Austin news

• DOJ ‘race-based discrimination’ investigations could fuel debate at UT

  02-08-2017 23:47 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Trump Administration could soon be looking into the University of Texas at Austin over its admission policy. The Justice Department is moving people into a new team to investigate “intentional race-based discrimination” in college admission.
  Local civil rights groups are worried that could crack down on UT’s policy of using race as a factor in choosing students, through the controversial policy of affirmative action. President of the NAACP in Austin, N
  
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• Kyle moves to Stage 2 water restrictions on Aug. 14

  02-08-2017 23:18 via kxan.com
  KYLE, Texas (KXAN) — Due to current water usage demands, the city of Kyle is moving to Stage 2 water restrictions starting Aug. 14.
  Under Stage 2 rules, customers can not water between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. Odd-numbered residential addresses can water on Wednesday and/or Saturday. Even-numbered residential addresses can water on Thursday and/or Sunday.
  The city says in July, Kyle’s average daily water demand was 3.6 million gallons per day. On one single day in July, residents used near
  
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• Trump backs GOP plan to push legal immigration changes

  02-08-2017 22:31 via kxan.com
  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday embraced legislation from two Republican senators that would place new limits on legal immigration and seek to create a system based more on merit and skills than family ties.
  Trump joined with Sens. David Perdue of Georgia and Tom Cotton of Arkansas to trumpet the bill, which has so far gained little traction in the Senate. The president said if approved the measure would represent “the most significant reform to our immigration
  
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• Ex-Baylor player sent fiery emails to media over coverage

  02-08-2017 22:22 via kxan.com
  DALLAS (AP) — Police in Dallas say it is unlikely harassment charges will be filed against a former Baylor football player who sent a series of fiery emails to The Dallas Morning News questioning coverage of his sexual-assault trial.
  The Waco Tribune-Herald reports Sam Ukwuachu continued to send emails to the Dallas newspaper after it sent a cease-and-desist letter to Ukwuachu and his attorney.
  Ukwuachu was convicted in 2015 of sexual assault but an appeals court earlier this year overturn
  
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• Police investigating kidnapping in central Austin

  02-08-2017 22:10 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police are working an aggravated kidnapping that happened in the parking lot of the H-E-B grocery store at 5808 Burnet Rd. Wednesday afternoon.
  The initial call came in around 1:35 p.m. involving two people who knew each other. There are initial reports that one of the people involved might have sustained an injury, but authorities have not made contact with the injured party at this time.
  Austin police say no children are involved.
  Around 3:15 p.m., the Travis Count
  
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• Kidnapping in central Austin ends in deadly shooting

  02-08-2017 22:10 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man is dead and a woman is in the hospital with a gunshot wound after an apparent aggravated kidnapping Wednesday afternoon that spanned two law enforcement jurisdictions.
  Austin police said the initial kidnapping call came in at 1:35 p.m. in the parking lot of the H-E-B grocery store at 5808 Burnet Rd. Police say the two people involved knew each other. The suspect’s vehicle was listed as a gold Honda Accord.
  About an hour later, around 2:40 p.m., the Travis County
  
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• Person of interest in La Grange murder in custody

  02-08-2017 21:08 via kxan.com
  LA GRANGE, Texas (KXAN) — Deputies have a person of interest in the murder of a man in La Grange last month.
  Deputies were called to Creamer Creek Road, just southwest of town, at around 9:45 a.m. on July 6.
  They found 43-year-old Jeremy Cornwell dead with what appeared to be multiple gunshot wounds. The person of interest is being held in Fayette County custody on an unrelated charge, and is not being named.
  Deputies say they are continuing to investigate the incident and collect evidence
  
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• Greg Kelley hearing seeks to overturn conviction

  02-08-2017 20:19 via kxan.com
  GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — An attorney for Greg Kelley will present new evidence to argue the 22-year-old’s innocence before a Williamson County judge Wednesday.
  Kelley was originally convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison for the sexual assault of a child in 2014. This spring, Kelley’s defense team was able to breathe new life into the case after they say there is another suspect that could have been responsible for the crimes. The Williamson County District Attorney de
  
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• Greg Kelley hearing: Day 1

  02-08-2017 20:19 via kxan.com
  GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — An attorney for Greg Kelley presented new evidence to argue the 22-year-old’s innocence before a Williamson County judge Wednesday.
  Kelley was originally convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison for the sexual assault of a child in 2014. This spring, Kelley’s defense team was able to breathe new life into the case after they say there is another suspect that could have been responsible for the crimes. The Williamson County District Attorney decid
  
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• City of Galveston stops using Ford Explorers over gas leak concerns

  02-08-2017 19:36 via kxan.com
  GALVESTON, Texas (AP) — A city in southeast Texas has taken dozens of Ford Explorer SUVs out of service because of concerns about carbon monoxide leaks.
  The Daily News reports the city of Galveston announced Tuesday that it’s pulling more than 30 vehicles from service. Most of them are used by the police department.
  Ford Motor Company officials have said there could be dangerous leaks in some of the vehicles that have been modified for police use. The leaks could cause carbon monoxid
  
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• Ethics committee clears Rep. Roger Williams over rental car recall legislation

  02-08-2017 19:04 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The House Ethics Committee has cleared Congressman Roger Williams, R-Texas, who was accused of using his position for personal gain.
  In 2015, Williams proposed an amendment that would have exempted car dealers from a law that barred rental car companies from renting out cars that have been recalled. The congressman owns the Roger Williams Auto Mall in Weatherford.
  The ethics panel said Williams did not violate House rules, but they did say when a “Member who is consid
  
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• Rick Perry bows out of Homeland Security speculation

  02-08-2017 19:03 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Former Texas Governor and current Secretary of Energy Rick Perry does not wish to be considered to become the next secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
  The Department of Energy released a statement via Twitter Wednesday saying the secretary is focused on work at the department.While @SecretaryPerry is honored to be mentioned, he is happy where he is & focused on carrying out mission POTUS gave him to lead @ENERGY
  — DOE Press Staff (@EnergyPressSec) Au
  
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• 3 missing after explosion, collapse at Minneapolis school

  02-08-2017 19:00 via kxan.com
  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Three people are unaccounted for after an explosion and partial building collapse Wednesday at a Minneapolis school, fire officials said.
  The Minneapolis Fire Department initially tweeted that one fatality was reported in the collapse at Minnehaha Academy. But fire officials haven’t been able to confirm that report, and Assistant Fire Chief Bryan Tyner said they were backing off that statement.
  Tyner said three people were rescued from the roof. He said crews were
  
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• Apple takes Dow over 22,000 points; other stocks fall

  02-08-2017 18:16 via kxan.com
  NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks are mostly lower at midday Wednesday, but a big gain for Apple sent the Dow Jones industrial average above 22,000 for the first time. Movie theater companies and studios are tumbling after AMC Entertainment gave a weak forecast and said it will cut costs. Health care companies are down as prescription drug distributor Cardinal Health gets pummeled after cutting its forecasts for the year.
  KEEPING SCORE: The Dow, which tracks 30 big-name U.S. companies, climbed 36 poi
  
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• Paid street parking in downtown on Wednesday nights now in effect

  02-08-2017 17:40 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Starting Wednesday, drivers will lose free evening street parking in downtown Austin.
  Street parking on Wednesdays will now cost $1 an hour for metered street parking starting at 8 a.m. It used to be free after 6 p.m. The metered coverage area includes Interstate 35 to North Lamar Boulevard up to 10th Street.
  Street parking becomes free after midnight, with Monday and Tuesday still offering free street parking starting at 6 p.m. Parking will remain free all day on Sundays.
  
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• Boy Scouts: Top leaders didn’t call Trump to praise speech

  02-08-2017 17:32 via kxan.com
  NEW YORK (AP) — The Boy Scouts are denying a claim by President Donald Trump that the head of the youth organization called the president to praise his politically aggressive speech to the Scouts’ national jamboree.
  Trump told The Wall Street Journal, “I got a call from the head of the Boy Scouts saying it was the greatest speech that was ever made to them, and they were very thankful.” Politico published the transcript of the interview.
  On Wednesday, the Scouts responded
  
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• McDonald’s employees accused of hiding bacon in Muslim family’s sandwiches

  02-08-2017 14:47 via kxan.com
  BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WKRG) — A Muslim civil rights organization is asking management at a McDonald’s located in Decatur, Alabama to identify and fire the staff who allegedly hid pieces of bacon in 14 chicken sandwiches ordered by a Muslim family.
  The Alabama chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Alabama) called the franchise Tuesday with the request after the family sent them a video taken Monday, after they each found a small piece of bacon on each sandwich. Eating
  
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• VIDEO: Texas officer hit on side of the road by drunk driving suspect

  02-08-2017 14:39 via kxan.com
  FORT WORTH, Texas (KXAN) — Dash cam video shows why drivers need to give officers space when they’ve pulled someone over on the side of the road and, more importantly, why you shouldn’t drive drunk.
  Fort Worth Police Officer Matthew Lesell was walking toward a car he pulled over early in the morning of July 7 on Interstate 30 — near Oakland Boulevard, on the city’s east side — when another car came crashing behind him, according to Dallas NBC affiliate KXAS.
  T
  
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• VIDEO: Lightning strikes airport worker under plane

  02-08-2017 14:39 via kxan.com
  FT. MYERS, Fla. (KXAN) — A ground worker at a Florida airport is out of the hospital after being struck by lightning on the tarmac last month.
  The moment the lightning hit was caught on camera, as reported by NBC affiliate WBBH.
  Video shows the bolt strike the tail of a Sun Country Airlines plane as the worker walks underneath the aircraft. Austin Dunn, 21, gets thrown backward from the jolt. He was released from the hospital Tuesday, nearly two weeks after the July 22 strike.
  WBBH re
  
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• Body found in Lake Tahoe believed to be missing college football player

  02-08-2017 12:51 via kxan.com
  LAKE TAHOE, Nev. (KRON) — Searchers have recovered a body that is believed to be a former football player who went missing a year ago while paddle boarding in Lake Tahoe with his University of Nevada at Reno teammates.
  “Officials searching for the body of missing paddle boarder Marc Ma have just recovered a body in Lake Tahoe, tentatively believed to be the 20-year-old presumed drowned last summer,” the sheriff’s office said in a Facebook statement on Monday.
  The Hawaii m
  
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• City looking for help to curb storm drain pollution

  02-08-2017 12:32 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Ever wonder where all that water goes when it rains? To prevent flooding of streets and homes, stormwater runoff flows down neighborhood drains, but the pollutants in that water are not removed.
  Now the city of Austin Watershed Protection Department is calling on volunteers to help make sure the communities stay clean and green when the rain comes.
  “We have 1,000 miles of storm drain pipes running underneath Austin,” said Katie Sternberg with the Watershed Prote
  
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• Alfred Angelo won’t fulfill the rest of its orders

  02-08-2017 05:54 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — For women who already settled on a wedding dress from Alfred Angelo, many of them will have to go back to the drawing board now that the company has officially said they won’t be able to fulfill every open order.
  On July 14, one of the nation’s largest bridal retailers filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. On the same day that the company filed for bankruptcy, it immediately shuttered all of its stores and only left customers with an email address to contact regarding
  
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• Green pool has Georgetown homeowners seeing red

  02-08-2017 05:25 via kxan.com
  GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — With temperatures as high as they are, a pool, might as well be a survival mechanism. But some homeowners in the Pinnacle neighborhood in Georgetown can’t use their own neighborhood pool despite paying hundreds in homeowners association dues.
  The pool, which would normally be clear, looks like it’s been dyed for St. Patrick’s Day.
  “There’s a crocodile in this pool!” a young girl exclaimed looking into the pool. “If y
  
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• Another Hyde Park groping case reported

  02-08-2017 05:17 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Early Monday morning, Austin police say they responded to the Hyde Park area where a woman reported being groped by a man.
  The victim told police the incident happened just after midnight. Authorities are now trying to determine if the suspect is the same person who was groping women in the same area this spring.
  In April and May, half a dozen women reported being groped between the hours of 7 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. Last week, a woman who lives in the area said she saw a naked
  
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• Suspect in custody in downtown Austin stabbing; victim in hospital

  02-08-2017 04:56 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police have a man in custody after a downtown stabbing that sent another man to the hospital with potentially serious injuries Tuesday night.
  Police say the stabbing happened around 9:30 p.m. at the corner of Neches and Ninth Streets. Austin-Travis County EMS said they transported two patients, both men in their 30s.Austin police confirmed early Wednesday that one patient was the victim and the other patient was the suspect.  According to police, the suspec
  
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• Stabbing in downtown Austin leaves two injured

  02-08-2017 04:56 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police are investigating a stabbing that injured at least one person in downtown Austin Tuesday night.
  Police say the stabbing happened around 9:30 p.m. at the corner of Neches and Ninth Streets. Austin-Travis County EMS said they transported two patients, both men in their 30s. One victim had potentially serious injuries while the other had non-life threatening injuries.
  Austin police say one person is in custody at this time.
   
  
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• Greg Kelley case: How we got here

  02-08-2017 03:47 via kxan.com
  GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — A public hearing to present new evidence in the Greg Kelley case is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 2 in front of Judge Donna King. After a tumultuous and emotional four years, Kelley will once again be facing a judge to seek another chance at a new trial.
  Kelley was originally convicted and sentenced to 25 years in prison for the sexual assault of a child in 2014. This spring, Kelley’s defense team was able to breathe new life into the case afte
  
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• Trial begins for ex-St. Louis cop charged with murder

  02-08-2017 03:33 via kxan.com
  ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KSDK) It has been nearly 20 years since a police officer in the city of St. Louis, Missouri has stood trial for murder.
  That changed Tuesday when opening statements began in the first-degree murder trial of former St. Louis Police Officer Jason Stockley.
  Stockley, who left the force in 2013 and now resides in Houston, is also charged with armed criminal action. He is currently free on bond.
  Stockley has also waived his rights to a jury trial and will instead have a bench trial, m
  
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• Athletes training for Special Olympics also learn life skills

  02-08-2017 03:14 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — They’re overcoming great odds each and every day, and now several members of one Austin community are training for something bigger.
  Residents at Marbridge, a residential care facility for people with varying degrees of intellectual disabilities, are getting ready to compete in 10 different sports in the regional Special Olympics.
  Andrew, 27, is training for a mid-September swim meet. “I like being part of it because I like to compete,” Andrew said.
  &ldquo
  
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• Texas talk with Brian Davis

  02-08-2017 03:00 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Longhorns opened its first preseason practice under coach Tom Herman Monday. Brian Davis from the Austin American Statesman joined More than the Score for a look inside the first week of football.
  
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• Selena’s brother added to Nueces County’s Top 10 Most Wanted

  02-08-2017 02:36 via kxan.com
  NUECES COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The brother of deceased Tejano star Selena is on the Nueces County’s Top 10 Most Wanted list.
  Abraham Quintanilla, 53, was added to the county’s August list for missing a court hearing on nonpayment of child support. A warrant has been issued for Quintanilla’s arrest.
  “Usually we look at family violence… aggravated assault, murder, sex offenses and then we’ll go down the line to burglaries,” Nueces County Sheriff&rsqu
  
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• Texas bill aims to pay teachers back for classroom supplies

  02-08-2017 01:49 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — A proposed bill in the Texas House would reimburse some teachers for purchases made using personal money for classroom expenses. House Bill 54 would pay eligible teachers up to $600 back for classroom supplies and other school-related purchases.
  “Any little bit helps,” San Antonio Independent School District Kindergarten teacher David Garza said after testifying in front of the House Committee on Public Education. There have been plenty of times where Ga
  
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• Rep. Dawnna Dukes ignores deal offered by Travis County prosecutors

  02-08-2017 00:39 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Given the chance to dismiss felony charges, Rep. Dawnna Dukes never responded to the Travis County District Attorney about whether or not she was interested in the deal.
  Travis County District Attorney Margaret Moore gave Dukes, D-Austin, until close of business Tuesday to take a deal that would drop her corruption charges in exchange for her resignation from office and she would have to submit to a drug and alcohol test (along with possible treatment). She would have also
  
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• Dell Medical School announces new Oncology Department

  02-08-2017 00:25 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin is creating a Department of Oncology, to address and provide cancer care for Travis County.
  S. Gail Eckhardt, M.D., who joined Dell Med in September 2016, will chair the school’s ninth department.
  “Our team at Dell Med is looking to streamline administrative support, improve efficiency and develop an enterprise strategy to advance cancer care — and improve health outcomes — for the people o
  
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• Now hiring: Austin seeks Civil Service Commission volunteer

  02-08-2017 00:17 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The city’s Civil Service Commission for firefighters, police officers and emergency medical services personnel has an opening on its three-member board, which handles anything from promotions to disciplinary action.
  The incoming commission member will serve a three-year term starting Nov. 1 and will be expected commit between one and three hours per month to related duties, said Civil Service Administrator Barry Cook.
  Members of the all-volunteer commission, whic
  
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• Arkansas man accused of having sex with family’s pet donkey

  02-08-2017 00:01 via kxan.com
  SILOAM SPRINGS, Ark. (KARK) — An Arkansas man has been arrested after he was accused of having sex with a family’s pet donkey on multiple occasions.
  On three separate incidents over the summer months, police were called to a home in Siloam Springs in reference to sex crimes against an animal. Authorities believe Everett Lee Compton, 49, was the person responsible.
  When they arrived the first time, officers made contact with Emert and Joyce Whitaker. They told officers they’ve h
  
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