Austin news

• Texas sues CDC to stop mask mandates on planes

  16-02-2022 23:23 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Texas Tribune) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and U.S. Rep. Beth Van Duyne, R-Irving, are suing the Biden administration to end mask mandates on planes.The lawsuit, filed Wednesday, argues that the mandate imposes a “restriction on travelers’ liberty interests.”Van Duyne’s district includes the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.The federal mask mandate, issued in January 2021, requires that people wear masks while using public trans
  
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• Crews extinguish grass fire in southeast Travis County

  16-02-2022 23:21 via kxan.com
  
  TRAVIS COUNTY (KXAN) — Crews have contained a grass fire that broke out in southeast Travis County Wednesday afternoon, just east of the Del Valle area.
  Austin Fire said its department and Travis County Fire Rescue have extinguished a "fast moving" grass fire near Highway 71 East and Dr Scott Drive. The fire was under control as of 4 p.m.
  The fire had grown to two acres.Red Flag Warnings issued for Central Texas for Thursday — What that means for youWind gusts were more than 30 mph i
  
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• Texas to receive $1.17 billion from pharmaceutical companies for opioid prevention, education

  16-02-2022 22:16 via kxan.com
  
  (Texas Tribune) —Texans seeking help for substance use can call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s free help line at 800-662-4357. They can also access services available in their region through the Texas Health and Human Services website.Texas and some of its largest counties will receive $1.17 billion in opioid relief money as part of a nationwide settlement from three large pharmaceutical distribution companies, Texas Attorney Gener
  
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• UT faculty members demand answers after Dan Patrick says Liberty Institute intended to fight critical race theory

  16-02-2022 21:57 via kxan.com
  
  (Texas Tribune) — A tweet sent by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has reignited concern among some University of Texas at Austin faculty members that the purpose of a new conservative-backed think tank may be to restrict teaching about critical race theory.“I will not stand by and let looney Marxist UT professors poison the minds of young students with Critical Race Theory,” Patrick wrote on the social media platform Twitter. “We banned it in publicly funded K-12
  
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• SXSW 2022: Free Disney+ movie screenings at Austin's Long Center

  16-02-2022 21:50 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Disney+ is giving Austinites the chance to see streaming exclusive movies for free during South By Southwest.The streaming service will host three outdoor screenings at the Long Center. Families won't need a badge to get in and will also get the chance to win giveaways, see characters and more, according to the conference schedule. SXSW 2022: Lizzo, Beck, Al Roker named speakersAll screenings are scheduled for Saturday, March 12, pending City of Austin permit approval.Jungl
  
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• LIVE: Austin honors La Mexicana Bakery after 32-year run in south Austin

  16-02-2022 21:02 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The City of Austin has declared Feb. 16 as "La Mexicana Bakery Day" in honor of the south Austin bakery and its owner Jesús Martinez Becerra.The bakery, which has been in business for 32 years, closed its doors for good Tuesday. READ MORE: La Mexicana Bakery to close in south Austin after 32 yearsThe City will hold a proclamation ceremony at 2 p.m. CT Wednesday with free pastries from the bakery and live music.Council Member Kathie Tovo, Council Member Vanessa Fuente
  
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• Austin honors La Mexicana Bakery after 32-year run in south Austin

  16-02-2022 21:02 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The City of Austin has declared Feb. 16 as "La Mexicana Bakery Day" in honor of the south Austin bakery and its owner Jesús Martinez Becerra.The bakery, which has been in business for 32 years, closed its doors for good Tuesday. READ MORE: La Mexicana Bakery to close in south Austin after 32 yearsThe City will hold a proclamation ceremony at 2 p.m. CT Wednesday with free pastries from the bakery and live music.Council Member Kathie Tovo, Council Member Vanessa Fuente
  
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• Austin celebrates mobility 'golden age' with electric bus route groundbreaking

  16-02-2022 20:39 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — As Austin residents approach Longhorn Dam from the north, a dated orange plaque commemorates that the site was once one along the Chisholm Trail, for ranchers herding cattle north."Today, we're blazing a trail of a much different kind, as we work to connect our community and to end some of the immobility that we faced," U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett said. TRANSPORTATION NEWS: MoPac sound wall goes nine months without repair, agency explains whyOn Wednesday, local and state leader
  
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• COVID-19 hospitalizations stall out just above Stage 4 threshold

  16-02-2022 20:32 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Though it appeared the 7-day moving average of COVID-19 hospital admissions were dropping rapidly enough in Austin to get us to the threshold for Stage 4 COVID-19 risk-based guidelines by the end of this week, the numbers have stalled just above it, keeping us in the Stage 5 threshold for now.
  Austin-Travis County leaders use several metrics in their key indicators for staging dashboard, including community transmission rate, positivity rate and the 7-day moving average of
  
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• How UT researchers used your cell phone during the pandemic to save lives

  16-02-2022 19:32 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- They're predictions about the pandemic that have guided public policy, warned hospital systems of surges and have been reported on extensively at KXAN as a way to inform the public about what is to come. A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows those predictions have been some of the most accurate in the country during turbulent surges and declines, and likely saved lives.In 2020, the University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium was
  
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• PD: 9-year-old Houston girl killed as man tries to shoot robber at ATM

  16-02-2022 19:24 via kxan.com
  
  HOUSTON (KIAH) – A 9-year-old girl is dead after a man who was robbed at an ATM opened fire to stop his attacker and hit the child instead, Houston police said Monday.
  At about 9:45 p.m. at a Chase bank in southwest Houston, the man who had been robbed took out his gun and began shooting as the robbery suspect ran away. One of the bullets hit a pickup truck carrying a family of five, including the 9-year-old girl, who was later identified as Arlene Alvarez. Body of woman whose disappearanc
  
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• Reports: Workers at Alamo Drafthouse on S. Lamar vote to unionize

  16-02-2022 19:06 via kxan.com
  
  (Austin Business Journal) — Workers at the South Lamar Boulevard location of Alamo Drafthouse Cinema LLC have voted to unionize.That's according to a report in the Austin Chronicle and a post on the website of Industrial Workers of the World, a labor union with nearly 9,000 members in North America. Alamo Drafthouse plans for 7 new theaters in cities like Chicago, BirminghamThis is only for a single location of Austin-based Drafthouse. The company has not yet recognized
  
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• Countdown to Daytona: NASCAR drivers preparing for sold-out Daytona 500

  16-02-2022 19:04 via kxan.com
  
  DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. (WFLA) -- The biggest race in NASCAR is just days away, and drivers are already in Florida getting ready.The Daytona 500 will officially open the NASCAR season on Sunday. The 500-mile race is held every year at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida.This year's race, the 64th running of "the Great American Race," is completely sold out. Daytona International Speedway President Frank Kelleher announced the sellout earlier this week, saying in a statement, "ou
  
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• Red Flag Warnings issued for Central Texas for Thursday- What that means for you

  16-02-2022 18:45 via kxan.com
  
  Expected wind gusts today out of the south. Brings in more moisture. (Unfavorable for wildfires)KXAN (Austin) -- Red Flag Warnings have been issued for Central Texas starting at 9am Thursday and lasting through Thursday evening at 8pm. A Red Flag Warning is issued when an area is expected to have weather conditions that produce an increased risk for fire danger.
  Today we will continue to experience an unfavorable moist, southerly wind. But by Thursday morning, in the wake of an approaching cold
  
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• Q2 stadium upping sustainability efforts ahead of Austin FC's second season

  16-02-2022 18:44 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin FC's Q2 stadium is more green than you might think, and we're not talking about their jerseys or the grass on the pitch."We have to be thinking like the rest of the community thinks," Austin FC President Andy Loughnane said. FULL SCHEDULE: Austin FC releases 2022 scheduleThat thought was the basis for designing the home of Austin FC.Q2 and its surroundings were designed with sustainability in mind earning the stadium Gold LEED certification, which is a green building
  
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• Valieva listed 2 legal substances; US skiiers sweep slopestyle

  16-02-2022 18:33 via kxan.com
  
  ZHANGJIAKOU, China (AP) — Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva listed two legal substances used to improve heart function on an anti-doping control form she filled out before her drug case at the Olympics erupted. That is according to documents submitted in her case. The World Anti-Doping Agency filed a brief in the Valieva case stating that the existence of legal drugs L-carnitine and Hypoxen undercuts the argument that the banned substance trimetazidine might have entered the skater&rsqu
  
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• Valieva listed 2 legal substances; US skiers sweep slopestyle

  16-02-2022 18:33 via kxan.com
  
  ZHANGJIAKOU, China (AP) — Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva listed two legal substances used to improve heart function on an anti-doping control form she filled out before her drug case at the Olympics erupted. That is according to documents submitted in her case. The World Anti-Doping Agency filed a brief in the Valieva case stating that the existence of legal drugs L-carnitine and Hypoxen undercuts the argument that the banned substance trimetazidine might have entered the skater&rsqu
  
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• Dripping Springs extends moratorium on development for 90 days

  16-02-2022 18:23 via kxan.com
  
  DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) — The City of Dripping Springs voted to extend the temporary development moratorium Tuesday night, lasting to May 21.During the moratorium, the city will not accept permit applications for the development of subdivisions, site planning, land use and general construction or development unless a waiver or exception has been approved, according to a city memo.The city also said that since the moratorium was extended last November city leaders have met with devel
  
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• Multiple tire blowouts cause SH 130 closure in southeast Travis County

  16-02-2022 15:48 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A "collision hazard" caused Travis County authorities to close a lane of State Highway 130 Wednesday morning.TCSO said the left lane of the southbound side of SH 130 near State Highway 71 in southeast Travis County is closed because "multiple vehicles have had their tires blown." Crews are on their way to fix the road, but the closure could be in place "for an hour or more," TCSO said. MoPac sound wall goes nine months without repair, agency explains whyTCOS said the closur
  
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• Travis County spent $211K for mobile morgue it didn't use while free options were available

  16-02-2022 15:18 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — As coronavirus cases surged and lockdowns gripped the state, officials in Texas’ largest counties had a grisly problem to solve: where would they put all the dead bodies when space ran out?Counties typically have a fixed amount of cold storage for human remains in medical examiners’ offices, hospitals and funeral homes. When deaths overwhelm capacity, it can lead to problems. DATA: COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, deaths in TexasThe Dallas County’s Office
  
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• C3 Presents, Live Nation buys Stubb's BBQ, renovations will begin 'immediately'

  16-02-2022 15:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Austin-based entertainment promotion company bought Stubb's BBQ and will start improving the downtown restaurant and music venue.C3 Presents and Live Nation not only bought Stubb's, located at East 8th Street and Red River Street, but also the entire city block just west of Interstate 35. C3 said it has been in charge of booking shows at Stubb's for the past 26 years and while they'll make improvements to the venue, they'll "maintain the beloved Stubb's experience.""Stub
  
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• MoPac sound wall goes nine months without repair, agency explains why

  16-02-2022 14:52 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Jenny Powell remembers being in the kitchen with her nanny and two-year-old twins when they heard a loud noise. A driver had crashed into a sound wall in their backyard.
  "It was very, very scary because I heard a massive explosion," she said. "I look out and the bottom has broken and the top piece of the wall fell down like a Tetris piece." Texas man climbs down hospital scaffolding to escape custodyThe crash happened in May 2021."Other than a tarp being put up in our backy
  
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• Man killed in southeast Austin hit-and-run Wednesday morning

  16-02-2022 13:16 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man was hit and killed by a vehicle Wednesday morning in southeast Austin.Austin-Travis County EMS tweeted about the collision at 6 a.m., saying it happened at the intersection of East Riverside Drive and Montopolis Drive.The Austin Police Department said the man was hit on East Riverside Drive and the driver of the vehicle did not stay at the scene.Traffic on East Riverside Drive is blocked to the far-right lane, APD said.We have a photographer headed to the scene and wi
  
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• SXSW usually like 'a second Christmas' for many Austin businesses, but maybe not this year

  16-02-2022 06:16 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — One of Austin's biggest festivals is drawing near, along with more information on who's on the roster.On Tuesday, organizers of South by Southwest announced dozens of speakers coming to the conference, including Broadway star Sara Bareillas and Grammy award-winning artist Lizzo. SXSW 2022: Lizzo, Beck, Al Roker named speakers
  It's a big change from two years ago, when the city canceled the entire festival because of concerns over COVID-19."We're definitely looking forward t
  
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• Austin FC hosts preseason match vs. Atlas FC — how to watch on KBVO

  16-02-2022 06:13 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin FC is working to get in form before the fast-approaching start of the 2022 season.NEXT: Austin FC’s new jersey has ‘feeling’ ahead of 2nd MLS seasonSoon Verde will shine at Q2 Stadium for the season opener Feb. 26 against FC Cincinnati. Before the MLS opener, Austin will tune up against Mexican side Atlas FC Wednesday in north Austin.You can watch the game live in the Austin area on KBVO at 8 p.m. CT.Austin FC has put its offseason efforts toward ad
  
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• Andrew Jones plays hero in Longhorns' overtime win against OU

  16-02-2022 05:43 via kxan.com
  
  NORMAN, Okla. (KXAN) — Texas Longhorns guard Andrew Jones saves his best games for Oklahoma. Jones scored 20 Tuesday to pace Texas to a 80-78 overtime win over the rival-Sooners in Norman.Texas (19-7, 8-5) rebounded from a 17-point loss at Baylor Saturday with its third Big 12 road win of the season. Timmy Allen matched Jones with 20, scoring six in the extra period, to boost the Longhorns to their fifth quad-1 win of the season. Texas Longhorns forward Tre Mitchell out Tuesday for ‘
  
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• US women's hockey goes for gold vs. Canada — what to watch Wednesday

  16-02-2022 04:50 via kxan.com
  
  (KXAN) — Team USA women's hockey aims to defend its gold medal from the 2018 games with a rematch against Canada Wednesday night.Canada and the U.S. will meet in the championship game for the sixth time in the last seven Winter Games. Watch the game on livestream here.In total, 109 sets of medals will be awarded across 15 sports. Bobsleigh, short track, freestyle skiing and ski jumping are some of the sports featuring new events held at this year’s Games.Nearly 3,000 athletes, plus c
  
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• US wins gold, silver in ski slopestyle

  16-02-2022 04:21 via kxan.com
  
  Freestyler skier Alex Hall led a 1-2 American finish in the men’s Olympic slopestyle competition with a trick on his first run where he completely stopped his rotation mid-air and went the other direction.Hall’s opening run earned a score of 90.01 and it stood up throughout the competition. His teammate Nick Goepper turned in a creative run on his second pass to earn silver. Jesper Tjader of Sweden took home bronze.The Americans have now earned six of nine Olympic medals since the ev
  
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• Gov. Abbott holds discussion on fentanyl crisis

  16-02-2022 04:20 via kxan.com
  
  FORT WORTH, Texas (KXAN) — On Tuesday in Fort Worth, Gov. Greg Abbott met with people who've lost family members to fentanyl overdoses as well as law enforcement working to stop the drug from entering Texas.During the meeting, Abbott said cracking down on illegal fentanyl coming into the state justifies keeping thousands of National Guardsmen at the border and an increased state spending on border wall construction.Central Texas fentanyl dealer sentenced to 78 months in federal prison"Thos
  
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• Strong winds and mostly cloudy skies on Wednesday

  16-02-2022 03:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Gusty winds and warm February temperatures continued on Tuesday with highs reaching 75 degrees in Austin. Wind gusts get even stronger on Wednesday as a broad western storm system approaches.The gusty south winds are transporting higher humidity and warmer air into Central Texas overnight. Morning temperatures Wednesday will be 15 degrees warmer than the morning prior -- in the 50s in most areas.While the bulk of this storm's rain-producing energy is forecast to pass to our
  
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• Light rain overnight, then a dry/windy Thursday

  16-02-2022 03:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — We are facing a critical risk of wind-driven grassfires and wildfires on Thursday as humidity plummets and winds pick up.Gusty winds are already in place through the overnight hours, but they are blowing from the south-southeast, bringing in high humidity and thus a lower fire danger. Drizzle and light rain develop overnight in some areas.A front moves through the area before dawn Thursday called a 'dryline' -- not bringing a drop in temperatures, but instead a drop in mois
  
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• GOP AG candidate profiles: incumbent Ken Paxton

  16-02-2022 01:13 via kxan.com
  
  This report is part of a series of profile stories Nexstar is doing on the Republican and Democratic candidates for Texas Attorney General. Tune in Wednesday for Maggie Glynn's report on Congressman Louie Gohmert.
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — As early voting for the March 1 primary kicks off, incumbent Attorney General Ken Paxton is polling below the threshold needed to avoid a runoff election.
  New polling from the University of Texas-Austin and Texas Politics Project shows the state's top lawyer po
  
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• Can my HOA hike my fees without limits? What to know as a homeowner

  16-02-2022 01:03 via kxan.com
  
  PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — When Pflugerville resident Casey Fewell moved into the Carmel neighborhood in May 2018, she and fellow homeowners paid $75 each quarter to their homeowners association to help cover the services and amenities provided.Then in December, Carmel's HOA board approved a 140% increase in fees, raising that cost to $140 each quarter. After several residents reached out to KXAN about the legality of this action, KXAN looked into both HOA and homeowners' rights when it
  
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• Baylor extends Dave Aranda's contract to 2029

  16-02-2022 00:54 via kxan.com
  
  WACO, Texas (AP) — Baylor coach Dave Aranda has agreed to a contract extension through the 2028 season after leading the Bears to a Big 12 championship and a school-record 12 wins capped by a Sugar Bowl victory on New Year’s Day and a No. 5 ranking in the final AP Top 25 poll.The school announced the extension Tuesday, two months after athletic director Mack Rhoades had said there was a verbal agreement to amend the contract of the coach who at that time was being mentioned for sever
  
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• Baylor extends Dave Aranda's contract through 2028 season

  16-02-2022 00:54 via kxan.com
  
  WACO, Texas (AP) — Baylor coach Dave Aranda has agreed to a contract extension through the 2028 season after leading the Bears to a Big 12 championship and a school-record 12 wins capped by a Sugar Bowl victory on New Year’s Day and a No. 5 ranking in the final AP Top 25 poll.The school announced the extension Tuesday, two months after athletic director Mack Rhoades had said there was a verbal agreement to amend the contract of the coach who at that time was being mentioned for sever
  
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• Texas' power grid was 4 minutes, 37 seconds away from collapsing. How has it improved 1 year later?

  16-02-2022 00:44 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — On Feb. 15, 2021, the Texas power grid was four minutes and 37 seconds away from completely collapsing, an event that would have triggered a "black start." It would have taken months to mend Texas' electric infrastructure, and left millions without power for just as long.
  The February 2021 freeze still left millions of Texans without power and heat for days, taking the lives of hundreds. One year later, Texas democrats are still calling for more action."Texans died becau
  
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• Texas Longhorns forward Tre Mitchell out Tuesday for 'personal reasons'

  16-02-2022 00:37 via kxan.com
  
  NORMAN, Okla. (KXAN) — Texas Longhorns forward Tre Mitchell is not with the team Tuesday due to personal reasons, UT Athletics told KXAN. Mitchell has started 17 games for Texas this season, averaging 8.7 points per game. AP Poll: No. 20 Texas basketball set for big week against OU, Texas TechMitchell is a Pittsburgh native who played his first two seasons at UMass, transferring to Texas before the 2021-22 season.Mitchell's absence will force UT head coach Chris Beard to get creative with
  
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• Expert offers advice during high fire dangers across Texas

  16-02-2022 00:28 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas firefighters are at the ready for what could be a high risk of wildfires Tuesday. Gov. Greg Abbott has called for strike teams, helicopters and air tankers to be ready to respond.National fire expert Aris Papadopoulis thinks you should be ready too.
  “I have firsthand exposure to what it takes to stay safe and get out of danger," Papadopoulis said. Truck catches fire on MoPac in southwest Austin, causes traffic backupsPapadopoulis was inside the fiery World Trade
  
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• 'Highly pathogenic' bird flu could spike egg, chicken and turkey prices

  16-02-2022 00:07 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) – The USDA is warning a "highly pathogenic avian influenza" the agency has already identified in three states could spread rapidly and wreak havoc on the poultry industry if it's not contained.
  Last week the bird flu was found in a flock of commercial broiler chickens in Fulton County, Kentucky, as well as a backyard flock of birds in Fauquier County, Virginia, the United States Department of Agriculture said in a press release Monday.
  The virus was also identified in a group of
  
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• Staffers inside Olympic bubble find new ways to celebrate Lantern Festival

  16-02-2022 00:01 via kxan.com
  
  BEIJING (KXAN) — Tuesday marks the start of the traditional Lantern Festival in China, which represents the end of the Chinese New Year.
  It's a sacred celebration Chinese citizens within the closed loop can't celebrate like they normally would with their family because of COVID-19 protocols causing them to stay inside the bubble.MEDAL COUNT: Who’s topping the table in the 2022 Winter Olympics?So they're carrying out the tradition a little differently.
  The dining hall is the starting
  
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