Austin news

• Woman with medical condition goes missing in Marble Falls

  21-06-2017 23:02 via kxan.com
  
  MARBLE FALLS, Texas (KXAN) — Regina Lewis left her home on Monday in Marble Falls and has not been heard from since.
  Marble Falls police are asking for the public’s help finding Lewis, 30, who may be in danger due to a medical condition. She was last seen wearing a pink shirt with blue jeans (or black stretch pants) and tennis shoes.
  Police say she lives on the north side of Marble Falls and was asking people for help getting to Austin.
  If you have seen Lewis, please call police at 8
  
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• Dog found after escaping quarantine at San Marcos Animal Shelter

  21-06-2017 22:44 via kxan.com
  
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — A dog in quarantine after biting a person in San Marcos broke out of the animal shelter sometime early Tuesday morning. Shortly after asking for help finding the dog, the city of San Marcos says the St. Bernard mix was found.
  The San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter was asking for the public’s help finding the dog, named Lucky, who broke out of the shelter at 750 River Rd. between 10:45 p.m. on Monday and 6 a.m. on Tuesday.
  He was turned over to the shelter a
  
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• City Council tests waters for a car-free day on Congress Avenue

  21-06-2017 22:32 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin’s iconic Congress Avenue is usually bustling with traffic, but what would the street be like without cars?
  That’s what Bike Austin hopes to discover next year. They want to hold a Ciclovia event, which are held around the country and the world, Bike Austin CEO Mercedes Feris says.
  This particular event would close off a two mile stretch of Congress Avenue — from 11th Street in downtown to Mary Street in south Austin — for several hours on a si
  
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• Austin considers making Congress Avenue car-free for a day

  21-06-2017 22:32 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin’s iconic Congress Avenue is usually bustling with traffic, but what would the street be like without cars?
  That’s what Bike Austin hopes to discover next year. They want to hold a Ciclovia event, which are held around the country and the world, Bike Austin CEO Mercedes Feris says.
  This particular event would close off a two mile stretch of Congress Avenue — from 11th Street in downtown to Mary Street in south Austin — for several hours on a si
  
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• Deadly Williamson County intersection to get safety upgrades

  21-06-2017 21:59 via kxan.com
  
  WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — It’s painful every time Lorena McCaffety returns to Ronald Reagan Boulevard and Ranch Road 2338. The Georgetown woman’s husband, David McCaffety, was hit and killed at the intersection June 16, 2016.
  “It’s like opening a new wound all the time,” says Lorena.
  The intersection has stop signs for traffic traveling westbound and eastbound on Ronald Reagan Boulevard, which some cars are running—that is how McCaffety was kille
  
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• Father, son from Corpus Christi found dead near Carlsbad Caverns

  21-06-2017 21:43 via kxan.com
  
  CARLSBAD, N.M. (AP) –The investigation continues into how a father and son died while hiking near the Carlsbad Caverns after nearly a dozen agencies spent days searching for the pair visiting from Texas.
  Authorities believe heat may have been a factor. According to KRISTV, the father and son are from Corpus Christi.
  They say temperatures there climbed to nearly 110 degrees over the Father’s Day weekend when they say 57-year-old Robert Stuart Pluta and his son, 21-year-old Bobby went
  
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• 14-year-old, 2 adults connected to San Marcos homicide

  21-06-2017 19:39 via kxan.com
  
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — Three people, one of whom is a juvenile, have been arrested in connection with the shooting death of a man at a San Marcos laundromat.
  San Marcos police say 19-year-old Kyle Sample and a 14-year-old were arrested on Tuesday and charged with capital murder in the death of Ryan Kincaid, 28, of New Braunfels. Nichole Marie Moore, 38, was also arrested but police say she has only been charged with endangering a child.
  Investigators say Kincaid met the three suspects
  
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• Uber allows riders to tip drivers via app, matching Lyft

  21-06-2017 19:35 via kxan.com
  
  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Uber is enabling passengers to tip its U.S. drivers with a tap on its ride-hailing app for the first time, part of a push to recast itself as a company with a conscience and a heart.
  Besides the built-in tipping announced Tuesday, Uber is giving drivers an opportunity to make more money in other ways too.
  Riders will be charged by the minute if they keep an Uber car waiting for more than two minutes. Uber also is reducing the time riders have to cancel a ride to avoid
  
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• North Texas woman dies while hiking in Big Bend National Park

  21-06-2017 19:09 via kxan.com
  
  BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, Texas (KXAN) — A woman who died while hiking in Big Bend National Park over the weekend has been identified as Cathlyn Weir of Cedar Hill, Texas.
  On Sunday, Weir, 46, and her hiking partner started up the Dog Canyon Trail just around mid-morning. As it approached the noon hour, both individuals started showing signs of heat distress and dehydration.
  Authorities say Weir’s hiking partner was able to make it back to the trailhead to notify park rangers about the
  
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• Missing Austin boater’s body recovered from Canyon Lake

  21-06-2017 19:07 via kxan.com
  
  COMAL COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — A 65-year-old Austin man was found dead in Canyon Lake after being reported missing early Wednesday morning.
  Comal County authorities said David Alan Morrison was reported missing around 12:24 a.m.
  His small aluminum boat was found abandoned near Tom Creek around 7:13 a.m. His body was found a short distance away.
  Texas Parks and Wildlife investigators will be working the case.
  
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• Report shows how many bugs you eat with your food

  21-06-2017 18:26 via kxan.com
  
  LITITZ, PA (WFLA) — If you’ve ever wondered how many insects you consume through your food, a new report has the answer for you.
  Terro, a Pennsylvania-based insect control company, says it’s possible for a person to ingest nearly 140,000 pieces of insect matter each year. It may sound gross, but Terro says it’s normal and completely safe.
  According to the report, the FDA allows a small amount of insect material to pass into our food that is guaranteed safe for h
  
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• No date set for reinforcement of New Braunfels ‘can ban’

  21-06-2017 18:12 via kxan.com
  
  NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (KXAN) — The city of New Braunfels says it is moving forward with making plans on how to reinstate the “can ban” ordinance, as it waits on an official mandate from the Third Court of Appeals.
  In May, the Third Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the city of New Braunfels, stating the district court “lacked subject-matter jurisdiction” over the city’s claims. The state appeals court reversed the lower court’s 2014 ruling that determine
  
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• Man charged for running fake Nike internet store

  21-06-2017 17:55 via kxan.com
  
  PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – The owner of a well-known online shoe store is facing federal charges following allegations that he was selling fake and stolen Nike shoes.
  KOIN 6 News first reported in April 2016 that agents from the IRS Criminal Investigations and Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) executed a search warrant at James Pepion’s home in Clackamas County.
  At the time of the search warrant, Pepion had not been charged.
  On Monday, however, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in O
  
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• Second juvenile charged with murder in shooting of New Braunfels teen

  21-06-2017 17:15 via kxan.com
  
  NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (KXAN) — An additional juvenile has been arrested and charged with murder in connection with the death of 17-year-old Conrad Kuntz.
  New Braunfels police say, on Wednesday, they arrested a 16-year-old boy at his New Braunfels home. Because he is underage, his name will not be released. The 16-year-old suspect joins a 15-year-old Marion boy who was arrested the day after Kuntz’ death. Police have not released details as to what might have led up to the shootin
  
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• Hundreds gather in honor of murdered New Braunfels teen

  21-06-2017 17:15 via kxan.com
  
  NEW BRAUNFELS, Texas (KXAN) — Wednesday night, hundreds of community members gathered to remember 17-year-old Conrad Kuntz who was killed in New Braunfels over the weekend. They met at the Tube Chute Park where Kuntz worked as a lifeguard for two summers.
  His loved ones planted a tree and released balloons in his memory. Community members all wore orange, Kuntz’s favorite color, and remembered him as an excellent swimmer, a dedicated lifeguard and an active member of his community.
  &
  
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• Time capsule found in removed ‘Johnny Reb’ Confederate statue

  21-06-2017 17:08 via kxan.com
  
  ORLANDO, Florida (WESH) — As crews removed a Confederate statue called “Johnny Reb” from Orlando, Florida’s Lake Eola Park Tuesday they uncovered a time capsule in the base of the statue.
  The time capsule was moved to city hall. It is unclear what is inside or when the city may open the time capsule.
  Cassandra Lafser, who’s a spokeswoman for Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, said the time capsule is very light. It was found in the top part of the statue’s base, Lafser
  
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• Suspect charged in fatal shooting of Houston infant

  21-06-2017 16:45 via kxan.com
  
  HOUSTON (AP) — Houston police have arrested a man for the death of a 10-month-old boy who was fatally shot last week while his father was walking him outside an apartment complex.
  Authorities announced Tuesday that 24-year-old Jared Balogun has been charged with capital murder in the death of Messiah Marshall.
  Assistant Police Chief Matt Slinkard says Balogun confessed to police his involvement in the shooting, and the infant’s father also identified him as one of the gunmen.
  Slinkar
  
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• Duffel bag full of clothes, $100K donated to Goodwill

  21-06-2017 16:43 via kxan.com
  
  ZANESVILLE, Ohio (WHIZ) — Two employees at thrift store found a huge surprise in a duffel bag of donated clothes.
  There was $100,000 of cash inside.
  Janelle Shaffer, the Goodwill Store Manager, said a woman from Lewisville, Ohio, donated the bag of clothes, and accidentally the large amount of money as well.
  “Well according to her husband, they came here because there was no local Goodwill near Lewisville and they had family in Zanesville, said Shaffer. So they brought it up here whe
  
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• Kushner kicks off Mideast peace push with first solo visit

  21-06-2017 16:11 via kxan.com
  
  JERUSALEM (AP) — President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and chief Middle East adviser, Jared Kushner, made his first solo visit Wednesday to the region, holding separate meetings with the Israeli and Palestinian leaders in an attempt to restart long-dormant peace talks.
  There was no immediate word on the meetings, which are aimed at laying the groundwork for a resumption of negotiations for the first time in three years.
  The Trump administration faces the same obstacles that have doomed
  
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• Kushner arrives to try for Israeli-Palestinian breakthrough

  21-06-2017 16:11 via kxan.com
  
  JERUSALEM (AP) — President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and chief Middle East adviser, Jared Kushner, arrived in the region on Wednesday for a daylong visit aimed at restarting long-dormant Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
  Trump has tasked Kushner with the ambitious goal of laying the groundwork for what he calls the “ultimate deal” — but deep divisions remain, clouding chances of a significant breakthrough in one of the longest Mideast crises.
  Kushner first met with I
  
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• 4 killed in fiery 2-car accident northwest of Houston

  21-06-2017 16:04 via kxan.com
  
  HEMPSTEAD, Texas (AP) — Authorities say four people were killed when their car was struck by another vehicle and burst into flames northwest of Houston.
  The Texas Department of Public Safety says the wreck occurred early Wednesday morning and involved a Chevy Impala speeding along Highway 290 just east of Hempstead.
  Preliminary findings indicate the Impala struck the rear of a Volkswagen that then caught fire. The bodies of four people were found in the Volkswagen after firefighters exting
  
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• Uber pushes its founder out as it tries to clean up its act

  21-06-2017 15:34 via kxan.com
  
  DETROIT (AP) — Under Travis Kalanick’s leadership, Uber’s “Animal House”-style business plan was to grow as quickly as possible, steamrolling regulators while flouting the rules of workplace conduct.
  Behavior at the male-dominated company didn’t seem to matter. Riders embraced the app-based ride-hailing system as an inexpensive, easy-to-use alternative to taxis, and still do today.
  But now Kalanick is out as CEO, resigning under pressure as the company he co-f
  
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• Uber CEO Kalanick resigns under investor pressure

  21-06-2017 15:34 via kxan.com
  
  DETROIT (AP) — Travis Kalanick, the combative and embattled CEO of ride-hailing giant Uber, has resigned under pressure from investors at a pivotal time for the company.
  Uber’s board confirmed the move early Wednesday, saying in a statement that Kalanick is taking time to heal from the death of his mother in a boating accident “while giving the company room to fully embrace this new chapter in Uber’s history.” He will remain on the Uber Technologies Inc. board.
  The
  
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• Uber CEO is pushed out as company tries to clean up its act

  21-06-2017 15:34 via kxan.com
  
  DETROIT (AP) — Under Travis Kalanick’s leadership, Uber’s “Animal House”-style business plan was to grow as quickly as possible, steamrolling regulators while flouting the rules of workplace conduct.
  Behavior at the male-dominated company didn’t seem to matter. Riders embraced the app-based ride-hailing system as an inexpensive, easy-to-use alternative to taxis, and still do today.
  But now Kalanick is out as CEO, resigning under pressure as the company he co-f
  
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• Keeping CEO job was 1 fight too many for Uber’s Kalanick

  21-06-2017 15:34 via kxan.com
  
  DETROIT (AP) — Travis Kalanick’s combative personality created the culture that let Uber grow from startup to behemoth in just eight years. But under his direction the ride-hailing company had trouble growing up, leading to his downfall.
  Kalanick, 40, stepped down late Tuesday, saying in a statement that his departure would help Uber return to growth “rather than be distracted by another fight.”
  This time the fight was with investors and his board, with several big player
  
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• NASA previews August’s total eclipse of the sun

  21-06-2017 15:23 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — For the first time in nearly a century — Americans from coast to coast will get a chance to see a total eclipse of the sun without leaving their backyards.
  Daylight will fade to the level of a moonlit night on August 21 as millions of Americans experience one of nature’s most awe-inspiring shows. For the first time since 1918, the dark shadow of the moon will sweep coast-to- coast across the united states, putting 14 states in the path of totality and
  
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• Lake Travis school board calls for $235M bond election

  21-06-2017 14:49 via kxan.com
  
  LAKE TRAVIS, Texas (KXAN) — In a unanimous vote Tuesday, the Lake Travis school board approved a November 7 vote on a $253 million bond election.
  Due to increased enrollment in the district’s schools, nearly a 76 percent increase since 2007, an advisory committee suggested improvements to accommodate the growth.
  “The exciting news is, the entire 2017 package can be done without an increase to our current tax rate,” said Lake Travis Superintended Dr. Brad Lancaster. &ldquo
  
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• Fast-moving house fire teaches lesson on dangers of smoke inhalation

  21-06-2017 14:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Fire Department says a cigarette is to blame for a fast-moving blaze that ripped through a north Austin home. It happened around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, forcing the family to scramble out of the burning house.
  The family believes it was the smoke, not the flames, that put them most at risk.
  “I’ve learned quite a few lessons,” said Shannon Johnson, a few hours after the blaze ripped through her home in the 9700 block of Mountain Quail Road
  
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• 2 transported for smoke inhalation after north Austin house fire

  21-06-2017 14:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin fire officials are investigating the cause of a north Austin house fire Wednesday morning.
  Crews were called to the home in the 9700 block of Mountain Quail Road around 6:30 a.m. When they arrived, heavy fire was spotted in the rear of the home.
  Firefighters had the blaze under control by 7:15 a.m.
  Two people in the home are in the hospital after minor smoke inhalation.
  No cause has yet been determined.
  
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• Prosecutors say ‘affluenza’ teen’s mother violated bond

  21-06-2017 13:11 via kxan.com
  
  FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Prosecutors are asking a judge to revoke the bond posted by the mother of a Texas teenager who used an “affluenza” defense after he killed four people in a 2013 drunken-driving crash.
  Tonya Couch has been free pending trial on charges of hindering apprehension of a felon and money laundering. She and her son Ethan fled to Mexico in 2015 after video surfaced apparently showing him at a party with alcohol — a probation violation.
  Now, prosecutors al
  
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• Two bodies found inside east Austin home

  21-06-2017 08:57 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Police are investigating after two people were found dead inside an east Austin home late Tuesday night.
  At 11:45 p.m., police were called to a home in the 5600 block of Cordell Lane near Rexford Drive for a wellness check.
  Officers found two bodies inside the home. They have not released the gender or age of the people. There were a couple of dogs inside the home.
  Austin Police Department homicide detectives, Crime Scene Unit and Animal Control Unit officers were on
  
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• APD investigating after finding two bodies inside an East Austin home

  21-06-2017 08:57 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Police are investigating after two people were found dead inside an East Austin home late Tuesday night.At 11:45 p.m., police were called to a home in the 5600 block of Cordell Lane near Rexford Drive. Officers found two bodies inside the home.They are not releasing the gender or age of the people. There were a couple of dogs inside the home.Homicide detectives, Crime Scene Unit, and Animal Control Unit officers are on the scene.Police did not know if the people live
  
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• Republican in Georgia wins most expensive U.S. House race in history

  21-06-2017 05:25 via kxan.com
  
  DUNWOODY, Ga. (AP) — Republican Karen Handel won a nationally watched congressional election Tuesday in Georgia, and she thanked President Donald Trump after she avoided an upset that would have rocked Washington ahead of the 2018 midterm elections.
  Incomplete returns show Handel, a former Georgia secretary of state, winning almost 53 percent of the vote over Democrat Jon Ossoff, who won just over 47 percent in Georgia’s 6th Congressional District.
  “A special thanks to the pres
  
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• Glitch in Kyle PD dash cam system may bring new equipment

  21-06-2017 05:21 via kxan.com
  
  HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The Kyle Police Department is experiencing a frustrating problem: dash cam video storage that is malfunctioning.
  The glitch has been going on for at least a year and the department said it has caused some court cases to stall. Everything on a routine traffic stop is recorded. That’s the department’s policy. But, when the officer takes the newly-recorded video back to the station, a glitch occurs, causing the department’s IT team to scrambl
  
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• Man in his 20s shot in east Austin is seriously wounded

  21-06-2017 04:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man in his 20s has serious injuries after being shot in east Austin, Tuesday evening.
  According to Austin-Travis County EMS, medics responded to the injured man at 9:14 p.m. in the 1000 block of Springdale Road, near Airport Boulevard.
  Austin police are at the scene investigating.
  KXAN has a crew on the way to the scene. We’ll update this page as we get additional information. 
  
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• Man in his 20s seriously wounded in east Austin shooting

  21-06-2017 04:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man in his 20s has serious injuries after being shot in east Austin, Tuesday evening.
  According to Austin-Travis County EMS, medics responded to the injured man at 9:14 p.m. in the 1000 block of Springdale Road, near Airport Boulevard.
  Austin police are at the scene investigating.
  Additional information on the shooting was not immediately available.
  
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• VIDEO: Smiling suspect steals lights, decorations from Austin front porch

  21-06-2017 04:32 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A suspect with what looks like a big smile on his face was caught on camera stealing several items from a southeast Austin front porch.
  The theft happened at around 4 a.m. Tuesday near Parker Lane and Glen Springs Way. The man stole solar lights and wall decorations outside. While the owner says the items likely are not worth more than $100, he’d like anyone who recognizes the suspect to report it to police.
  Woman stealing mail from Leander doorstep caught on tape
  The
  
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• APD officer with carbon monoxide poisoning sues Ford, dealership

  21-06-2017 04:29 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Police Corporal Zachary LaHood and his wife Kelly, are suing Ford Motor Company and Leif Johnson Ford stemming from a carbon monoxide poisoning incident in March.
  Unnamed companies, who attempted to remedy the defects in the police vehicle, are also included in the lawsuit. The LaHoods are seeking more than $1 million in damages.
  According to the lawsuit, LaHood was working as on-duty police sergeant for APD at around 1:30 a.m. on March 18, 2017 when he became n
  
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• Police ask for your help finding southeast Austin bank robbery suspect

  21-06-2017 04:16 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A suspect accused of robbing a Capital One Bank in southeast Austin on Monday is being sought by police, who have released surveillance video of the man.
  Officers say the suspect, described as a 6-foot-tall black male in his 20s with short hair, entered the Capital One branch at 2301 E. Riverside Dr. at 2:15 p.m. and demanded money. He was last seen wearing a “distinct” striped jacket.
  While the man indicated he was armed, he did not show a weapon. He then ran f
  
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• TCU ends Aggies’ season

  21-06-2017 03:56 via kxan.com
  
   OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Roommates Brian Howard and Ryan Merrill are going to have plenty to talk about around their apartment whenever they and the rest of the TCU Horned Frogs return to Fort Worth.
  Howard matched his career high with 12 strikeouts in seven-plus innings. Merrill, playing before friends and family in his hometown, homered to start a three-run third inning and the roomies helped keep the Frogs’ season going with a 4-1 win over Texas A&M in a College World Series e
  
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• Travis County triples rate for patient transport by helicopter

  21-06-2017 01:44 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — STAR Flight was authorized Tuesday by the Travis County Commissioner’s Court to change its reimbursement practices for patients transported by the service, starting Aug. 1, 2017.
  While the financial burden on the patient will remain limited to co-payments and deductibles — determined by the patient’s insurance provider — the county will charge a base rate of $15,000 and $200 per mile to available funded sources like insurance companies, Medicaid and
  
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• Depending on conditions, Texas could be drought free by September

  21-06-2017 01:19 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Even though we’re just getting into the thick of summer, Texans could see relief in the fall, after the latest data from the Texas Water Development Board indicated drought conditions could improve. Based on current forecasts, Texas is expected to have a wetter summer this year, and if that holds TWDB expects drought conditions will be removed over most of the state by the end of September.
  Austin resident Ariana Garza said she’s glad to see lake levels
  
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• Asbestos exposure at Austin airport facility affects 120 employees

  21-06-2017 01:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- About 120 city of Austin employees were exposed to asbestos during 2016 airport office renovations, despite some workers voicing concerns that the potentially dangerous building material could cause contamination during construction, a KXAN investigation has uncovered.
  The exposure happened during February and June 2016 floor renovations in Austin-Bergstrom International Airport’s Maintenance Complex Building, which is separate from the passenger terminals and not open to
  
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• 10 passengers on flight to Houston injured by severe turbulence

  21-06-2017 00:22 via kxan.com
  
  HOUSTON (KXAN) — At least 10 people were injured by turbulence on a United Airlines flight on its way to Houston, according to KPRC.
  United Flight 1031 from Panama City, Panama encountered severe turbulence around 1:40 p.m. while flying east of Cancun, Mexico, the station reports.
  Emergency crews met the plane at George Bush Intercontinental Airport where firefighters treated between 10 and 15 patients, with three taken to a local hospital.
  ‘Terrifying’ flight to Austin di
  
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