• Randalls will opens its first store in Georgetown on Friday

    GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — Employees at the newest grocery store in Georgetown are busy stocking shelves and making sure everything is ready for the store’s grand opening on Friday, Jan. 12.
    The new Randalls store located at 5721 Williams Dr., on the city’s northwest side, will feature a full-service Starbucks, deli area with seating for 80 as well as a drive-thru pharmacy. The 57,644 square-foot store will also offer a hot soup bar, olive bar and an extensive beer and wine col
  • Randalls will open its first store in Georgetown on Friday

    GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — Employees at the newest grocery store in Georgetown are busy stocking shelves and making sure everything is ready for the store’s grand opening on Friday, Jan. 12.
    The new Randalls store located at 5721 Williams Dr., on the city’s northwest side, will feature a full-service Starbucks, deli area with seating for 80 as well as a drive-thru pharmacy. The 57,644 square-foot store will also offer a hot soup bar, olive bar and an extensive beer and wine col
  • After Olympic deal, North Korea’s figure skaters may lead team

    They’re the friendly face of North Korea, and it looks like they’re coming south to the Olympics.
    With sparkling costumes and winning smiles, figure skaters Ryom Tae Ok and Kim Ju Sik could lead the North Korean team in Pyeongchang, South Korea, next month after their government said Tuesday it would send athletes to the Games.
    Ryom and Kim are the only North Korean athletes who have qualified for the Feb. 9-25 Olympics in Pyeongchang so far. However, the International Olympic Commit
  • Security at Austin buildings ‘compromised’ after burglary suspect gets master key

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — A master key that allows first responders easy and quick access to apartment complexes and commercial buildings was recently found in the possession of a burglary suspect, says a spokesperson with the city of Austin.
    According to a memo issued by Austin’s Assistant City Manager Rey Arellano, since the local Knox key system was compromised, the city is in the process of replacing and upgrading the system. The Knox Company supplies the lockboxes, which provides first re
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  • Plan emerges for hiking trail connecting San Marcos to Austin

    SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) – The San Marcos Greenbelt Alliance has dreams of building a regional hiking trail that would ultimately connect San Marcos to Austin.
    The organization’s board president, Mark Taylor, met with Hays County commissioners Tuesday morning to introduce the idea. He says plans for the 10 to 14-mile trail would include a connection to the Violet Crown Trail that the Hill Country Conservancy is in the process of constructing from Austin to a point west of Buda.
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  • Omenihu returning to UT for senior season

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — University of Texas junior defensive lineman Charles Omenihu has decided to return to Texas for his senior season.Omenihu was tied for the team lead with four sacks this past season.
    “First of all, I want to thank everyone who has supported me during the decision-making process,” Omenihu said in a statement.“From my family, to my teammates, to the coaching staff, I’ve had all the support I could ask for, and I can’t express how much I appreciat
  • Charles Omenihu returning to UT for senior season

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — University of Texas junior defensive lineman Charles Omenihu has decided to return to Texas for his senior season. Omenihu was tied for the team lead with four sacks this past season.
    “First of all, I want to thank everyone who has supported me during the decision-making process,” Omenihu said in a statement. “From my family, to my teammates, to the coaching staff, I’ve had all the support I could ask for, and I can’t express how much I appreci
  • Report of weapon on campus led to LBJ High lockdown for second day in a row

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — For the second day in a row, LBJ Early College High School was placed on lockdown as police investigated a report of a weapon on campus, Tuesday.
    Around 1:15 p.m., an Austin ISD spokesperson said district police, working with the Austin Police Department, responded to the report of a weapon on campus. Officers did not find a weapon and the lockdown has since been lifted.
    On Monday, another lockdown of the east Austin school was put into place following a report of a suspici
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  • Democratic candidate for Texas governor declared ineligible

    SAN ANGELO, Texas (KXAN) — A Democratic candidate for Texas governor was declared ineligible after the check she wrote to pay for the state’s filing fee bounced, meaning she will be forced to exit the race.
    According to data from the Texas Secretary of State’s office, Demetria Smith was ruled ineligible and it does not appear that her name will show up on the March primary ballot.
    Each candidate must submit a filing fee when turning in the necessary paperwork to run for office,
  • Woman, 15-year-old boy killed in fiery I-35 crash with 18-wheeler identified

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — A 23-year-old woman and a 15-year-old boy killed in a crash on North Interstate 35, just south of US 290, on Jan. 4 have been named by the Austin Police Department.
    Ashley Martinez was driving a 2001 GMC Jimmy northbound on I-35 when the vehicle stopped in the center lane for an unknown reason. An 18-wheeler rear-ended the SUV, causing it to burst into flames just before midnight.
    Both Martinez and her passenger, Eloi Herrera, were killed, police said.
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  • Cowboys wide receiver Cole Beasley drops debut rap single

    DALLAS (KXAN) — While playing football professionally takes up a huge chunk of time, Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Cole Beasley has managed to put together a rap album that will be released this spring.
    While the full album won’t be available for several months, Beasley’s debut single “80 Strings” dropped Tuesday and is currently available in all digital music stores. According to a press release, Beasley also teamed up with Victor “Phazz” Clark to form a
  • VIDEO: Girl rescued from California mudslide; 13 dead in state

    MONTECITO, Calif. (AP) — At least 13 people were killed and homes were torn from their foundations Tuesday as downpours sent mud and boulders roaring down hills stripped of vegetation by a gigantic wildfire that raged in Southern California last month.
    Rescue crews used helicopters to pluck people from rooftops because trees and power lines blocked roads, and firefighters pulled a mud-caked 14-year-old girl from a collapsed Montecito home where she had been trapped for hours.
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  • VIDEO: Girl rescued from California mudslide

    LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on storms in California (all times local):
    9:53 a.m.
    Firefighters have rescued a 14-year-old girl from the rubble of a home devastated by a mudslide in the Montecito area of Southern California after a powerful storm hit an area ravaged by a December wildfire.
    Santa Barbara County authorities say there have been five confirmed fatalities as of Tuesday morning and there is a backlog of 75 calls for rescue or evacuation from the area.
    The storm hit hard in the e
  • The Latest: Girl rescued from California mudslide

    LOS ANGELES (AP) — The Latest on storms in California (all times local):
    9:53 a.m.
    Firefighters have rescued a 14-year-old girl from the rubble of a home devastated by a mudslide in the Montecito area of Southern California after a powerful storm hit an area ravaged by a December wildfire.
    Santa Barbara County authorities say there have been five confirmed fatalities as of Tuesday morning and there is a backlog of 75 calls for rescue or evacuation from the area.
    The storm hit hard in the e
  • SXSW calling volunteers to help with festivals and conference

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — As thousands of people descend on Austin for the annual South By Southwest events in March, it’s the thousands of people behind the scenes that make everything go smoothly. SXSW is searching for just those people to volunteer for the festivals and conference.
    Sign ups are already open online on the SXSW website. 
    “Volunteers may find themselves registering the next big celebrity, helping provide information to visitors from around the world, or assisting re
  • Autos overshadow the small gadgets at CES tech show in Vegas

    LAS VEGAS (AP) — The smartphones and other small machines that used to dominate the annual CES gadget show have been overshadowed in recent years by bigger mobile devices: namely, automobiles.
    Auto companies typically save more practical announcements about new cars, trucks and SUVs for the upcoming Detroit auto show. But major automakers like Toyota, Kia, Hyundai and Ford have a noticeable presence at this week’s tech showcase in Las Vegas. CES is a chance for carmakers and supplier
  • Central Texas police receive state money for rifle resistant vests

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — Thousands of law enforcement members across Texas will have added protection in the form of vests, and on Tuesday departments found out how much money they will receive to pay for them.
    In Dallas, Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, announced who will receive state grants in accordance with a new law. At the Dallas Police Association Headquarters, Gov. Abbott and Lt. Governor Patrick joined several state lawmakers and police officers to make the announcement.
    After Dallas police off
  • Police identify man hit and killed by Amtrak train in Austin

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — Officials released the name of a 42-year-old man who was hit and killed by an Amtrak train at the end of December.
    Austin police say Clay Brewer died the evening of Dec. 30 in the 3100 block of West Anderson Lane and MoPac Expressway. Amtrak said it happened while the train was on its Texas Eagle Route, which runs from Chicago to Los Angeles and heads through Austin on the way. There were 122 people on board when the train hit Brewer.
    Police say they are still waiting for a
  • Austin sees drop in homicides, while Travis County sees slight uptick in 2017

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — The number of homicides and deadly traffic crashes in Austin were both on the decline in 2017.
    The Austin Police Department says last year they investigated 30 homicides, compared to 39 in 2016 –– which was the most number of murders in the city in a decade.
    In 2017, the agency had 71 traffic crashes that resulted in the deaths of 76 people. In 2016, there were 77 crashes that killed 78 people on Austin streets. Last year, the agency implemented “no refusa
  • German Playboy to feature 1st transgender model on cover

    BERLIN (AP) — The German edition of Playboy magazine says it will feature a transgender model on its cover for the first time.
    Editor-in-chief Florian Boitin said Tuesday that putting Giuliana Farfalla on the cover — topless, as is customary for such magazines in Germany — was in line with Playboy founder Hugh Hefner’s tradition of being “resolutely opposed to all forms of exclusion and intolerance.”
    Boitin says the 21-year-old Farfalla is a “wonderful e
  • North Carolina man accused of stealing stepdaughter’s puppy, selling it for drugs

    DUDLEY, N.C. (WNCN) — A North Carolina man has been arrested and charged after stealing a puppy from his stepdaughter and selling it for drugs, according to the Wayne County Sheriff’s Office.
    Authorities say that Christopher O’Neal Eakes, 41, stole an 8-week-old Yorkie puppy from a home on Club Knolls Road on Jan. 1. Detectives began an investigation and determined that Eakes, the stepfather of the victim, took the puppy and sold it for drugs.
    Eakes was arrested Monday and char
  • North Korea to go to South Korea’s Olympics after talks

    SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The rival Koreas moved toward easing their bitter animosity Tuesday during rare talks, with North Korea agreeing to take part in next month’s Winter Olympics in South Korea. The countries also agreed to hold more discussions on reducing tension along their border and to reopen a military hotline.
    The first meeting of its kind between the nations in about two years was arranged after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made an abrupt push for improved ties with S
  • North Korea taking part in South Korean Olympics after talks

    SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The rival Koreas moved toward reducing their bitter animosity Tuesday during rare talks, with North Korea agreeing to take part in next month’s Winter Olympics in South Korea. The countries also agreed to hold more discussions on easing tension along their border and to reopen a military hotline.
    The first meeting of its kind between the nations in about two years was arranged after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made an abrupt push for improved ties with S
  • Bastrop judge recommends against new trial for Rodney Reed

    BASTROP, Texas (KXAN) – The visiting judge who oversaw an October hearing of new evidence in the Rodney Reed case has made a recommendation to the Court of Criminal Appeals against Reed getting a new trial, according to Reed’s defense attorney.
    Visiting Judge Doug Shaver’s recommendation for a decision in favor of the state is an obstacle for Reed’s defense. However, Reed’s attorney Bryce Benjet said it is not a final decision. The Appeals Court will make the ultima
  • Murder trial begins for man accused of shooting, killing florist delivery driver

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — A jury is hearing opening arguments in the murder trial of Dedric Dixon, who is accused of shooting and killing Carlos Swist in 2016 after an argument at a convenience store.
    On March 1, 2016, at around 7 a.m., Austin police officers were dispatched to a single vehicle traffic crash in the 4600 block of Springdale Rd. When officers arrived on the scene, they found a white van on fire and Swist, 43, was inside. Swist was working for a florist company and was drivin
  • Manhunt underway for Michigan mother, boyfriend accused of killing 4-year-old girl

    SUMPTER TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WCMH) — Police in Michigan are looking for the mother of a 4-year-old girl who died Monday. They are also looking for the woman’s boyfriend.
    The manhunt started after police say the little girl was found unresponsive with severe burns on her body. Police told WDIV the home where the girl was found was full of animal waste and contained guns and drugs.
    According to police, the girl was taken to an area hospital and pronounced dead shortly after arriv
  • WATCH: Musicians play instruments made of ice

    KIROVSK, Russia (KXAN) — Some people may describe certain types of music as “cool,” but a concert in Russia took that adjective to a whole new level. A group of musicians from Norway performed using instruments made of ice.
    The group wowed crowds in Kirovsk, Russia, with the sounds they made using ice carved into items resembling a xylophone, chimes and horns, as well as a unique instrument that looked like a mortar and pestle. The musicians say their creations were made with w
  • How do alligators survive the cold? It’s a pretty unique solution

    OCEAN ISLE BEACH, N.C. (WECT) Alligators in North Carolina are dealing with the freezing temperatures by sticking their noses up through the ice to breathe.
    According to George Howard, the general manager at Shallotte River Swamp Park in Ocean Isle Beach, the gators, including the 12 rescued at the park, stick their noses up through the ice to breathe, then they hibernate.
    Howard said technically the American alligators’ form of hibernation is called brumation. He said they lower their bod
  • Trump signs bill expanding Atlanta park honoring King

    MARIETTA, Ga. (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed a bill to create a national historic park in Atlanta honoring Martin Luther King Jr.
    The new law expands an existing historic site commemorating King to include the Prince Hall Masonic Temple. The temple served as the headquarters of an organization once headed by King, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference.
    The site currently includes King’s childhood home and a church where he was a pastor, Ebenezer Baptist Church.
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  • Mom, aunt arrested over baby found dead at Texas gas station

    GREENVILLE, Texas (AP) — Police have arrested the mother and aunt of a weeks-old baby after the infant’s body was found at a North Texas gas station.
    Greenville police say both sisters were being held Tuesday on a charge of tampering with evidence. Investigators say the baby girl may have died at a residence and the corpse was moved to the gas station, where the body was discovered late Monday morning.
    Police Sgt. Adam Phillips did not immediately release the names of the sisters, wh
  • Mom, 27, aunt arrested over dead baby at Texas gas station

    GREENVILLE, Texas (AP) — Police have arrested the mother and aunt of a weeks-old baby after the infant’s body was found at a North Texas gas station.
    Hunt County jail records show 27-year-old Stephanie Leanne Flynn and 20-year-old Shawn Elise Flynn, both of Greenville, were being held Tuesday on evidence tampering charges. Bond was $50,000 apiece.
    Greenville police Sgt. Adam Phillips says Stephanie Flynn is the mother of the girl whose body was discovered Monday at the gas station. I
  • 2 arrested after baby found dead at North Texas gas station

    GREENVILLE, Texas (AP) — Police say a baby has been found dead at a North Texas gas station and officers later arrested two women on an evidence tampering charge.
    Greenville police say officers Monday morning responded to a medical call at a Prime Stop and located an unresponsive baby. The infant was pronounced dead at the scene.
    Police on Monday night reported two females were arrested after investigators determined the baby may have died at a residence and the corpse was moved.
    Police in
  • East Texas teen dies after falling off running board of moving truck

    HALLSVILLE, Texas (KETK) – The Hallsville community is devastated by the loss of a local teen. 18-year-old Wyatt Edwards died Saturday when he fell out of his truck. His death is still a shock to many, but they said it’s his goofy personality that will not be forgotten.
    On Monday, several of his friends met up at the Sonic in Hallsville to share memories.
    “Everybody loved him. I don’t think there was a person who didn’t,” Kayleigh Pugh said.
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  • Just shy of her 100th birthday, Mississippi woman bags deer

    MORGANTOWN, Miss. (AP) — A 99-year-old hunter in Mississippi wants to know why people are making a big fuss about her recent kill. It was a doe after all, not a prized buck.
    The Clarion Ledger reports that Bertha Vickers used a .243 Winchester rifle to kill a doe recently a few miles from her rural home. Relatives posted pictures of Vickers and her kill on Facebook, and people sent messages of congratulations.
    Vickers says she doesn’t know “why everybody is making such a big de
  • Williamson Co. sheriff says he’s not ‘stealing’ APD officers

    WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Some Austin police officers who chose to retire amid a contract lapse are finding a new home in Williamson County. And it’s not because the sheriff’s office is “actively recruiting or stealing from APD,” according to Sheriff Robert Chody.
    In the past week, Chody has sworn in at least two former APD officers who retired early because the city and police union could not come to an agreement. On Monday, he posted photos on Twitter of t
  • Sheriff Chody says he’s not ‘stealing’ former APD officers

    WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Some Austin police officers who chose to retire amid a contract lapse are finding a new home in Williamson County. And it’s not because the sheriff’s office is “actively recruiting or stealing from APD,” according to Sheriff Robert Chody.
    In the past week, Chody has sworn in at least two former APD officers who retired early because the city and police union could not come to an agreement. On Monday, he posted photos on Twitter of t
  • Capital Metro introduces 4 finalists for CEO position

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — Capital Metro is one step closer to finding a new leader — and a new vision for commuters in Austin. The group introduced its four finalists for the President and CEO position to the public Monday night at the AISD Performing Arts Center. The position became open after longtime CEO Linda Watson retired last year. Tuesday, the Cap Metro board will hold a special meeting where it could narrow down the candidate field, possibly selecting the sole finalist. A final decisi
  • Social justice group preparing for Austin’s first ‘Black Art Matters’ show

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — A local group that focuses on combating inequality and advocating for social justice wants to make sure minority artists are in the spotlight in Austin.
    The Austin Justice Coalition is looking for artists of color to exhibit work at its inaugural Black Art Matters show next month. The goal, the group says, is to give those artists a platform to highlight criminal and social justice, as well as the Black Lives Matter movement.
    Interested artists can fill out the artist call
  • Zilker Park now fully reopen

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — Now that music festivals and the holidays have come and gone, Zilker Park has officially, completely reopened.
    All traces of October’s Austin City Limits Festival and December’s Trail of Lights are gone — replaced by people enjoying the outdoors and the sunshine. While some, like Rebecca Muñoz, understand why parts of the park must be shut down, she says she’s glad to be able to get out and hike and hula hoop again.
    “It being closed; it&
  • Customs seizes $55K in counterfeit Air Jordans at airport

    CHANTILLY, Va. (AP) — Customs officers at Dulles International Airport in Virginia have seized nearly $55,000 worth of counterfeit Air Jordan shoes.
    U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Monday that 400 pairs of the counterfeit Nikes arrived at the airport last month, destined for an address in Alexandria, Virginia.
    Officers suspected the shoes, which arrived from China mimicking assorted models of the shoe, were fakes.
    The shoes retail for well over $100 and have been popular since the
  • Alabama beats Georgia 26-23 in OT for title

    ATLANTA (AP) — The Latest on the College Football Playoff national football championship game on Monday night (all times local):
    12:10 a.m.
    Alabama has beaten Georgia 26-23 in overtime to win its fifth national championship since 2009 under Nick Saban.
    Freshman quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw a 42-yard touchdown pass to DeVonta Smith after getting sacked on Alabama’s opening play of the extra session. Georgia had the ball first in overtime, and Rodrigo Blankenship kicked a 51-yard f
  • Report: 4 of top 10 dangerous Texas intersections for pedestrians are in Austin

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — Hill Law Firm in San Antonio compiled data from the Texas Department of Transportation, presenting their rankings of the most dangerous intersections in Texas. Four of the top 10 are in Austin.
    Their data shows that urban areas where a lot of people are moving to and visiting are seeing a rise in pedestrian deaths.
    Of the intersections listed in the report, Trinity and East Seventh streets in Austin was ranked as the most dangerous for pedestrians in Texas. The ranking take
  • Austin has 4 of the most dangerous intersections for pedestrians in Texas

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — Hill Law Firm in San Antonio compiled data from the Texas Department of Transportation, presenting their rankings of the most dangerous intersections in Texas. Four of the top 10 are in Austin.
    Their data shows that urban areas where a lot of people are moving to and visiting are seeing a rise in pedestrian deaths.
    Of the intersections listed in the report, Trinity and East Seventh streets in Austin was ranked as the most dangerous for pedestrians in Texas. The ranking take
  • How to snuff out cedar fever without a trip to the doctor

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — “Cedar fever” is expected to hit Austin worse than usual this year. Allergists say a wetter-than-usual winter made for a late start to the season.
    Cedar pollen counts didn’t climb as high as they usually do in December, due to the precipitation, but now, doctors say Austinites will pay for that.
    “That will likely prolong the season into late February, maybe early March,” said Dr. Thomas Leath of Allergy Free Austin. “And if we keep having
  • Coast Guard ends search for missing pilot heading to Georgetown

    NEW ORLEANS (KXAN) — The U.S. Coast Guard has ended its search for missing pilot Bill Kinsinger, who was flying to Georgetown last week to pick up an older rescue dog when his plane went off radar in the Gulf of Mexico.
    The Coast Guard says its crews searched 17,458 nautical square miles for around 79 hours. Kinsinger, 55, of Oklahoma City, was flying a Cirrus S22T single-engine plane from Oklahoma to Central Texas when he was last seen on radar at 15,000 feet going into the Gulf of Mexico
  • VIDEO: Officer rescues dog after man allegedly beats, shoves it in car trunk

    MARYSVILLE, Ohio (WCMH) – Police in Marysville say a man was arrested last week after he beat a dog and stuffed it in the trunk of his car.
    It happened Friday evening, according to police.
    A man told police 34-year-old James Combs approached him and asked if he wanted to buy a dog.  The man said no.
    Police said the dog then started to run away from Combs. They said Combs then caught the dog, slammed it against the car, kicked it and threw it in the trunk of the car.
    The rescue of the
  • Dad heard crash that killed pregnant daughter

    GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — A young mom who along with her unborn son was killed after her car stalled on the highway was on the phone with her dad, asking for help, when he heard the crash, her family said.
    The crash killed 21-year-old Valery Arreola, who was eight months pregnant, and critically injured her 3-year-old son.
    She was taking her young sons to meet her family for a day of sledding when she pulled onto northbound US-131 from Franklin Street about 2 p.m. Sunday, her family sai
  • Report: Texas music industry accounts for 95K jobs in state’s economy

    AUSTIN (KXAN) – The music industry added more jobs to the Texas economy in 2017, but the Texas Music Office says there’s still a lot of work ahead to keep this momentum going.
    The office released its second Texas Music Economic Impact report, highlighting the industry’s growth from the last time it published these findings, which was in 2015.
    From 2015 to 2017, there were nearly 3,000 more music-related jobs added to the state, now up to around 95,000. There was also about $8.5
  • Neighbors: Flawed traffic study kept ‘unsafe’ Georgetown road open

    GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — On Apache Mountain Lane in Georgetown, Jean Ann Rieder worries about her family’s safety.
    “We’re afraid to go out to the mailbox and step into the street to open the mailbox,” explains Rieder. “We can’t let our grandchildren play out here, we can’t even let them be on the driveways because of all the traffic.”
    The intersection of West Majestic Oak Lane and Apache Mountain Lane is the culprit — it’s a sho
  • Number of Texans who take the GED has steadily dropped over the years

    AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texans who drop out of high school still aren’t taking and passing the high school equivalency, GED, like they used to, according to a new report.
    “The economy really is based on all of us working and attracting business and if we don’t have an educated workforce then they’re going to relocate,” said Chandra Villanueva, a policy analyst from the Center for Public Policy Priorities. She was the lead author of the report titled The Texas GED

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