Austin news

• Artist projects Earth Day protest piece onto building next to Texas governor's mansion

  23-04-2022 22:44 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Texas progressive political group worked with a local artist to stage an Earth Day protest they hoped would make it hard for Gov. Greg Abbott to ignore.
  Directly across the street from the Texas governor's mansion, Claire Eby projected a collection of artwork Friday night onto the side of a large building on West 10th Street. She partnered with MOVE Texas, a grassroots mobilizing organization, in an artistic effort to call attention to climate change, the state's electric
  
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• Disney in Texas? Judge invites company to move to our state amid DeSantis feud

  23-04-2022 22:11 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A Texas judge penned the chairman and CEO of Walt Disney recommending the company relocate from Florida to Texas this week amid a feud between Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Disney.
  "While you, your company, employees, and diverse fans face authoritarian, anti-business, and culture war attacks from extremists in Florida, we in Fort Bend are more ready to welcome the Disney family with thousands of good paying jobs and billions of dollars of investments," Fort Bend County Judge KP
  
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• Proposal for 'After School Satan Club' denied by Pennsylvania school board

  23-04-2022 20:44 via kxan.com
  
  YORK, Pa. (WHTM) – There was outrage in a Pennsylvania school district this week following a proposal for a new after-school program: a "Satan Club."The club, suggested by a parent at the Northern Elementary School in Dillsburg, was proposed as an alternative to a faith-based program that already existed at the school, the York Daily Record reported. The mom also cited a lack of secular clubs available to students, according to the outlet.Parents and residents from district packed a high s
  
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• Pre-packaged Whole Foods meal recalled due to potential listeria contamination

  23-04-2022 20:42 via kxan.com
  
  (KTLA) – Whole Foods Market red lentil dal is being recalled due to potential listeria contamination, authorities announced Thursday.The dal, which is produced by Bakkavor USA, contains pickled curry cauliflower that is being recalled by another company, Doux South Specialties, due to a potential contamination, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Bakkavor stopped production of the Whole Foods dal and issued a recall of the product, which was distributed to locations nationwi
  
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• Several pinned, injured in crash between SUV and semi truck

  23-04-2022 18:35 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Five people were involved in a crash between an SUV and a semi truck Saturday morning, according to Austin-Travis County EMS, at least two of those people were pinned in a vehicle and several were injured.
  It happened around 11 a.m. between Elroy Road and FM812 on TX-130, according to the Active Fire Incident Page.One person was transported to South Austin Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. Another person was transported to the same hospital with "potentially serious
  
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• At least 2 people pinned, injured in crash between SUV and semi truck

  23-04-2022 18:35 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Five people were involved in a crash between an SUV and a semi truck Saturday morning, according to Austin-Travis County EMS. At least one person suffered critical, life threatening injuries, they reported.It happened around 11 a.m. between Elroy Road and FM812 on TX-130.At least two people involved were pinned inside of a vehicle, EMS reported. One was extricated but EMS was still working to get to the other person as of 11:30 a.m.This is a developing story.
  
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• Round Rock neighbors continue recovery one month after tornado

  23-04-2022 18:17 via kxan.com
  
  ROUND ROCK, TEXAS (KXAN) — More than one month after a March 21 tornado tore through areas of Round Rock, Jason Pineda and his family are still recovering.
  "It's difficult," Pineda said. "We still have to work. You are still having to live normal lives."Several events near UT will make for traffic troubles this weekendThe tornado, which traveled from Round Rock to Granger, was rated an EF-2 tornado and spent 41 minutes on the ground during the evening of March 21. The tornado began near th
  
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• Chemical company hosts town hall to address concerns over planned Florence-area facility

  23-04-2022 18:05 via kxan.com
  
  WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- A Round Rock-based chemical company that wants to build a new facility in Williamson County next year hosted a town hall Saturday in an attempt to ease concerns the community has.Representatives for ExFluor Research Corporation talked about their previous violations with local governments and a leak the company had in 2014 which was "the only leak that we've had in our company history," an ExFluor representative said. The company has been in business since the
  
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• Don't want to sit in traffic today? Avoid downtown Austin

  23-04-2022 17:18 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- If you're looking for something to do this weekend, but aren't feeling social enough to fight crowds, downtown Austin is not your destination.We warned you: Several events near UT will make for traffic troubles this weekendHere's why: University of Texas's family weekend kicks off, the Longhorn baseball team takes on Baylor, the football team has its orange and white scrimmage, the Lion King on Broadway performs at the Bass Concert Hall and Bon Jovi performs at the Moody Center,
  
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• Study: Austin had some of the nation's lowest pandemic homicide rates

  23-04-2022 16:14 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) – The year 2021 was the deadliest in U.S. history, thanks mainly to the COVID-19 pandemic – but the homicide rate has also soared in several cities since 2020, a new study found.The most recent available data from the government shows a 35% jump in gun homicides from 2019 to 2020, when 19,384 people were killed. WalletHub used local crime statistics and U.S. Census Bureau data to compare homicide rates in the first quarter of each year of the pandemic, including 2022.The st
  
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• Study: Austin among the nation's lowest pandemic homicide rates

  23-04-2022 16:14 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) – The year 2021 was the deadliest in U.S. history, thanks mainly to the COVID-19 pandemic – but the homicide rate has also soared in several cities since 2020, a new study found.The most recent available data from the government shows a 35% jump in gun homicides from 2019 to 2020, when 19,384 people were killed. WalletHub used local crime statistics and U.S. Census Bureau data to compare homicide rates in the first quarter of each year of the pandemic, including 2022.The st
  
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• Texas man previously arrested for sexual interactions with horses arrested again

  23-04-2022 15:47 via kxan.com
  
  HIDALGO COUNTY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A Texas man who was arrested several times for sexual encounters with horses was arrested on Wednesday for bestiality.Cirilo Castillo was arrested by Special Rangers TC the Southwest Cattle Raiser Association on a charge of bestiality, according to Hidalgo County Public Records. Dog attack not ruled out in Mission woman’s deathAccording to authorities with the SW Cattle Raiser Association, the horses owners, who lived in a rural area between Sa
  
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• Texas man previously arrested for alleged sexual interactions with horses arrested again

  23-04-2022 15:47 via kxan.com
  
  HIDALGO COUNTY, Texas (ValleyCentral) — A Texas man who was arrested several times for allegedly having sexual encounters with horses was arrested again on Wednesday.Cirilo Castillo was arrested by Special Rangers TC the Southwest Cattle Raiser Association on a charge of bestiality, according to Hidalgo County Public Records. Dog attack not ruled out in Mission woman’s deathAccording to authorities with the SW Cattle Raiser Association, the horses owners, who lived in a rural area be
  
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• Can you get COVID from your cat? Austin city council gives thumbs up to local researchers to find out

  23-04-2022 15:46 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Austin City Council approved a $65,000 grant this week that will help local researchers determine if COVID-19 can be spread by cats, according to the Austin Humane Society.
  The funding will go to the AHS and Austin Animal Center along with Texas A&M and the Texas Department of State Health Services so that they can research COVID-19 in cats -- specifically, whether the virus in animals poses a risk to humans.Earth Day cleanup crews remove tons of trash from Lady Bird LakeCat
  
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• How much have used car prices gone up in Texas compared to other states?

  23-04-2022 14:47 via kxan.com
  
  (ISeeCars) - Used car prices have risen 30.4 percent over last year as the microchip shortage continues to impact the automotive industry, according to iSeeCars.com’s latest used car price analysis of 1.8 million car sales in March. This is down from a 35.0 percent increase in February.Used Car Price Increases by StateAre used car price increases consistent across the country? Here are the average used car price increases by state in ascending order:Used Car Price Increases by State: March
  
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• Study: Austin among major metros that saw property tax rates go down in 2021

  23-04-2022 14:41 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) – Owners of almost 87 million single family homes in the U.S. forked over $328 billion in effective property taxes during 2021, up 1.6 percent from 2020, according to a new study.While the total tax burden may sound large, the percent increase wasn't, according to ATTOM, a real estate data company. In fact, it was the second smallest increase over the past five years – from 2019 to 2020, for example, the increase was 5.4%.ATTOM calculated the effective tax rate in states an
  
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• Twitter bans ads that contradict science on climate change

  23-04-2022 11:23 via kxan.com
  
  BERLIN (AP) — Twitter says it will no longer allow advertisers on its site who deny the scientific consensus on climate change, echoing a policy already in place at Google."Ads shouldn’t detract from important conversations about the climate crisis,” the company said in a statement outlining its new policy Friday.There was no indication that the change would affect what users post on the social media site, which along with Facebook has been targeted by groups seeking to promote
  
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• Widespread heavy rain Monday following a warm, windy weekend

  23-04-2022 11:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The weather pattern remains largely unchanged through the weekend as our daily routine of morning clouds and light rain showers, then breaks of afternoon sun continues. Plan for warm and humid weather with gusty southeast winds to 30 miles per hour. Interactive radarWe are tracking a western storm system that may bring the Hill Country more rainfall on Monday than some areas have recorded all year. Rain projections continue to steadily increase with a widespread 1-2" of rai
  
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• Soaking rain finally on track for arrival by Monday

  23-04-2022 11:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Windy weather continues into the evening with only a subtle improvement for Sunday.Late tonight low clouds return along with the chance for sprinkles and spotty drizzle into Sunday morning. Overnight lows probably don't drop out of the low 70s.Tonight's forecastWe start gray on Sunday with some sprinkles or drizzle, but Sunday afternoon we'll see some breaks in the clouds helping to push temperatures into the middle and upper 80s. A very low storm chance is possible in the
  
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• Man stabbed with machete while walking dog in SE Austin

  23-04-2022 05:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Joshua Walker took his dog Apollo for a walk Sunday in the same neighborhood he always does.That night, the stroll ended with a trip to the hospital."A gentleman grabbed me by my shirt and said he was going to take my dog," said Walker. "Just felt a prick in my back and on my head. A machete hit my arm severing my artery."Joshua Walker was walking his dog Apollo when he was stabbed with a machete.He was on the corner of East Riverside and Pleasant Valley Road — right
  
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• Earth Day cleanup crews remove tons of trash from Lady Bird Lake

  23-04-2022 02:58 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Hundreds of volunteers arrived at Rowing Dock and Epic SUP this Earth Day to sweep the banks of Lady Bird Lake, and they removed just below 6,000 pounds of litter from the area.Austin FC, Kendra Scott and YETI contributed prizes for volunteers that brought in the most trash, the heaviest item and the weirdest item.Kate Aoueille, Rowing Dock's director of marketing and communications, said the cleanup originated with Rowing Dock's weekly "kayak cleanup crew," a response to a
  
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• A closer look at background checks, amid exploitation investigation at Bastrop facility

  23-04-2022 02:49 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The ongoing exploitation investigation into a Bastrop facility meant to help sex trafficking survivors has raised new questions about screening and hiring employees at state-licensed operations.After accusations of physical and sexual abuse at The Refuge for DMST (Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking) surfaced in March, officials confirmed an employee was under investigation for facilitating and potentially selling nude photos of girls at the facility.
  This week, the Texas Tribun
  
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• Want to become a STEM teacher? There's money for that

  23-04-2022 01:52 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Money and time — those are the biggest factors that can keep aspiring teachers from going after classroom jobs. A program called UTeach Accelerate at the University of Texas is working to fill that void by covering even more costs for accelerated teacher certifications. Heather Harris joined the program in fall 2021. She has a bachelor's in biology and master's in biotechnology and was an electronics technician in the Navy for six years. At the height of the
  
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• Loreal Sarkisian on faith, family and fashion

  23-04-2022 01:19 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — As Texas football ramps up, you can bet Loreal Sarkisian is considering her next game day look. Whether it’s a cowhide coat, burnt orange leather pants or a pantsuit tailor-made for Texas football, fans are redefining their own game day jerseys just trying to keep up!Come football season, fans find themselves peeling away from what’s playing out on the field to the sidelines to catch a glimpse of what Loreal is wearing.Loreal is the wife of Steve Sarkisian, head
  
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• Texas football Orange-White spring game preview

  23-04-2022 00:44 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas fans are set to get their first chance to see the Longhorns take the gridiron this Saturday since the disappointing 5-7 campaign in the fall of 2021. The 2022 Texas Spring Game will start at 6 p.m. at Darrell K. Royal Memorial Stadium.It is year two for Steve Sarkisian at the helm of the Longhorns. He told reporters Tuesday that due to a lack of offensive line depth, the Orange-White game won't look like a traditional spring game. Instead, it will be more a of a "100-
  
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• How the infrastructure deal could expand electric vehicle charging in Texas

  23-04-2022 00:24 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — As gas prices continue to hit record-level highs, the demand for electric vehicles is expanding. AutoPacific forecasts electric car sales will be about 37% higher in 2022 than in 2021. Now, Texas will receive millions in federal aid to build a statewide electric charging system. At the Austin Auto Show on Friday, car lovers were excited to get a sneak peek at new electric models. A spokesperson for the event said this year marked the most electric vehicles ever
  
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• Police investigate 2 deaths after victims found in east Austin neighborhood

  23-04-2022 00:01 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Two people died Friday afternoon, and the Austin Police Department said it's considering the deaths as suspicious.Police said they got a high-priority call around 4 p.m. for the 6400 block of Garden View Drive, which is in a neighborhood near the U.S. 183 Toll Road and East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.
  Officers found two victims inside a residence. One was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries. That secon
  
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