Austin news

• Texas A&M looks at benefits from possible coastal barrier

  07-01-2018 23:24 via kxan.com
  HOUSTON (AP) — A new study suggests if the Houston area continues to boom for 60 years and sea levels rise a direct hit to Galveston from a massive hurricane could destroy $31.8 billion worth of homes.
  The Houston Chronicle reports Texas A&M researchers looked at possibly building a coastal barrier about 60 miles (96 kilometers) long from Galveston to Bolivar (BAH’-lee-ver) Peninsula. Experts say potential residential destruction from a storm surge would drop to $6 billion.
  The i
  
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• Globes to roll out red carpet under cloud of sex scandals

  07-01-2018 22:08 via kxan.com
  The Golden Globes, once the stomping grounds of Harvey Weinstein, will belong to someone else this year.
  The 75th Golden Globe Awards, which NBC will broadcast live from the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California, at 7 p.m. Central, is considered wide open, with contenders including Guillermo del Toro’s “The Shape of Water,” Steven Spielberg’s “The Post” and Martin McDonagh’s “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri.”TONIGHT ON K
  
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• Ray Thomas of British rockers The Moody Blues dies at 76

  07-01-2018 21:15 via kxan.com
  LONDON (AP) — Ray Thomas, a founding member of British rock group The Moody Blues, has died at 76, months before the band is due to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
  His music label, Esoteric Recordings/Cherry Red Records, said Thomas died suddenly Thursday at his home in Surrey, south of London.
  “We are deeply shocked by his passing and will miss his warmth, humor and kindness,” the label said Sunday. “It was a privilege to have known and worked with him a
  
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• New Hampshire ticket sole winner in $559M Powerball jackpot

  07-01-2018 20:49 via kxan.com
  MERRIMACK, N.H. (AP) — It’s been a billion-dollar lottery weekend after a lone Powerball ticket sold in New Hampshire matched all six numbers and will claim a $559.7 million jackpot, one day after another single ticket sold in Florida nabbed a $450 million Mega Millions grand prize.
  Since Reeds Ferry Market opened at 5:30 a.m. Sunday, dozens of excited regulars have stopped by the small, independent convenience store in New Hampshire that sold the winning Powerball ticket to congratu
  
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• Driver trying to run from Pflugerville police dies in crash

  07-01-2018 19:35 via kxan.com
  PFLUGERVILLE, (KXAN) — A driver in Pflugerville is dead after trying to evade police early Sunday morning, Pflugerville Police Department said.
  According tot he department, officers initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle around 1:37 a.m. on F.M. 685 near East Pfenning Lane. The driver refused to stop and began driving at a high speed turning onto East Pflugerville Parkway. The vehicle swerved off the roadway and rolled over coming to a stop at a property located north of the road.
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• Driver attempts to evade Pflugerville police, dies in rollover crash

  07-01-2018 19:35 via kxan.com
  PFLUGERVILLE, (KXAN) — A driver in Pflugerville is dead after trying to evade police early Sunday morning, Pflugerville Police Department said.
  According tot he department, officers initiated a traffic stop on the vehicle around 1:37 a.m. on F.M. 685 near East Pfenning Lane. The driver refused to stop and began driving at a high speed turning onto East Pflugerville Parkway. The vehicle swerved off the roadway and rolled over coming to a stop at a property located north of the road.
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• South Austin house fire contained; cause under investigation

  07-01-2018 19:10 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Fire Department are responding to a house fire at 503 Blackberry Drive in south Austin just west of I-35 and south of West William Cannon Drive.
  In a tweet around 11:45 a.m. Sunday, the department said there were flames showing and the residents of that house are all out. The fire was contained by noon. AFD said they are investigating the cause.
  This is a developing story. KXAN will update as more details become available. 
  
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• South Austin house fire cause under investigation

  07-01-2018 19:10 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Fire Department responded to a house fire at 503 Blackberry Drive in south Austin just west of Interstate 35 and south of West William Cannon Drive.
  In a tweet around 11:45 a.m. Sunday, the department said there were flames showing and the residents of that house are all out. The fire was contained by noon. AFD said it is investigating the cause.
   
  
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• VIDEO: Police searching for car burglary suspects in Leander

  07-01-2018 18:45 via kxan.com
  LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — The Leander Police Department is seeking the public’s help in identifying two suspects in several car burglaries on Saturday.
  In a Facebook post, the department said two men stole several items from unlocked vehicles in the Northside Meadows subdivision around 5 a.m.
  A nearby resident was able to provide police with video of the suspects.One of the suspects appears to be a black man who is about 6 feet tall with a scruffy beard. He appears to be in his late te
  
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• Witness to I-35 fatal crash honoring victims at crash site

  07-01-2018 16:06 via kxan.com
  A woman who tells us she was the first person on scene after a deadly crash this week, is trying to honor the victims.
  Leslie Valdez says she witnessed the fiery crash that killed two people on I-35 just south of US 290 after an 18-wheeler hit an SUV that was stopped in the main lane on the highway.
  Valdez went to the crash site to lay down flowers and a cross in honor of the victims. She says when the crash happened, she tried to rescue the victims but couldn’t.
  “The fire was only i
  
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• State of Texas: President ties border wall to DACA deal

  07-01-2018 15:30 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — When President Donald Trump invited Republican lawmakers to the White House to talk about the next steps on immigration, he told them he wants money for his border wall and an end to the diversity visa lottery. But Democrats say they won’t support the plan unless it includes a replacement for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, the program that allows undocumented immigrants who arrived in the United States as children to avoid deportation.
  Any deal
  
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• Person found dead in house after SWAT situation in east Austin

  07-01-2018 14:21 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — One person is dead after a seven-hour SWAT situation that started late Saturday night at a house near Ebert Avenue and Sara Drive.
  Austin Police said around 10:06 p.m. they received a call to the house with reports of shots being fired. When officers arrived there they saw signs of gunshots. Officers evacuated people from the home but they said one person did not come out- triggering a SWAT response.
  After evacuating nearby houses and talking to witnesses who were inside th
  
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• Texas loses fifth straight to Baylor, 69-60

  07-01-2018 06:23 via kxan.com
  WACO, Texas (AP) — Manu Lecomte took the shot, leaned back with both feet on the ground and watched the 3-pointer go through the net that put Baylor ahead to stay.
  While the Bears point guard is still struggling with his shot, Lecomte hit that tiebreaking 3 early in the second half after another big long-range shot just before halftime as Baylor beat Texas 69-60 on Saturday to avoid an 0-3 start in Big 12 Conference play.
  “Finishing with Manu’s 3 at the half was a good way to g
  
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• Police searching for missing elderly woman; may have been driving from Mason to Austin

  07-01-2018 05:15 via kxan.com
  Girlean Pennick, 81. (Photo: Austin Police Department)
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Austin Police Department is asking the public to help find a missing elderly woman who was last seen Saturday morning.
  Police said Girlean Pennick, 81, was last seen at 8:30 a.m. driving from Mason to Austin where she lives. Mason is between Austin and San Angelo. She was last seen in the 400 block of Fort McKavitt Street in Mason.
  Police said she is black with black hair and brown eyes, 5-foot 3-inches tall and wei
  
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• Police ask for help finding missing elderly woman; may have been driving from Mason to Austin

  07-01-2018 05:15 via kxan.com
  Girlean Pennick, 81. (Photo: Austin Police Department)
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Austin Police Department is asking the public to help find a missing elderly woman who was last seen Saturday morning.
  Police said Girlean Pennick, 81, was last seen at 8:30 a.m. driving from Mason to Austin where she lives. Mason is between Austin and San Angelo. She was last seen in the 400 block of Fort McKavitt Street in Mason.
  Police said she is black with black hair and brown eyes, 5-foot 3-inches tall and wei
  
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• Family, friends gather to mourn Ebony Sheppard

  07-01-2018 04:47 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Friends and family packed the pews Saturday afternoon to say goodbye to a mother randomly shot and killed right after Christmas.
  “Right now, we need an understanding. Right now, we need a shoulder to cry on,” said the pastor, comforting the crowd mourning the loss of Ebony Sheppard.
  Police say Sheppard was murdered in the parking lot of her apartment complex during a robbery spree.
  Her funeral was held this afternoon at the Grant A.M.E. Church in northeast Austi
  
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• Man shot in head during fight in northeast Austin apartment parking lot

  07-01-2018 04:08 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin police are investigating a shooting in an apartment parking lot in northeast Austin that sent one man to the hospital Saturday evening.
  It happened at about 6:20 p.m. at the Canyon Trails Apartments on Grand Canyon Drive west of Cameron Road and north of US 290.
  Police said they responded to a call of people shooting at each other in the parking lot after a fight.
  At least three people were injured, but only one was taken to the hospital after being shot in the head.
  
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• Former Texas First Lady Rita Clements dies at 86

  07-01-2018 03:58 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – The former First Lady of Texas, Rita Clements, passed away Saturday morning at the age of 86.
  She was the widow of Bill Clements, who served as Texas Governor from 1979 to 1983 and 1987 to 1991.
  She also served on President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s first presidential campaign.
  Clements also served on the University of Texas System Board of Regents. She was a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin.
  According to the Texas Tribune, a memorial is scheduled for Saturd
  
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