Austin news

• Heatwave drags on as rain chances fade this weekend

  29-07-2022 23:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Friday was Austin's 49th 100-degree day of 2022 -- a tie for the 8th-highest 100-degree day count in any given year. We will continue to move up in the record books as we turn the page into August as Austin's hottest summer in recorded history bakes on.Following an isolated evening shower Friday from Austin eastward, the forecast dries out this weekend as a ridge of high pressure strengthens overhead and a cloud of Saharan dust dries out the atmosphere. This dust will produce ha
  
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• Uvalde school district revamps security ahead of 2022 school year

  29-07-2022 22:36 via kxan.com
  
  This story is part of a KXAN series of reports called "Stop Mass Shootings," providing context and exploring solutions surrounding gun violence in the wake of the deadly Uvalde school shooting. We want our reports to be a resource for Texans, as well as for lawmakers who are convening a month after the events in Uvalde to discuss how the state should move forward. Explore all "Stop Mass Shootings" stories by clicking here.UVALDE, Texas (Nexstar) – New security measures are s
  
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• Graduation Day: 5 cadets join their dads at AFD

  29-07-2022 22:35 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Fire Department's latest cadets marched alongside their classmates to join their second family during a commencement ceremony Friday morning."We're spending breakfast, lunch, dinners with our other firefighters," said Asst. Chief Brandon Wade, whose son Mason was part of the 133rd cadet class at the ceremony.2 encampment fires within 4 days, what can be done?According to AFD, three sons of three current AFD members were part of this class. Their fathers also grad
  
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• Isolated rain showers this evening following yet another triple-digit heat day

  29-07-2022 22:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- So far it's just been hot with temperatures running level to or slightly warmer than yesterday as we head for a high close to 103º in Austin.By early evening, isolated to widely scattered showers will begin to bubble up, mainly along and east of I-35. Not everyone will see rain, in fact, the majority of us won't. But those who do find themselves under a shower could see up to 0.25" of rain. Most will just get extra puffy clouds, some distant rainbows and possibly some rain
  
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• Hutto enters Stage 3 water restrictions

  29-07-2022 22:13 via kxan.com
  
  HUTTO, Texas (KXAN) -- The City of Hutto is moving to Stage 3 water restrictions starting Friday afternoon until further notice.
  The restrictions apply to all City of Hutto water customers -- both within Hutto city limits and the Hutto ETJ – including residential, commercial, industrial and institutional properties.
  Hutto moved to Stage 2 restrictions two weeks ago. The main differences between Stage 2 and Stage 3 rules are that hose-end sprinklers can no longer be used, and hand-held
  
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• 2022 ranks 8th for most triple-digit days in a single year

  29-07-2022 22:08 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — This summer in Austin ranks in the top 10 for the most triple-digits days in a single year.As of July 29, Camp Mabry, Austin’s official reporting site, has hit 100° a total of 49 times. DATA: Breaking down 100° temps in Austin by day, month, year and decadeThat means 2022 is now tied at #8 for the most 100° days in a year. If the current forecast holds, we’ll move into the #7 spot tomorrow and #6 on Monday.2011 had the most triple-digits days ever, w
  
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• 2022 ranks 7th for most triple-digit days in a single year

  29-07-2022 22:08 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — This summer in Austin ranks in the top 10 for the most triple-digits days in a single year.As of July 30, Camp Mabry, Austin’s official reporting site, has hit 100° a total of 49 times. DATA: Breaking down 100° temps in Austin by day, month, year and decadeThat means 2022 is now tied at #7 for the most 100° days in a year. If the current forecast holds, we’ll move into the #6 spot tomorrow and #5 on Tuesday.
  2011 had the most triple-digits days ever,
  
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• 2022 ranks 4th for most triple-digit days in a single year

  29-07-2022 22:08 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — This summer in Austin ranks in the top 10 for the most triple-digits days in a single year.As of Aug. 17, Camp Mabry, Austin’s official reporting site, has hit 100° a total of 66 times. DATA: Breaking down 100° temps in Austin by day, month, year and decadeThat means 2022 is now ranks #4 for the most 100° days in a year.2011 had the most triple-digits days ever, with 90 in total. We're currently running slightly ahead of pace compared to 2011. We’ve
  
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• Updated COVID booster shots coming to Texas this fall, will you need one?

  29-07-2022 21:53 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Biden administration plans to ship out millions of doses of updated Pfizer and Moderna booster shots this September, it confirmed to NBC News Friday. The altered shots will better protect against BA.4 and BA.5, health leaders say.
  The boosters will come late for many who have already contracted the subvariants of omicron, but it could help wrap up a surge in Austin that researchers at the University of Texas' COVID-19 Modeling Consortium say could otherwise last until Octobe
  
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• Hollywood in West Texas: Why B.J. Novak chose the Lone Star State for his new movie

  29-07-2022 21:44 via kxan.com
  
  LUBBOCK, Texas -- You don't mess with Texas -- unless you're B.J. Novak.Comedy and true crime collide in Novak's directorial debut 'Vengeance,' a new dark comedy set in West Texas.
  Fans of ‘The Office’ will recognize the director and star.
  Novak plays Ben, a cocky New York podcaster searching for his next big story. But when a former fling is found dead in a West Texas oil field, he thinks it’s the true crime tale to make his career. He comes out here to investigate, befri
  
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• Missing 7-year-old Texas boy found dead inside washing machine

  29-07-2022 20:26 via kxan.com
  
  SPRING, Texas (KIAH) -- A 7-year-old boy missing Thursday morning has been found dead inside a washing machine in Spring, Texas, authorities said.
  Troy Khoeler was missing for over two hours before he was found, police said.
  "We are sad to report the missing 7 year old we posted on earlier in the 44 00 block of Rosegate has been found deceased," Harris County Constable Mark Herman said Thursday on Twitter: "We ask for everyone’s prayers for the family." Mark Herman (Harris County Constable
  
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• Pflugerville man accused of killing 11-year-old family member

  29-07-2022 19:24 via kxan.com
  
  PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — Police said a man experiencing a mental health crisis is accused of killing his 11-year-old family member at their Pflugerville home July 13.When police arrived in the 18000 block of Friendship Hill Drive, they said the suspect was outside the home and told them he was having a "Bi-Polar episode" and had hurt the girl, according to the affidavit. Officers found the 11-year-old unresponsive inside. She and the man were taken to the hospital. She died two days la
  
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• Vehicle thefts are up in Austin. Why police say the heat isn't helping

  29-07-2022 19:03 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department said to watch your car this summer — car thefts are up more than 40% this year compared to last, according to the latest data from April.“Most of our vehicles are stolen while the vehicles are left running,” Detective Francisco Jimenez said.The intense heat may have some people leaving their vehicles running unattended with the air conditioning on for a quick minute.“That’s what the thieves are looking for: an oppor
  
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• Report: A third of homes for sale in Austin were reduced in price in June

  29-07-2022 18:27 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Almost a third of all homes listed for sale in the Austin metro saw a price reduction last month, according to a new report.Realtor.com, which maps homes currently on the market, looked at data from the nation's 200 largest metro areas to see which had the highest percentages of listings with price cuts.Austin ranked second in the country, with 32.4% of listings reduced in price in June. Only Reno, Nevada, ranked higher, at 32.6%."This is another example of our market stabi
  
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• Austin FC signs Emiliano Rigoni to bolster attack

  29-07-2022 18:21 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin FC added another piece to its already potent attack Friday with the addition of Argentine national Emiliano Rigoni, the club announced Friday.Rigoni's transfer from Brazilian club Sao Paulo FC comes after Cecilio Dominguez and Austin FC "mutually parted ways" after Dominguez was investigated by Major League Soccer for alleged domestic abuse.Austin FC hopes for rebound against last-place Sporting Kansas CityRigoni will occupy the team's third Designated Player slot al
  
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• 'Did no vetting': Infowars host Owen Shroyer takes stand in Alex Jones' defamation trial

  29-07-2022 18:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — An Infowars broadcast personality confirmed for a jury he "did no vetting" before going live on-air and discussing a story about a Sandy Hook shooting victim's father.Owen Shroyer, who hosts his own talk show on conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' website, took the stand Thursday afternoon in Jones' defamation trial. ‘This case is bigger than them’: Sandy Hook family attorney says of Alex Jones’ defamation trialNeil Heslin, the father who lost his son Jesse in
  
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• Missing 7-year-old Texas boy found dead in washing machine

  29-07-2022 17:45 via kxan.com
  
  SPRING, Texas (CW39/KXAN) -- Police are conducting a criminal investigation after a boy reported missing in Spring, Texas, Thursday morning was found dead inside a washing machine later that day.Harris County Precinct 4 Constable Mark Herman said on Twitter that 7-year-old Troy Khoeler had been found. The timestamp on the Tweet was less than two hours after the original post said Khoeler was missing."We are sad to report the missing 7 year old we posted on earlier in the 4400 block of Rosegate h
  
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• Workforce Solutions Capital Area working to provide childcare services through new program

  29-07-2022 16:53 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A KXAN investigation recently found that some families are being met with 12–14-month waitlists for childcare. Workforce Solutions said it was working with more than 300 childcare providers so parents can go to work or school.Yael Lawson, the chief operations officer at Workforce Solutions Capital Area, said the organization’s goal was to connect local people to local jobs, and an important aspect of that was to help find affordable, quality childcare services.&
  
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• Without any rain, underwater threats in Lake Travis can surface

  29-07-2022 16:19 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Meteorologist Nick Bannin talked to John Hoffman, the Executive Vice President of Water at LCRA, for the latest on lake levels and the hazards they create. Not only for boating but for swimmers as well.Hoffman said the last time the lakes were this low was around this time back in 2015, but he said they were built for drought.“Thank goodness for the guys back in the 1930s that had the foresight to be able to see that we needed to be able to store water when it was wet so t
  
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• Robert Hadlock retires after 32 years at KXAN

  29-07-2022 15:47 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — KXAN News viewers have seen Robert Hadlock anchoring the evening news in Austin for 32 years. Robert made his debut on KXAN News at 6 p.m. on August 29, 1990.He is the longest-serving news anchor in Austin television.On Friday, Robert will step down from the anchor desk and into retirement. KXAN's politics reporter Daniel Marin will ascend to the anchor desk full time. Daniel Marin anchors KXAN as legendary Robert Hadlock retiresHere's a look back through Robert's career at
  
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• Travis County Emergency Services responds to structure fire with injuries

  29-07-2022 14:09 via kxan.com
  TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) – A Travis County fire department responded to a structure fire Friday morning in the 20300 block of Farm to Market Road 969.TCESD#12 reported it was a small, single-story structure that was fully involved. Authorities said all residents were able to get out of the structure. However, one person was taken to an area hospital for a burn to their arm.
  
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• Broken mailbox deadlock delivers headaches in USPS, HOA dispute

  29-07-2022 14:00 via kxan.com
  
  LEANDER (KXAN) -- At least 16 Leander households are stuck in a saga of missing mail, misinformation and misery — part of a nearly four-month dispute between a local homeowners association and the U.S. Postal Service that's delivering nothing but headaches, residents said."You can see here this is broken," said Gabe Garza, opening up a bank of metal cluster mailboxes, held together by a single rubber-band. "Just opens right up."Garza, and a half dozen of his neighbors at the Lakeline Ranch
  
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• Bastrop nonprofit opens emergency cooling shelter, hosts Saturday fan drive

  29-07-2022 13:50 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — When Army veteran Ray Scoggins stopped by I.T.S-H.U.H. or In the Streets-Hands Up High Ministry in Bastrop a couple of months ago looking for help, he was out of luck.At the time, the soup kitchen was under construction, and the shelters were full, so Scoggins went back to the streets."I was trying to make it out in my hammock, but it was too hot, and I almost got heatstroke," Scoggins said. "The heat, even at nine o'clock at night, was 100 degrees almost, and I just couldn
  
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• APD: 1 dead in crash involving 18-wheeler, traffic detoured

  29-07-2022 13:04 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Austin Police Department said one person died Friday morning after a crash in the 15100 block of North Interstate 35. First responders were called to the scene at 4:57 a.m.The Texas Department of Transportation said North I-35 was closed at FM 1825 because of the crash.APD said I-35 would likely be shut down until 9 a.m., and officials are detouring traffic to the frontage road at Exit 247.According to police, a car rear-ended an 18-wheeler that was pulled off to the si
  
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• APD needs help finding robbery suspects

  29-07-2022 12:34 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin Police asked for help identifying two men they said robbed someone at a north Austin gas station in June.Police said the crime happened June 5 at 6:40 p.m. at the QuikTrip Gas Station on East Braker Lane one block east of Interstate 35.According to Thursday’s release from APD, the two men showed a gun to the victim and then drove away in a black four-door Kia.Suspect #1 is described asBlack man5’6”18-20 years oldMedium buildWearing a black hoodie wi
  
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• Texas researchers develop COVID nasal vaccine

  29-07-2022 12:30 via kxan.com
  
  GALVESTON, Texas (KXAN) -- The University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) in Galveston and the Catholic University of America (CUA) in Washington, D.C. said researchers have developed a COVID-19 vaccine delivered through the nose.A release from UTMB on Thursday said the vaccine, so far only tested in mice, can be delivered using a nasal spray.
  The results of their research were published Thursday in mBio, an American Society for Microbiology journal.
  The study said vaccinating through the nose ca
  
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• Spotty showers may approach I-35 later today

  29-07-2022 12:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- So far it's just been hot with temperatures running level to or slightly warmer than yesterday as we head for a high close to 103º in Austin.By late afternoon, isolated to widely scattered showers will begin to bubble up, mainly along and east of I-35. Not everyone will see rain, in fact, the majority of us won't. But those who do find themselves under a shower could see up to 0.25" of rain. Most will just get extra puffy clouds, some distant rainbows and possibly some rain
  
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• Scattered showers possible ahead of hot, hazy weekend

  29-07-2022 12:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Like what we've seen recently, a few scattered showers are possible late afternoon today... but no need to rearrange plans.We start our Friday with dry skies and warm temps - similar to how we've started every other day this week. By late afternoon, isolated to widely scattered showers will begin to bubble up, mainly along and east of I-35. Not everyone will see rain, in fact, the majority of us won't. But those who do find themselves under a shower could see up to 0.25" of rain
  
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• City memo outlines plan to expand paid parental leave for employees up to 12 weeks

  29-07-2022 09:53 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A new City of Austin memo outlines how paid parental leave will be expanded for non-sworn and sworn city employees in the next three years and how much it will cost.
  Currently, the city's paid parental leave program allows up to a max of 240 hours or six weeks. The memo said the city plans to double that time by slowly raising the number of weeks offered each year to eight weeks by 2023, 10 weeks by 2024 and eventually 12 weeks by 2025, if not sooner.
  The memo from the Huma
  
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• Traffic alert: Rocks falling from bridge on N. Lamar and 3rd Street

  29-07-2022 04:49 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Police are intermittently stopping traffic on North Lamar Boulevard near the intersection of Third Street because rocks are falling from a bridge overhead.Police stop traffic in the northbound lane of Lamar when a train goes over the bridge because more rocks fall, but traffic is allowed to pass through when there's no train.
  The Austin Police Department (APD) said they're trying to figure out who is responsible for the bridge because it's not the City of Austin.
  The bridge is u
  
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• Rocks falling from bridge on N. Lamar and 3rd Street damage driver's truck

  29-07-2022 04:49 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — It was a typical commute on North Lamar Boulevard taking a tumble for the worse.Rocks tumbling from above the bridge is used by Union Pacific and Amtrak, cracking the windshield on David Starr’s car."Suddenly as I got underneath the bridge, rocks were raining down from above,” he said.
  While waiting for police to arrive on the scene, Starr parked his car in place and directed traffic away from where the rocks came down."Popped the flashers on, got outside and fl
  
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• Austin FC hopes for rebound against last-place Sporting Kansas City

  29-07-2022 04:43 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin FC has felt at home on the road this season, and the club will put its conference-best away record on the line Saturday against Sporting Kansas City.Austin FC is 7-3-2 away from Q2 Stadium this season to lead all Western Conference teams and Kansas City has one of the worst home records at 3-5-2. To Verde's head coach Josh Wolff, however, that doesn't mean his club will just roll out the ball and win. They still need to execute a gameplan, or else it could mean a sec
  
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• Robb Elementary School principal reinstated after brief administrative leave

  29-07-2022 04:29 via kxan.com
  
  UVALDE, Texas (KXAN) -- Mandy Gutierrez, principal of Robb Elementary, who was placed on administrative leave Monday, two months after a mass shooting at her school, was reinstated to her position within the Uvalde Consolidated ISD.
  In a letter to the House committee investigating the May 24 shooting, Gutierrez pushed back on some of the committee's conclusions about campus security.
  Her letter responds to parts of the House committee report in which she was mentioned. Uvalde prin
  
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• Friday evening brings chance of a few isolated downpours, thunderstorms

  29-07-2022 03:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As we have seen the last couple of days, a few afternoon and evening showers riding the Gulf Coast sea breeze are possible from Austin eastward on Friday evening. The chance of rain late Friday looks to be the highest all week, but is still just 20%, meaning most neighborhoods remain dry as the heat bakes on.Clouds/radar forecast Friday eveningThursday was Austin's 48th 100-degree day of the year -- a record number for so early in the summer. The ridge of high pressure builds ba
  
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• Austin ISD names Wayne Sneed as new police chief

  29-07-2022 03:39 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Wayne Sneed has been named as Austin ISD's new police chief. The announcement was made at Thursday's board work session by Austin ISD interim superintendent Anthony Mays.
  Sneed is the first Black chief to serve the district. He'll start leading the department of 76 officers on Aug. 1 at a time in which school safety is a high priority.
  He's been with the Austin ISD Police Department for the last ten years, most recently leading the mental health and community engagement unit. He
  
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• What is necrobotics? How Rice University is using dead spiders for science

  29-07-2022 02:47 via kxan.com
  
  HOUSTON (KXAN) -- Dead spiders can be repurposed for robotics. Yes, you read that right.
  Rice University mechanical engineers are manipulating dead spiders' legs with air to use them as mechanical grippers. This experiment initiated the scientific area of "necrobotics" in which biotic materials are used as robotic components, a research article, written by members of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Rice University, explained.
  Daniel Preston of Rice’s George R. Brown School
  
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• City of San Marcos one step closer to decriminalizing marijuana

  29-07-2022 00:43 via kxan.com
  
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) - Places in Central Texas like Austin and Cedar Park have lifted penalties for low-level marijuana possessions. But, no city in Hays County has done that yet. The City of San Marcos could be the first.
  Local advocacy group, Mano Amiga, collected enough petition signatures to get the issue in front of the city council and potentially the November ballot.
  "Council cannot reject it and they cannot change any of the language in the policy. All they can do is pass it outright
  
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• 'I will not let my students die in vain': Uvalde teacher calls for assault weapons ban in his town

  29-07-2022 00:33 via kxan.com
  
  UVALDE, Texas (Nexstar) — There's now a petition to stop the sale of all assault rifles in Uvalde. Who is the one helping lead this effort? A teacher who watched his students be murdered and wounded himself.
  Arnulfo Reyes, posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday saying: "I meant what I said and said what I meant. I will not let my students die in vain. Now Uvalde back me up. #uvaldeatrong."This comes just over two months after he lost his students in the May 24 Robb Elementary School shoo
  
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• West Nile Virus detected in east Austin mosquito pool

  29-07-2022 00:02 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A mosquito pool in east Austin tested positive for West Nile Virus, Austin Public Health said Thursday.The public health agency said the positive test was identified in the 78721 ZIP code, which covers the area east of Airport Boulevard between East Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Ed Bluestein Boulevard. What is growing in Lady Bird Lake?"Although no human cases of West Nile Virus have been identified at this time, the positive mosquito pool indicates the virus is
  
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• Number of incarcerated people with mental illness increases 5% in seven months in Travis County, study shows

  29-07-2022 00:01 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Mental illness has been a growing crisis in the nation, prompting calls for care, including the recent launch of a mental health emergency hotline.The growing crisis is being reflected in jails, including here in Travis County. Research from Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin (UT) shows that in Travis County, 37% of people incarcerated in October 2021 were receiving mental health care in jail. By May 2022, the rate had increased to 42%.A disproportionate nu
  
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