Austin news

• AIDS Walk Austin marks 30 years of raising awareness

  29-10-2017 23:57 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – Republic Square filled with hundreds of people Sunday afternoon for the 30th annual AIDS Walk Austin.
  Money raised by the event goes to 10 Central Texas-area clinics that focus on HIV-related care and prevention for Central Texans.
  A big goal of the annual walk is to raise awareness about the resources for those living with HIV and AIDS.
  “You don’t have to go through any kind of isolation or fear after becoming positive,” said Taylor Stockett, communicatio
  
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• Hundreds walk in Round Rock to help end multiple sclerosis

  29-10-2017 23:37 via kxan.com
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) – More than 600 people laced up their tennis shoes to help end multiple sclerosis Sunday morning during the Walk MS Austin 2017 at the Dell Diamond in Round Rock.
  Every dollar raised from the event will go toward helping to find a cure for the disease.
  “We’re going to end MS within our lifetime,” said Leila Elfar, manager of the walk. “And it’s bringing that awareness and showing people that together we’re so much stronger when w
  
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• Man shot through wall of Dripping Springs hotel room

  29-10-2017 21:40 via kxan.com
  DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) — A 54-year-old man is in custody after firing a gun at the Outpost Hotel in Dripping Springs on Sunday morning, said the Hays County Sheriff’s Office.
  After the suspect, identified as William Frame, fired a gun, the bullet traveled through his hotel wall and struck a man staying in an adjacent room, HCSO said.
  A hotel employee called 911 at 8:58 a.m., and when deputies arrived, they found the 35-year-old victim suffering from a non-penetrating gunshot
  
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• City to clean graffiti from Pfluger Bridge this week

  29-10-2017 21:26 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Pfluger Pedestrian Bridge over Lady Bird Lake just east of the Lamar Boulevard Bridge is getting a little TLC.
  Crews from the Austin Transportation Department and the Public Works Department will work to scrub graffiti off of the bridge starting at 11 p.m. Sunday night.
  The work is expected to last five nights and will include road closures and detours in the area from midnight to 6 a.m. daily.
  The estimated cost for traffic control is $5,780, according to a City of Aus
  
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• Body of Dallas-area girl, 3, released; death cause pending

  29-10-2017 20:45 via kxan.com
  DALLAS (AP) — The Dallas County Medical Examiner has released the body of 3-year-old Sherin Mathews, who was missing for two weeks until she was found dead inside a culvert, but isn’t disclosing who’s been given custody of her remains.
  Authorities have said the cause of her death is pending.
  The child’s body was found a week ago not far from her parents’ home in suburban Dallas. Her father, Wesley Mathews, reported her missing and is jailed on a charge of injury to
  
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• Puerto Rico utility moves to scrap $300M Whitefish contract

  29-10-2017 20:40 via kxan.com
  SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The head of Puerto Rico’s power company said Sunday the agency is cancelling its $300 million contract with Whitefish Energy Holdings amid scrutiny of the tiny Montana company’s role in restoring the island’s power system.
  The announcement by Ricardo Ramos came hours after Gov. Ricardo Rossello urged the utility to scrap the deal for Whitefish’s help in rebuilding the electrical system from the damage inflicted by Hurricane Maria.
  &ldquo
  
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• Puerto Rico says it’s scrapping $300M Whitefish contract

  29-10-2017 20:40 via kxan.com
  SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The head of Puerto Rico’s power company said Sunday the agency will cancel its $300 million contract with Whitefish Energy Holdings amid increased scrutiny of the tiny Montana company’s role in restoring the island’s power system following Hurricane Maria.
  The announcement by Ricardo Ramos came hours after Gov. Ricardo Rossello urged the utility to scrap the deal for Whitefish’s help in rebuilding the electrical system.
  “It’s
  
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• Puerto Rico gov seeks to cancel $300M Whitefish contract

  29-10-2017 20:40 via kxan.com
  SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Puerto Rico’s governor on Sunday demanded that the board of the island’s power company cancel the $300M contract with Whitefish Energy Holdings amid increased scrutiny of the Montana company’s role in Hurricane Maria recovery efforts.
  The announcement by Gov. Ricardo Rossello comes as federal legislators seek to investigate the contract awarded to the small company from Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke’s hometown.
  “There cannot be any
  
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• New Austin Central Library defaced by graffiti

  29-10-2017 19:32 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Just hours after its grand opening, officials with the Austin Police Department and Austin Public Library are trying to find who sprayed foul language overnight Sunday on two sides of the city’s brand new central library.
  According to Austin Public Library officials, security found the obscenity sprayed multiple times across seven windows on the north and east side of the complex. Library staff cleaned the majority of the graffiti in time for the library’s noon
  
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• Trump comes ahead with fresh criticism of Russia inquiry

  29-10-2017 18:08 via kxan.com
  WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is unleashing new criticism of the investigations into possible ties between his campaign associates and Russia.
  Trump — in a series of tweets — is making reference to what he calls “phony Trump/Russia ‘collusion,’ which doesn’t exist.” He says Democrats are using — in his words — a “witch hunt” for “evil politics” and adds that Republicans are “fighting back like ne
  
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• Bellinger, Dodgers top Astros 6-2 to tie World Series 2-all

  29-10-2017 18:07 via kxan.com
  HOUSTON (AP) — Cody Bellinger pulled into second base with his first World Series hit and said: “It’s a miracle!”
  With the Dodgers three innings from falling into a deep deficit, the rookie slugger sparked a late comeback that stopped the Houston Astros’ surge.
  Hitless in 13 at-bats, Bellinger doubled and scored the tying run in the seventh inning , then doubled home the go-ahead run off struggling closer Ken Giles in a five-run ninth that lifted Los Angeles to a 6-
  
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• Person injured in north Austin apartment fire

  29-10-2017 16:43 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin fire crews say one person was taken to the hospital with minor injuries after their apartment unit burned Sunday morning. The fire broke out at the Cross Creek Apartments at 1124 Rutland Dr. at 6:06 a.m.
  According to AFD, the fire was knocked down by 6:18 a.m. and was put under control by 6:34 a.m. The fire did not spread to any other units in the complex. Most of those units are vacant.
  AFD says the person living in the burned unit was transported after being t
  
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• Low turnout for Travis County early voting in November election thus far

  29-10-2017 15:38 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The first week of early voting for the November election season is rounding out.
  According to numbers from the Travis County Clerk’s Office, 15,534 people participated in the early voting process. That is only 2.14 percent of the total registered voters in the county.
  The most recent data shows most voters (13,256) visited one of the 23 early voting locations to cast their ballot. More than 2,000 people also voted at a mobile voting location
  Early voting runs through
  
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• State of Texas: TxTag troubles and the search for solutions

  29-10-2017 14:30 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — This year, more than 2.2 million Texas toll accounts had a bill sent to a collections agency. That agency added nearly $1 billion in fees to drivers’ accounts, according to information obtained by KXAN through an open records request.
  Many drivers have complained after not being able to get answers about billing problems that led to those fees. Some customers have faced thousands of dollars in penalties for things like late fees charged because the company sent bills
  
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• Three people shot at central Austin party

  29-10-2017 13:15 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police say a suspect is in custody after three people were shot at a party Sunday morning in central Austin.
  It happened around 6:15 a.m. in the 5500 block of Avenue F, near East Koenig Lane.
  According to Austin-Travis County EMS, three people were taken to Dell Seton Medical Center with gunshot wounds. The first patient, a man in his 20s, has critical potentially life-threatening injuries. The second patient, a woman in her 30s, has serious injuries that are not exp
  
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• Suspect dressed as Santa Claus allegedly shot four people at Halloween party

  29-10-2017 13:15 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police say a suspect dressed up as Santa Claus is in custody after he allegedly shot four people at a Halloween party Sunday morning in central Austin.
  Police say the shooting happened around 6:12 a.m. in the 5500 block of Avenue F, near East Koenig Lane. The 911 caller stated the suspect was dressed up as Santa Claus.
  While en route to the home, officers received information that the suspect was at a home less than a block away on the same street.
  “When office
  
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• Person dressed as Santa Claus arrested in Halloween party shooting

  29-10-2017 13:15 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police say a suspect dressed up as Santa Claus is in custody after he allegedly shot four people at a Halloween party Sunday morning in central Austin.
  Police say the shooting happened around 6:12 a.m. in the 5500 block of Avenue F, near East Koenig Lane. The 911 caller stated the suspect was dressed up as Santa Claus.
  While en route to the home, officers received information that the suspect was at a home less than a block away on the same street. “When office
  
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• Halloween party in central Austin ends with 4 people shot

  29-10-2017 13:15 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police say a suspect dressed up as “Santa Claus” is in custody after he allegedly shot four people at a Halloween party Sunday morning in central Austin.
  Police say the shooting happened around 6:12 a.m. in the 5500 block of Avenue F, near East Koenig Lane. The 911 caller stated the suspect was dressed up as Santa Claus.
  While en route to the home, officers received information that the suspect was at a home less than a block away on the same street. &ldq
  
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• Firefighters put out mobile home fire in south Travis County

  29-10-2017 04:53 via kxan.com
  TRAVIS COUNTY (KXAN) – Firefighters put out a fire at a mobile home in south Travis County Saturday night, said the Austin Fire Department.
  The call came in at about 10:02 p.m. for the fire in the 11000 block of Old Lockhart Road south of Slaughter Lane and north of FM 1327.
  By10:25 p.m., AFD said the fire had been knocked down and was under control. No one was injured.
  Travis County ESD 11 responded to the fire and the Austin Fire Department assisted.
  AFD said the cause of the fire is und
  
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• Girls encouraged to ‘Invent It. Build It.’

  29-10-2017 04:45 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Society of Women Engineers hosted “Invent It. Build It.” at the Austin Convention Center on Saturday to help introduce girls in middle and high school to STEM fields.
  Those who attended got a chance to see what it really looks like to become an engineer.
  “It’s really important for girls to come to events like this, so they can meet women who look like them, so they can see that, ‘hey, I, too, can become an engineer someday,’” sa
  
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• FEMA holds job fair to fill Harvey relief roles

  29-10-2017 04:44 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, is helping hurricane victims get back on their feet, and you might be able to lend a hand, too.
  The agency held a job fair Saturday in northeast Austin. More than 300 temporary positions are up for grabs, paying between $14 to $37 an hour.
  “What we like to do is get the local community involved in our operations,” said Scott Thomas, FEMA deputy federal courting officer for hurricane relief. “A lot of us tha
  
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• Austin Animal Center hosts ‘Shelter Things’ adoption special

  29-10-2017 04:44 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Animal Center is hoping to capitalize on the “Stranger Things” craze as the show’s second season hits Netflix.
  The animal shelter is hosting “Shelter Things,” and until Halloween, people can adopt a forever friend for just $11.
  As a bonus, if you show up dressed as your favorite character from “Stranger Things,” then you’ll even get a free starter package.
  Potential adopters are encouraged to come to Austin Animal C
  
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• National Safe Haven group meets in Austin, days after baby left in dumpster

  29-10-2017 04:32 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The name of the mother who left a newborn baby in a dumpster earlier this week still has not been released, but police say she is in custody.
  At last check, the baby was in fair condition and in the custody of Child Protective Services.
  On Saturday, more than 25 leaders from across the country met in Austin to talk about ways to raise awareness of Safe Haven or Baby Moses laws at the first National Safe Haven Conference.
  This conference had been planned for months. But as c
  
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• Austin Public Library says more security needed

  29-10-2017 04:28 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — At public libraries, everyone is welcome. But some critics question after the $125 million investment, if the resources to handle challenges that can come with the homeless population are there. Many frequented Faulk Central Library.
  KXAN learned more about the recent training librarians have gone through and efforts to increase overall security at all 20 branches.
  “When I moved here in 1966 this was such a quiet little town. It’s not anymore. You know, I h
  
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• Powerlifters compete in advance of state Special Olympics contest

  29-10-2017 02:10 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The competition was fierce Saturday at the Special Olympics regional powerlifting competition.
  Nearly 40 local powerlifters — plus some teams of siblings — have been training for the last eight weeks.
  They range in age from 16 to 49, and got to show off their strength in the bench press, deadlift and combo lift.
  Win or lose these men and women were just happy to be there, hanging out with friends … and even offering some tips for those of you who may want
  
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• Fire engulfs building in Florence

  29-10-2017 01:12 via kxan.com
  FLORENCE, Texas (KXAN) – A fire completely engulfed a structure in Florence Saturday afternoon.
  The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office said the fire completely shut down FM 970 just west of Old Highway 195 just after 5:30 p.m.
  A caller sent photos and told KXAN that the fire was at an old cotton gin that had been converted into residential housing units. The caller also said that everyone was out of the building and unhurt.
  KXAN has reached out to the Florence Volunteer Fire Departme
  
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• Fire engulfs antique shop in Florence, injures 1 firefighter

  29-10-2017 01:12 via kxan.com
  FLORENCE, Texas (KXAN) – A fire completely engulfed an antique shop in Florence and sent one firefighter to the hospital with minor injuries Saturday afternoon, said a spokesperson for Williamson County.
  The call came in at about 5:02 p.m. for the building located at 51 FM 970. The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office said the fire completely shut down FM 970 just west of Old Highway 195 just after 5:30 p.m.
  The firefighter’s injuries were not considered serious and possibly may
  
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• New Austin Central Library celebrates grand opening

  29-10-2017 00:35 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – On Saturday morning, hundreds lined the streets to be among the first to get a look inside the new Austin Central Library.
  It officially opened its doors the public more than 10 years after voters gave the go ahead.
  The library, located at 710 W. César Chávez Street, is something those behind it say is a labor of love.
  “This is a library that went and studied libraries across the world, to come up with a template for it,” said John Gillum, fac
  
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