Austin news

• Academy sued for selling gun to Sutherland Springs church shooter

  15-12-2017 23:43 via kxan.com
  SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The family of three people killed in a Texas church shooting has filed a lawsuit seeking $25 million in damages against a sporting goods chain that sold two firearms to the shooter.
  The lawsuit claims Katy, Texas-based Academy Sports & Outdoors was negligent in selling to Devin Patrick Kelley an AR-556 rifle used in the deadly Nov. 5 shooting.
  The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in San Antonio by the family of Joann Ward, who along with her two daughters were among the 2
  
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• Hundreds of gifts delivered in Round Rock for Operation Blue Santa

  15-12-2017 23:32 via kxan.com
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — A year’s worth of work for Operation Blue Santa came together Friday morning in Round Rock.
  “They’re volunteers from the city, city workers, parks and recreation, city directors,” explains Round Rock Police Chief Allen Banks. “We have a lot of people that are out just trying to give someone a great Christmas.”
  Dozens of volunteers formed a sort of toy assembly line to deliver hundreds of gifts, but fewer people are taking advan
  
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• UT Chancellor Bill McRaven will step down in May

  15-12-2017 22:53 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Bill McRaven will step down from his position as University of Texas system chancellor in May 2018, citing chronic health issues over the past few years that have led him to rethink his future.
  “There’s going to be a lot of speculation as to why I’m stepping down, but the fact is, this is a very personal decision for me,” 62-year-old McRaven said Friday, as seen in video posted online by the University of Texas.
  “…over the past several m
  
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• Texas gym owner indicted in May blaze, firefighter death

  15-12-2017 22:35 via kxan.com
  SAN ANTONIO (AP) — A grand jury has indicted a gym owner accused of torching his San Antonio business in a blaze that left one firefighter dead and two injured.
  The Bexar County District Attorney’s Office on Friday announced the indictment of 39-year-old Emond Johnson. Investigators believe Johnson had debts related to the gym, located in a strip mall, and set the May 18 fire.
  Some areas burned and collapsed. Firefighter Scott Deem was killed. Two others were hurt.
  Emond Johnson (Pho
  
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• FBI investigating sexual assault claims at T. Don Hutto detention center

  15-12-2017 22:28 via kxan.com
  TAYLOR, Texas (KXAN) — The FBI is now investigating allegations of the sexual assault of a detainee at the T. Don Hutto detention facility in Taylor.
  The bureau confirmed its investigation in a statement to KXAN saying,
  “The San Antonio FBI Field Office, Austin Resident Agency Office and the Civil Rights Division have opened a civil rights investigation into the alleged sexual assault of a detainee by a correctional officer at T. Don Hutto Detention Center The FBI will coll
  
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• Feds assure Texas $135M in CHIP funding

  15-12-2017 22:11 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The state of Texas will not be shutting down its Children’s Health Insurance Program, or CHIP, this month after learning the state will receive supplemental funding to keep the program running.
  Nearly 450,000 children receive health insurance through CHIP in Texas. The federal legislation that provides states’ funding for the program, which helps children whose parents make too much money to qualify for Medicaid, expired on Sept. 30.
  Texas officials had enough m
  
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• Mass. high school replacing term ‘freshmen’ with ‘first year student’

  15-12-2017 21:43 via kxan.com
  EASTHAMPTON, MA (WWLP) – It’s all about the pronouns. Easthampton High School students are being asked to no longer use the word “freshmen.”
  The school is asking students to use the term “first year students,” instead.
  Easthampton High School freshmen are now being referred to as “first year students” as the school aims to be more gender inclusive.
  “Changing the way we use pronouns has been a challenge for me,” said Eileen Corbeil of Ea
  
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• ACC professor completes 100th consecutive semester

  15-12-2017 20:42 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Warren Heatwole, a professor in Construction Management at Austin Community College, is wrapping up giving his students finals. This will be the 100th consecutive semester he’s done so at ACC.
  “I don’t teach to a void, I’m not teaching oak trees, I’m teaching people, the people change all the time,” Heatwole said of his work.
  The milestone 100 semesters amounts to 33 years — plus one semester. Over that time, he’s taught stude
  
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• Hurricane Harvey-displaced mom of 5 now expecting quadruplets

  15-12-2017 20:24 via kxan.com
  BAYTOWN, Texas (KJAC) — A Southeast Texas mother of five is expecting four more babies — quadruplets. Ruth Mochire,43, discovered she was pregnant after coming back from a month-long family vacation in Kenya.
  “When I came back you have to do a medical checkup before you go back to work in the refinery, so when they did my blood test, my foreman comes and tells me like ‘Ruth you can’t go back, it shows that you are pregnant,” Ruth told NBC affiliate KJAC.
  
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• Dog subject of court battle, faked death returned to owner

  15-12-2017 19:53 via kxan.com
  PERRYVILLE, Mo. (AP) — A dog who was the subject of a two-year court battle and a faked death is back with his adopted family in Missouri.
  KSDK-TV reports that Jamie Patterson and her seven kids adopted Mack the boxer-mastiff mix from Rough Road Rescue in Perryville in 2015.
  It turned out that Mack was quite the escape artist. The last time he wandered off, Rough Road Rescue director Steve Svehla found him and decided to keep him, accusing Patterson of neglect.
  A two-year court battle ensu
  
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• Dog subject of court battle, faked death

  15-12-2017 19:53 via kxan.com
  PERRYVILLE, Mo. (AP) — A dog who was the subject of a two-year court battle and a faked death is back with his adopted family in Missouri. KSDK-TV reports that Jamie Patterson and her seven kids adopted Mack the boxer-mastiff mix from Rough Road Rescue in Perryville in 2015.
  It turned out that Mack was quite the escape artist. The last time he wandered off, Rough Road Rescue director Steve Svehla found him and decided to keep him, accusing Patterson of neglect.
  A two-year court battle ensu
  
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• Two law-abiding Elf on the Shelf join Williamson County Sheriff’s Office

  15-12-2017 18:50 via kxan.com
  WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The Williamson County Sheriff’s Office has some new deputies in town, and their names are Wilco Willie and Wilco Wendi.
  Sheriff Robert Chody has been documenting the adventures of the two elves who left their shelves to assist law enforcement in catching Christmas grinches — literally. They began traveling to join the force Dec. 5, and instead of causing mischief like their traditional counterparts, they got right to work enforcing the law.
  Wil
  
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• Waco-area man gets 52 years for beheading wife

  15-12-2017 17:54 via kxan.com
  WACO, Texas (KXAN) — A Waco-area man has been sentenced to 52 years in prison for beheading his wife.
  Davie Dauzat took a plea deal in a bizarre murder case that took place in Bellmead, Texas, a northern suburb of Waco, in 2016.
  Bellmead Police said they got a call from Davie’s brother saying he was concerned for his health. Officers responded to the home and spoke with Davie and his wife. Both appeared to be in good mental health and the officers left.
  Then, hours later, Davie&rsquo
  
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• Armadillo Christmas Bazaar opens for last-minute local shopping

  15-12-2017 17:47 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Shoppers searching for unique gifts for the holidays can do so while listening to music at an annual, 11-day event in Austin.
  The Armadillo Christmas Bazaar began Thursday, Dec. 14, and goes up until Christmas Eve. Each year, about 40,000 shoppers stop by to check out (and buy) art and handmade gifts from more than 160 artists. At least three bands play each day as people peruse the offerings and make purchases.
  The bazaar is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. each day at the Pal
  
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• No injuries after flames engulf vehicle in La Grange

  15-12-2017 17:19 via kxan.com
  LA GRANGE, Texas (KXAN) — No one was injured when a man’s car burst into flames on the side of State Highway 77 in La Grange Thursday.
  The driver told Fayette County Sheriff’s Office deputies that his tire blew out while driving south on SH 77 around 3:36 p.m., so he pulled over just after Farm to Market Road 2436. As he was calling for help, he saw flames coming from beneath his vehicle.
  By the time officials arrived, the fire had fully engulfed the car. The La Grange Fire Dep
  
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• Prince Harry, Meghan Markle to marry May 19 on FA Cup day

  15-12-2017 16:14 via kxan.com
  LONDON (AP) — Prince Harry and Meghan Markle will marry on May 19 in St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, Kensington Palace announced Friday.
  The couple have chosen a springtime Saturday for their wedding and a venue that holds a central place in the history of the royal family.
  Windsor Castle, west of London, is one of Queen Elizabeth II’s main residences. The 15th-century chapel is as historic but more intimate than Westminster Abbey, where Harry’s older brother Willi
  
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• AOL officially discontinues Instant Messenger

  15-12-2017 15:50 via kxan.com
  NEW YORK CITY (KXAN) — Some may wish to pause for a moment of silence today for a sound they’ll never hear again: the creak of a door closing on AOL Instant Messenger.
  Back in October, the company announced it would discontinue the service the morning of Dec. 15. It was released in 1997 and was the first chat app of its kind. It peaked in 2001 with more than 36 million people creating screen names, buddy lists and away messages.
  AOL said users who still have an @aim.com email address
  
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• White House to push merit-based immigration in new campaign

  15-12-2017 15:37 via kxan.com
  WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House is embarking on a major campaign to turn public opinion against the nation’s largely family-based immigration system ahead of an all-out push next year to move toward a more merit-based structure.
  The administration was laying the groundwork for such a drive even before an Islamic State-inspired extremist who was born in Bangladesh tried to blow himself up in Midtown Manhattan on Monday. It is assembling data to bolster the argument that the current
  
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• Officers shoot deadly stabbing suspect in central Austin

  15-12-2017 14:30 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Officers shot a suspect Friday morning when responding to a report of a fatal stabbing in Central Austin, according to the Austin Police Department.
  Austin-Travis County EMS says a woman died on scene after being stabbed, and a male suspect was taken to Dell Seton Medical Center with critical life-threatening injuries following the shooting.
  The incident happened in the 5000 block of Lynnwood Street, which is just west of Burnet Road, around 6:38 a.m. The officers were
  
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• Kansas police hope new pit bull K9 officer will change perceptions of breed

  15-12-2017 14:06 via kxan.com
  STAFFORD, KS (AP) — Police in central Kansas have a new drug detective: a pit bull who was rescued by a Texas organization and trained for law enforcement work.
  Kano, a 55-pound (25-kilogram) puppy, completed his first drug bust Monday for the Stafford Police Department, the Wichita Eagle reported.
  The department believes Kano is the first pit bull to work in such a role in Kansas.
  Kano trained with Universal K9, a San Antonio-based organization that rescues pit bulls and tr
  
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• This crossing guard in Round Rock will brighten your day

  15-12-2017 12:38 via kxan.com
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — On a cool Thursday morning, a man dressed in a suit, bow tie and Santa hat stood at an intersection in Round Rock, waiting for traffic to stop.
  “Alright,” he yelled, stepping into the crosswalk when the light turned red, “rock and roll, let’s go!” A group of students, trudging to their middle school as sunlight tried to break through a blanket of clouds, passed him in the middle of the street. “Good morning, good morning, good
  
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• The kids are alright: ‘Youthquake’ is Oxford word of 2017

  15-12-2017 12:32 via kxan.com
  LONDON (AP) — Oxford Dictionaries recognized the power of the millennial generation Friday with its 2017 word of the year : youthquake.
  Oxford lexicographers say there was a fivefold increase in use of the term between 2016 and 2017.
  It is defined as “a significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people.”
  The word, coined almost 50 years ago by then-Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, has been used to describe phenomena including su
  
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• The kids are all right: ‘Youthquake’ is Oxford word of 2017

  15-12-2017 12:32 via kxan.com
  LONDON (AP) — Oxford Dictionaries recognized the power of the millennial generation Friday with its 2017 word of the year : youthquake.
  Oxford lexicographers say there was a fivefold increase in use of the term between 2016 and 2017.
  It is defined as “a significant cultural, political, or social change arising from the actions or influence of young people.”
  The word, coined almost 50 years ago by then-Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, has been used to describe phenomena including su
  
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• Nearly 1,000 merchants taking part in Free Shipping Day

  15-12-2017 11:08 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – One of the best opportunities to finish your Christmas shopping is Friday.
  It’s Free Shipping Day! The Dec. 15 tradition is now in its 10th year.
  Merchants must offer free shipping on all orders and guarantee delivery by Christmas Eve for orders placed on Dec. 15.
  According to freeshippingday.com, 963 merchants including Macy’s, Target and Old Navy are taking part.
   
  
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• ACC plans launch of first bachelor’s degree in nursing next year

  15-12-2017 05:42 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Community College is primed to offer its first bachelor’s degree program next year, after the program was approved by the Board of Trustees Thursday.
  The RN-to-BSN Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing (BSN) at ACC is designed for registered nurses who want to earn a BSN.
  The development of the degree program was in response to “critical workforce needs” in Central Texas, ACC said. The college says there are more than 7,700 registered nurses in the
  
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• University of Houston fraternity indicted for hazing

  15-12-2017 05:28 via kxan.com
  HOUSTON (AP) — The parent organization of a University of Houston fraternity was indicted on a hazing charge Thursday that alleges pledges were deprived of adequate food, water and sleep during a three-day event where one student was body slammed and sustained a lacerated spleen.
  The indictment names Tennessee-based Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity Inc. and stems from alleged incidents that occurred in November 2016. A conviction on the misdemeanor could result in fines of up to $10
  
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• Warrants issued for 5 East Texas students accused of sexually assaulting girl

  15-12-2017 05:19 via kxan.com
  TEXARKANA, Texas (KETK) — Felony warrants have been issued for the five East Texas junior high school students who reportedly sexually assaulted a 10-year-old girl.
  According to the Texarkana Police Department, the warrants were issued for students at Pleasant Grove Junior High School who allegedly assaulted the victim on a school bus while returning from a basketball game in Paris on November 30, 2017.
  Police say they were notified of the incident by the victim’s mother on
  
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• Harassment prevention training for city of Austin employees still not ready

  15-12-2017 04:45 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Mandatory training that covers discrimination, harassment and retaliation policies for city of Austin employees was supposed to be in place about six months ago — but it’s not ready yet.
  KXAN spoke with one employee who’s filed a sexual harassment complaint in the past. And, she’s not alone.
  Back in March, an audit of the city’s harassment, discrimination and retaliation investigation practices found the city can improve its processes in s
  
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• Expected harassment training for city of Austin employees still not ready

  15-12-2017 04:45 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Mandatory sexual harassment training for city of Austin employees was supposed to be in place about six months ago — but it’s not ready yet.
  KXAN spoke with one employee who’s filed a complaint in the past. And she’s not alone.
  Back in March, an audit of the city’s harassment, discrimination and retaliation investigation practices found the city can improve its processes in several areas, including the lack of a proactive training program
  
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• Regal Cinemas adds Cheetos popcorn to the menu

  15-12-2017 04:37 via kxan.com
  KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WCMH) — Beginning Friday, Regal Cinemas will start serving a new snack to moviegoers.
  Cheetos Popcorn features Cheetos-flavored popcorn mixed with crunchy Cheetos.
  According to Frito Lay, Cheetos Popcorn will be available in 32 oz. cups at participating Regal Cinemas nationwide beginning Dec. 15.
  Regal Cinemas is the first national cinema chain to offer Cheetos Popcorn. Frito Lay said the snack has previously been available at some venues across the country, but this
  
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• Four suspects assault, rob Cedar Park bank ATM technician

  15-12-2017 03:40 via kxan.com
  CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) — Four men assaulted and robbed an ATM technician outside a Cedar Park bank Thursday afternoon.
  Cedar Park police say the robbery happened in the parking lot at Austin Telco Federal Credit Union at 511 N. Bell Blvd., just south of Whitestone Boulevard, around 2:40 p.m. Thursday.
  The technician was servicing the machine when the four suspects jumped out of a vehicle and robbed the ATM.
  They drove away in a dark-colored SUV with an undisclosed amount of cash. Police
  
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• Mother’s ashes stolen from south Austin home

  15-12-2017 03:13 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A woman says the most precious thing in her life has been stolen.
  On Wednesday, a thief took an urn containing the ashes of her mother.
  “She was here in her own home where I thought she wanted to be, and someone would do this,” said Lauren Schultz. Her mother Mary Ann died seven years ago. Her ashes were tucked on the mantle of the family home on Barker Hollow Pass in the Shady Hollow neighborhood in south Austin.
  Schultz’s father John died a few weeks ago
  
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• Ashes of woman’s mother stolen from south Travis County home

  15-12-2017 03:13 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A woman says the most precious thing in her life has been stolen.
  On Wednesday, a thief took an urn containing the ashes of her mother.
  “She was here in her own home where I thought she wanted to be, and someone would do this,” said Lauren Schultz. Her mother Mary Ann died seven years ago. Her ashes were tucked on the mantle of the family home on Barker Hollow Pass in the Shady Hollow neighborhood in south Travis County.
  Schultz’s father John died a few we
  
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• New billboards towering over Hill Country town lead to numerous complaints

  15-12-2017 02:52 via kxan.com
  DRIFTWOOD, Texas (KXAN) — More people are moving to communities just outside of Austin searching for a quiet neighborhood and a little more space, but two large billboard put up in a town southeast of Dripping Springs has many upset.
  The billboards are near the intersection of Darden Hill Road and Farm to Market 1826 near Salt Lick BBQ in Driftwood. That part of Hays County continues to grow, with new homes built daily. The billboards, however, were unexpected.
  “There were no warning
  
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• AG’s Office lawyer resigns after calling #MeToo victim claims ‘pathetic’

  15-12-2017 02:23 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — An associate deputy attorney general resigned Thursday after he called claims made by women in the #MeToo movement “pathetic” in a Facebook post early Wednesday morning.
  Andrew D. Leonie, one of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s top lawyers, stepped down a day after making the post, referencing the nationwide movement of victims sharing their stories of sexual harassment.
  “The views he expressed on social media do not reflect our values,” a s
  
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• Third alternate suspect in Greg Kelley case also lived in home

  15-12-2017 01:37 via kxan.com
  GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — Newly filed paperwork that will be sent to the Court of Criminal Appeals in an effort to get Greg Kelley’s conviction overturned says his trial attorney had a conflict of interest which led her to exclude two other possible suspects.
  The memorandum states, Patricia Cummings, represented another young man who lived at the McCarty home at the same time Kelley and Johnathan McCarty were living there. That individual, who KXAN is not naming since he hasn’
  
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• The two main reasons why APD’s contract was stalled

  15-12-2017 01:32 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Association has been asked to continue negotiations on its police contract after the Austin City council voted Wednesday night not to move forward with the current proposal. The APA will be given until the end of March to make changes to the contract, if members decide to continue efforts to negotiate.
  “The fact that the council voted unanimously shows how concerned we are,” said District 6 Council Member Jimmy Flannigan.
  Flannigan and fellow c
  
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• APD investigating video of officers punching man under arrest

  15-12-2017 00:27 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Cellphone video showing Austin police officers punching a man outside a downtown Austin gas station is under investigation by the Austin Police Department.
  The incident happened at the Signature Austin Shell gas station at 900 N. Interstate 35 — at the corner of Ninth Street — around 5:35 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 12.
  The video, posted on Facebook on the same day around 5:42 p.m., has more than 1 million views and has been shared around 25,000 times.
  The man being pun
  
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