Austin news

• PHOTOS: Fifteen Marines, one Navy sailor killed in plane crash remembered

  14-07-2017 23:47 via kxan.com
  
  (AP) — The 15 Marines and a Navy sailor killed in a military plane crash earlier this week in Mississippi came from around the country. Six of the Marines and the sailor were from an elite Marine Raider battalion at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.
  “It is a tight-knit community, made up of some of the most highly trained, dedicated Marines I have ever known,” Marines Special Operations Command Deputy Commander Col. Stephen Grass told reporters in North Carolina Friday. “As a
  
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• VIDEO: Birds dive bomb Texas grocery store shoppers

  14-07-2017 23:08 via kxan.com
  
  LA PORTE, Texas (KXAN) — One after another, shoppers leaving a Kroger grocery store in La Porte were dive bombed by what appears to be very territorial grackles.
  Tiana Valenzuela, from Austin, was on her way to New Orleans when she stopped at the store, sending video of the bird attack to Houston NBC affiliate KPRC.
  The station says she posted the video on social media, wondering if all Houston birds were like this. While it wasn’t clear if a bird nest was nearby or the hot parking l
  
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• Taking on Gov. Abbott will be a steep climb for opponents

  14-07-2017 22:29 via kxan.com
  
  SAN ANTONIO (KXAN) — Gov. Greg Abbott is running for his second term to be the chief executive of the state of Texas, making the announcement Friday in downtown San Antonio.
  To become governor in Texas, you have to get the majority of Republican primary voters to pick you. That’s around 800,000 people. No statewide politician is as popular with them as Greg Abbott, with an approval rating of 90 percent among Tea Party voters.
  “That makes him pretty bulletproof, or at least pret
  
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• Man dead, woman critically injured in SH 71 crash near Del Valle

  14-07-2017 21:16 via kxan.com
  
  DEL VALLE, Texas (KXAN) — A man in his 60s is dead and a woman in her 70s is critically injured in a crash on westbound State Highway 71 in southeast Travis County.
  All westbound lanes are blocked and traffic is being diverted to Albert Brown Drive after the two-vehicle crash.
  Medics were called to SH 71 near Albert Brown Drive at 1:44 p.m. Four other people involved in the crash are being evaluated.
  KXAN has a crew on the way to the scene. We’ll update this page as we get additional
  
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• Official: 2 tourists slain in Egypt were German

  14-07-2017 20:53 via kxan.com
  
  CAIRO (AP) — The Latest on developments in Egypt (all times local):
  7:10 p.m.
  An Egyptian security official says the two tourists who were stabbed to death in a Red Sea resort were German, not Ukrainian as previously said.
  The official says that four other foreigners were wounded in Friday’s attack at a hotel in the Egyptian resort of Hurghada.
  He also says the wounded included citizens of Ukraine and the Czech Republic. Earlier, another security official had said that the wounded we
  
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• Baby elephant born at Houston Zoo

  14-07-2017 20:01 via kxan.com
  
  HOUSTON, Texas (KXAN) — The Houston Zoo welcomed a new baby elephant this week!
  After a two-year pregnancy, Shanti, a 26-year-old Asian elephant, gave birth to Joy, a healthy 305-pound female calf on Wednesday. Joy began nursing within three hours of being born.
  Joy began nursing within three hours of being born. Zoo officials say because baby elephants aren’t terribly steady when they’re first born.
  The internet falls in love with Zola, the dancing gorilla
  “Our anim
  
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• Papers reveals grisly confession in 4 Pennsylvania slayings

  14-07-2017 19:57 via kxan.com
  
  DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A pot dealer gave police a grisly account of killing four men on his family’s Pennsylvania farm, saying he crushed one of them with a backhoe after shooting him and tried to set three of the bodies on fire in the same metal bin, according to court papers filed Friday.
  Twenty-year-old Cosmo DiNardo, who graduated from a Catholic prep school two years ago, said he killed a former schoolmate when he arrived with $800 to buy $8,000 worth of pot. He said he shot ano
  
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• Papers reveal pot dealer’s grisly confession to 4 slayings

  14-07-2017 19:57 via kxan.com
  
  DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A marijuana dealer gave police a grisly account of killing four men on his family’s farm, saying he crushed one of them with a backhoe after shooting him and tried to set three of the bodies on fire in a metal bin with the help of his cousin, according to court papers filed Friday.
  Cosmo DiNardo, who graduated from a Catholic prep school two years ago, said he killed a former schoolmate when he arrived with $800 to buy $8,000 worth of pot. DiNardo, who’s
  
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• Papers reveal pot dealer’s grisly confession in 4 slayings

  14-07-2017 19:57 via kxan.com
  
  DOYLESTOWN, Pa. (AP) — A marijuana dealer gave police a grisly account of killing four men on his family’s farm, saying he crushed one of them with a backhoe after shooting him and tried to set three of the bodies on fire in a metal bin with the help of his cousin, according to court papers filed Friday.
  Cosmo DiNardo, who graduated from a Catholic prep school two years ago, said he killed a former schoolmate when he arrived with $800 to buy $8,000 worth of pot. DiNardo, who’s
  
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• Sinkhole swallows two homes near Tampa

  14-07-2017 19:29 via kxan.com
  
  LAND O’ LAKES, Fla. (WFLA) – Authorities are scrambling to keep people safe from a massive, fast-growing sinkhole that swallowed two homes in a Land O’ Lakes neighborhood Friday morning.
  “We got people out of harm’s way,” said Pasco County Assistant County Administrator Kevin Guthrie. “It was frightening.”
  Guthrie said that as of 12 p.m. on Friday, the sinkhole was estimated to be 200 to 250 feet wide and 50 feet deep and appeared to be moving towa
  
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• Boil water order reduced to specific parts of the city of Bastrop

  14-07-2017 19:13 via kxan.com
  
  BASTROP, Texas (KXAN) — Parts of the city of Bastrop are under a boil order after crews struck a large water line near the Bastrop State Park. All water used for drinking or food preparation should be boiled for at least 3-5 minutes.
  The boil water notice was reduced at around 2:20 p.m. to include only the area east of Arena Drive to Tahitian Drive. The boil water notice has been canceled for residents outside this area.
  Work is underway to repair the line however there is no estimate
  
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• Boil order issued for City of Bastrop

  14-07-2017 19:13 via kxan.com
  
  BASTROP, Texas (KXAN) — The entire city of Bastrop is under a boil order after crews struck a large water line near the Bastrop State Park; All water used for drinking or food preparation should be boiled for at least 3 – 5 minutes.
  Work is underway to repair the line however there is no estimate as to when repairs will be made.
  The order does not affect customers of Aqua Water or WCID No. 2.
  Residents will be notified when the boil notice has been lifted. Call the Utility Custo
  
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• Former US President Jimmy Carter out of hospital in Canada

  14-07-2017 18:43 via kxan.com
  
  WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter was back at a Habitat for Humanity worksite Friday, a day after he was hospitalized for dehydration while working with the organization to build homes for needy families in Canada.
  A smiling Carter showed up in blue jeans and a work shirt to the site in the St. James neighborhood of Winnipeg, where hundreds of Habitat for Humanity volunteers joined the former president and his wife, Rosalynn, to build 25 homes.
  Carter, 92, was di
  
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• Old Stagecoach Inn will be moved in Round Rock

  14-07-2017 18:36 via kxan.com
  
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — The Round Rock City Council approved nearly $100,000 for the relocation of the Old Stagecoach Inn. But that cost is just for the actual move of the building, the rest of the project is slated to cost approximately $532,166.
  The Old Stagecoach Inn was built in the mid-1800s and served travelers coming through Round Rock area. It’s one of the oldest surviving buildings in the city.
  In February, the Round Rock City Council considered several options on whether
  
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• Video captures Florida driver abandoning puppy

  14-07-2017 18:12 via kxan.com
  
  APOPKA, Fla. (WFLA/WESH) – A Florida man abandoned a puppy by the side of the road and it was all caught on camera.
  The video showed a car pulling up in front of a home in Apopka on Sunday. The driver got out with the puppy and then pulled off without it.
  “It’s very emotional,” the homeowner said. “My husband and I are huge animal lovers and just the dog being so confused and feeling like where are you going?”
  Her husband saw the puppy and no one was arou
  
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• Man arrested in Kyle Carl’s Jr. armed robbery

  14-07-2017 17:45 via kxan.com
  
  KYLE, Texas (KXAN) — An 18-year-old man surrendered to police following an armed robbery at a Carl’s Jr. restaurant in Kyle.
  Police say Giancarlo Arman Perez brandished a gun as he barged into the restaurant Tuesday night. He took an undisclosed amount of cash and ran off on foot.
  Investigators received several leads pointing to Perez, but he turned himself into police the following day.
  Perez is charged with theft, aggravated robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, deadly
  
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• US 183 at MLK back open after bridge inspection

  14-07-2017 16:57 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — All lanes of US 183 are back open at Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard after the highway was closed due to concerns about the stability of a railing on the old MLK bridge.
  The contractor, Colorado River Construction, was working to demolish the old MLK bridge when workers determined the railing could become a safety issue. So, the crews called in APD to help divert traffic while they assessed the railing.
  A spokesperson for the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority says
  
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• What ‘Thrones’ fans already know: Ravens can see ahead

  14-07-2017 16:43 via kxan.com
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — More than 170 years after Edgar Allan Poe’s fictional raven croaked, “Nevermore,” scientists are reporting that real-life ravens think about the future.
  In a series of tests, ravens showed signs of a general planning ability that previously had been documented only in people and great apes. Even monkeys have failed to show it.
  It’s not like you could ask a raven to arrange your wedding: Ravens showed they could plan by setting aside a tool that they
  
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• Stuntman on ‘The Walking Dead’ dies after fall

  14-07-2017 16:17 via kxan.com
  
  ATLANTA, Ga. (KXAN) — A stuntman for the hit show The Walking Dead died after he fell approximately 25 feet while on set this week in Atlanta.
  WSB-TV in Atlanta reports John Bernecker died Wednesday, after succumbing to injuries from blunt force trauma. On Thursday, AMC released a statement stating, “We are saddened to report that John Bernecker, a talented stuntman for The Walking Dead and numerous other television shows and films, suffered serious injuries from a tragic accide
  
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• Leander woman donates ‘active shooter’ protection to police

  14-07-2017 16:01 via kxan.com
  
  LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — Leander Police are now equipped with more protection in the event of an active shooter situation thanks to a donation from a resident.
  Police thanked Marilie Walker and her son, Carson Walker in a Facebook post describing the donation. The Walkers donated 10 ballistic vests that officers can wear to help stop rifle rounds; the vests are worn in addition to officers’ standard ballistic vests.Police departments across the country have been seeking funding for th
  
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• Sentencing phase begins for man convicted in east Austin murder

  14-07-2017 15:41 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The sentencing phase for a man who was found guilty of murdering 31-year-old LeQuince Tomlin in 2014 starts Friday morning.
  A jury found Allen Townsend, 28, guilty last month after deliberating for less than 45 minutes. Prosecutors say Townsend, along with Terry Stowers, “bum rushed” their way into a unit at the Walnut Creek Apartments on Sprindale Road and asked for Tomlin, who had been sleeping on the living room couch.
  The two other people in the apartment we
  
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• East Austin murderer gets 20 years in prison

  14-07-2017 15:41 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — More than two years after LeQuince Tomlin, 31, was murdered at an east Austin apartment complex, one of the suspects in the case will spend 20 years in prison for his role in the deadly shooting.
  Allen Townsend, 28, was sentenced by Judge Karen Sage Friday morning, after a jury found him guilty last month.Prosecutors say on Nov. 25, 2014, Townsend, along with Terry Stowers, “bum rushed” their way into a unit at the Walnut Creek Apartments on Sprin
  
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• Disney unveils new Star Wars-themed lands coming in 2019

  14-07-2017 15:21 via kxan.com
  
  ANAHEIM, CA (KTVX)– Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Chairman Bob Chapek revealed themodel of the two Star Wars-themed lands coming to Walt Disney World Resort, in Central Florida, and Disneyland Resort, in Southern California, in 2019.
  The unveiling took place during a special media reception at the D23 Expo 2017 in Anaheim, Calif.
  The model details the two attractions that will anchor the 14-acre lands – the largest single-themed land expansion in Disney history. PHOTOS: Star Wars The
  
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• Reports of Alfred Angelo Bridal closing has customers worried

  14-07-2017 14:54 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — For brides-to-be who have purchased their wedding gowns from Alfred Angelo, reports about the company shuttering its stores are unsettling.
  On Thursday, the Palm Beach Post reported that employees at Alfred Angelo’s corporate office in Delray Beach, Florida en masse, “carrying boxes, plants and other personal belongings.” The newspaper says they were not able to get a hold of any corporate employees to answer questions about the potential closures.
  A look
  
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• Brides in limbo after Alfred Angelo stores abruptly close

  14-07-2017 14:54 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — For brides-to-be who have purchased their wedding gowns from Alfred Angelo, reports about the company shuttering its stores are unsettling.
  On Thursday, the Palm Beach Post reported that employees at Alfred Angelo’s corporate office in Delray Beach, Florida en masse, “carrying boxes, plants and other personal belongings.” The newspaper says they were not able to get a hold of any corporate employees to answer questions about the potential closures.
  A look
  
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• Palestinian gunmen kill 2 Israeli police at Jerusalem shrine

  14-07-2017 14:13 via kxan.com
  
  JERUSALEM (AP) — Three Palestinian assailants opened fire on Israeli police from inside a major Jerusalem holy site on Friday, gravely wounding two officers before being shot dead, police said. The officers later died.
  The rare attack from within the contested site, revered by both Muslims and Jews, raised new concerns about an escalation of violence. Police identified the attackers as Arab citizens of Israel.
  The sacred compound sits at the fault line of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict,
  
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• Arab gunmen kill 2 Israeli policemen at Jerusalem shrine

  14-07-2017 14:13 via kxan.com
  
  JERUSALEM (AP) — Arab assailants struck at ground zero of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on Friday, opening fire from inside a major Jerusalem shrine and killing two Israeli policemen before being shot dead.
  The rare attack from within the sacred site, revered by both Muslims and Jews, raised new concerns about an escalation of violence. The three attackers were Arab citizens of Israel, also a rarity in a rash of Palestinian attacks on Israeli civilians and soldiers that erupted about tw
  
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• Jet was within 100 feet of hitting 2 planes in San Francisco

  14-07-2017 14:11 via kxan.com
  
  An Air Canada plane with 140 people on board came within 100 feet of crashing onto two of four planes lined up to take off at San Francisco International Airport last week, according to a preliminary report Canadian air safety regulators released Thursday.
  The finding provided the first official accounting of how close the Air Canada plane came to causing what could have been one of the worst disasters in commercial aviation history.
  Instead of lining up to land on the runway, the pilot of the f
  
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• Donnie Wahlberg visits Waffle House, leaves whopping tip

  14-07-2017 13:55 via kxan.com
  
  CHARLOTTE, N.C. (KXAN) — If you thought you were a good tipper by tipping 20 percent, celebrity Donnie Wahlberg has you beat.
  On Wednesday night, the New Kids on the Block star, along with a few friends, stopped in at a Waffle House in Charlotte to get some late night eats.
  Texas Trump supporter overwhelmed by reaction to $450 tip
  While waiting for his food, Wahlberg posted a Facebook Live of him talking to the wait staff and other guests. Much to the surprise of the staff, when Wahlberg w
  
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• ‘I Love STEM’ day encourages kids to pursue careers in science, math

  14-07-2017 13:34 via kxan.com
  
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — Just because it’s summer, doesn’t mean the learning stops for Central Texas students.
  In fact, there’s a big push to encourage kids to learn about science, technology engineering and math, or STEM,  through some hands-on fun.
  Emerson, an engineering and technology company based in Round Rock, is hosting an ‘I love STEM’ day. More than 100 local K-8 students have the chance to take tours and try some demos at Emerson’s
  
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• Thousands of pounds of live eels strewn across Oregon highway

  14-07-2017 13:14 via kxan.com
  
  DEPOE BAY, Ore. (AP/KXAN) — A truck carrying eels overturned on an Oregon highway, damaging cars while turning the road into a slimy mess.
  Authorities say the driver failed to stop when advised by a highway worker and when he slammed on the brakes, 7,500 pounds of live eels fell out of the truck.
  The cars and roadway were covered with the slippery and slimy creatures known as hagfish. The gooey, slimy stuff on the cars? That’s what they secrete when stressed.
  State police posted a vi
  
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• Beyonce shows off her twins!

  14-07-2017 13:01 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Introducing Sir Carter and Rumi! Just after midnight, Beyonce posted on her Instagram a photo of her and her 1-month-old twins.
  In the photo, Queen Bey is cradling her babies while decked out in a vibrant lilac outfit. She’s also wearing a blue veil and standing in front of a flower arrangement. It is quite reminiscent of her pregnancy reveal.
  In her Instagram post, Beyonce says: “Sir Carter and Rumi 1 month old today followed by an array of emojis of hearts and
  
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• Cleanup from crude oil spill continues in Bastrop County

  14-07-2017 12:43 via kxan.com
  
  BASTROP COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Farm to Market 20 near Shiloh Road, which is just a few miles southwest of the city of Bastrop, is back open as of Friday at 11 a.m. as crews continue to work to clean up a crude oil spill near the road that happened Thursday around 9:20 a.m.
  Magellan Pipeline Company says they plan on repairing the damaged pipeline later Friday and they “expect to safely resume normal operations on the Longhorn pipeline system early next week.” A spokesperso
  
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• Cleanup from crude oil line spill continues; FM 20 still closed

  14-07-2017 12:43 via kxan.com
  
  BASTROP COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Farm to Market 20 near Shiloh Road, which is just a few miles southwest of the city of Bastrop continues to be closed Friday morning as crews work to clean up a crude oil spill near the road that happened Thursday around 9:20 a.m.
  A spokesperson for Magellan Pipeline Company, LP says a contractor was working on their Longhorn pipeline system when he struck the fitting on the pipeline causing the release. The contractor was conducting maintenance on the pipeli
  
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• Abbott to detail Texas ‘vision’ during campaign announcement

  14-07-2017 12:29 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (AP/KXAN) — Gov. Greg Abbott is promising to “lay out a vision to ensure that Texas remains the most exceptional state in America” on Friday in San Antonio, when he’s expected to formally announce his re-election campaign.
  Abbott said in a Facebook video late Thursday that he’ll unveil “the next step in our campaign” on Friday, the fourth anniversary of a San Antonio event where he unveiled his original gubernatorial run.
  No major Democrat has yet
  
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• Hundreds still waiting for bulletproof ‘iBackPack’ delivery a year later

  14-07-2017 05:43 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A bulletproof backpack promised to be weatherproof, have built-in WiFi and numerous charging batteries, but now supporters out hundreds of dollars call the backpack a broken promise.
  More than a year after giving money to Austin-based iBackPack, they have yet to see the product.
  KXAN found out growing complaints have risen to a new level. Four complaints have been filed with the Office of the Attorney General and several more sent to KXAN over the last six months. The
  
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• Leander teacher ‘unhappy and nervous’ her personal info was posted online

  14-07-2017 05:27 via kxan.com
  
  LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — Educators across Texas recently had their names and social security numbers posted for anyone to see on the website of a nonprofit group that provides services to school districts.
  Weeks after administrators first started finding out about the security issue, the organization responsible for the breach still hasn’t made the extent of it clear.
  “Somebody’s mistake could potentially cost me a lot of money,” Jayne Serna said.
  She’s a high
  
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• Tow boat owner says plane wheels were down when it flipped into lake

  14-07-2017 05:14 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the Federal Aviation Administration continues to investigate what went wrong when a small sea plane crashed into Lake Travis Wednesday night, the man who towed the plane to shore says he may have found a clue.
  Removing the plane from the water and disassembling it so it could be towed away was a long tedious process. It took Chris Riley and his team more than 10 hours.
  Riley, the owner of Flagship Towing, said, “We have to make sure we don&rsquo
  
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• Luther spending part of her summer vacation at World Championships

  14-07-2017 04:50 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Dakota Luther is not having your typical summer before senior year in high school.  In June she finished second in the 200 butterfly at the U.S. Nationals in Indianapolis, that was good enough to earn a spot in the World Championships.  The Westlake High School student will be in Budapest Hungary.   “It doesn’t matter how fast you swim or the times you go just take it all in, the experience is once in a lifetime ” said Luther.  Las
  
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• Man critically injured in crash involving dump truck near Loop 360 Bridge

  14-07-2017 04:39 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man was critically injured in a crash Thursday night with a dump truck just north of the Loop 360 Bridge in west Austin.
  Austin-Travis County EMS medics were called to the crash at the intersection of Loop 360 and Courtyard Drive at 8:59 p.m. Only two vehicles were involved in the crash.
  The man has been taken to Dell Seton Medical Center. Austin police say no Loop 360 lanes have been blocked by the crash, because the vehicles came to a stop in the right shoulder of the s
  
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• Dallas officials ask that mural honoring fallen officers come down

  14-07-2017 04:07 via kxan.com
  
  DALLAS (AP) — Dallas officials are asking that a mural honoring law enforcement officers who died in a sniper attack last year be taken down or altered because it violates city codes.
  A violation notice says the owners of Last Call Lounge did not have a permit to construct the 8-foot fence on which the mural was painted.
  Inspectors said the metal siding on the fence blocks visibility at a four-way stop.
  Austin artists collaborate with Dallas police officer for song of hope
  The owners appli
  
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• As aquifer level drops, San Marcos will start Stage 1 drought restrictions

  14-07-2017 03:57 via kxan.com
  
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — Starting Sunday, the city of San Marcos will enter Stage 1 drought restrictions in response to dropping Edwards Aquifer levels.
  Under Stage 1 drought rules, sprinklers can only be used one day per week on a designated weekday determined by your address. You can water your lawn with a hose-end sprinkler on your designated weekday before 10 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
  Irrigation with an automatic system is allowed on your designated weekday beginning at 8 p.m. and ending
  
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• Jimmy Carter hospitalized while building homes in Canada

  14-07-2017 03:19 via kxan.com
  
  WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter was treated at a hospital Thursday after becoming dehydrated while helping to build houses in Canada for Habitat for Humanity.
  The 92-year-old former president known for his post-presidential humanitarian work was taken to a hospital in Winnipeg as a precaution for rehydration, spokeswoman Deanna Congileo said.
  Habitat for Humanity CEO Jonathan Reckford said the former president did not appear to be in serious medical danger.
  &ld
  
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• Fast-talking thieves tricking cashiers in ‘bait and switch’ scams

  14-07-2017 02:58 via kxan.com
  
  PINELLAS COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) – It’s not a new scam, but it seems to be making the rounds in Pinellas County once again. For local store clerks who’ve never seen it firsthand, they’re left wondering how they didn’t catch this so-called “bait and switch” technique.
  Security camera footage shows the flimflam scheme goes down in just a matter of moments. It’s seen in surveillance video from the Stein Mart on Fourth Street in St. Petersburg.
  There is no
  
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• Homeowner justice: Package thief caught running from front door

  14-07-2017 02:40 via kxan.com
  
  SAN JOSE (KRON) — A homeowner confronted a thief who was stealing a package off her porch in San Jose on Wednesday.
  Heidi Burrows was driving to her house on Tulip Drive at around 5:45 p.m. when she saw a woman running from her porch with a box.
  She watched as the thief threw the package in an SUV and got into the backseat. Burrows said she could see a man was driving.
  Woman stealing mail from Leander doorstep caught on tape
  Burrows pulled in front of them and began honking her horn. The t
  
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• O’Rourke outraises Sen. Cruz in underdog ’18 bid to unseat him

  14-07-2017 01:12 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (AP) — Democratic U.S. Rep. Beto O’Rourke has outraised U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz while beginning his underdog bid to unseat the incumbent Republican next year.
  In a Facebook post Thursday, O’Rourke said his 2018 Senate campaign took in more than $2 million through the end of June. His campaign war chest was worth nearly $1.9 million, and O’Rourke says he won’t take PAC funding.
  Spokeswoman Catherine Frazier said Cruz raised $1.6 million in 2017’s second quart
  
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• Man accused of kidnapping friend says he has evidence to refute charges

  14-07-2017 00:55 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Hutto man charged last month with the aggravated kidnapping of a San Marcos woman in Austin says that’s not what happened, publicly denying the charges against him.
  Stephen Milder, 24, told KXAN he has evidence that the woman’s claims are false. “This did not happen the way she said it did. She was not kidnapped.”
  Milder says the victim in this case, Hillary Harris, texted him asking him to pick her up, even providing him with the address she wan
  
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• Dan Patrick’s teacher bonus plans require districts to prioritize educator pay

  14-07-2017 00:11 via kxan.com
  
  AUSITN (KXAN) — Gov. Greg Abbott put giving Texas teachers a $1,000 pay raise on the agenda for the upcoming special legislative session. Thursday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick announced specifics for how he wants to do it, requiring school districts to set aside five percent of their current money for the increase.
  To pay for the plan long-term, Lt. Gov. Patrick will push the Texas Senate to pass a constitutional amendment that would dedicate $700 million a year from the Texas Lottery, $1.3 billi
  
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• PHOTO: Round Rock jewelry heist suspects rammed by police

  14-07-2017 00:05 via kxan.com
  
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — The men who Round Rock police say robbed a jewelry store and then led police on a short chase Wednesday have been identified.
  Round Rock police say Bryan Everage, 31, and Elkanah Hendrix, 35, were trying to get away from police when one of the two pointed a weapon at officers. That’s when an officer made the decision to ram the armed duo’s motorcycle — effectively ending the pursuit. Neither of the men were injured.
  Each of the men are charged w
  
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