Austin news

• Days of shoveling snow, bitter cold ahead for northern US

  27-12-2017 22:51 via kxan.com
  ERIE, Pa. (AP) — Freezing temperatures and below-zero wind chills socked much of the northern United States on Wednesday and will stay put for days to come, as the snow-hardened city of Erie, Pennsylvania, digs out from a record snowfall.
  Forecasters warned of hypothermia and frostbite from arctic air settling in over the central U.S. and spreading east.
  Wind chill advisories or warnings were in effect for much of New England, northern Pennsylvania and New York. Those places and states in
  
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• Brrr! After record snow, bitter cold ahead for northern US

  27-12-2017 22:51 via kxan.com
  ERIE, Pa. (AP) — Freezing temperatures and below-zero wind chills socked much of the northern United States on Wednesday, even setting a record in a Minnesota city so cold it’s called the Icebox of the Nation, and will stay put for days to come as snow-hardened Erie digs out from a record snowfall.
  Forecasters warned of hypothermia and frostbite from arctic air settling in over the central U.S. and spreading east.
  The National Weather Service reported International Falls and Hibbing,
  
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• North Texas man killed when tire he’s inflating explodes

  27-12-2017 22:47 via kxan.com
  AZLE, Texas (KXAN) — A North Texas man who was inflating a tire on his truck over the weekend died when the tire exploded.
  KXAS reports Ryan Hansen, 39, was doing the maintenance work at his home in Azle, which is just northwest of Fort Worth, on Saturday when the tire exploded. One of Hansen’s ex-girlfriend’s children was at the home and was about to hand him an air gauge when the tire exploded. Hansen was taken to a hospital in Fort Worth where he died.
  “It doesn’
  
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• Indiana Mennonites help those who lost their homes to flooding in La Grange

  27-12-2017 22:44 via kxan.com
  LA GRANGE, Texas (KXAN) — A Mennonite group from LaGrange, Indiana, has traveled down to La Grange, Texas, to help rebuild homes after floodwaters from Hurricane Harvey displaced many of the town’s residents. More than four months after the storm hit, La Grange is still in the beginning stages of rebuilding and in need of help from volunteer groups to help families get back on their feet.
  La Grange resident Virginia Olenick said her home flooded with seven feet of water during the st
  
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• Indiana Mennonite helps with long-term recovery in La Grange

  27-12-2017 22:44 via kxan.com
  La Grange, TX (KXAN) — A Mennonite group from Indiana has traveled down to La Grange to help  with the efforts to rebuild homes after floodwaters from Harvey displaced many of the town’s residents.  More than four months after Harvey, La Grange is still in the beginning stages of rebuilding and in need of help from volunteer groups to help families get back on their feet.
  The La Grange Area Disaster Recovery Team explained that the numers of volunteers in La Grange have dwi
  
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• WATCH: 90-year-old woman challenges Santa to a dance-off

  27-12-2017 22:37 via kxan.com
  WASHINGTON (WFLA) — A dance-off between a 90-year-old woman and Santa Claus himself won over the internet.
  The woman’s incredible dance moves went viral after she was caught on camera jamming out with Saint Nick on Christmas.
  Christopher Tate recorded the dance-off between the nursing home resident and Santa. They boogied the festive day away to the tune of “O Come, All Ye Faithful.”
  The video was posted on Sunday and had 5.9 million views on Facebook as of Wednesday
  
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• ‘Something did survive’ California wildfires: Goldfish

  27-12-2017 22:13 via kxan.com
  SANTA ROSA, Calif. (AP) — What Logan Hertel and his friends found in the scorched remains of their Northern California neighborhood wasn’t a photo album, wedding ring or even a skittish cat separated from its family for months.
  What they discovered were goldfish — plain, sickly and living off ash in a grimy tub.
  Somehow the unspectacular goldfish had survived infernos that had wiped out neighborhoods, and Hertel was determined to reunite the fish with their owners, he told The
  
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• Russia: Explosion injures 10 at St. Petersburg supermarket

  27-12-2017 21:19 via kxan.com
  ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — At least 10 people were injured Wednesday by an explosion at a supermarket in St. Petersburg, Russia’s second-largest city and the site of a deadly subway bombing this year.
  The Investigative Committee, the nation’s top investigative agency, said a device containing 200 grams (7 ounces) of explosives went off at a storage area for customers’ bags. It said the device was rigged with shrapnel to cause more damage.
  No one has claimed responsibil
  
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• Bad haircut lands Wisconsin stylist in jail

  27-12-2017 21:18 via kxan.com
  MADISON, Wis. (KXAN/WMTV) — A hair stylist in Madison, Wisconsin has been arrested after allegedly snipping a customer’s ear during a bad haircut.
  A 22-year-old man called the police to complain about a bad customer experience at the State Street Salon. He told police the stylist told him to stop fidgeting and moving his head before he was nicked on the ear.
  The stylist then ran his clippers down the middle of the customer’s head, leaving the customer looking a bit like Larry f
  
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• Boy with pellet gun scares off man from stealing dad’s truck

  27-12-2017 20:50 via kxan.com
  KOKOMO, Ind. (WTHR) — A 9-year-old boy in Indiana used a pellet gun to scare a would-be robber away from stealing his dad’s truck.
  Kevin Cooksey and Kyle Sparling were at the One Stop Express in Kokomo as strangers for different reasons, and they ended up leaving together to chase after someone they say tried to steal both their cars.
  The thief tried to steal Cooksey’s truck first, which had his 9-year-old son, Larry Larimore, inside with the engine running.
  Man accused of hitt
  
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• Central Texas jailer charged with theft of funds

  27-12-2017 20:39 via kxan.com
  TEMPLE, Texas (AP) — Authorities say a Central Texas jailer has been charged with stealing funds.
  Milam County Sheriff David Greene on Tuesday told the Temple Daily Telegram that Milam County Jail Capt. Katrina Douglas had been arrested by the Texas Rangers and charged with theft of more than $30,000 but less than $150,000, a third-degree felony.
  Greene says the Texas Rangers investigated Douglas for several months after a large amount of money was found missing. She was arrested Dec. 21 i
  
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• 22-year-old mistaken as thief, killed by father on Christmas Eve

  27-12-2017 20:24 via kxan.com
  CULLMAN, Ala (WIAT) – Family and friends of 22-year-old Logan Trammell are gathering to remember the young musician after a shooting took his life on Christmas Eve.
  Trammell’s family says he was driving away from his parents home around 11:30 p.m. on Dec. 24 in one of his father’s vehicles. His father was unaware that his son was borrowing his truck.
  Fearing the vehicle was being stolen, the family says he yelled out, firing a warning shot in the air in an attempt to get the dr
  
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• Nashville man high on ‘wasp’ accused of breaking into home, terrorizing family

  27-12-2017 19:33 via kxan.com
  NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) – A Lawrence County man was arrested after authorities said he terrorized a family and caused tremendous harm to himself while being under the influence of a dangerous drug.
  Deputies said Danny Hollis Jr. was smoking something called “wasp,” a mixture of meth and bug spray.
  On Monday night around 7 p.m. on Gimlet Road in Nashville, deputies responded to a call about a naked man inside a house. Investigators said Hollis broke into the home, sat at the fam
  
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• Border Patrol agent struck by stray bullet from Mexico

  27-12-2017 19:30 via kxan.com
  RIO GRANDE, Texas (KXAN) — A stray bullet fired in Mexico struck a Border Patrol agent near Brownsville on Tuesday.
  The Customs and Border Protection Agency says the agent was assigned to the Riverine Unit when he was hit with a bullet from a small caliber weapon. The agent sustained minor injuries.
  Authorities believe the weapon was fired during an assault that happened on the Mexican riverbank. The incident is currently under investigation.
  In November of 2016, a DPS trooper and a Border
  
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• Kyle police cracking down on illegal fireworks popping on New Year’s Eve

  27-12-2017 19:15 via kxan.com
  KYLE, Texas (KXAN) – As the New Year approaches, the city of Kyle is reminding its residents of the city’s firework policy. City leaders have launched the “you light it, we write it” campaign aimed at anyone with fireworks.
  According to the city’s ordinance, it is against the law for a person to store, transport, assemble, receive, keep or discharge any fireworks inside the city limits. Only those with a special permit are allowed to shoot fireworks.
  “They mak
  
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• City of Kyle reminds residents of big penalties if you’re caught with fireworks

  27-12-2017 19:15 via kxan.com
  KYLE, Texas (KXAN) – As the New Year approaches, the city of Kyle is reminding its residents of the city’s firework policy. City leaders have launched the “you light it, we write it” campaign aimed at anyone with fireworks.
  According to the city’s ordinance, it is against the law for a person to store, transport, assemble, receive, keep or discharge any fireworks inside the city limits. Only those with a special permit are allowed to shoot fireworks.
  If found in vio
  
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• Llano County investigating first credit card skimming case

  27-12-2017 18:31 via kxan.com
  LLANO, Texas (KXAN) — The Llano County Sheriff’s Office says it is working the agency’s first credit card skimming case after several gas pumps were found to be tampered with on Tuesday.
  When deputies checked the 7-11 store located at 2606 West Ranch Road 1431 in Kingsland, they found several skimmers installed at numerous gas pumps. Authorities don’t know how long the skimmers had been in place so they’re urging customers who have purchased gas at that location to
  
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• Man accused of hitting 5-year-old as he stole mother’s truck from Domino’s

  27-12-2017 18:03 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A 5-year-old stood up to a man who was trying to steal his mom’s truck — with him and his little brother inside — as his mom waited in line to pick up their pizza last week.
  On Friday, Dec. 22 at around 4:15 p.m., a woman drove to Domino’s at 5811 Berkman Dr. in east Austin. She told police she left the truck running with her 3-year-old and 5-year-old inside, as the boys watched a movie in the backseat.
  The mother says she was in Domino’s for o
  
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• Drawdown of Inks Lake to begin on Jan. 2

  27-12-2017 17:58 via kxan.com
  BURNET, Texas (KXAN) — People who live along the banks of Inks Lake will get the chance to repair and maintain their docks at the beginning of the year when the Lower Colorado River Authority lowers lake levels starting in Tuesday, Jan. 2.
  The lake level will be lowered a total of 8 feet over the span of six weeks. The refill will begin about Feb. 10, and will be completed by Feb. 13.
  The drawdown allows property owners to do maintenance work on their lakeside properties. The LCRA says the
  
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• VIDEO: 18-year-old toothless Chihuahua takes on coyote

  27-12-2017 17:21 via kxan.com
  PASCO COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — If we didn’t have the video, you’d never believe what happened in Pasco County.
  A tiny Chihuahua named Paco challenged a full-grown coyote who intruded in his backyard.
  “The coyote tried to cut him off. And that’s where they had their little squabble here,” said T.J. Jones, Paco’s owner.
  As the sun set last Thursday evening, Paco noticed an unwanted visitor. But instead of running away, the tiny Chihuahua ran towards the
  
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• Excessive video gaming to be recognized as mental health disorder

  27-12-2017 17:01 via kxan.com
  GENEVA (WTNH) — Playing video games too much and too often will soon be recognized as a mental health disorder.
  “Gaming Disorder” will be added to the official list of diseases by the World Health Organization next year.
  Its symptoms include the inability to control when and how to play video games.
  Read from the WHO’s draft report here
  Another red flag is when someone chooses games over other interests in life and keeps playing despite negative consequences.
  Adding Gamin
  
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• Phoenix police: Man bends son to make him stop crying

  27-12-2017 16:55 via kxan.com
  PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Police say a man is facing charges for allegedly abusing his infant son because he was crying.
  Officers were called to a home near 12th Street and Camelback Road earlier this week in response to a child who was not breathing.
  According to a police report, the child’s father, 30-year-old Robert Anthony Resendiz, told investigators he pulled the infant’s legs over his head and bent his body in an attempt to stop the crying. He said he didn’t release t
  
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• Obama to Prince Harry: Leaders must use care on social media

  27-12-2017 16:12 via kxan.com
  LONDON (AP) — Former President Barack Obama told Prince Harry in an interview broadcast Wednesday that people in leadership roles must be careful in their use of social media and warned against spending too much time immersed in the internet at the expense of the world outside.
  Obama did not, however, directly mention his successor, President Donald Trump, who has made the use of Twitter a centerpiece of his presidency.
  “All of us in leadership have to find ways to recreate a common
  
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• NAFTA negotiations could affect avocado and beer prices

  27-12-2017 15:46 via kxan.com
  WASHINGTON (KFTA) — Negotiations surrounding the North American Free Trade Agreement are on uncertain footing after the first series of meetings in December, as changes to NAFTA could fundamentally alter the way the U.S., Canada and Mexico trade goods.
  One state that has the potential of being greatly affected is Texas, Mexico’s nearest neighbor. Congressman Will Hurd said changes in NAFTA could cost the prices of imports to skyrocket, which would unfortunately include
  
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• 3 dead after SUV collides with hog in southwest Texas

  27-12-2017 14:55 via kxan.com
  UVALDE, Texas (AP) — Three people are dead and two others injured after a vehicle collided with a wild hog in Southwest Texas.
  The accident happened late Monday on a rural road near Uvalde, about 110 miles southwest of San Antonio.
  Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Sgt. Conrad Hein said Tuesday that a preliminary investigation indicates a Ford Expedition collided with the hog, causing the vehicle to swerve into oncoming traffic and hit a Mercedes SUV head-on.
  Feral hog poison fie
  
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• 4-month-old girl mauled by raccoon inside her home

  27-12-2017 14:32 via kxan.com
  PHILADELPHIA (WCMH) — A 4-month-old girl who was brutally attacked by a raccoon inside her Philadelphia home has been released from the hospital.
  KYW reports Ashley Rodgers is all smiles now that Journi is back at home in her arms after the raccoon attack last week.
  Rodgers says the attack happened on Wednesday on one of their first nights inside the home.
  “She was laying on the floor, like blood all over her face, across the floor,” said Rodgers.
  The Philadelphia Inquirer
  
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• Chrissy Teigen live tweets as her flight returns to LAX with unauthorized person

  27-12-2017 13:52 via kxan.com
  LOS ANGELES (AP) — A plane heading from Los Angeles to Tokyo turned back because an unauthorized person was on board.
  KABC-TV reports All Nippon Airways Flight 175 left Los Angeles International Airport around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, but it never arrived at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport.
  Model Chrissy Teigen, who was on the plane, tweeted that the flight made a U-turn about four hours into the 11-hour flight.
  Lmao after all this I will have spent 8 hours on a flight to nowhere. Li
  
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• Water main break shuts down MLK Jr. Blvd. near Airport Blvd.

  27-12-2017 12:31 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard is shut down between Airport Boulevard and Harvey Street due to a sinkhole and water main break, according to Austin police.
  Officers say the 3000 block of East MLK is closed in both directions due to the 12 inch water main break. Austin Water crews were able to turn off the water around 7 a.m.
  Police say there have been no crashes or injuries from the break.
  Find a detour with the KXAN Traffic Map
  KXAN’s Chris Davis is LIVE at the sce
  
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• Water main break closed MLK Jr. Blvd. most of Wednesday morning

  27-12-2017 12:31 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard was shut down between Airport Boulevard and Harvey Street due to a sinkhole and water main break, according to Austin police.
  The 3000 block of East MLK was closed in both directions due to the 12 inch water main break, until the westbound lanes reopened just after noon. Austin Water crews were able to turn off the water around 7 a.m. The eastbound lanes remain closed.
  Crews are still working to get to the pipe to get the valves shut off. So
  
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• Overnight shooting leaves woman dead; police search for suspect

  27-12-2017 08:26 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Police say a woman died after a shooting in northeast Austin.
  No word yet on a suspect description, but police say the person took off in a white car. This happened around 11:45 Monday night in the 6600 block of Ed Bluestein Boulevard.
  Austin-Travis County EMS say they took the victim, a woman in her 30’s, to Dell Seton Medical Center. Police say she died at the hospital.
  Watch KXAN News Today for updates starting at 4:30am.
  
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• 30-year-old woman shot and killed in east Austin apartment parking lot

  27-12-2017 08:26 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police say a 30-year-old woman has died after a shooting in east Austin. A suspect was taken into custody at the scene.
  The shooting happened around 11:45 p.m. Monday in the parking lot of the Sixty 600 Apartments located at 6600 Ed Bluestein Blvd., next to Loyola Lane. When police arrived at the complex, they found Ebony Michelle Sheppard with a gunshot wound.
  Austin-Travis County EMS say they took the woman to Dell Seton Medical Center, where she died an hour
  
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• 20-year-old woman shot and killed in east Austin apartment parking lot

  27-12-2017 08:26 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police say a 20-year-old woman has died after a shooting in east Austin. A suspect was taken into custody at the scene.
  The shooting happened around 11:45 p.m. Monday in the parking lot of the Sixty 600 Apartments located at 6600 Ed Bluestein Blvd., next to Loyola Lane.
  Austin-Travis County EMS say they took the woman to Dell Seton Medical Center, where she died an hour later.
  In an early morning briefing, police said a witness called 911 alerting officers to th
  
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• District attorney to aid Texas sheriff’s use-of-force probe

  27-12-2017 05:28 via kxan.com
  SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The Bexar County District Attorney has agreed to lend some manpower to the sheriff’s office investigation into the deputy-involved shooting of a 6-year-old boy.
  Kameron Prescott was killed last week when Bexar County Sheriff’s deputies opened fire on a woman at a San Antonio-area mobile home park following a nearly two-hour manhunt.
  The woman, 30-year-old Amanda Jones, was also fatally shot in the December 21 incident.
  Sheriff Javier Salazar has said Jones ha
  
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• Jerry Jones: Jason Garrett to return as Cowboys coach in ’18

  27-12-2017 05:24 via kxan.com
  DALLAS (AP) — Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says coach Jason Garrett will return for an eighth full season after Dallas missed the playoffs in a year marred by the six-game suspension of star running back Ezekiel Elliott.
  Jones said on his radio show Tuesday that Garrett’s job “is not an issue here at all” while suggesting that there could be other changes to the coaching staff with several contracts expiring. Garrett has two years left on a five-year deal signed after Dallas
  
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• Austin shoppers seek out post-holiday deals at brick-and-mortar stores

  27-12-2017 05:19 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Despite the ever-growing competition from online retail, Austin shoppers headed out to brick-and-mortar stores Tuesday. Many shoppers made exchanges and others found that it pays to look locally for post-holiday deals.
  At Breed & Company’s 29th Street location, many shoppers were in search of now-discounted holiday supplies.
  “It’s always really, really, really, really busy into the holidays, we get lines that go way down into the hardware section,&rdqu
  
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• San Antonio dad’s epic fail of testing out son’s new hoverboard toy

  27-12-2017 04:58 via kxan.com
  SAN ANTONIO, Texas (KXAN) — A San Antonio dad who decided to test out his 11-year-old son’s new Christmas toy realized maybe it wasn’t meant for adults.
  On Christmas morning, Kristie Scipio posted on Facebook a video of her husband, Trez, testing out their kid’s new hoverboard go-cart. In the 50 second video, you can hear Kristie saying, “It’s a disaster,” as her husband maneuvers his body onto the hoverboard.
  As he continues to figure out how the toy wo
  
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• Beef stew meat sent to H-E-B recalled by Swift Beef Company

  27-12-2017 04:13 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A company that produces and packages beef stew meat for H-E-B has issued a recall for several of its H-E-B branded products due to concerns that the meat may be contaminated with foreign matter.
  Swift Beef Co., doing business as JBS USA Food Company, is recalling approximately 4,702 pounds of beef stew product. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service says the meat may have plastic and metal in it.
  The boneless beef stew items were produ
  
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• West Texas family uses lottery winnings to help their church

  27-12-2017 03:50 via kxan.com
  ABERNATHY, Texas (KXAN) —  A family near Lubbock is using their good fortune to bless their fellow church members.
  In April, Eliberto and Anita Cantu won $177 million when their Mega Millions ticket matched all the numbers. Eliberto has been buying lottery tickets for 30 years and was in Arkansas for work in the spring when he bought the winning ticket.
  Since the very beginning, the couple said they wanted to give back to Bethel Baptist Church, their church in Abernathy. Over the week
  
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• New St. Edward’s on-campus apartment won’t be ready this spring

  27-12-2017 03:41 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — St. Edward’s University students who were hoping to start off the new year in a new on-campus apartment will have to wait even longer.
  On Tuesday, the vice president for student affairs sent a letter stating The Pavilions apartment complex won’t be ready for the spring semester and it’s “unlikely any students will be able to move in.” In the letter, Lisa Kirkpatrick, Ph.D, blames the setback on city permits saying the “approvals will
  
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• American apologizes to black athletes for theft accusation

  27-12-2017 02:59 via kxan.com
  DALLAS (AP) — American Airlines says it is reviewing why two professional basketball players were removed from a Sioux City, S.D.-bound flight on Sunday.
  An airline spokesman said Tuesday that Memphis Hustle guard Marquis Teague and forward Trahson Burrell had boarded Flight 3756 operated by Envoy Air at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Two first-class passengers gave the players their blankets as they headed to their seats in coach.
  United apologizes to passenger who says Congress
  
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• PHOTOS: Suspects used stolen credit cards at Manor Walmart

  27-12-2017 02:25 via kxan.com
  MANOR, Texas (KXAN) — Police in Manor need help identifying two suspects who they say used stolen credit cards to make purchases at the Walmart in town.
  Surveillance cameras caught the two individuals in the store on Nov. 11. Police say the credit cards that were used were stolen from a vehicle in Elgin the same day.
  One of the suspects was wearing a hat, sunglasses and a shirt that zipped up around the mouth.
  If anyone has information regarding the identity of these two suspects, they&rsq
  
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• Old Faulk Central Library in need of $11.8 million in repairs

  27-12-2017 02:04 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Faulk building, which served as the city’s old central library, is in need of an estimated $11.8 million in repairs. Austin’s director of libraries calls the money needed “critical infrastructure updating.”
  This, after a $125 million investment to build the new Central Library.
  The Faulk library closed to the public back in September and the Austin History Center has expressed the need to expand into that building. It’s been out of addition
  
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• Deer wanders into Colorado store, brings back herd

  27-12-2017 01:03 via kxan.com
  STOUT, Co. (WFLA/NBC News) – What do you do when you visit a store and get great service? You go back, of course.
  This is what happened in the small town of Stout, Colo., only the customer was not a person, it was a mama deer. She paid a visit to the store at the Horsetooth Inn and RV Park.
  The mama deer strolled into the store and checked out the sunglasses and stopped by the junk food section as she browsed around. She even got a snack from a customer.
  Lori Jones works at the store snapp
  
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