Austin news

• Bexar Co. official ‘surprised’ by Columbus Crew decision to explore Austin move

  30-10-2017 23:36 via kxan.com
  SAN ANTONIO (WCMH/KXAN) — A letter from the county judge in San Antonio says the University of Texas has agreed to host Columbus Crew SC games if the team relocates to Austin.
  In a letter obtained by WCMH reporter Dan Pearlman, Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff says to Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber that there are reports that Crew SC owner Anthony Precourt and the University of Texas have already reached an agreement for the club to use the school’s facilities in 2019, if
  
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• Hurricane Harvey rescue dogs up for adoption in Cedar Park

  30-10-2017 22:54 via kxan.com
  CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) — Weeks after Hurricane Harvey hit the Houston-area, people are still searching for their lost furry family members.
  Cypress Creek Pet Care in Cedar Park took in 26 dogs from Houston SPCA, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. “Our staff really came together and it’s been quite a labor of love,” said Dr. Susan Hopper, medical director at Cypress Creek Pet Care.The hospital worked with Houston SPCA to reunite two of the dogs th
  
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• Going for the Gold: First to qualify for U.S. Olympic team almost retired

  30-10-2017 22:37 via kxan.com
  A year ago, three-time Olympic biathlete Lowell Bailey was ready to retire to spend more time with his wife and daughter.
  But when an opportunity to continue training and travel with his family came along, he made an easy choice.
  “In a short amount of time I went from being 99% committed to retirement to refocusing on ‘okay now Pyeongchang is 2 years away,’” Bailey said.
  Now the Lake Placid native has become the first person to qualify for the 2018 U.S. Olympic team.
  And
  
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• Don’t pay at the pump: Travis Co. sheriff urging customers to go inside

  30-10-2017 21:53 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Credit card skimming has become such a rampant problem that the Travis County Sheriff’s Office is encouraging everyone to go inside and pay instead of paying at the pump.
  Capt. Craig Smith says the crime has become so prevalent because the suspects can easily get their hands on the skimming devices on the internet.
  The suspects are also using Bluetooth technology to make it even easier for them to access the stolen information quickly. Smith’s message echoes tha
  
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• After east Austin mural ‘whitewashed,’ community gets first look at new design

  30-10-2017 21:33 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Months after an east Austin mural depicting black cultural icons was painted over with white paint by a new property owner, community frustration over the loss of the mural is fueling a new type of artwork there.
  When boutique store Las Cruxes moved into the location on 12th and Chicon streets, a mural depicting the likes of James Brown, Michael Jackson, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Bob Marley and Tupac Shakur was painted over in white paint. The mural had been there since 2013
  
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• San Marcos High student killed in I-35 rollover

  30-10-2017 21:17 via kxan.com
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — A 15-year-old San Marcos High School student was killed Sunday in a rollover crash on Interstate 35 that injured two other teenagers, the city of San Marcos said in a statement.
  The girl, who was in the backseat, was thrown from a 1996 Ford Explorer and pronounced dead about an hour after the 3:43 p.m. crash.
  The student who lost her life in the single-vehicle crash has not been identified by officials. A city spokesperson said she was not wearing a seatbelt.
  Pol
  
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• Suspect wanted in Wells Fargo Bank robbery at Fiesta grocery store

  30-10-2017 20:40 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police need help identifying a man who they say robbed the Wells Fargo Bank located inside the Fiesta Mart near downtown Austin.
  The robbery happened on Friday, Oct. 27 at approximately 7 p.m. at the Fiesta located along Interstate 35 near 38th Street. Police say the suspect gave the bank teller a note demanding money. A weapon was never displayed.
  The suspect, described as a black man between the ages of 25 to 35 and approximately 6 feet tall, ran away from the scen
  
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• Water valve break in northwest Austin closes lanes

  30-10-2017 19:28 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A water valve break in northwest Austin forced numerous lane closures for much of the day as crews work to repair the issue.
  The 2-inch valve broke Monday morning before 6:42 a.m. near Ranch to Market Road 2222 and Balcones Drive. Austin Water says it has a crew on scene working on repairs. According to the City of Austin, two westbound lanes, one northbound lane and one eastbound lane were shut down Monday morning.Urgent Water line repairs at Northland@Balcones has shut do
  
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• ‘America is a white nation’ banner draped at Texas State’s Alkek Library

  30-10-2017 19:02 via kxan.com
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — A banner that read “America is a white nation” was draped over the Alkek Library at Texas State University Monday morning.
  University officials say the banner was discovered around 7 a.m. and immediately removed. The banner also had a website http://www.bloodandsoil.org listed but the site does not load when you try to access it.
  On Oct. 20, the school also discovered fliers promoting white supremacy posted at various buildings throughout campus.
  
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• One dead after Halloween party shooting, suspect dressed as Santa identified

  30-10-2017 18:36 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Sunday Halloween party that ended with a shooting left one man dead and three others injured, according to the Austin Police Department. A person calling 911 said the suspect was dressed as Santa Claus.
  Randall Gaston Jones, 32, has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of aggravated assault on date/family/household member with a weapon. Travis County Jail records show he was booked a few hours after the shooting occurr
  
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• Halloween shooting victim considered a ‘hero’

  30-10-2017 18:36 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Sunday Halloween party that ended with a shooting left one man dead and three others injured. A person calling 911 said the suspect was dressed as Santa Claus.
  “Advise the police — this is a [Halloween] costume party — the one with the pistol is dressed like Santa Claus,” the caller told the 911 dispatcher according to the arrest affidavit. “This guy is out of control.”
  Randall Gaston Jones, 32, has been charged with two counts of aggra
  
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• Woman’s body found inside car’s trunk after police chase

  30-10-2017 18:20 via kxan.com
  KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Authorities in North Texas made a startling discovery when they opened the trunk of a vehicle after they say the driver led them on a chase Sunday morning.
  The Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office says they were notified of a road rage incident near the city of Forney, which is just east of Dallas, and noticed the suspect’s vehicle. KXAS reports the initial road rage call indicated a man in a car pulled up next to another car and “pulled a gun an
  
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• Top Halloween candy choices by state

  30-10-2017 17:53 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Everyone has their favorite when it comes to Halloween candy — but as a survey shows, the treats that come out on top depend on where you live.
  Influenster, which cultivates product reviews, surveyed more than 23,000 people in 2017 and asked them what their favorite candy was out of a list of 52. This year, they tried to reflect how many more people of one state chose a specific candy compared to those in other states. The company created an infographic with the resul
  
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• Manafort indicted; ex-Trump aide pleads in Russia probe

  30-10-2017 16:07 via kxan.com
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election revealed its first targets Monday, with a former campaign adviser to President Donald Trump admitting he lied to the FBI about his contacts with Russians. Separately, Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, and a former Manafort business associate were indicted on felony charges of conspiracy against the United States and other counts.
  The guilty plea by form
  
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• First guilty plea, indictment of Trump aides in Russia probe

  30-10-2017 16:07 via kxan.com
  WASHINGTON (AP) — A former campaign adviser to President Donald Trump has pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russians, special counsel Robert Mueller said Monday, while former campaign manager Paul Manafort and Manafort’s business partner pleaded not guilty to felony charges of conspiracy against the United States and other counts.
  The guilty plea by former adviser George Papadopoulos marked the first criminal case that cites interactions between Trump campaig
  
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• Boy jumps from overpass onto car, kills driver

  30-10-2017 15:39 via kxan.com
  FAIRFAX, Va. (AP) — Police say a 12-year-old boy jumped from an overpass above Interstate 66 in northern Virginia and fell onto a car, killing the driver.
  The incident took place Saturday afternoon in Fairfax County. Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller said in a statement Sunday afternoon that the boy landed on a Ford Escape and the impact incapacitated the vehicle’s driver.
  The statement says the front-seat passenger steered the vehicle off the inte
  
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• Demi Lovato dresses like Selena for Halloween

  30-10-2017 15:30 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Singer Demi Lovato channeled the lateTejano Queen Selena Quintanilla in a Halloween outfit this year.
  Lovato wore an iconic maroon jump suit, and shared photos and videos on Snapchat with her fans. Many of them posted on Twitter about how much they loved her costume.Demi Lovato dressed as the ONE AND ONLY Selena and I’m living for itpic.twitter.com/LoaHsPAus4
  — Nancy Q. (@simplynancyyy_) October 30, 2017
  “I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again
  
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• Utilities warn that power could be out for days in Northeast

  30-10-2017 15:21 via kxan.com
  HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A severe storm packing hurricane-force wind gusts and soaking rain swept through the Northeast early Monday, knocking out power for nearly 1.5 million homes and businesses and forcing hundreds of schools to close in New England.
  Falling trees knocked down power lines across the region, and some utility companies warned customers that power could be out for days. Trees also fell onto homes and vehicles, but no serious injuries were reported.
  New England got the brunt
  
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• Strong rainstorm rips Northeast, leaves 1.5M without power

  30-10-2017 15:21 via kxan.com
  HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — A severe storm packing hurricane-force wind gusts and soaking rain swept through the Northeast early Monday, knocking out power for nearly 1.5 million homes and businesses and forcing hundreds schools to close in New England.
  Falling trees knocked down power lines across the region, and some utility companies warned customers that power could be out for a few days. Trees also fell onto some homes and vehicles, but no serious injuries were reported.
  New England got th
  
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• Dozens arrested in crime initiative focused on Wells Branch area

  30-10-2017 15:14 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) –The Travis County Sheriff’s Office says over the last few weeks, it has focused on the unincorporated areas of Wells Branch to cut back on various crimes.
  The department says the initiative focused on credit card skimmers, illicit businesses and prostitution. In a press release, the department says “significant progress has been made.”
  Captain Craig Smith says the initiative started on Oct. 8 and runs through Nov. 17. In the past three weeks, authorities ha
  
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• MLB releases excused from work note after Astros win

  30-10-2017 14:19 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Nail-biter doesn’t even cover it. The Houston Astros pulled out a win after more than 5 hours on the field, allowing their fans to breathe a shaky sigh of relief. And with the game finishing after midnight here, Major League Baseball posted a written excuse on Twitter, jokingly giving fans an official reason for missing school or work. 
  “Please excuse ____ from work/school/general activities on Monday, Oct. 30, 2017, as he/she/they are emotionally recoverin
  
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• Former Trump campaign chairman surrenders to FBI

  30-10-2017 13:25 via kxan.com
  WASHINGTON, D.C. (KXAN/NBC/CNN) —  A federal grand jury in Washington has approved the first criminal charges in the special counsel’s investigation into alleged Russian election interference, two sources told NBC News. It marks a significant milestone in an inquiry that has roiled Donald Trump’s presidency.
  Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort turned himself in Monday to Justice Department Special Counsel Robert Mueller, according to CNN. Mueller was appointed in
  
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• Less lethal means to control coyotes being considered in Travis County

  30-10-2017 13:06 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Travis County commissioners are weighing their options for how to control the coyote population outside city limits.
  For the last 12 years the county has contracted with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Wildlife Services division, which uses traps and poison to keep the animals away from people and pets. Animal activists want commissioners to drop that agency and instead contract with the City of Austin, which prefers to use less lethal means to keep coyotes at ba
  
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• Spacey apologizes after actor alleges past sexual advance

  30-10-2017 12:31 via kxan.com
  LOS ANGELES (AP) — Actor Kevin Spacey said Sunday he is “beyond horrified” by allegations that he made a sexual advance on a teen boy decades ago.
  The two-time Oscar winner posted on Twitter that he doesn’t remember the encounter. “But if I did behave then as he describes, I owe him the sincerest apology for what would have been deeply inappropriate drunken behavior, and I am sorry for the feelings he describes having carried with him all these years,” he said
  
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• S. Mopac Express Lane open for first morning rush hour commute

  30-10-2017 11:37 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The southbound MoPac express toll lane is open for the first morning rush hour commute Monday. Four years after construction started, and two years after it was supposed to be complete, the toll lane that runs from Parmer to Cesar Chavez could bring some much needed traffic relief.
  The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority officially opened the lane Saturday just like they did with the northbound side two weeks ago. It was an effort to give drivers a chance to chec
  
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• Morning rush hour tests new southbound MoPac Express Lane

  30-10-2017 11:37 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The southbound MoPac express toll lane is open for the first morning rush hour commute Monday. Four years after construction started, and two years after it was supposed to be complete, the toll lane that runs from Parmer to Cesar Chavez could bring some much needed traffic relief.
  The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority officially opened the lane Saturday just like they did with the northbound side two weeks ago. It was an effort to give drivers a chance to chec
  
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• Astros blast by Dodgers 13-12 in 10th, lead World Series 3-2

  30-10-2017 07:57 via kxan.com
  HOUSTON (AP) — Blast off!
  Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and the Houston Astros kept hammering away in a wild slugfest that no one saw coming, rallying against Clayton Kershaw and rocking the Los Angeles Dodgers 13-12 in 10 thrilling innings Sunday night for a 3-2 lead in the World Series.
  In a tension-filled game of monster momentum swings at pulsating Minute Maid Park, the last one belonged to Alex Bregman. With the packed crowd still standing well past midnight, Bregman hit an RBI single wi
  
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• The Latest: Former President George W. Bush throws 1st pitch

  30-10-2017 06:45 via kxan.com
  HOUSTON (AP) — The Latest on Game 5 of the World Series between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros (all times local):
  7:10 p.m.
  Former President George W. Bush has thrown out the ceremonial first pitch before Game 5 with father and former President George H.W. Bush on the field cheering him on.
  The younger Bush was a former controlling owner of the Texas Rangers, but donned an Astros jacket and received a nice round of applause when he stepped on the mound. He then made a nice, fir
  
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• Great Hills shopping area could be rezoned for residential

  30-10-2017 04:47 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — When word got out about a proposal to rezone a property where a popular northwest Austin restaurant and movie theater are housed, the community filled social media and Council Member Alison Alter’s inbox with their concerns.
  Alter, who represents District 10 explained Sunday that she’d first heard about the proposal by Great Hills Retail Inc. to rezone a portion of the shopping center several weeks ago. The property is in her district near US 183 and Jollyville
  
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• Community invited to weigh in on potential rezoning near Manuel’s, Arbor Cinema

  30-10-2017 04:47 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — When word got out about a proposal to rezone a property where a popular northwest Austin restaurant and movie theater are housed, the community filled social media and Council Member Alison Alter’s inbox with their concerns.
  Alter, who represents District 10 explained Sunday that she’d first heard about the proposal by Great Hills Retail Inc. to rezone a portion of the shopping center several weeks ago. The property is in her district near US 183 and Jollyville
  
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• Lawmakers want to halt proposed trash transfer station location

  30-10-2017 04:42 via kxan.com
  BASTROP COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) —  Two state lawmakers are trying to halt a proposed solid waste facility from moving near some neighborhoods and a future school. Lealco is in the process of getting a permit to build the waste transfer station on SH 21 near FM 812 in Cedar Creek.
  County leaders have been told up to 2,500 tons of trash will be reorganized there every day and then put on larger trucks before heading to the landfill. They’ve also been told that about 300 garbage truck
  
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• Lawmakers hope to keep trash transfer station out of proposed Bastrop County location

  30-10-2017 04:42 via kxan.com
  BASTROP COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) —  Two state lawmakers are trying to halt a proposed solid waste facility from moving near some neighborhoods and a future school.  Lealco is in the process of getting a permit to build the waste transfer station on SH 21 near FM 812 in Cedar Creek.
  County leaders have been told up to 2,500 tons of trash will be reorganized there everyday and then put on larger trucks before heading to the landfill. They’ve also been told that about 300 garbage
  
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• Motorcyclist dies at hospital after east Austin crash

  30-10-2017 03:13 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – A man died after his motorcycle and another vehicle crashed into each other in east Austin Sunday evening, said the Austin Police Department.
  It happened just after 7 p.m. at the intersection of Comal and East Seventh streets.
  Medics transported the motorcycle driver to Dell Seton Medical Center with critical, life-threatening injuries, Austin-Travis County EMS said. Police said he later succumbed to those injuries and died at the hospital.
  Austin Police are continuing to i
  
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• Motorcycle driver dies at hospital after east Austin crash

  30-10-2017 03:13 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – A man died after his motorcycle and another vehicle crashed into each other in east Austin Sunday evening, said the Austin Police Department.
  It happened just after 7 p.m. at the intersection of Comal and East Seventh streets, said Austin-Travis County EMS.
  Medics transported the motorcycle driver to Dell Seton Medical Center with critical, life-threatening injuries, ATC EMS said. Police said he later succumbed to those injuries and died at the hospital.
  Austin Police are c
  
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• One killed in San Marcos I-35 crash

  30-10-2017 02:58 via kxan.com
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) – One person died and two people were transported to the hospital in a crash that snarled traffic on Interstate 35 in San Marcos for more than three hours Sunday evening, said the San Marcos Police Department.
  San Marcos Police Chief Chase Stapp sent a tweet about the crash just after 5:30 p.m. advising drivers that Interstate 35 was heavily congested and to consider alternate routes.IH-35 in San Marcos is currently a mess due to a serious crash investigation. Cons
  
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• Fatal crash causes major backups on Interstate 35 in San Marcos

  30-10-2017 02:58 via kxan.com
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) – One person died and two people were transported to the hospital in a crash that snarled traffic on Interstate 35 in San Marcos for more than three hours Sunday evening, said the San Marcos Police Department.
  San Marcos Police Chief Chase Stapp sent a tweet about the crash just after 5:30 p.m. advising drivers that Interstate 35 was heavily congested and to consider alternate routes.IH-35 in San Marcos is currently a mess due to a serious crash investigation. Cons
  
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• Fatal crash causes major backups on I-35 in San Marcos

  30-10-2017 02:58 via kxan.com
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) – One person died and two people were transported to the hospital in a crash that snarled traffic on Interstate 35 in San Marcos for more than three hours Sunday evening, said the San Marcos Police Department.
  San Marcos Police Chief Chase Stapp sent a tweet about the crash just after 5:30 p.m. advising drivers that Interstate 35 was heavily congested and to consider alternate routes.IH-35 in San Marcos is currently a mess due to a serious crash investigation. Cons
  
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• Elliott leads Cowboys past Redskins

  30-10-2017 00:36 via kxan.com
  LANDOVER, Md. (AP) — After letting the ball slip out of his hands on his first carry, Ekeziel Elliott was determined not to let his Dallas Cowboys teammates down again.
  Elliott bounced back from his fumble to run for 150 yards and two touchdowns as the Cowboys took advantage of a blocked field goal and three turnovers to beat the Washington Redskins 33-19 in a wet, sloppy game Sunday to move into sole possession of second place in the NFC East.
  “We always talk about when you got that
  
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