Austin news

• Austin nonprofit launches CDL refugee training program

  07-08-2022 21:44 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — It's been nearly a year since the Afghanistan pullout and almost six months since Russia began its attacks on Ukraine. Since then, Refugee Services of Texas has helped resettle more than 1,000 Afghan and Ukrainian refugees in Austin, and one local nonprofit is looking to address both refugee employment needs and the national truck drivers shortage through a new commercial driver's license (CDL) program.Global Impact Initiative is an Austin-based nonprofit that focuses on ed
  
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• Rent has gone up the most in these 10 US cities — see where Austin landed

  07-08-2022 19:01 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) — The good news: How fast and how much your rent is going up seems to be slowing. The bad news: It's still going up, just less than it has been, according to Realtor. The median rent price across the United States' 50 largest metro areas is $1,876, which Realtor says is a new record for the 16th consecutive month.But while renting is more expensive these days, renting is still more affordable for average Americans than buying — especially after recent interest rate increase
  
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• Williamson County homeowners concerned about growing rock crushing operations

  07-08-2022 16:00 via kxan.com
  
  Keith Elliston's well head is beneath the faded blue metal tank outside of the building. (Courtesy: Keith Elliston) LIBERTY HILL, Texas (KXAN) - Keith Elliston said he has spent thousands of dollars on his well after last year's freeze.The work included insulation in his pump house.Elliston who has lived in the area for more than 20 years, said he's now worried about his family's water supply."My concerns are that at some point, we may not be able to get clean drinking water out of the
  
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• 30+ Ukrainian artists launch Austin charity exhibit

  07-08-2022 14:39 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A group of more than 30 contemporary, Ukrainian artists is putting their artwork on display in Austin as part of a charity event, coming amid Russia's ongoing invasion in Ukraine."BE BRAVE: Fundraiser for Ukraine" held its grand opening Saturday evening at ArtUs Co, located in the Arboretum in northwest Austin.
  The exhibit includes more than 60 "bright and eloquent works of art of the war period," according to the event's description.BE BRAVE will be free and open to the pu
  
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• APD: No arrests made in Saturday night SWAT situation

  07-08-2022 14:34 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin Police Department said it has made no arrests following a SWAT standoff overnight in north Austin.It happened around 11 p.m. Saturday at an apartment complex in the 9600 block of Middle Fiskville Road.
  APD said the SWAT situation began after a person was shooting near the apartment complex. No one was shot or injured. Police said officers entered the apartment involved, but they did not find who they were looking for after about four hours.
  APD told KXAN there may be
  
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• State of Texas: 'Taking that bullhorn away' — Alex Jones verdict has larger implications

  07-08-2022 13:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — An Austin jury ruled that InfoWars host Alex Jones must pay for falsely saying the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a hoax.Jones was ordered to pay millions in damages to the parents of a first-grader killed in the mass shooting. The ruling came just days after Jones admitted on the witness stand he now believes the shooting was 100 percent "real."Neil Heslin and Scarlett Lewis lost their 6-year-old son Jesse in the Sandy Hook shooting. They say they faced
  
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• Nice to see the rain

  07-08-2022 12:35 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Showers and thunderstorms were most welcomed Saturday afternoon. Two reporting stations recorded .50" or higher. Smithville measured .53" and Lampasas picked up .50". Yes, the rain did make it into the Hill Country.How much in Austin? Sad to write that only a trace was measured at both Camp Mabry and the airport.
  Some of the area's rain totalsSaturday's high at Camp Mabry was 99°. The streak of consecutive days of triple-digit highs ended at 21. Yesterday was the first day s
  
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• More rain to come today for some

  07-08-2022 12:35 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The day dawned partly to mostly cloudy as clouds steadily increased around sunrise. Austin's low was 78° with most lows in the middle to upper 70s.Showers and thunderstorms were most welcomed Saturday afternoon. Two reporting stations recorded .50" or higher. Smithville measured .53" and Lampasas picked up .50". Yes, the rain did make it into the Hill Country.How much in Austin? Sad to write that only a trace was measured at both Camp Mabry and the airport.
  Some of the area'
  
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• Heat wave resumes as high temperatures return to triple-digits Sunday

  07-08-2022 12:35 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The heat wave picked up right where it left off Sunday as the high temperature in Austin returned to triple digits for the 22nd of the last 23 days, and 57th time this summer.
  The day dawned partly to mostly cloudy as clouds steadily increased around sunrise. Austin's low was 78° with most lows in the middle to upper 70s.Only a few showers and isolated thunderstorms formed Sunday afternoon, providing some heat relief in a few areas.
  Showers and thunderstorms were most welcom
  
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• Austin joins million-dollar lawsuit against Disney, Hulu, Netflix

  07-08-2022 05:47 via kxan.com
  
  NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KETK) -- Austin is among 24 other Texas cities filing a lawsuit accusing Disney DTC LLC, Hulu, LLC and Netflix Inc., of failing to pay millions of dollars in municipal franchise fees as far back as 2007. Netflix may soon crack down on password sharing, executives hintThe lawsuit was filed in Dallas County on behalf of Abilene, Allen, Amarillo, Arlington, Austin, Beaumont, Carrollton, Dallas, Denton, Frisco, Fort Worth, Garland, Grand Prairie, Houston, Irving, Lewisville, McKi
  
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• Austin estimated to have lost $9M in unpaid fees from Disney, Hulu, Netflix, city says

  07-08-2022 05:47 via kxan.com
  
  NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KETK) — Austin is among 24 other Texas cities filing a lawsuit accusing Disney DTC LLC, Hulu, LLC and Netflix Inc. of failing to pay millions of dollars in municipal franchise fees as far back as 2007.The lawsuit was filed in Dallas County on behalf of Abilene, Allen, Amarillo, Arlington, Austin, Beaumont, Carrollton, Dallas, Denton, Frisco, Fort Worth, Garland, Grand Prairie, Houston, Irving, Lewisville, McKinney, Mesquite, Nacogdoches, Pearland, Plano, Rowlett, Sugar
  
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• What you should know about signing up for Central Texas emergency alerts

  07-08-2022 05:12 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN, Texas (KXAN) - Recent wildfires across the region have emergency agencies reminding locals about specialized alerts that warn of fire threats, flash floods, and other natural events.Martin Richey, Director of Homeland Security for the Central Area Council of Governments, said subscribers in all ten counties that make up the Central Texas region can sign up online for the free alerts.
  The site, WarnCentralTexas.orgallows visitors to sign up using their phone number and email to select war
  
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• AISD back to school bash focuses on safety

  07-08-2022 04:41 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin ISD held its back to school bash for the first time in two years on Saturday, putting safety as the main focus of the day.
  District officials started with a safety summit, talking about the changes they're making to keep students safe, especially after the mass shooting in Uvalde.
  "We're doing safety audits of every single door in our school district to make sure they lock properly, and every principal is doing a safety check with their team to make sure they know wh
  
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• Person airlifted after falling off cliff at Mt. Bonnell; Another body found while conducting rescue

  07-08-2022 03:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A person was airlifted to a hospital after falling off a cliff at Mt. Bonnell Saturday evening.
  Austin-Travis County EMS tweeted that they, along with the Austin Fire and Police Departments and STAR Flight responded. ATCEMS Captain Noak said STAR Flight airlifted one person to a hospital.
  The condition of the patient is unknown.
  While searching for the fall patient, crews found an "obviously deceased" patient. Recovery operations are underway for that person, ATCEMS said on
  
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• Person airlifted after falling off cliff at Mt. Bonnell

  07-08-2022 03:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A person was airlifted to a hospital after falling off a cliff at Mt. Bonnell Saturday evening.
  Austin-Travis County EMS tweeted that they, along with the Austin Fire and Police Departments and STAR Flight responded. ATCEMS Captain Noak said STAR Flight airlifted one person to a hospital.
  The condition of the patient is unknown.
  This story will be updated when more information is available.
  
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• Body found during Mt. Bonnell rescue identified

  07-08-2022 03:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A person was airlifted to a hospital after falling off a cliff at Mt. Bonnell Saturday evening — and during the rescue, first responders also found a body.
  APD said in a Monday update this death is not being considered suspicious at this time and identified the person who died as 21-year-old Prabin Gharti. It's unclear if that person also fell or how long they had been there.Austin-Travis County EMS tweeted it, along with the Austin Fire and Police departments and STA
  
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• Williamson County tax office hours will change mid-August

  07-08-2022 01:11 via kxan.com
  
  WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — The Williamson County Tax Assessor/Collector's offices will change its hours of operation later this month. All four locations will be affected.
  The hours of operation will change on Monday, August 15 to the following:
  Monday: 8 a.m. - 5:30 p.m.Tuesday: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.Wednesday: Closed to the publicThursday: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.Friday: 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.The change is to help the office better serve the public in all aspects of its operation, a press release stated
  
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