Austin news

• Baylor hires 1st female president amid sex assault scandal

  18-04-2017 23:50 via kxan.com
  
  WACO, Texas (AP) — Baylor University has hired its first female president as the nation’s largest Baptist school faces several lawsuits stemming from a sexual assault scandal.
  Linda Livingstone comes to Baylor from George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where she has been a dean and professor of management. Her academic career includes previous administrative and teaching roles at Pepperdine University and Baylor.
  A Baylor investigation in 2016 found the school had mishand
  
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• Residents say SH 71 near Bee Cave has become too dangerous

  18-04-2017 23:26 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — What once were rolling hills are now dotted with numerous subdivisions along West State Highway 71 in western Travis County. As new homes are being built, the traffic on SH 71 has steadily increased, which residents say are leading to dangerous situations on the road.
  Luke Morris moved to the Sweetwater community about seven months ago. While he enjoys his new home, he worries about his family’s safety every day.
  “The scariest for me is my wife and son leaving t
  
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• Austin officer fired for driving to work over legal limit; supervisor suspended

  18-04-2017 22:50 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austin police officer’s actions were called “inexplicable” by the police chief after he drove to work above the legal limit and continued to drive a patrol car after finding out he still had alcohol in his system.
  On Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016, Officer Michael Cuellar arrived for his 5:45 a.m. to 3:45 p.m. shift at the East Substation at 812 Springdale Rd. After showing up at 5:34 a.m., the officer drove a patrol vehicle to Travis County Central Booking&nbs
  
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• Buda welcomed into Texas’ Main Street Program

  18-04-2017 22:30 via kxan.com
  
  BUDA, Texas (KXAN) – The city of Buda is now one of 89 cities statewide to be named a Texas Main Street city. The Texas Main Street Program focuses on revitalizing historic downtowns and neighborhoods.
  “Our designation into this program means that we now have access to some very valuable resources through the State of Texas,” said Main Street Manager Maggie Gillespie. “These include everything from small business assistance, to access to grants, downtown planning, project
  
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• PHOTOS: Two pizza shops robbed within minutes of each other in San Marcos

  18-04-2017 22:00 via kxan.com
  
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — Police in San Marcos are searching for two men who robbed two pizza shops back-to-back Sunday night.
  The first robbery happened around 11:30 p.m. at the Pizza Hut in the 900 block of Bugg Lane. Witnesses say two masked men came in and demanded cash. One of the suspects was spotted with a black handgun.
  The second robbery happened approximately 30 minutes later at the Domino’s at 350 N. Guadalupe St. — which is less than two miles from the Pizza Hut. P
  
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• One dead in Bastrop County house fire near Paige

  18-04-2017 21:20 via kxan.com
  
  PAIGE, Texas (KXAN) — Firefighters found a person dead after putting out a fire in a Bastrop County home Tuesday morning.
  The fire happened in the 300 block of Travis Road at 7:46 a.m., just southwest of the town of Paige, off State Highway 21.
  It’s currently unknown if the victim was a man or a woman, according to Bastrop County ESD 2 Chief Josh Gill. The house, a single-story home, was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived.
  The first unit of firefighters
  
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• Spectrum restores phone service to customers after outage

  18-04-2017 20:47 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Spectrum customers across Texas had issues with their phone systems due to a widespread outage Tuesday afternoon. A spokesperson for Spectrum says some customers experienced a network outage that impacted digital phone services.
  According to downdetector.com, there were numerous reports of phone systems being down across Texas, the biggest areas that saw issues were San Antonio, Austin and Dallas.
  On their Twitter account, @Ask_Spectrum stated they are aware of the issues a
  
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• Joe Barlow Learns How to Be a Latin Lover from Eugenio Derbez

  18-04-2017 19:48 via kxan.com
  
  When it comes to being a lover, Joe Barlow has a lot to learn.
  Thankfully the star of the new film “How to Be a Latin Lover”, Eugenio Derbez, visited Joe at Jo’s Coffee on South Congress to teach him.
  How to be a Latin Lover is in theaters April 28.
  Thanks to Jo’s Coffee!
  Connect with Joe Barlow on Twitter or Facebook.
  
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• Murderer who escaped Del Valle halfway house caught near Houston

  18-04-2017 19:39 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A convicted murderer, who is a member of the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, is back in custody after authorities say he escaped from the Del Valle Transitional Center last fall.
  The Department of Public Safety says 58-year-old Billy Wayne Gilliland received a life sentence for murder in Liberty County in the 1980s and was released on parole in March 2014.
  Authorities say Gilliland was assigned to the halfway house in Del Valle on Oct. 5, 2016 but he didn’t stay there for
  
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• APD: Mother records nurse hitting wheelchair-bound son

  18-04-2017 19:36 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A 12-year-old boy who can only communicate through basic text messages was abused by his caretaker last year, Austin police said in a 2017 arrest affidavit.
  The affidavit states the abuse happened on May 13, 2016, when the boy’s mother, aware something might be happening because of her son’s dislike for his caretaker, Ben Olivier, 39, put a small recording device in her son’s room.
  Child Protective Services referred the case to Austin police on June 9, 201
  
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• New Braunfels child, 8, unknowingly takes gun to school

  18-04-2017 18:57 via kxan.com
  
  NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (KXAN) — A parent of an 8-year-old New Braunfels girl has been cited after the girl told her teacher she found a gun in her bag Tuesday morning.
  According to New Braunfels police, the gun, which was loaded, was discovered around 7:50 a.m. at County Line Elementary School on West County Line Road. The girl told her teacher immediately when she found it. The teacher took possession of the bag and the school notified police.
  No students saw the gun and were likely un
  
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• Manor teachers, other staff, will see pay raises

  18-04-2017 18:38 via kxan.com
  
  MANOR, Texas (KXAN) — In a move that the Manor ISD superintendent hopes will show the district is serious about recruiting the best, a four percent pay increase has been approved after a Board of Trustees vote Monday night.
  New teachers will receive $46,300. Teachers, librarians and nurses already on staff will receive roughly an additional $2,000 per person.
  School bus drivers will also see some extra money with their pay rate increasing to $16 per hour. Midpoint drivers will see an
  
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• Funeral set for Burnet County Sheriff’s employee killed in apparent murder-suicide

  18-04-2017 18:09 via kxan.com
  
  BURNET, Texas (KXAN) — A Burnet County Sheriff’s Office employee who authorities say was shot and killed in an apparent murder-suicide will be laid to rest on Friday.
  The Burnet County Sheriff’s Office says 24-year-old Millie Chance was a corrections officers with the department.
  Authorities say the shooting happened Thursday morning in Lampasas. Police say a woman, believed to be Chance, called 911 stating: “She’s got a gun” and “My wife, I to
  
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• Suspect in Facebook video killing shoots himself to death after police chase

  18-04-2017 18:01 via kxan.com
  
  CLEVELAND (AP) — The man who randomly killed a Cleveland retiree and posted video of the crime on Facebook shot himself to death Tuesday after police chased him down in his car in Pennsylvania, ending a multistate manhunt less than 48 hours after it began.
  Acting a tip, Pennsylvania State Police spotted Steve Stephens, 37, in Erie County, in the state’s northwest corner, authorities said. After a brief pursuit, he pulled over, and as officers approached the car, he took his own life,
  
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• Girl stops carjacker from abducting her sister

  18-04-2017 17:49 via kxan.com
  
  WILLIAMSBURG, VA (WCMH) — Her mom had pulled over to help people who were involved in a crash, that’s when a man jumped in their vehicle in an attempt to escape with the girls still inside.
  “I just went for it, like nothing passed my mind except he’s a psycho and he needs to get out of the car,” Maddie Weiler told WTKR.
  On Saturday, Maddie, 12, and her 7-year-old sister Mollie were on their way to Busch Gardens with their mom when they witnessed a crash.
  Maddie
  
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• Texas education board to consider compromise on evolution standards

  18-04-2017 16:57 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Texas Tribune) — This week’s State Board of Education debate about high school biology standards and governing how to teach students about the theory of evolution could come down to a single word: evaluate.
  At a February meeting, board members took a preliminary vote to modify those curriculum standards, keeping in language that would require students to challenge evolutionary science.
  Republican board member Barbara Cargill, who led the charge to keep in the controvers
  
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• Like all good things, giraffe cam with April, baby to end

  18-04-2017 14:35 via kxan.com
  
  HARPURSVILLE, NY (WFLA/AP) – April the giraffe suffered an injury at the Animal Adventure Park Monday morning, and viewers’ constant emails to the park has the team ready to pull the live feed down.
  April has a small twist of her leg and has been favoring it when she walks.
  The park’s veterinarian is aware of the issue, and the park said the injury is not unheard of in long-legged animals.
  The park posted on Facebook that they appreciate the concern, but they are being bogged d
  
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• Anti-cyberbullying bill, ‘David’s Law,’ gets house hearing at Capitol

  18-04-2017 14:17 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Senate Bill 179, also known as David’s Law, is named after 16-year-old David Molak of San Antonio who took his own life in January of 2016 after being harassed online.
  Texas lawmakers Tuesday afternoon will hear testimony from Molak’s family and other families impacted by cyberbullying. “David’s Law” hopes to tackle the uptick of bullying caused suicides by putting punishments behind the laws, including punishments for parents of 
  
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• Health inspectors ding Trump’s Mar-a-Lago eateries

  18-04-2017 13:41 via kxan.com
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) – Unsafe seafood. Insufficiently refrigerated meats. Rusty shelving. Cooks without hairnets.
  Reports show Florida health inspectors cited President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort with 15 violations in late January, days before the U.S. leader hosted Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for a diplomatic visit.
  Still, the state inspectors allowed the luxury resort’s main restaurant and beach club grill to remain open as staff scrambled to make several immediate co
  
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• Passengers scream as bus plunges in Philippines, killing 31

  18-04-2017 13:24 via kxan.com
  
  MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Passengers were screaming in horror as the bus driver repeatedly hit the brakes, shouting they weren’t working, before the vehicle plunged into a ravine in the northern Philippines, killing at least 31 people in one of the country’s deadliest recent crashes, officials said Wednesday.
  The 46 passengers injured in Tuesday’s crash were retrieved by rescuers who struggled with ropes to descend down the 24-meter (80-foot) deep ravine to reach the wre
  
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• Passengers scream as bus plunges in Philippines, killing 29

  18-04-2017 13:24 via kxan.com
  
  MANILA, Philippines (AP) — Bus passengers were screaming in horror as the driver repeatedly stepped on the apparently malfunctioning brakes before plunging into a deep ravine in the northern Philippines, leaving at least 29 people dead Tuesday in one of the country’s deadliest accidents in years, a survivor and officials said.
  The rest of the more than 50 passengers were retrieved by rescuers who struggled with ropes to descend down the 24-meter (80-foot) deep ravine to reach the wre
  
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• At least 26 dead as bus plunges into ravine in Philippines

  18-04-2017 13:24 via kxan.com
  
  MANILA, Philippines (AP) — At least 26 people died Tuesday when the bus they were traveling in apparently lost its brakes and plunged into a deep ravine in a northern Philippine mountain town, in one of the country’s deadliest road accidents in years, officials said.
  The rest of the more than 50 passengers were retrieved by rescuers who struggled with ropes to descend down the 24-meter-deep (80-foot-deep) ravine to reach the wreckage in Nueva Ecija province’s Carranglan town, s
  
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• Looking to build? New zoning map changes the rules

  18-04-2017 12:48 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Tuesday morning, the highly anticipated proposed zoning maps will be released to the public. It’s part of the city of Austin’s rewrite of its land development code. Because of the anticipated concern over the maps, Austin Mayor Steve Adler has also declared Tuesday ‘Chill Out Day.’
  “I want everybody to chill. I don’t want anybody to panic when they look at the maps. My hope is that by everyone chilling out, people can focus on what we ca
  
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• Austin officer suspended over road rage incident

  18-04-2017 06:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austin police officer is facing a 15-day suspension after a road rage incident while off-duty.
  In a memo from Interim Police Chief Brian Manley to the city’s director of civil service, dated April 14, the chief says Officer Christopher Williams will be suspended from Sunday, April 16 through Sunday, April 30.
  The memo says Williams got into an argument with another driver in October in a case described as road rage, then following him to his home in Round
  
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• Father discusses son’s suicide as LISD addresses mental health

  18-04-2017 05:12 via kxan.com
  
  CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) — A Cedar Park father is grieving the loss of his son, a Cedar Park middle school student, who recently took his own life.
  “Our life has got to go on, but the reality is that we don’t have Mitchel,” said Don Pearce.
  Pearce says his son, Mitchel Pearce, died on March 23, about two months shy of his 13th birthday.
  In YouTube videos posted online, Mitchel looks like a typical 12-year-old playing basketball and cracking jokes. In one clip he’s w
  
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• FBI arrests man after tip about planned mass shooting

  18-04-2017 04:07 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man is facing firearm charges after the Federal Bureau of Investigation received a tip he was planning a mass shooting.
  According to a criminal complaint filed with the U.S. District Court, a source told the FBI that Steven Boehle, 50, was showing signs he supported a “sovereign citizen extremist ideology” that holds anti-government views.
  The complaint didn’t release any other details about Boehle’s ties to a potential shooting, but it did sa
  
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• FBI arrests Austin man after tip about planned mass shooting

  18-04-2017 04:07 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man is facing firearm charges after the Federal Bureau of Investigation received a tip he was planning a mass shooting.
  According to a criminal complaint filed with the U.S. District Court, a source told the FBI that Steven Boehle, 50, was showing signs he supported a “sovereign citizen extremist ideology” that holds anti-government views.
  The complaint didn’t release any other details about Boehle’s ties to a potential shooting, but it did sa
  
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• UT researchers: Texas child maltreatment prevention programs working

  18-04-2017 03:52 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — As Texas lawmakers continue their efforts this year to overhaul the state’s Department of Family and Protective Services, researchers at the University of Texas at Austin found that a certain type of DFPS program is having success at a surprising rate.
  The Texas Institute for Child and Family Wellbeing at UT Austin studied 137,068 caregivers who received prevention services between 2008 and 2015. These families received Prevention and Early Intervention services which
  
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• Woman in her 20s riding moped killed in east Austin crash

  18-04-2017 03:03 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A woman riding a moped is dead after crashing with a vehicle on Manor Road in east Austin, Monday evening.
  Austin-Travis County EMS medics were called to the crash, in the 4500 block of Manor near Lovell Drive, at 7:19 p.m.
  Medics say the woman in her 20s were pronounced dead at the scene. Officers are asking drivers to avoid the area.
  KXAN will update this story as we get additional information. 
  
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• 22-year-old woman riding moped killed in east Austin crash

  18-04-2017 03:03 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A woman riding a moped is dead after crashing with a privately-owned school bus on Manor Road in east Austin, Monday evening.
  Austin-Travis County EMS medics were called to the crash, in the 4500 block of Manor near Lovell Drive, at 7:19 p.m.
  Medics say the 22-year-old woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers are asking drivers to avoid the area. The driver of the school bus, which is used as a personal vehicle, stayed at the scene and is cooperating with offic
  
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• Austin public safety contract talks to begin

  18-04-2017 02:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — This week the Austin City Council begins labor negotiations with city police, firefighters and EMS personnel. Keeping the people of Austin safe is the goal, but the process can be fraught with problems.
  Keeping the people of Austin safe is the goal, but the process can be fraught with problems.
  “We have lots of different competing priorities,” said Mayor Steve Adler.The competition for your tax dollars promises to be fierce. Public safety workers want a pay incr
  
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• One dead after crashing into barrier on US 183A toll road in Cedar Park

  18-04-2017 01:54 via kxan.com
  
  CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) — A person has died in a rollover on the US 183A toll road near the Park Street Bridge after crashing into a concrete barrier.
  Cedar Park police say the single-vehicle crash happened around the 3300 block of the northbound lanes just after 6 p.m. The entrance ramp at Avery Ranch is closed. Drivers are being urged to use the FM 1431 entrance to go north. All northbound lanes of the toll road are closed at Avery Ranch.
  KXAN Traffic Map
  One person was pronounced dead
  
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• 17-year-old dies after crashing into barrier on US 183A in Cedar Park

  18-04-2017 01:54 via kxan.com
  
  CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) — A 17-year-old from Belton died in a rollover on the US 183A toll road near the Park Street Bridge after the car she was in crashed into a concrete barrier.
  Cedar Park police say the single-vehicle crash happened around the 3300 block of the northbound lanes just after 6 p.m. Monday. A witness told police that the driver of a 2012 GMC Terrain drifted to the right after passing him and struck the barrier.
  KXAN Traffic Map
  Police say Victoria Celeste DeKay died at t
  
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• Infowars host Alex Jones argues persona in custody dispute

  18-04-2017 01:07 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (AP) — A lawyer defending right-wing radio host and conspiracy theorist Alex Jones in a child custody dispute says Jones is a “performance artist” whose on-air persona differs from the private man.
  Attorney Randall Wilhite said at a recent pretrial hearing that evaluating Jones based on his on-air comments is like judging Jack Nicholson based on his role as the Joker in “Batman.”
  The Austin American-Statesman reports that Kelly Jones described her ex-husband
  
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• 10 residents displaced in north Austin apartment fire

  18-04-2017 01:01 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Firefighters have knocked out a 2-alarm fire at a north Austin apartment complex.
  Just after 5 p.m., the Austin Fire Department were called to the Avesta Apartments located along Interstate 35 just south of Rundberg Lane. When firefighters arrived, there was a fire in a unit on the second floor.
  Within 30 minutes, crews were able to put out the fire.
  Firefighters say seven units had smoke and water damage, while an eighth had heavy damage. The cause of the fire has not
  
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• Andre Johnson to retire a Texan

  18-04-2017 00:31 via kxan.com
  
  HOUSTON (KXAN) — Former Houston Texans receiver Andre Johnson will retire with the franchise that drafted him. Johnson is set to sign a one-day contract with the Texans Wednesday, 14 years after signing his first contract with Texans.
  Johnson, drafted in 2003, spent 12 seasons with the Texans becoming the franchise’s all-time leader in receptions and touchdowns.
  Johnson signed with the Indianapolis Colts following the 2014 season, and spent eight games with the Tennessee Titans in 20
  
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• A look inside Manor New Tech Middle School

  18-04-2017 00:30 via kxan.com
  
  MANOR, Texas (KXAN) — As construction on Manor New Tech Middle School continues to move along, the Manor Independent School District’s fifth grade students got a chance to tour the site of what could be their middle school next year.
  Manor New Tech Middle School will operate under the same model as Manor New Technology High School, which has received recognition for its approach to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education. The new middle school w
  
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• Lubbock-area construction worker wins record $177M in Arkansas lottery

  18-04-2017 00:29 via kxan.com
  
  LUBBOCK, Texas (KLBK) — A couple from Abernathy, Texas won a $177 million jackpot in Arkansas in the March 31 Mega Millions drawing.
  Eliberto and Anita Cantu claimed the prize Monday during a press conference in Arkansas.
  They chose to take the prize as a lump sum so the amount was $72,901,274. The State of Arkansas said it took $7,504,543 in taxes.
  Their son, Rodrigo Cantu, spoke on their behalf. He said the couple’s hometown is Abernathy while a lottery official described them as b
  
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