Austin news

• Residents flee as flames approach wealthy California enclave

  16-12-2017 23:43 via kxan.com
  MONTECITO, Calif. (AP) — Residents piled into cars and fled on Saturday, turning downtown Santa Barbara into “a ghost town” as surging winds drove one of the biggest fires in California’s history toward the city and the nearby wealthy enclave of Montecito.
  The mandatory evacuations around Montecito and neighboring Summerland came as winds that had eased a day earlier roared back at around 30 mph (48 kph), with gusts to about 60 mph (97 kph). Firefighters stood by yellow f
  
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• Flames threaten rich California enclave, residents flee

  16-12-2017 23:43 via kxan.com
  MONTECITO, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters trying to prevent one of the biggest fires in California’s history from consuming homes in Santa Barbara and the nearby wealthy enclave of Montecito were hoping less powerful winds would help them after they managed to stop it from burning thousands of residences.
  After winds roared at around 30 mph (48 kph), with gusts to about 60 mph (97 kph) on Saturday, they were expected to ease Sunday with gusts of up to 35 mph (56 kph) on Sunday.
  But even
  
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• Flames threaten coastal communities as firefighters mourn

  16-12-2017 23:43 via kxan.com
  LOS ANGELES (AP) — Thousands of firefighters tried Sunday to shield coastal communities from one of the biggest wildfires in California history while a funeral procession rolled past burn-scarred hillsides in honor of one of their colleagues who was killed battling the flames.
  Crews cleared brush and dug containment lines above hillside neighborhoods in Santa Barbara County, taking advantage of slightly calmer winds a day after gusts fanned a flare-up that prompted more evacuations.
  &ldquo
  
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• 8,000 firefighters protect Southern California communities

  16-12-2017 23:43 via kxan.com
  MONTECITO, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters trying to prevent one of the biggest fires in California’s history from consuming homes in Santa Barbara and the nearby wealthy enclave of Montecito were hoping less powerful wind gusts would help them Sunday after they managed to stop it from burning thousands of residences.
  Crews took advantage of calmer winds overnight, clearing brush and digging containment lines above hillside neighborhoods, fire information officer Lisa Cox said.
  “Eve
  
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• Aransas County plans new courthouse in Rockport after Harvey damage

  16-12-2017 23:33 via kxan.com
  ROCKPORT, Texas (AP) — Leaders of a South Texas county battered by Hurricane Harvey plan to build a new courthouse to replace the more than 60-year-old structure destroyed by the storm.
  The Aransas County Commissioners Court on Friday approved seeking a request for qualifications for architectural services. It’s part of the process to design and build a new courthouse in Rockport, a city of about 10,000 located 30 miles (48 kilometers) northeast of Corpus Christi.
  Harvey made landfal
  
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• Trail of Lights canceled today by chance of substantial rain

  16-12-2017 21:24 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – It’s usually “rain or shine” for the Austin Trail of Lights – but not tonight. Due to the chance of substantial rain, organizers have canceled the trail and all of its activities Saturday evening.
  They said the move is intended to help protect the grounds at Zilker Park and ensure the safety of park visitors.
  Organizers said that if you had tickets for tonight, you can exchange them for another evening by contacting [email protected].
  
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• Trail of Lights canceled Saturday due to rain

  16-12-2017 21:24 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – It’s usually “rain or shine” for the Austin Trail of Lights – but not tonight. Due to the chance of substantial rain, organizers have canceled the trail and all of its activities Saturday evening.
  They said the move is intended to help protect the grounds at Zilker Park and ensure the safety of park visitors.
  Organizers said that if you had tickets for tonight, you can exchange them for another evening by contacting [email protected].
  
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• Saturday’s record rainfall keeps Trail of Lights closed again Sunday

  16-12-2017 21:24 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – After closing Saturday as Austin received substantial rainfall that soaked the ground and caused standing water in some areas, the Austin Parks and Recreation Department has decided that the Austin Trail of Lights should remain closed Sunday to give Zilker Park time to dry out.
  “After substantial rainfall yesterday afternoon and evening, and an evaluation of the park’s current condition, Austin Parks and Recreation Department determined that Zilker Park must rem
  
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• Huge tax bill heads for passage as GOP senators fall in line

  16-12-2017 21:21 via kxan.com
  WASHINGTON (AP) — After weeks of quarrels, qualms and then eleventh-hour horse-trading, Republicans revealed the details of their huge national tax rewrite late Friday — along with announcements of support that all but guarantee approval to give President Donald Trump the Christmas legislative triumph he’s been aching for.
  The legislation would slash tax rates for big business and lower levies on the richest Americans in a massive $1.5 trillion bill that the GOP plans to muscle
  
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• Police: Man wearing red wig robs Austin Telco Federal Credit Union

  16-12-2017 21:03 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Police said a man in a red wig robbed the Austin Telco Federal Credit Union in northwest Austin Saturday morning.
  It happend at about 12:59 p.m. at the location near Lakeline Mall, police said.
  The suspect is a white man wearing a baseball cap and a red wig, they said. He fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of money.
  Police said no one was injured and they are actively searching for the suspect.
  This is a developing story. KXAN will update this story as more in
  
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• Santa brings holiday cheer to babies, families at Seton NICU

  16-12-2017 19:41 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN)– On his journey to visit all the nice boys and girls around the world, Santa made a special stop at Seton Medical Center on Friday.
  He brought some holiday cheer to premature babies and their families in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Parents Edgar and Magdalena Caballero were watching over their twins who have been in the NICU since they were born on November 20.
  The family says they plan to spend Christmas at the hospital but they are thankful for the joy that Santa has
  
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• Santa brings holiday cheer babies, families at Seton NICU

  16-12-2017 19:41 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN)– On his journey to visit all the nice boys and girls around the world, Santa made a special stop at Seton Medical Center on Friday.
  He brought some holiday cheer to premature babies and their families in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Parents Edgar and Magdalena Caballero were watching over their twins who have been in the NICU since they were born on November 20.
  The family says they plan to spend Christmas at the hospital but they are thankful for the joy that Santa has
  
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• 7,000+ Austin Energy customers without power Saturday morning

  16-12-2017 16:01 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A power outage in the Wells Branch area of North Austin and Travis County has left more than 7,000 Austin Energy customers without electricity on Saturday morning.
  According to Austin Energy’s Outage reporting tool, two outages were reported at 8:12 a.m. – one affecting 3,438 customers and a second outage affecting 4,123 customers. Austin Energy estimates that electricity will be restored by 9:42 a.m.
  It is not clear what caused the outage.
  
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• Alleged serial killer indicted in Texas in fourth death

  16-12-2017 15:38 via kxan.com
  ANGELTON, Texas (AP) — An alleged serial killer has been indicted in the slaying of a North Texas college student nearly two decades after she went missing.
  A Texas grand jury indicted William Lewis Reece late Thursday on a charge of capital murder in the 1997 disappearance and death of 20-year-old University of North Texas student Kelli Cox.
  Reece was charged this summer in three other cold-case killings in Texas and Oklahoma. Cox, 19-year-old Tiffany Johnston, 17-year-old Jessica Cain an
  
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• Program pairs Travis County inmates with foster cats

  16-12-2017 05:25 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A new foster program in Travis County is helping kittens looking for a forever home and inmates.
  Several inmates got to meet their new cats on Friday. The program, which will see the inmates train the cats, was approved last month.
  For those of you thinking cats can’t be trained, think again.
  “They learn things, like they can sit, they can high-five. These kittens by the time they are ready for adoption, they can be trained on harnesses,” said Laurale
  
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• City considers charging fee for demolition, to help pay for affordable housing

  16-12-2017 05:17 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Right now, Austin has about 60,000 non-subsidized affordable housing units — units that are at risk of being demolished. Austin City Council is hoping to pump the breaks of rapid demolition by potentially tacking on a fee.
  “We need to be more assertive about preserving the existing affordable housing that we have,” Mayor Pro Tem Kathie Tovo told KXAN.
  The idea is for city staff to analyze the impact of demolishing those units.
  “There is a city o
  
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• Texas GOP chairman sues secretary of state to get Rep. Farenthold off ballot

  16-12-2017 04:42 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The chairman of the Texas Republican Party, James Dickey, is suing the Texas secretary of state to get embattled Congressman Blake Farenthold off the March primary ballot.
  In a statement sent to KXAN Political Reporter Phil Prazan, a Texas Republican Party spokesperson said, “It basically comes down to the fact that Mr. Farenthold has asked to be removed from the ballot and Chairman Dickey believes that the Republican Party of Texas should be able to do that.”
  T
  
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• High school cancer researcher, published in two journals, presents findings

  16-12-2017 02:33 via kxan.com
  PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — Seventeen-year-old Nikita Kondapalli spent a month scouring a national medical database looking for links between Hodgkin’s Lymphoma cancer survivors, wanting to know their chances of developing other cancers five years after they beat the disease.
  Nikita is part of a team of three high school students who discovered the risks.
  “If someone had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and they were over 50, they would know what to look for,” said Nikita, who i
  
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• Some APD officers already putting in for retirement after contract was stalled

  16-12-2017 02:27 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police officers have exactly two weeks to decide whether or not they will keep hashing out a new contract with the city.
  Austin Police Association board members already said in a poll they don’t want to negotiate any further at this time. On Sunday and Monday, officers will be polled on whether they want to, and a decision will be made from there.
  If the association chooses not to continue current negotiations, APD will go back to operating under the
  
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• Texas State Guard will give out more than 40K toys to kids this holiday season

  16-12-2017 00:57 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – They respond to man-made or natural disasters and this holiday season, the Texas State Guard is here for children who could use some cheer.
  Several guardsmen dropped off more than 3,000 toys at St. David’s Children’s Hospital in Austin Friday. The hospital cares for children 17 and under.
  “This has been a labor of love,” Sgt. First Class John Gately said. “Our mission is not only to give toys to kids at the hospital, but also leave a year&rsquo
  
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• 20 charged in Taylor-based crack cocaine and meth operation

  16-12-2017 00:55 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Twenty people have been charged for their alleged roles in a crack cocaine and methamphetamine trafficking ring based out of Taylor, Texas, including the operation’s accused ringleader, 42-year-old Horace Lee Caruther.
  A federal grand jury in Austin indicted the 20 people on Nov. 21, charging each with one count of conspiracy to distribute 5 kilos or more of cocaine. Nine of the defendants were also charged with a count of conspiracy to commit money laundering.
  Most o
  
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