 98.9 and The Austin Music Experience. The events are free and open to the public.
  The evening will kick-off at 6 p.m. on the south steps of the Capitol, 11th Street and Congress Ave., with a holiday sing-along led by KUT
  
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• AISD middle school fair introduces students to programs offered in the district

  03-12-2016 23:24 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Independent School District held their middle school fair Saturday morning.
  The event brings together students and families from around the district to learn about what AISD has to offer for those entering middle school.
  Over 19 middle school campus leaders from across the district were at Kealing Middle School were at the fair to talk about programs such as the district bands, academic opportunities, women’s programs and other activities fro
  
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• AISD middle school fair introduces students to offered programs

  03-12-2016 23:24 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Independent School District held their middle school fair Saturday morning.
  The event brings together students and families from around the district to learn about what AISD has to offer for those entering middle school.
  Over 19 middle school campus leaders from across the district were at Kealing Middle School at the fair to talk about programs such as the district bands, academic opportunities, women’s programs and other activities from var
  
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• One dead in South Austin house fire

  03-12-2016 23:04 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — One person has died in a South Austin house fire, Saturday afternoon.
  According to the Austin Fire Department, the fire started around 2 p.m. in the 9000 block of Marsh Dr., several blocks north of West Slaughter Lane. Authorities were at the scene within three to four minutes and the home was fully engulfed with flames coming up out of the roof.
  Firefighters ran into the home in an attempt to tackle the fire from the inside, but the fire was so strong they were f
  
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• Officials: 1 killed in South Austin house fire

  03-12-2016 23:04 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN, (KXAN) — The Austin Fire Department confirms there has been one person killed in a South Austin house fire Saturday afternoon.
  According to AFD, the fire started around 2 p.m. at 9001 Marsh Drive and authorities were at the scene within 3 to 4 minutes and the home was fully engulfed with flames coming up out of the roof.
  AFD ran into the home in an attempt to tackle the fire from the inside but, the fire was so bad they were forced out of the house to tackle the fire from the
  
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• 3 children, 2 adults injured in East Austin crash

  03-12-2016 22:55 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Five people were sent to area hospitals after a crash in east Austin Saturday morning.
  Austin-Travis County EMS responded to a pin-in crash involving two vehicles at 3200 Ed Bluestein Blvd. around 10:48 a.m.
  Medics transported 3 children to Dell Children Medical Center with serious, potentially critical injuries and 2 adults to University Medical Center Brackenridge with potentially serious injuries.
  Austin Police closed all southbound lanes of 3800 Ed Bluestein at Hudson w
  
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• Texas officials: 1 killed, 7 hurt in cheerleader bus crash

  03-12-2016 22:50 via kxan.com
  
  BIG SPRING, Texas (AP) — Authorities say a woman was killed and seven others were injured when a semitrailer crashed into a bus carrying a group of West Texas high school cheerleaders.
  Iraan-Sheffield School District Superintendent Kevin Allen says the bus, which was carrying six cheerleaders and two cheerleader sponsors, was headed home Friday night after a football game when it was hit on Interstate 20 near Big Spring.
  Allen says one of the cheerleader sponsors was killed. Authorities id
  
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• Victims identified in Gillespie County crash

  03-12-2016 22:14 via kxan.com
  
  GILLESPIE COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Public Safety has confirmed four people died and five were injured after a three-vehicle crash in Fredericksburg Saturday morning.
  Gillespie County Emergency Coordinator John Culpepper says the crash occurred at 11:51 a.m. on US 290, half a mile east of Farm Road 1376. The highway was expected to be closed until 4 p.m. Saturday.
  Culpepper could not say if wet weather was a factor, but did say it was raining at the time.
  Acc
  
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• Four victims in Gillespie County crash identified

  03-12-2016 22:14 via kxan.com
  
  GILLESPIE COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Public Safety has confirmed four people died and five were injured after a three-vehicle crash near Fredericksburg Saturday morning.
  Gillespie County Emergency Coordinator John Culpepper says the crash occurred at 11:51 a.m. on US 290, half a mile east of Farm Road 1376.
  Culpepper could not say if wet weather was a factor, but did say it was raining at the time.
  According to DPS, the driver of a white Toyota car was traveling w
  
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• Four victims in Fredericksburg crash identified

  03-12-2016 22:14 via kxan.com
  
  GILLESPIE COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Public Safety has confirmed four people died and five were injured after a three-vehicle crash near Fredericksburg Saturday morning.
  Gillespie County Emergency Coordinator John Culpepper says the crash occurred at 11:51 a.m. on US 290, half a mile east of Farm Road 1376.
  Culpepper could not say if wet weather was a factor, but did say it was raining at the time.
  According to DPS, the driver of a white Toyota car was traveling w
  
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• Four killed in Gillespie County crash

  03-12-2016 22:14 via kxan.com
  
  GILLESPIE COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Public Safety has confirmed four people died and four were injured after a three-vehicle crash in Fredericksburg Saturday morning.
  According to Gillespie County Emergency Coordinator John Culpepper, the crash occurred at 11:51 a.m. on US 290, half a mile east of Farm Road 1376. The highway was expected to be closed until 4 p.m. Saturday.
  Culpepper could not say if wet weather was a factor, but did say it was raining at the
  
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• 3 dead, 6 injured in Gillespie County crash

  03-12-2016 22:14 via kxan.com
  
  GILLESPIE COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Three people died and six were transported to area hospitals after a three vehicle crash in Fredericksburg Saturday morning.
  According to the Gillespie County Emergency Coordinator John Culpepper, the crash occurred at 11:51 a.m. on U.S. 290 half a mile east of Farm Road 1376. U.S. 290 is expected to be closed until 4 p.m. Saturday.
  Culpepper said the Texas Department of Public Safety is conducting the investigation.
  
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• Mistletoe Jam aims to raise money, awareness for children waiting for adoption

  03-12-2016 21:56 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN, (KXAN) — The 7th annual Byrd and Street Mistletoe Jam on Dec. 4 will benefit the Heart Gallery of Central Texas in hopes of raising money and awareness for children in the area that are hoping and waiting to be adopted.
  The Heart Gallery of Central Texas is an art exhibit and community education and outreach initiative that features children who are waiting for adoption. Admission is $25 and sponsorship is $200, all contributions above or between are welcome.
  These a
  
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• Stony Point High coach one of two pedestrians hit, killed in Round Rock

  03-12-2016 18:53 via kxan.com
  
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — Round Rock police are investigating two separate crashes that killed pedestrians overnight Saturday.
  The first crash happened on Main Street and Mays Street just before 1 a.m. Police say the driver struck the pedestrian and left the scene. RRPD has identified the victim as Sean Kelley, 43. a local high school teacher and coach. Police say the driver who hit Kelley was in a silver pickup truck.
  Round Rock Independent School District confirmed Kelley was a coa
  
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• Stony Point High coach one of 2 pedestrians killed in separate Round Rock crashes

  03-12-2016 18:53 via kxan.com
  
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — Round Rock police are investigating two separate crashes that killed two pedestrians overnight Saturday.
  The first crash happened on Main Street and Mays Street just before 1 a.m. Police say the driver struck the pedestrian and left the scene. RRPD has identified the victim as Sean Kelley, 43. a local high school teacher and coach. Police say the driver who hit Kelley was in a silver pickup truck.
  Sean Kelley – Stony Point High School Coach (Stony Poin
  
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• High school coach one of two pedestrians killed in separate Round Rock crashes

  03-12-2016 18:53 via kxan.com
  
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — Round Rock police are investigating two separate crashes that killed two pedestrians overnight Saturday.
  The first crash happened on Main Street and Mays Street just before 1 a.m. Police say the driver struck the pedestrian and left the scene. RRPD has identified the victim as Sean Kelley, 43. a local high school teacher and coach. Police say the driver who hit Kelley was in a silver pickup truck.
  Round Rock Independent School District confirmed Kelley was a
  
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• 2 pedestrians killed in separate Round Rock crashes

  03-12-2016 18:53 via kxan.com
  
  Round Rock, Texas (KXAN) — Round Rock police are investigating separate crashes that killed two pedestrians overnight Saturday.
  The first crash happened on Main Street and Mays Street just before 1 a.m.. Police say the driver struck the pedestrian and left the scene.
  At 3:30 a.m. police were called to another auto-pedestrian crash at the 3400 block of East Palm Valley Blvd. The driver of the crash remained at the scene where the pedestrian later died.
  Anyone with information regarding
  
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• Guns at zoos? Texas says no while struggling to tame rules

  03-12-2016 18:36 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas is still sorting out where firearms are allowed a year after the state vastly expanded gun rights, which included allowing openly holstered weapons.
  Lingering disputes over whether public places including zoos and county courthouses are gun-free zones frustrate advocates on both sides of the debate. The state’s Republican attorney general warned community and junior colleges this week not to impose blanket bans on firearms, even though children are sometime
  
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• Multiple agencies searching for ambulance stolen from Brackenridge

  03-12-2016 17:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Police are searching for a stolen ambulance taken from University Medical Center Brackenridge Saturday morning.
  According to Austin/Travis County EMS, medics were turning a patient in to the hospital from the ambulance just before 9:30 a.m. EMS was notified that the ambulance was leaving shortly after medics entered the hospital.
  As of 10 a.m. Austin Police was no longer in the pursuit as the stolen ambulance left the department’s jurisdiction. Police say they dr
  
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• Man arrested after stealing ambulance from UMC Brackenridge

  03-12-2016 17:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Police have arrested a man after he stole an ambulance taken from University Medical Center Brackenridge Saturday morning.
  The Department of Public Safety arrested 43-year-old David Oliver III fir the unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and evading arrest/detention with a motor vehicle.David Oliver booking photo (Bell County Sheriff’s Office)
  According to Austin-Travis County EMS, medics were turning a patient in to the hospital from the ambulance just befor
  
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• Man accused of stealing Austin ambulance arrested in Killeen

  03-12-2016 17:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Police have arrested a man accused of stealing an ambulance from University Medical Center Brackenridge Saturday morning.
  The Department of Public Safety arrested 43-year-old David Oliver III for the unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and evading arrest/detention with a motor vehicle.
  According to Austin-Travis County EMS, medics were bringing a patient to the hospital from the ambulance just before 9:30 a.m. EMS was notified that the ambulance was leaving s
  
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• Ambulance stolen from UMC Brackenridge located in Killeen

  03-12-2016 17:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Police are searching for a stolen ambulance taken from University Medical Center Brackenridge Saturday morning.
  According to Austin-Travis County EMS, medics were turning a patient in to the hospital from the ambulance just before 9:30 a.m.. EMS was notified that the ambulance was leaving shortly after medics entered the hospital.
  As of 10 a.m. Austin Police was no longer involved in the pursuit as the stolen ambulance left the department’s jurisdiction. Pol
  
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• Texas officials: 8 hurt when bus with cheerleaders crashes

  03-12-2016 15:26 via kxan.com
  
  BIG SPRING, Texas (AP) — Officials say eight people were injured when a bus carrying high school cheerleaders crashed with a tractor-trailer rig in Texas.
  Multiple news media report the Iraan-Sheffield bus carrying the cheerleaders crashed in Howard County after a football game late Friday night.
  Amanda Duforat with Scenic Mountain Medical Center in Big Spring told KWES-TV that eight people were brought in from the crash. She said two were in critical condition, two others were in serious
  
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• Lake Travis rolls to 51-3 win over Westlake, advances to state semis

  03-12-2016 06:10 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – The rain couldn’t stop Lake Travis as the Cavaliers cruised to a 51-3 win over the Westlake Chaparrals in the first game the two rivals have ever played against each other in the postseason.
  The Cavaliers broke the scoring open on their first drive of the game when quarterback Charlie Brewer hit wide receiver Cade Green for a 58-yard touchdown pass.
  Lake Travis continued its attack on the next drive as senior wide receiver Carson Pepe found the end zone after a series
  
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• Fire at Austin hotel results in $250K in damages

  03-12-2016 05:55 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Guests of the Crowne Plaza Hotel at North Interstate 35 and US 290 East were evacuated from their rooms after a small fire.
  Two people were initially treated for possible smoke inhalation, according to the Austin Fire Department. Emergency sprinklers were able to control the fire in a single room and firefighters extinguished it.
  An electrical short in the room’s HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning) was to blame for the fire, which heavily damaged the
  
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• Group gives 60 blankets to homeless on rainy Austin night

  03-12-2016 05:10 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A group of Austinites handed out 60 blankets on a cold and rainy Friday night to homeless men and women around downtown.
  Austin police snapped a photo of the group: Officer Cameron Caldwell, former Longhorn football player Jeremy Hills, Bryan Hynson and Heather Aholt.
  Hynson came up with the idea to handout blankets and former Texas player Brian Orakpo, who was not able to make it out, matched their donation.
  Two weeks ago, we followed a woman passing out 250 sack lunches t
  
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• Austin artist out thousands of dollars after thieves steal paintings

  03-12-2016 04:56 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin artist Chuck Voelter knows with each of his paintings, the day will come where he’ll have to say goodbye. This week he said goodbye to them in the most painful way imaginable. He’s out thousands of dollars after thieves stole a trailer from outside of his home with seven paintings.
  “It was several year’s worth of work, in terms of when I started them and when I finished them,” said Voelter, owner of Canvasland Art Services. &ld
  
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• Austin boy honored for saving sister after dog attack

  03-12-2016 02:57 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A 9-year-old Austin boy is being honored by Austin Police for helping save his sisters life.
  On November 15th, Leeland Gonzales and his sister 10-year-old Jasmine were home alone watching movies.
  “We were watching Beethoven and I forgot what made Riley go crazy. Jasmine was trying to go the restroom and lock the door,” Leeland said.
  Riley, the families young pit-bull wouldn’t let up. That’s when Leeland jumped into action trying to get the dog away f
  
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• Historic ‘Montopolis Negro School’ faces demolition

  03-12-2016 02:51 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A rally Friday afternoon hoped to stop the impending demolition of the Montopolis Negro School, described as an important artifact of Austin’s segregated education.
  Fred McGhee, author of “Austin’s Montopolis Neighborhood,” said, “The history of segregated education in America, in Austin, matters a great deal, and trying to erase it from the landscape isn’t going to make the history of institutional racism go away.”
  The school
  
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• Lawsuit ‘likely’ amid new Texas rules over fetal remains

  03-12-2016 02:09 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — New Texas rules requiring the burial or cremation of fetal remains are likely to face a court challenge before taking effect, an abortion-rights attorney said Friday, months after the U.S. Supreme Court knocked down sweeping abortion restrictions in the state.
  The new regulations, which the state plans to implement starting Dec. 19, are the latest battleground in Texas over abortion and would prohibit facilities from continuing to dispose of fetal remains as biological
  
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• Sights and Sounds of Christmas continues despite rain

  03-12-2016 01:37 via kxan.com
  
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) – Rain or shine, Sights and Sounds organizers say they will be holding their event.
  “We will stay open Friday night unless there is a major tornado, major lightning storm or flooding, we will stay open,” said Sights and Sounds organizer Brian Olsen.
  Friday marks the third night for the event, Olsen says the first two nights were record breaking. “On Wednesday we had [8,000] to 9,000 people and on Thursday we had [10,000] to 12,000,” said Ols
  
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• 3 teenagers arrested, accused of killing 4-year-old Houston girl

  03-12-2016 00:15 via kxan.com
  
  HOUSTON (AP) — Three teenagers have been charged with capital murder, accused of fatally shooting a 4-year-old Houston-area girl while they tried to rob her mother as the family unloaded groceries in the parking lot of their apartment complex.
  Authorities say Ava Castillo, her mother and her 10-year-old sister had returned home on Nov. 14 when robbers ambushed them and tried to take her mother’s purse. During the robbery, Ava was fatally shot while her sister and mother were injured
  
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