Austin news

• Mega Millions jackpot prize hits over $600 million

  19-07-2022 23:10 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A massive Mega Millions is still for the taking after no one won Tuesday's $555 million jackpot prize. $7.25M winning lottery ticket unclaimed in Texas, but it’s nowhere near the largest prize in historySince there was no winner, the jackpot prize for Friday's drawing will roll to an estimated annuitized $630 million, the release said.This is the largest Mega Millions jackpot up for grabs in 18 months. The game's second-largest jackpot prize, an estimat
  
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• Mega Millions jackpot prize hits $555 million

  19-07-2022 23:10 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Tuesday could be a big night for Mega Millions players.The fifth-largest jackpot prize in Mega Millions history, $555 million, is up for grabs. The estimated cash value is worth $316.9 million, the press release said. $7.25M winning lottery ticket unclaimed in Texas, but it’s nowhere near the largest prize in historyIf there is no jackpot winner for Tuesday night's Mega Millions drawing, the jackpot prize for Friday's drawing will roll to an estimated a
  
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• Hottest July by far continues as the triple-digit heat days pile up

  19-07-2022 22:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Today's forecast high of 106° in Austin will break the current record of 105° last set in 1951. Mostly sunny skies, dry conditions and occasionally breezy winds can be expected areawide. And don't' be surprised to see lingering haze due to residual Saharan dust.An Excessive Heat Warning is in effect for much of the area until 9PM Wednesday. Those not under an Excessive Heat Warning will see a Heat Advisory.Excessive Heat Warning and Heat Advisory in effect 12PM today (Tu
  
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• Austin ISD looks to fill 500+ positions with school year less than a month away

  19-07-2022 22:34 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Students return to classrooms in Austin Independent District in less than a month, and the district still has more than 500 open positions.AISD held a job fair for teachers Tuesday, in an effort to attract new talent to the district. MAP: Which school districts have increased teacher pay the most for the 2022-23 school year?"I'm in the middle right now of my alternate certification program. And so I've been interviewing with a lot of schools," Cody Pope, who attended the fa
  
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• Study: Bats living under Congress Ave. bridge can get COVID-19, don't spread it

  19-07-2022 22:26 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The species of bats that call the Congress Avenue bridge home can become infected with the virus that causes COVID-19, but they don't become sick or spread it, according to a study by the U.S. Geological Survey.The study, released Tuesday, took 10 Mexican free-tailed bats — the species famous for taking flight from underneath the bridge in the spring and fall months — and monitored their health after they were exposed to the virus. Half of them tested positive f
  
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• Kaitlin Armstrong's first court date set for Wednesday

  19-07-2022 22:25 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin woman who allegedly shot and killed pro-cyclist Moriah Wilson could appear in an Austin courtroom for the first time Wednesday after spending 43 days on the run.
  According to court records, Armstrong is scheduled for a pretrial hearing in the 403rd District Court for her first degree murder charge. Pretrial hearings are typically quick and procedural, but also offer attorneys the opportunity to file motions, ask for specific evidence to be included or not and set
  
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• Kaitlin Armstrong pleads not guilty, attorneys request speedy trial

  19-07-2022 22:25 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin woman who allegedly shot and killed pro-cyclist Moriah Wilson appeared in an Austin courtroom for the first time Wednesday after spending 43 days on the run.
  Kaitlin Armstrong entered the courtroom Wednesday in a red top and striped gray pants. In addition to entering a plea of not guilty, her attorneys filed a motion for a speedy trial.
  KXAN's Grace Reader, who attended the Wednesday hearing, reported the docket call is set for Oct. 19, with a jury trial the wee
  
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• Police search for suspect who verbally threatened UT staff member

  19-07-2022 20:50 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The University of Texas Police Department is investigating after it was reported a man verbally threatened a university staff member. Police are still searching for the suspect.
  UTPD said it was notified of the incident, which happened in the 2400 block of San Antonio Street near West 24th Street, just before 9 a.m. Tuesday.
  Officers responded and learned a man verbally threated a UT staff member and fled the area.UTPD described the suspect as a white man who was about 5'7"
  
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• Next steps identified in county, city effort to create substance abuse disorder consortium

  19-07-2022 20:41 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Travis County staff have identified an initial price tag for putting together a consortium to engage the community on substance abuse disorders and plug holes in treatment gaps.
  Travis County leaders were updated on that effort in Tuesday's commissioners court during a monthly briefing on the growing crisis.
  Identifying the severity of the problemThe Travis County Medical Examiner’s 2021 report showed for the first time in a decade drug overdoses were the leading
  
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• Delivery app chooses Texas man as first-ever 'chief taco officer'

  19-07-2022 20:19 via kxan.com
  
  SAN ANTONIO (KXAN) — A Texas native can now add what many would consider the dream job of taste-testing tacos across the state to his resume.
  Favor Delivery, a Texas-based delivery app, announced it hired Chris Flores as its first-ever Chief Taco Officer. Flores, who grew up and still lives in San Antonio, is spending the next two months traveling to different Texas cities and sharing his experiences while trying out tacos.
  "It's a big deal," Flores said during an interview Tuesday. "One o
  
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• Local firefighters deployed to help fight wildfires west of Fort Worth

  19-07-2022 19:54 via kxan.com
  
  PALO PINTO COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Local firefighters from Hays and Williamson counties left Tuesday morning to help fight wildfires in west Texas.Members of the North Hays County Fire Rescue and Kyle Fire Department partnered with the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid system to help with the wildfire outbreak west of Fort Worth.
  Firefighters from Hutto Fire Rescue went to a wildfire in Palo Pinto County, also west of Fort Worth.
  At last update on Monday night, the fire in Palo Pinto County
  
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• Why Gov. Abbott didn't attend any funerals for Uvalde victims

  19-07-2022 19:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Gov. Greg Abbott is receiving criticism from some for not attending any of the funerals for the 21 victims who were killed in the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde on May 24.
  In a Monday interview with MSNBC, state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, criticized the governor for not returning to Uvalde since the Sunday following the massacre, when President Joe Biden flew in to also attend a community vigil and pay respects to the victims' families. That's contr
  
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• Several adults, 2 children injured in Bastrop Highway crash

  19-07-2022 19:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Several people, including two children, were taken to the hospital after a multi-vehicle crash in southeast Austin on Tuesday.
  Austin-Travis County EMS said the crash occurred in the northbound lanes of Bastrop Highway near Montopolis Drive around 10:46 a.m.
  At least one patient was trapped. ATCEMS gave a breakdown of all the patients' injuries on social media:
  One adult taken to Dell Children's with non-life-threatening injuriesOne child taken to Dell Children's with non-l
  
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• Man accused of arson at home under construction that spread to 2 others

  19-07-2022 18:18 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man is accused of starting a fire at a house under construction in east Austin last week that spread to two nearby homes, according to an affidavit.The Austin Fire Department responded to a fire in the 2500 block of East Fourth Street July 11 at 10:36 p.m. Crews extinguished the fire at the construction site and the outside of the nearby houses by 10:50 p.m. It said the people in those homes were able to make it out safely and weren't hurt.Surveillance video showed a man
  
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• California solar roofing company building new facility in Georgetown

  19-07-2022 17:20 via kxan.com
  
  GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) — A California solar company that created the world's first "nailable" solar shingle is building a 450,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Georgetown.
  GAF Energy announced the new facility, the company's second, will produce its Timberline Solar roof product. The City of Georgetown said the building will be on the southeast corner of Interstate 35 and SE Inner Loop. Construction is expected to be done in June 2023.
  “Georgetown has a long track record as
  
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• Del Valle ISD expands clear backpack requirement to middle schoolers

  19-07-2022 15:43 via kxan.com
  
  DEL VALLE, Texas (KXAN) — Clear or see-through backpacks will be required for all middle and high school students in the Del Valle Independent School District this upcoming school year.
  The school district made the announcement Monday evening.
  "Del Valle ISD continuously prioritizes the safety and security of all students and staff through regular reviews and updates of the district safety and security guidelines," DVISD's announcement read. "For the 2022-2023 School Year, clear or see-thr
  
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• 'Sidewalk to nowhere' keeping some from enjoying Austin park

  19-07-2022 14:57 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A south Austin playground got a makeover to become more handicap accessible, but some say there's still an obstacle to get to the park.Ellen Higgins park has two new, safer playscapes, an added swing set, and it's now compliant with federal rules covering accessibility for people with disabilities. The $225,000 to upgrade came from a 2018 bond for parks and recreation. Construction began in March 2022 and was finished weeks later.Possible east Austin park renaming draws opp
  
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• Austin housing market returning to pre-pandemic levels, report shows

  19-07-2022 14:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin-area housing market is "decelerating" and beginning to return to how it was before the pandemic, a new mid-year report from the Austin Board of Realtors shows.
  This is due to a few factors within the Austin-Round Rock MSA, ABoR said:Housing inventory rising over two months for the first time since November 2019Dip in residential home sales Slowed pace of home price growth in June"The trajectory of our market over the last two years was unsustainable and
  
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• Pflugerville officials ask 'Parks Matter Because'

  19-07-2022 14:39 via kxan.com
  
  PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — The City of Pflugerville will host pop-up events this week in an effort to generate feedback for its Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan.
  The plan will help guide the city's development of parks, trails, athletic fields, programs and aquatic and recreation facilities over the next decade. City officials said getting the master plan done is important, because without it the city may not qualify for certain grant programs.The city launched its public eng
  
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• Job fair: Austin airport looks to hire TSA agents

  19-07-2022 13:59 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin-Bergstrom International Airport needs more Transportation Security Administration agents, so TSA is holding a recruiting event Tuesday.
  It will be at Austin Southpark Hotel at 4140 Governors Row from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.TSA said there are full and part-time positions at AUS starting at $21.60 an hour. TSA said it is offering a sign-on bonus of up to $2,000 for those who finish on-boarding at AUS by Sept. 30.
  Tuesday's event will take three to five hours to finish. Here's
  
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• Record-breaking heat more days than not this week

  19-07-2022 12:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As our hottest July on record rages on, record-breaking heat takes hold of our area for the next 3+ days.Today's forecast high of 106° in Austin will break the current record of 105° last set in 1951. Mostly sunny skies, dry conditions and occasionally breezy winds can be expected areawide. And don't' be surprised to see lingering haze due to residual Saharan dust.An Excessive Heat Warning will replace the current Heat Advisory for most of us beginning 12PM today and wil
  
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• Austin ISD hosting 2 job fairs this week

  19-07-2022 12:26 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Independent School District needs teachers and staff for next school year, so the district is hold two job fairs this week.
  The district said teachers can apply Tuesday from 9 to 11 a.m. at the Central Office at 4300 S. I-35 Frontage Rd.Those looking to fill food service, transportation and maintenance positions can apply Thursday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Central Warehouse at 3701 Woodbury Dr.
  AISD said it is the only school district in Central Texas offerin
  
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• Austin Police seeks details about deadly crash on US 183

  19-07-2022 12:21 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Police is asking for help while it investigates a deadly crash that occurred Sunday morning on U.S. Highway 183 near Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS).
  Police said officers were called to the crash scene in the northbound lanes of the 3300 block of South U.S. 183 just before 2 a.m. That's just north of McKinney Falls Parkway.
  APD said officers found a vehicle that left the road and hit a tree on AUS property. It said a woman died at the scene.
  As part of A
  
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• Hays County pushes for stronger broadband access

  19-07-2022 04:34 via kxan.com
  
  HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- The Texas House report on the Uvalde school shooting pointed out issues with broadband access in the district. The report said there were delays when teachers received the lockdown alert on their phones.
  Broadband access in rural communities, like Uvalde, has been an ongoing issue. It's one that Hays County said it's trying to address through a survey it released to residents.PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Uvalde report: 400 officers but ‘egregiously poor’ decisionsP
  
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• City budget includes $1 million for Austin Trauma Recovery Center

  19-07-2022 04:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The budget proposal unveiled by City Manager Spencer Cronk includes $1 million in funding to build Texas' first Trauma Recovery Center (TRC).The center will provide free trauma-informed therapy and serve as a one-stop shop to help people both navigate the justice system and find a safe place to live."This TRC would be the first in Texas and provide individualized case management, therapy, legal assistance, and more to our region's most vulnerable communities," said Councilmember
  
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• Race for next Austin mayor heating up

  19-07-2022 03:55 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The race for Austin’s next mayor is underway.Less than four months away from election day in November, seven candidates have entered the race to succeed Steve Adler — who’s held his position since 2015. Kirk Watson, Austin’s mayor once before, enters 2022 raceLeading the way financially is former state senator Kirk Watson, who has already raised around $1 million.As of July 15 — the deadline for mid-year campaign finance report filings —
  
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• 'There is a huge need for more counselors': Mental health a priority in area schools

  19-07-2022 03:24 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — School shootings, online bullying and COVID-19 — they're all topics some Central Texas counselors are discussing on a regular basis."I want them to feel seen, I want them to feel heard," said Bobbi Sanchez, a high school counselor with Round Rock ISD. "We try to make them feel better."Sanchez said over the years, more students have been reaching out to her to get help with their mental health, but are there enough?The American School Counselor Association recommends a
  
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• Disconnect between active shooter training, Uvalde response

  19-07-2022 01:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- In the aftermath of the mass shooting in Uvalde, Gov. Greg Abbott ordered Texas school-based law enforcement to undergo specialized active shooter training -- training that was not followed at Robb Elementary.
  "When people are being shot and killed, you can't wait," said former Austin police chief Art Acevedo, who called the response a "colossal failure," echoing the findings of the House Committee report released Sunday.With shots still being fired, law enforcement waited more
  
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• Tuesday's record high temperature in the UK is comparable to Austin hitting 129°

  19-07-2022 00:45 via kxan.com
  
  CONINGSBY, England (KXAN) — As Austin is set to hit 100° Tuesday for the 39th time so far this year, temperatures across the pond also reached the triple digits, something much more unusual there than here.In fact, temperatures soared to never-before-seen highs in the UK, topping 40°C for the first time ever.The village of Coningsby, 111 miles north of London, reached 40.3°C (104.5°F) Tuesday afternoon, smashing the previous record high of38.7°C (101.7°F), set in Ca
  
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• Monday's high temperature in the UK is comparable to Austin hitting 124°

  19-07-2022 00:45 via kxan.com
  
  SANTON DOWNHAM, England (KXAN) — As Austin hit 100° Monday for the 38th time so far this year, temperatures across the pond also reached the triple digits, something much more unusual there than here.The village of Santon Downham, 74 miles northeast of London, hit 38.1°C (100.6°F) Monday. That's just 0.6°C cooler than the all-time record for the United Kingdom: 38.7°C (101.7°F) set in Cambridge on July 25, 2019.Meanwhile, Wales now has a new all-time record: 37.1&de
  
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• Gov. Greg Abbott says Uvalde report findings are 'beyond disturbing'

  19-07-2022 00:28 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The day following the release of the House report that investigated law enforcement responses to the Uvalde school shooting, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott released a statement calling the findings "beyond disturbing and raise serious concerns about the response that day.""There are critical changes needed as a result of the Texas House’s findings," a statement read. "With multiple investigations still ongoing, including those by the Texas Senate, FBI, and Texas Rangers, we w
  
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• Uvalde CISD parents, school board to discuss security improvements

  19-07-2022 00:08 via kxan.com
  
  UVALDE, Texas (KXAN) — Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District board members will hear from the public Monday evening about changes and security plans for the upcoming 2022-2023 school year.The special meeting is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. and will be livestreamed on the school district's YouTube page. School board members are also expected to respond to speakers.
  In a message to parents last week, superintendent Hal Harrell said the district was working with the TexasEducatio
  
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• 'Shame on you': Uvalde CISD families go after board, supt.

  19-07-2022 00:08 via kxan.com
  
  UVALDE, Texas (KXAN) — "Stand with us, or against us," said Brett Cross, father of a murdered Uvalde CISD student.
  Cross was among several family members who spoke up at Monday night's special school board meeting, calling again for school police chief Pete Arredondo to be fired. He is currently on administrative leave.
  "If he's not fired by noon tomorrow, I want your resignation and every single one of you board members because y'all do not give a damn about our children or us," Cross sai
  
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• 'Shame on you': Uvalde CISD families go after board, superintendent

  19-07-2022 00:08 via kxan.com
  
  UVALDE, Texas (KXAN) — "Stand with us, or against us," said Brett Cross, father of a murdered Uvalde CISD student.
  Cross was among several family members who spoke up at Monday night's special school board meeting, calling again for school police chief Pete Arredondo to be fired. He is currently on administrative leave.
  "If he's not fired by noon tomorrow, I want your resignation and every single one of you board members because y'all do not give a damn about our children or us," Cross sai
  
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