Austin news

• Dallas Cowboys legend Troy Aikman debuts new beer in Texas

  08-02-2022 23:53 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — You can now (responsibly) sip beer in Austin made by a three-time Super Bowl champion.Dallas Cowboys legend Troy Aikman took up bartending at an Austin bar Tuesday to unveil his new beer.The NFL Hall of Famer served the beer he helped develop, called EIGHT Elite Light Lager, to customers and fans. It's named after his former jersey number with the Cowboys.The beer company is actually based in Austin and works to give back to Texas-based causes that work to make healthy livi
  
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• What will happen to inmates released under CARES Act? Prison officials vague

  08-02-2022 23:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Responding to concerns from more than two dozen members of Congress, the Federal Bureau of Prisons gave a vague answer when asked what will happen to the thousands of prisoners released under the CARES Act once the pandemic ends.
  "As these regulations will guide parameters of implementation, we cannot speak to specifics at this time," Acting Assistant Director James Wills wrote.The letter, dated Feb. 7, is a response to a request from 27 members of Congress asking for speci
  
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• Elgin man accused of killing man, restraining woman against her will

  08-02-2022 23:15 via kxan.com
  
  LEE COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — An Elgin man was arrested this week as investigators believe he shot and killed another man and restrained a woman against her will.
  The Lee County Sheriff's Office said just after midnight on Sunday, it got a report of a possible shooting and kidnapping in the 1000 block of Deerwood Dr. in Elgin. Deputies arrived on scene to find David Maxwell, 43, dead. He had been shot and killed inside his truck, the sheriff's office said.Man charged with murder after argumen
  
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• Boil water notice issued for some Fayette County residents

  08-02-2022 23:04 via kxan.com
  
  FAYETTE COUNTY (KXAN) — A boil water notice has been issued for customers of Vista Ranch Water System near the Bastrop and Fayette County line.
  Residents who live in the affected area of County Way Road, Vista Ranch Road, Barton Creek Road and Red Hollow Lane are asked to boil water before consumption.Why did everyone in Austin get a boil water notice for mistakes at one plant?According to Aqua Water Supply, portions of the system experienced low pressure due to system repairs just before
  
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• Active 10 to 15-acre fire burning in Spicewood Tuesday

  08-02-2022 21:55 via kxan.com
  
  SPICEWOOD, Texas (KXAN) — Multiple agencies are responding to a 10 to 15-acre fire in Spicewood off State Highway 71 Tuesday afternoon.No structures are currently threatened by the fire at 3500 Fall Creek Road, which is just west of SH 71, a Travis County spokesperson told KXAN. The fire was reported around 1:20 p.m.Multiple agencies are responding to a 10 to 15-acre fire in Spicewood off State Highway 71 Tuesday afternoon.Multiple agencies are responding to a 10 to 15-acre fire in Spicewo
  
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• 25-acre fire in Spicewood contained, officials say

  08-02-2022 21:55 via kxan.com
  
  SPICEWOOD, Texas (KXAN) — Multiple agencies responded to a fire in Spicewood off Hwy. 71 Tuesday afternoon that grew to 25 acres. It was contained Tuesday afternoon.
  Two structures were threatened by the fire near 3500 Fall Creek Road, which is just west of Hwy. 71, a Pedernales Fire Department spokesperson told KXAN. The fire was reported around 1:20 p.m.Multiple agencies are responding to a 10 to 15-acre fire in Spicewood off State Highway 71 Tuesday afternoon.Multiple agencies are respo
  
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• World's longest lightning strike recorded in the US

  08-02-2022 21:53 via kxan.com
  
  (KXAN) — One of the greatest creations in recent years when it comes to meteorology has been the launch of the GOES-16 and GOES-17.GOES stands for Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite. GOES-16 and GOES-17 launched in 2016 and 2018 respectively, and have been monitoring our skies ever since with some of the most sophisticated tools.One of them in particular, the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM) on GOES-16 is a single-channel, near-infrared optical transient detector that ca
  
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• Travis County reinstates burn ban citing high fire danger

  08-02-2022 21:49 via kxan.com
  
  TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Commissioners signed off on a burn ban Tuesday morning for unincorporated parts of Travis County, as was recommended by the Travis County Fire Marshall. The ban will go into place immediately.
  A burn ban was lifted last week by Chief Fire Marshal Tony Callaway after Central Texas got quite a bit of precipitation during last week's storm; but that freeze also killed off any fuels that were still hanging in there, he reported.
  Couple that with low humidity
  
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• Travis County considers prescribed burn amid burn ban

  08-02-2022 21:49 via kxan.com
  
  TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Travis County Parks plans on doing a prescribed burn at Reimers Ranch Park, but officials will answer questions prior to the burn Wednesday.Weather conditions will dictate if parks staff goes ahead with the burn, but there's also a burn ban for unincorporated areas of the county. The burn is scheduled to run from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.County commissioners signed off on a burn ban Tuesday morning for unincorporated parts of Travis County, as was recommended by the Trav
  
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• Why the world's fastest bird made a pit stop in Austin

  08-02-2022 21:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — It isn't every day Austinites get a glimpse of the world's fastest bird in action. But such was the case when a 12-year-old peregrine falcon named Yukon Jack made his annual migration from Minnesota to Austin and made a few new friends along the way.Yukon Jack was born in Minnesota in 2009 and has since spent more than a decade making annual trips down south during the winters. But during Austin's most recent cold spell, a cold shock to Yukon Jack's system landed him in an
  
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• Quiz: How well do you know the Winter Olympics?

  08-02-2022 21:01 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Think you know your stuff about the Winter Olympics? Take this 10-question quiz about the Games and find out if you can earn a medal or finish off the podium.Get the latest on how our Texans are doing in the Olympics by signing up for push alerts on the KXAN News App and our More Than The Score newsletter. Join us at noon every weekday for our stream highlighting memorable moments and KXAN's team in Beijing.The Games in Beijing are in full swing, and you can catch all the a
  
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• Data: 95% of people who died of COVID-19 in Travis County had underlying health conditions

  08-02-2022 20:29 via kxan.com
  
  TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Of the more than 1,200 people who have died of COVID-19 in Austin-Travis County since the beginning of the pandemic, most had at least one underlying medical condition, health leaders reported Tuesday. Many of those conditions were long-term or chronic.
  Hypertension, diabetes and cardiac disease were the most frequent comorbidities listed, according to Austin Public Health (APH) data. Nearly half of the people who have died of COVID-19 in Travis County reporte
  
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• SXSW music wristbands now on sale to Austin-area residents

  08-02-2022 20:24 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Wristbands for the South by Southwest music festival are now on sale, but getting them comes with a catch.SXSW organizers said people have to show proof of vaccination against COVID-19 or show proof of a negative test to "collect and maintain their credentials." Depending on what risk level Austin-Travis County is at, the period for valid negative tests to pick up wristbands ranges from 24-72 hours. Meow Wolf brings ‘interdimensional portal’ to SXSWOrganizers al
  
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• Texas Hoops: Watch Lake Travis vs. Westlake live on KBVO

  08-02-2022 20:10 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Battle of the Lakes rivalry between Westlake and Lake Travis will be live on KBVO Tuesday night.The top teams in District 26-6A are fighting for the district title as the UIL high school basketball regular season hits the final weeks. You can watch the game on High School Basketball Live on KBVO and KXAN.com at 7:30 p.m.Westlake (30-1, 11-0) is undefeated in district while Lake Travis (25-6, 10-1) can pull into a first-place tie with a win on the road against
  
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• Beautiful weather to last through Friday ahead of small weekend rain chances

  08-02-2022 19:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Our warming trend continues today despite starting off colder than Monday morning.BLOG: Austin sets five "snowfall" records during ice storm despite no snow accumulationThis afternoon will be similar to the past few days now with lots of sunshine and warming afternoon temperatures. We should be at, or slightly above, our average high of 65 today.Overnight, temperatures cool off quickly, but most areas should stay above freezing. It'll still be a cold start, but mostly in th
  
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• Beautiful afternoons to continue ahead of weekend cold front

  08-02-2022 19:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — After a very cold morning across Central Texas the weather turned out great Tuesday afternoon with sunny skies and temperatures warming to the upper 60s in many areas.BLOG: Austin sets five "snowfall" records during ice storm despite no snow accumulationWith very dry air in place, early morning low temperatures were in the 20s in most areas, with a low of 23 degrees recorded at Austin's airport.
  Overnight, temperatures cool off quickly, but most areas should stay above free
  
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• 3 years post-death, Richard Overton grave to receive memorial monument

  08-02-2022 18:51 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Prior to Richard Overton's death in December 2018, he was known for many things: His love for cigars and whiskey, his storied history in Central Texas and his status as both the oldest living man and oldest living World War II veteran in the United States.In the three years since his passing, Overton's gravesite has been marked with a small plaque. In the next month, though, a new monument will adorn his memorial site — one that's been years in the making.Prior to his
  
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• Big Game Bound: HOF RB Eric Dickerson, former Colts and Bears coach Chuck Pagano talk Super Bowl

  08-02-2022 18:45 via kxan.com
  
  INGLEWOOD, Calif. – The buildup to Super Bowl LVI between the Rams and Bengals continues with Cincinnati arriving in Los Angeles this evening.Our “Big Game Bound” coverage continues with another daily livestream at 1:30 p.m. ET. Chris Hagan and Jarrett Payton will be outside SoFi Stadium with more analysis and special guests.Pro Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson joins Payton to dissect the match-up. The former Rams running back likes his former team’s chances, especia
  
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• Expect Stage 4 COVID-19 guidelines in Austin in the next couple of weeks

  08-02-2022 18:37 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The omicron surge in Austin-Travis County has reached its peak number of hospitalizations and case numbers are declining, the local health authority said in a joint Travis County Commissioners, Austin City Council meeting Tuesday.
  The 7-day moving average of hospitalizations, a metric largely used to inform which COVID-19 risk-based guidelines we're in, was at 61 Monday. It's been falling since the later part of January when the rolling average was twice that at 128. The thresho
  
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• LIVE NOW: Chen sets world record; history made in ski events

  08-02-2022 18:10 via kxan.com
  
  BEIJING (AP) — Nathan Chen flipped, whirled and even punched his way to a world-record score in the men’s figure skating short program at the Beijing Olympics.Next up for the Salt Lake City native: an expected and long-awaited coronation as Olympic champion.Chen made history in a historic venue on Tuesday, crushing the world record with a score of 113.97 at Capital Indoor Stadium, site of the 1971 ping pong diplomacy matches between the United States and China.Chen shined on a day wh
  
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• Chen sets world record; history made in ski events

  08-02-2022 18:10 via kxan.com
  
  BEIJING (AP) — Nathan Chen flipped, whirled and even punched his way to a world-record score in the men’s figure skating short program at the Beijing Olympics.Next up for the Salt Lake City native: an expected and long-awaited coronation as Olympic champion.Chen made history in a historic venue on Tuesday, crushing the world record with a score of 113.97 at Capital Indoor Stadium, site of the 1971 ping pong diplomacy matches between the United States and China.Chen shined on a day wh
  
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• Robert Luckritz named new Austin-Travis County EMS chief

  08-02-2022 17:51 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk announced Tuesday that he selected Robert Luckritz as the next Austin-Travis County EMS chief.Five finalists were announced in January from 37 applicants, including interim Chief Jasper Brown.
  “I am very excited about the opportunity to be the City of Austin’s next EMS Chief,” Luckritz said, according to a news release from the city. “I look forward to creating opportunities to support and empower employees of the departm
  
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• TxDMV served search warrant, knew about paper tag problem for years

  08-02-2022 14:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It's March 17, 2020, and Sgt. Jose Escribano with the Travis County Constable's Office is behind the wheel of his patrol car. At 2:21 pm on a clear Tuesday afternoon, he turns on his body camera video and starts recording as he makes an unprecedented announcement.
  "I'm headed to 4000 Jackson Street. As a matter of fact, I'm on Jackson Street now to serve a evidentiary search warrant," Escribano says. "On the Texas DMV. Concerning our cases."In recent months, the Texas Department
  
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• Austin 911 answer times slowing amid staffing shortage

  08-02-2022 14:17 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – More 911 calls coming into Austin's 911 center and there is less staff to answer them. That means some people might be put on hold.That's what Lt. Kenneth Murphy, head of Austin Police Department's communications division said during Monday's public safety committee meeting.Lt. Murphy says in 2019, operators were answering 99% of calls within 10 seconds. Now with all the vacancies and more calls coming in, dispatchers are only able to answer 90% of calls within 10 seconds.
  
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• Slowing down speeders: Austin Transportation adds new devices to busy streets

  08-02-2022 14:01 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Crashes involving speedy drivers severely hurt or killed more than 620 people in Austin last year. In some cases, Austin Transportation Department safety officer Lewis Leff said drivers were going 15 miles per hour over the posted speed limit.He said one of those areas included Slaughter Lane where the speed limit is 45 miles per hour. However, a recent speed report found hundreds of drivers were going 60 miles per hour. That's not even the fastest speed reported. Why neigh
  
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• Nathan Chen avenges poor 2018 skate with world-record short program

  08-02-2022 12:28 via kxan.com
  
  BEIJING (AP) — Nathan Chen had just shattered the world record for a figure skating short program, even throwing a defiant fist in a rare display of emotion, when he was asked how he'd spend the next 48 hours before his long-awaited Olympic coronation.“I've been here a while,” the 22-year-old American star replied with a shrug Tuesday. “I've got some clothes to wash. Some other things to clean around my room. Just ordinary chores, really. Nothing crazy.”Get th
  
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• Fantastic weather to finish work week

  08-02-2022 12:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Milder mornings and beautiful afternoons continue through the remainder of the work week.Today's forecast feature abundant sunshine, comfortable temperatures (low 70s) and dry skies stretched across Central Texas. Overnight lows remain chilly but will increase a couple degrees each morning through Friday.Expect sunshine, 70s and light winds to continue Thursday and Friday afternoon.A cold front is slated to arrive early Saturday bringing a slight chance of rain and cooler w
  
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• Why did everyone in Austin get a boil water notice for mistakes at one plant?

  08-02-2022 06:25 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — One water utility expert said it's surprising to see a city-wide boil water notice for a place as big as Austin.
  "Typically, boil water notices are going to be regional-specific, especially if there's-- if it's a big town," said John Shaw, a consulting civil engineer based in Nevada. "You've got distribution systems that are--cover hundreds of square miles, then your boil water order is going to be specific to a pressure zone, or a certain part of the distribution system, r
  
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• No. 20 Texas rallies for electric win over No. 8 Kansas

  08-02-2022 06:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Texas Longhorns fans stormed the court after No. 20 Texas pulled off a win over No. 8 Kansas (19-4, 8-2) Monday night at the Frank Erwin Center.Timmy Allen hit the game-winning shot with a jumper at the free throw line with 20 seconds remaining for a 79-76 win. The Longhorns thwarted Kansas' final, true offensive attempt when Dajuan Harris Jr. lost control of the ball on the baseline with eight seconds on the clock. Houston Texans pick Lovie Smith as next head coachTexas (18-6,
  
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• American-born Eileen Gu wins gold for China in big air

  08-02-2022 04:31 via kxan.com
  
  BEIJING (AP) -- Eileen Gu of China cranked out the first 1620 of her career on her final jump, stunning France’s Tess Ledeux and earning the first of what she hopes will be three gold medals in women’s freestyle big air.Nicknamed the “Snow Princess,” Gu is among the biggest local names at the Beijing Games. She’s a medal favorite in big air, slopestyle and halfpipe. Her first stab at gold came down to the last round.Gu hinted after qualifying Monday that she might b
  
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• Big air skiing takes center stage — what to watch Tuesday at the Olympics

  08-02-2022 04:30 via kxan.com
  
  (KXAN) — The Olympic Games are underway with athletes coming from across the world to compete in Beijing. The global celebration of sport featuring 13 winter sports officially started Friday, Feb. 4 with the opening ceremony.Nearly 3,000 athletes, plus coaches and team officials, are expected to be in Beijing for the Games.On Tuesday, the big air skiing event will hand its first-ever Olympic medals. The event is making its Olympic debut in 2022. Three Americans, Alexander Hall, Colby Steve
  
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• Olympic mascot is instant sellout in Beijing

  08-02-2022 03:41 via kxan.com
  
  (BEIJING) AP -- With the Beijing Winter Olympics underway, customers have been racing to stores to snap up scarce souvenirs, including the particularly popular stuffed versions of Games mascot Bing Dwen Dwen, a panda in a winter coat.People showed up with stools Sunday to wait overnight in freezing temperatures outside Gongmei Emporium on the Wangfujing pedestrian mall in central Beijing.Get the latest on how our Texans are doing in the Olympics by signing up for push alerts on the KXAN News App
  
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• Warming trend extends through the end of the work week

  08-02-2022 03:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Our warming trend continues today with our sights set on a string of 70s starting tomorrow. BLOG: Austin sets five "snowfall" records during ice storm despite no snow accumulationToday will feature afternoon highs in the mid- to upper 60s, sunshine and dry skies areawide. South/southwest winds will help keep the warm up going through midweek with 70s expected Wednesday through Friday. Overnight lows will remain chilly (30s & 40s).A cold front is slated to arrive early S
  
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• 'Uncomfortably busy': Some Austin businesses see spike amid water woes

  08-02-2022 02:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — As Austin's boil water notice spilled into the workweek, some local businesses saw a bump in sales.
  Lucky Lab Coffee, a West Campus bakery and café near the University of Texas at Austin, told KXAN its Monday was busier than usual, thanks to some extra cold brew coffee, kegged ahead of last week's ice storm, and the closure of a nearby competitor.Austin Water: Employee error led to boil water notice"We've had a lot of traffic since the Starbucks is closed on the corn
  
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• Veteran midfielder Felipe Martins added by Austin FC on free agent deal

  08-02-2022 01:32 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin FC announced the addition of Major League Soccer veteran Felipe Martins Monday.The 31-year-old midfielder from Brazil has 10 years of MLS experience, playing with Montréal, New York Red Bulls, Vancouver Whitecaps FC and most recently D.C. United. Felipe's free agent deal is a one-year contract with an option for 2023. Taste test: What’s on the menu at Q2 Stadium ahead of Austin FC’s second season“Everything I’ve seen, from the
  
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• Bengals fan with ALS trying to get to Super Bowl

  08-02-2022 00:23 via kxan.com
  
  DAYTON, Ohio (WDTN) - An Ohio woman is hoping to get her dying father to Los Angeles to see his beloved Cincinnati Bengals play in this weekend's Super Bowl.
  In 2019, Paul Miracle was diagnosed with ALS, a nervous system disease that causes muscle weakness and impaired physical function.
  "Usually once you're diagnosed with it you have about two to three years left in your lifetime," said PaulPaul's daughter, Sarah Miracle, knows that time left with her father is precious.
  "Just, as his daughter,
  
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• TxDMV executive director resigns amid KXAN investigations, turmoil over paper license problem

  08-02-2022 00:18 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The executive director of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, Whitney Brewster, resigned late Monday afternoon amid a series of KXAN investigations and turmoil over the state's ongoing paper license plate problems, the TxDMV has confirmed."It is with a heavy [heart] and mixed emotions that I write to you today to announce my departure," Brewster said in an email. "Unfortunately, challenges and difficulties still face the state and organization. I understand the frustrations
  
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