Austin news

• Death toll from Harvey reaches at least 60

  04-09-2017 23:58 via kxan.com
  HOUSTON (AP) — Officials now blame at least 60 deaths on Harvey after the storm dumped many feet of rain on several counties in a matter of days.
  Many of those deaths were people drowning in flash floods or water-logged roads. But county emergency management departments across southeast Texas tell The Associated Press they are including people in their storm-related death totals who died from indirect complications of Harvey.
  The huge dump of water loosened the ground around trees tha
  
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• Cedar Creek MS seeing results with new focus on positive behavior

  04-09-2017 23:36 via kxan.com
  CEDAR CREEK, Texas (KXAN) — A local middle school in the Bastrop Independent School District says it is seeing quite the change when it comes to student behavior.
  Cedar Creek Middle School is using a combination of new technology and some big prizes to reward the good instead of focusing on the bad.
  Teachers and administrators are all armed with an app on their smartphones that can scan the bar codes on student identification cards.
  When they see a student doing something right, or going a
  
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• Harvey’s invisible health dangers

  04-09-2017 23:33 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — There are the threats you can see and the ones you can’t.  People have reported seeing alligators and snakes in and around flooded homes along the gulf coast.  But health experts say it’s the stuff you can’t see in the water that is the bigger threat.
  “Our best advice is stay out of the floodwater as much as you possibly can,” warns Chris Van Deusen, spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services.
  He says floodwaters c
  
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• World War II aircraft on a new mission offering relief after Harvey

  04-09-2017 23:09 via kxan.com
  BURNET, Texas (KXAN) — Imagine everyone’s surprise when a massive, shiny Douglas C-47 cargo plane from World War II landed in Beaumont full of relief supplies for families impacted by Hurricane Harvey.
  Typically, the Bluebonnet Belle only comes out of its hangar in Burnet for air shows, but when the Georgetown airport put out the call for a plane big enough to deliver supplies they had collected, the CAF Highland Lakes Squadron answered the call.
  “It’s not typical to use
  
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• World War II aircraft and crew returns from Harvey relief mission

  04-09-2017 23:09 via kxan.com
  BURNET, Texas (KXAN) — Imagine everyone’s surprise when a massive, shiny Douglas C-47 cargo plane from World War II landed in Beaumont full of relief supplies for families impacted by Hurricane Harvey.
  “We rolled up and everyone came out to take their picture with our airplane,” said Crew Chief Mark Davis with a laugh. “Then they helped us unload.”
  Typically, the Bluebonnet Belle only comes out of its hangar in Burnet for air shows, but when the Georgetown air
  
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• US envoy tells UN: North Korean leader is ‘begging for war’

  04-09-2017 22:51 via kxan.com
  NEW YORK (AP) — North Korea’s leader is “begging for war,” the U.S. ambassador said Monday at an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, as members called for punishing the country with even stronger sanctions for its powerful nuclear test.
  Ambassador Nikki Haley said the U.S. would look at countries doing business with the North — which include China — and planned to circulate a resolution this week with the goal of getting it approved Sept. 11.
  &ldqu
  
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• Buechele day to day with bruised shoulder

  04-09-2017 22:46 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas starting quarterback Shane Buechele bruised his throwing shoulder in a season-opening loss to Maryland and will be held out of practice part of this week.
  Buechele passed for 375 yards and finished the game in the 51-41 loss. Coach Tom Herman says Buechele doesn’t know when he got hurt but was very sore after the game.
  Herman says freshman Sam Ehlinger will get all the snaps with the first-team offense Tuesday. Emergency quarterback Jerrod Heard, a wide rec
  
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• Hurricane Irma now Cat 4 as it heads for eastern Caribbean

  04-09-2017 22:44 via kxan.com
  SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Hurricane Irma grew into a powerful Category 4 storm Monday as it approached the northeastern Caribbean and was forecast to begin buffeting the region Tuesday.
  The storm had maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 kph) late Monday afternoon, and the U.S. National Hurricane Center said additional strengthening was expected. Irma was centered 490 miles (790 kilometers) east of the Leeward Islands and moving west at 13 mph (20 kph).
  Emergency officials warned that
  
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• Small boy’s body found encased in concrete in Kansas house

  04-09-2017 22:07 via kxan.com
  WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police are investigating after the body of a small child was discovered encased in concrete inside a rental home in Wichita, Kansas.
  The landlord was cleaning the house Saturday when he found a concrete structure and noticed an odor coming from it, the Wichita Eagle reported. Police removed the structure and discovered the remains of a 3-year-old boy inside.
  Police have not named the child.
  “We have a tentative identification on the child, but confirmation of the
  
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• Houston residents mark Labor Day sorting through storm ruins

  04-09-2017 21:14 via kxan.com
  HOUSTON (AP) — Some Gulf Coast residents ripped up soggy carpeting, cut out sheet rock from walls marked by the height floodwaters had reached and sorted through destroyed clothes and other belongings on Monday, 10 days after Harvey swept onto land and caused billions of dollars in damage.
  Houston’s mayor insisted that America’s fourth-largest city is “open for business,” but with areas under water, people not yet in their homes and city services not yet fully resto
  
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• Harvey victims leave shelters but face dire housing needs

  04-09-2017 21:14 via kxan.com
  HOUSTON (AP) — While the number of evacuees seeking refuge in Houston’s emergency shelters dwindled 10 days after Harvey struck, many people who had left by Monday still faced dire housing needs.
  Some returned to public housing complexes inundated with sewage and mud. More than 50,000 went to government-paid hotels, some far away from homes and schools. Others moved in with family and friends.
  Harvey did not discriminate, inundating exclusive neighborhoods and low-lying apartments fo
  
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• Police find missing Austin woman

  04-09-2017 21:12 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Police located a 50-year-old woman who they said went missing early Saturday morning.
  Police said Jennifer Reiney left her home in downtown Austin without money, shoes or means of transportation.
  Police believed that she was in danger since she has medical conditions that  “create a concern for her welfare.”
  Austin Police said Reiney was found safely on Monday.
  
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• Austin Police find missing Austin woman

  04-09-2017 21:12 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Police located a 50-year-old woman who they said went missing early Saturday morning.
  Police said Jennifer Reiney left her home in downtown Austin without money, shoes or means of transportation.
  Police believed that she was in danger since she has medical conditions that  “create a concern for her welfare.”
  Austin Police said Reiney was found safely on Monday.
  
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• WATCH: First responder from New York tries Whataburger for first time during Harvey relief

  04-09-2017 19:54 via kxan.com
  Texas (KPRC) – A viral video of a New York first responder who tried Whataburger for the first time while lending a hand during Hurricane Harvey relief efforts will make you smile and be thankful you’re in Texas.
  Whataburger tweeted a video of the first responder’s first taste of one of its classic double meat hamburgers with a caption that read: “While serving first responders we ran into a NYer who got his first sweet taste of Whataburger.”
  In the video,
  
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• 2 men arrested after robbing Austin “adult experience” club

  04-09-2017 19:14 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN)– Austin Police have arrested two men who they say robbed the Pleasures Club, an “adult alternative experience” club on North Interstate 35 Southbound between East 50th and 49th streets. Police say the robbery happened early Saturday morning.
  According to police records, a woman walked toward the entrance of the club which is usually guarded. As the doors opened for her, Moshae Stephens, 25 and Augustine Navarro, 30 pushed passed her, waving guns in the air. The me
  
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• 2 men arrested, accused of robbing Austin strip club

  04-09-2017 19:14 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police have arrested two men who they say robbed the Pleasures Club, an “adult alternative experience” club on North Interstate 35 Southbound between East 50th and 49th streets. Police say the robbery happened early Saturday morning.
  According to court documents, a woman walked toward the entrance of the club which is usually guarded. As the doors opened for her, Moshae Stephens, 25, and Augustine Navarro, 30, pushed passed her, waving guns in the air. Th
  
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• City of Austin increasing enforcement on drivers who ‘feed the parking meter’

  04-09-2017 19:06 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Parking downtown can be frustrating. Spaces are limited for the amount of drivers heading to the area.
  The city of Austin says they are now enforcing a rule that has always been in place and it’s catching some drivers off guard. It has to do with the amount of time you park in a spot.
  Mike Bewley makes regular trips into downtown Austin from his home in Driftwood for work and often finds himself using on street parking. “I paid for the initial three hours a
  
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• Austin increasing enforcement on drivers who ‘feed the parking meter’

  04-09-2017 19:06 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Parking downtown can be frustrating. Spaces are limited for the amount of drivers heading to the area.
  The city of Austin says they are now enforcing a rule that has always been in place and it’s catching some drivers off guard. It has to do with the amount of time you park in a spot.
  Mike Bewley makes regular trips into downtown Austin from his home in Driftwood for work and often finds himself using on street parking. “I paid for the initial three hours a
  
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• Palace announces Prince William, Kate expecting third child

  04-09-2017 16:00 via kxan.com
  LONDON (AP) — Prince William and his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, will soon welcome a third child to the royal nursery.
  Kensington Palace officials announced Monday that the Duchess is pregnant but that the former Kate Middleton was not feeling well enough to attend an engagement later in the day.
  As with her other two pregnancies, the duchess is suffering from hyperemesis gravidarum, or acute morning sickness. She is being cared for at the royal couple’s apartment in London&rsquo
  
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• Harvey’s floodwaters mix a foul brew of sewage, chemicals

  04-09-2017 15:47 via kxan.com
  Harvey’s filthy floodwaters pose significant dangers to human safety and the environment even after water levels drop far enough that Southeast Texas residents no longer fear for their lives, according to experts.
  Houston already was notorious for sewer overflows following rainstorms. Now the system, with 40 wastewater treatment plants across the far-flung metropolis, faces an unprecedented challenge.
  State officials said several dozen sewer overflows had been reported in areas affected by
  
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• Trump’s DACA plan would pass hot potato to Congress

  04-09-2017 15:38 via kxan.com
  WASHINGTON (AP) — A plan President Donald Trump is expected to announce Tuesday for young immigrants brought to the country illegally as children was embraced by some top Republicans on Monday and denounced by others as the beginning of a “civil war” within the party.
  The response was an immediate illustration of the potential battles ahead if Trump follows through with a plan that would hand a political hot potato to Republicans on the Hill who have a long history of dropping
  
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• Trump expected to end program for young immigrants

  04-09-2017 15:38 via kxan.com
  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is expected to announce that he will end protections for young immigrants who were brought into the country illegally as children, but with a six-month delay, people familiar with the plans said.
  The delay in the formal dismantling of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA program, would be intended to give Congress time to decide whether it wants to address the status of the so-called Dreamers legislation, according to two people famil
  
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• Austin and Travis County ask for help managing donations

  04-09-2017 14:16 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The City of Austin and Travis County are asking people looking to help victims of Harvey to stop taking their donations directly to area shelters.
  In a statement, the City of Austin’s emergency operations center said:
  “People interested in supporting hurricane survivors are encouraged to make monetary donations to established, reputable organizations assisting in relief and recovery efforts.”
  The city says that’s because area shelters housing Harvey
  
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• Texas A&M blows 34-point lead in season-opening loss to UCLA

  04-09-2017 06:26 via kxan.com
  LOS ANGELES (AP) — Josh Rosen faked a spike and threw a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Lasley with 43 seconds remaining and UCLA overcame a 34-point deficit to stun Texas A&M 45-44 on Sunday night.
  Rosen was 35 of 59 for 491 yards and four touchdowns, and Jalen Starks and Soso Jamabo had touchdown runs for the Bruins in the opener for both teams. They overcame a deficit of more than 20 points for the first time since the 2005 Sun Bowl against Northwestern.
  Texas A&M quarterback K
  
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• Medical support, shelter services help evacuees in Austin move forward

  04-09-2017 05:53 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — As hundreds of evacuees settle into life at the new shelter at 7000 Metropolis Drive, they’ll need the support of plenty of medical and community resources to endure what could be months of waiting. The shelter, which opened its doors Thursday, is now equipped with a team of medical volunteers offering services for evacuees.
  A city of Austin spokesperson explained Sunday that the shelter was hosting between 250 to 350 evacuees, but that number was in flux because many
  
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• Police seek suspect after man shot in head with shotgun in N. Austin

  04-09-2017 05:06 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – A man in his 20s was shot in the top of the head with a shotgun in North Austin near Pflugerville Sunday night, said the Austin Police Department.
  It happened at about 9:17 p.m. in the 15100 block of Interstate 35 near Wells Branch Parkway.
  Medics transported him to a trauma center with serious, potentially life-threatening injuries, said Austin-Travis County EMS.
  Police said a suspect had left the scene before they arrived. Officers are still investigating, and they are ac
  
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• Police seek suspect after man shot in head in north Austin

  04-09-2017 05:06 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – A man in his 20s was shot in the top of the head with a shotgun in north Austin near Pflugerville Sunday night, said the Austin Police Department.
  It happened at about 9:17 p.m. in the 15100 block of Interstate 35 near Wells Branch Parkway.
  Medics transported him to a trauma center with serious, potentially life-threatening injuries, said Austin-Travis County EMS.
  Police said a suspect had left the scene before they arrived. Officers are still investigating, and they are ac
  
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• State medical team tours field hospitals in Harvey’s flood zone

  04-09-2017 04:47 via kxan.com
  HOUSTON, Texas (KXAN) — Tending to the medical needs of hurricane survivors is an immense undertaking, and the Texas National Guard is playing a crucial role in treating patients.
  On Sunday, some of the state’s top medical personnel flew from Camp Mabry into the flood zone to assess how crews are performing.
  The party included Col. Craig Manifold, Chief Medical Officer for the Texas National Guard and a disaster response expert. Texas Health and Human Services Executive Commissi
  
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• Pflugerville police officers return home after helping in Houston

  04-09-2017 02:55 via kxan.com
  PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — More than a dozen Pflugerville police officers returned home Sunday after helping in Houston.
  They made the trip to provide some relief to Houston police officers who have been working around the clock since Hurricane Harvey hit.
  Cpl. Cody Irby said it provided a chance to give back to a department that has done so much for he and his family over the years. His father was a Houston police officer who was killed in the line of duty.
  “Since then, the Housto
  
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• Tattoo artists donating 100 percent of profits to Harvey victims

  04-09-2017 02:48 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Those pulling the trigger on a new tattoo were able to get inked and contribute to a good cause at the same time.
  The Austin Tattoo Company on North Lamar decided to donate all of its profits Sunday to Hurricane Harvey victims.
  Owner Keith Underwood said they wanted to find an easy way for people to know their money is being spent wisely.
  “I think people in general want to be charitable,” said Underwood. “A lot of times, it’s difficult to know that y
  
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• Short-term gas shortage shows need for bicycle cops in small towns

  04-09-2017 00:10 via kxan.com
  WIMBERLEY, TX (KXAN) – If you’re looking to visit or travel through Wimberley in the near future, you should be on the lookout for more deputies riding bicycles. Along with their current fleet of trucks, the Precinct 3 Hays County Constable is hoping to add certified bicycle cops.
  Wimberley is a town of less than 3,000 people and doesn’t have its own police station. The city primarily depends on constable deputies and the Hays County Sheriff’s Department to respond during
  
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