Austin news

• How much would Austin have to pay to part ways with its city manager?

  07-02-2023 23:22 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin's City Manager Spencer Cronk’s employment will be evaluated at a special-called Austin City Council meeting Thursday morning after Mayor Kirk Watson expressed frustration at the city's response to last week's ice storm.
  Watson told KXAN that the meeting is intended to look at the scope of the city manager's performance, not just his leadership during this unprecedented weather event.Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk’s employment to be evaluated in special
  
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• Some religious freedoms allowed in Texas over others? State representative wants equality

  07-02-2023 23:20 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Bills with a focus on religious freedoms have new life this legislative session.On Tuesday, Texas Rep. Salman Bhojani (D-Euless) announced he re-filed the religious freedom agenda.
  HB 1882- "Expands the list of state optional holidays to include additional faiths."HB1883- "Ensures that STAAR tests and end-of-course exams are not administered on religious holy days."HB1883- "Allows authorized person from all religions to ordain a marriage."
  These bills ask for the state to b
  
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• Austin Police investigating downtown missing adult case

  07-02-2023 22:54 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department is looking into the disappearance of a man last seen downtown early Sunday morning.Jason John, 30, was last seen on Rainey Street heading toward Lady Bird Lake Trail at 2 a.m. Sunday, according to a flyer shared with KXAN by John's friends. He is 5'10", 190 pounds and was wearing a black-and-white print jacket, black pants and black Jordans sneakers with white soles.Austin Police is looking into the disappearance of 30-year-old Jason John, last seen
  
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• Travis County extends ice storm disaster declaration amid ongoing outages, debris

  07-02-2023 22:36 via kxan.com
  
  TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) — Travis County Commissioners Court voted Tuesday to extend the county's disaster declaration following last week's ice storm.Eric Carter, Travis County's chief emergency management coordinator, said the county has begun its shift into recovery mode to help clear out debris and other materials resulting from the ice storm. He also called on county community members to help report their damages to the Texas Division of Emergency Management so they can seek federa
  
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• Longhorns add 4-star defensive back to 2023 recruiting class

  07-02-2023 22:08 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns added another highly-rated in-state recruit to fortify their defensive backfield Tuesday.Warren Roberson, a safety from Red Oak in the southern portion of the DFW metroplex, is considered a top-50 player in Texas by 247Sports and signed a National Letter of Intent in a ceremony on Tuesday. How the Longhorns fared signing in-state talent, who are 2024’s top Lone Star State recruits?That makes 25 recruits in the 2023 class for the Longhorns and the n
  
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• Texas Senate committee discusses electric market redesign for state power grid

  07-02-2023 22:03 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — While Central Texas is still dealing with the aftermath of last week's ice storm, state lawmakers are still addressing different problems revealed two years ago, after a severe winter storm in February 2021 led to the state power grid's near-collapse.Texas senators are weighing a proposed overhaul to the state's electric grid Tuesday, in an effort to increase its reliability after the 2021 disaster led to extensive blackouts and contributed to hundreds of deaths. BACKGRO
  
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• Texas senator announces legislation aimed at preventing mass shootings like Uvalde

  07-02-2023 21:23 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Legislation aimed at preventing mass shootings and memorializing victims was introduced in the Texas Senate on Tuesday afternoon.Sen. Roland Gutierrez announced a package of bills Tuesday.Related: Texas senator introduces new Uvalde-related legislationThe bills aim to fix radio interoperability in rural counties, increase school safety, improve emergency response protocols between state and local public safety entities, and create a monument to mass shooting victims in the Texas
  
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• Ice storm damage closes parks in Cedar Park

  07-02-2023 20:35 via kxan.com
  
  CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) — Cedar Park crews are clearing broken tree limbs and debris from park facilities after last week's ice storm.
  Some parks and trails were reopened Monday, but others remain closed for the public's safety.Jenny Huerta, public information officer for the City of Cedar Park said crews have been working to clean up the damage as quickly as possible.She said large parks like Elizabeth Milburn Park and Veterans Park are taking longer to clear than others simply from the
  
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• Austin family affected by Texas abortion laws invited to 2023 State of the Union Address

  07-02-2023 20:17 via kxan.com
  
  WASHINGTON, D.C. (KXAN) -- An Austin family is among more than 20 others who will join First Lady Jill Biden in her viewing box for President Joe Biden's State of the Union Address Tuesday night.
  According to a press release from the White House, each of the First Lady's guests were invited by the White House because they "personify issues or themes to be addressed by the President in his speech, or they embody the Biden-Harris Administration’s policies at work for the American people
  
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• 'An ice hurricane': Austin Energy answers FAQs in front of city council after ice storm

  07-02-2023 19:02 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — As of Tuesday morning, less than 10,000 people are still without power after an ice storm wreaked havoc on Austin's power system. Those remaining customers are going on a week without power.
  In a work session with Austin Energy leadership, Council Member Alison Alter said the city needs to address both the unprecedented nature of the ice storm we saw, using the language of the chairman of the state's Public Utility Commission calling this "an ice hurricane," but also said t
  
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• 'Multi-month ordeal': Austin Resource Recovery has 13K+ debris requests

  07-02-2023 18:55 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) - All across Austin, tree branches are scattered along roads, yards and neighborhoods. In a press conference Tuesday, the city said it's dealing with thousands upon thousands of requests to clear debris.LIVE BLOG: Clean up ongoing after Central Texas ice stormWhat is the city's cleanup process?The city said close to 200 employees from the Public Works and Parks and Recreation departments were clearing the public right of way of downed trees and debris.They are using a "grid system
  
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• City of Austin to provide update on storm recovery efforts Tuesday

  07-02-2023 18:55 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) - The City of Austin said it's hosting a news conference Tuesday at 4 p.m. to discuss recovery efforts from last week's winter storm.Austin City Manager Spencer Cronk, officials from Austin Resource Recovery, Austin Public Works and Austin Transportation will be in attendance, according to a press release. LIVE BLOG: Clean up ongoing after Central Texas ice stormThe city said close to 200 employees from the Public Works and Parks and Recreation departments were clearing the public
  
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• ‘Yellowstone’ creator reportedly eyeing Matthew McConaughey for spin-off amid rumors of series shakeup

  07-02-2023 18:12 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) – Honestly, it’s kind of surprising that Matthew McConaughey isn't already involved with “Yellowstone” to begin with.McConaughey, an actor who is no stranger to a cowboy hat, is reportedly “in negotiations” to star in yet another iteration of the Paramount Network’s hit series “Yellowstone,” according to Deadline and The Hollywood Reporter.News of the potential spin-off comes amid rumors that the producers of “Yellowstone&rdqu
  
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• Here's what $76m will do for Lake LBJ

  07-02-2023 17:27 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- LCRA recently announced plans to modernize Wirtz Dam at Lake LBJ at Horseshoe Bay in Burnet County.
  Meteorologist Nick Bannin spoke with LCRA about the improvements and why they won't be done as quickly as possible.Meteorologist Nick Bannin:I'm here with John Hofmann, Executive Vice President of Water for LCRA. John, LCRA just recently announced some big improvements, you're going to be doing to Wirtz Dam, can you talk about them?John Hofmann, Executive V.P. of Water for LCRA: W
  
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• ATCEMS used an app to help homeless throughout ice storm

  07-02-2023 17:04 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin-Travis County EMS has been busy as can be since the ice storm swept through Central Texas last week.
  While its emergency service workers have been saving lives around the clock, they’ve been using an app to pinpoint the precise location people who need medical attention.What3Words is a free, location-based app that divides the globe into 10-foot squares, assigning each square a unique three-word sequence, like ‘folk.suitable.chart.’According to chie
  
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• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott to deliver State of the State address on Feb. 16

  07-02-2023 16:58 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN, Texas (Nexstar) -- Texas Governor Greg Abbott will deliver the State of the State address Thursday, Feb. 16 across 14 Texas television markets served by Nexstar including KXAN-TV in Austin. The multi-market live telecast will begin at 7 p.m. and include a Democratic response.Abbott is expected to hit on key topics like education and school safety, property taxes, and the border. Additionally, the governor will lay out his priorities for the 88th Legislative Session.
  Following Abbott&rsqu
  
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• Austin police arrest Texas senator on DWI charge, records show

  07-02-2023 15:49 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A Texas senator from Georgetown was arrested by the Austin Police Department and charged with driving while intoxicated early Tuesday morning.
  Online jail records show Charles Jeffrey Schwertner, 52, was booked into the Travis County Jail just after 2 a.m. Tuesday.According to Schwertner's Texas Senate bio, he has represented the Texas Senate District 5 since 2013. That district covers a 10-county region including Brazos, Freestone, Grimes, Leon, Limestone, Madison, Milam,
  
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• Crash on northbound MoPac impacts Tuesday morning commute time

  07-02-2023 15:20 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Commute time from southwest Austin to downtown was heavily impacted by a crash on northbound MoPac Tuesday morning.
  At one point, all northbound lanes of MoPac were closed. They reopened shortly after 8 a.m.Travel time from the Circle C area to downtown was over an hour for a period of time, and at its peak, the commute would've taken 86 minutes.
  You can check alerts and real-time driving conditions on our Driving Conditions page.
  It's unclear if anyone was injured as a result o
  
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• Suspect of attempted Permian Highway Pipeline bombing sentenced to 5 years

  07-02-2023 15:01 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A man was sentenced in federal court in Austin last week for attempting to damage or destroy part of the Permian Highway Pipeline in Hays County.
  Ryan McKinney, 22, of Fort Worth, was sentenced to five years in prison after he attempted to detonate a device near a section of the pipeline on Jan. 26, 2022, according to a press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.
  According to the release, McKinney "conducted extensive planning for the attack and deliberately chose th
  
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• Rain coverage gradually increases with storms too

  07-02-2023 13:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- An upper-level low moving through the southwest United States will bring a round of rain with a few thunderstorms today. Present forecast trends show the thunderstorm risk during the mid- to late-afternoon with the approach of a cold front.The upper low will head into Texas tonight keeping the rain going but also increasing the chance of thunderstorms. Some thunderstorms will produce periods of heavy rain.Possible strong thunderstorms tomorrow morning BLOG: Last freeze? Here's w
  
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• A couple of days of much-needed rain

  07-02-2023 13:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- An upper-level low moving through the southwest United States will bring a round of rain with a few thunderstorms today. Present forecast trends show the thunderstorm risk during the mid- to late-afternoon with the approach of a cold front.The upper low will head into Texas tonight keeping the rain going but also increasing the chance of thunderstorms. Some thunderstorms will produce periods of heavy rain.Possible strong thunderstorms tomorrow morning BLOG: Last freeze? Here's w
  
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• Five questions for Biden’s State of the Union address

  07-02-2023 12:02 via kxan.com
  
  President Biden will deliver his second State of the Union address on Tuesday evening.The speech comes at a critical point for Biden. Republicans now control the House, the glow from Democrats’ better-than-expected performance in the midterms is fading and the first moves in the 2024 campaign are already being made.Here are some of the biggest questions around Biden’s big speech.Will Biden be confrontational or conciliatory with Republicans?Biden has tried to thread a complicated nee
  
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• No. 9 Kansas too much on its home floor, downs No. 5 Texas 88-80

  07-02-2023 06:02 via kxan.com
  
  LAWRENCE, Kan. (KXAN) — Two Big 12 heavyweights went punch-for-punch Monday at Allen Fieldhouse, but the No. 9 Kansas Jayhawks protected its home floor with an 88-80 win over No. 5 Texas.Texas trailed by seven at halftime and quickly cut the deficit to one possession several times early in the second half, but the Jayhawks always had an answer. A Marcus Carr jump shot brought Texas within a bucket 52-50 with 13:27 left, but Kansas went on a 6-0 flurry to stretch their lead back to eight at
  
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• Texas student charged after topless photo is sent to others via AirDrop

  07-02-2023 05:37 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's Note: We have chosen not to publish the school involved in an effort to protect the identity of the victim.MIDLAND COUNTY, Texas- A high school student in Midland County was arrested in January after investigators said he sent explicit photos of another student via "AirDrop". Lee Escobar, 17, was charged with Publishing or Threatening to Publish Intimate Visual Materials, a felony. According to court records, on Jan. 19, school district officers were called to campus to investigate
  
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• Will people get relief money for power outage costs?

  07-02-2023 04:37 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As the community calls for accountability, many people are also calling for help.Dozens have reached out to KXAN asking if the disaster declaration will include direct relief for families, and hundreds have written in about their struggles through the power outages."We're used to taking care of ourselves," said Paul Hunt of northeast Austin. "And it was really difficult because we couldn't take care of ourselves."The lights are back on at the Hunt residence, but the family had t
  
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• 'Mourning our trees': Winter storm cleanup continues

  07-02-2023 04:24 via kxan.com
  
  DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas (KXAN) - Last week's winter storm has devastated parts of the Hill Country. In Dripping Springs, Carrie Napiorkowski's backyard is filled with twigs and tree branches on the ground.
  "This was just filled with majestic heritage oaks and old pecan trees and to look at it now is very heartbreaking," Napiorkowski said.Napiorkowski said her and others are left mourning their trees. (Photo: KXAN)Rain and a few thunderstorms return Tuesday into WednesdayThe cleanup process conti
  
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• Austin city manager continues to push for negotiations as discussions for police oversight resume this week

  07-02-2023 04:22 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN)-- After the City of Austin and the Austin Police Association clashed on adding police oversight to the labor contract in December, city manager Spencer Cronk released a letter saying he is optimistic a negotiation will be reached, as discussions continue this week.The current labor agreement would have expired Sept. 30, 2022, but it was automatically extended until March 2023 so negotiations could continue.
  "I continue to have confidence in our negotiating team and I am optimistic
  
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• Texas women's hoops squad moving up AP Top 25 rankings

  07-02-2023 03:54 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns women's basketball is making its way back up the national rankings.On the heels of the five-game winning streak, the Longhorns rose four spots to No. 20 in this week's rankings, but even with the bump, it still feels like poll voters aren't giving the team much respect.
  Full women's AP Top 25
  While the Longhorns are first in the Big 12 Conference at 9-2 and they pounded Oklahoma 78-58 on Jan. 25, the Sooners are ranked two spots higher than the Longhorns
  
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• Texas Longhorns move to No. 5 in Associated Press men's college hoops poll

  07-02-2023 03:21 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Heading into Monday's huge Big 12 showdown with Kansas, the Texas Longhorns were moved into the top five of the Associated Press Top 25 men's college basketball rankings.Released by the AP on Monday, the Longhorns moved up five spots from last week to No. 5 after two impressive wins over ranked opponents in Baylor and Kansas State. Texas beat the Bears at home, ranked No. 11 at the time, 76-71 on Jan. 30 and they topped the Wildcats in Manhattan 69-66 to move into first pla
  
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• More world-fastest times, school records for Texas Longhorns sprinters in Albuquerque

  07-02-2023 03:03 via kxan.com
  
  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KXAN) — When Texas Longhorn sprinters Julien Alfred and Rhasidat Adeleke walk into the Albuquerque Convention Center, their eyes have to light up with happiness.For the second time this indoor track and field season and a little more than a month away from the NCAA championships in the same building, both speedsters blazed to school records and improvements on their world-leading times this year.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign
  
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• UT student leaders to hold referendum on 'Eyes of Texas'

  07-02-2023 01:48 via kxan.com
  
  (Texas Tribune) — Student government leaders of the University of Texas at Austin are planning to hold a referendum at the end of the month to gauge student opinion on the university’s divisive alma mater, “The Eyes of Texas.”According to a press release sent Sunday, Student Government Assembly leaders have been working with UT-Austin’s Office of the Dean of Students for over a year to get approval to add the nonbinding referendum to the ballot for next year’s
  
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• Who are the players in the Super Bowl from Texas?

  07-02-2023 00:57 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles meet in Super Bowl LVII on Sunday, and a handful of the players are from the Lone Star State.This is a rundown of players whose listed hometowns are in Texas, not necessarily if they attended college in Texas, but there are some players who fit both those bills.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersBoth quarterbacks, Pa
  
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• Will Texas lawmakers play ball on legalizing online sports betting this session?

  07-02-2023 00:56 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Two state Republicans filed bills on Monday that would legalize and regulate online sports betting in the Lone Star State.Sen. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, and Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, both filed two bills for their respective chambers, citing the need to regulate an illegal online betting market. Their legislation would amend the Texas Constitution to “legalize and regulate mobile sports betting in Texas.”"It makes sense to reign in all of the illegal offshor
  
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• How some Central Texas districts are making up missed school days from ice storm

  07-02-2023 00:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- With students back in class, Central Texas school districts are now planning how to make up for missed learning time during the ice storm that closed schools and left some campuses without power.Several districts told KXAN they are waiting on waivers from the Texas Education Agency before making final decisions.
  Here's how several Central Texas school districts plan to make up missed learning minutes:Austin ISDThe district said its calendar includes enough instructional minutes
  
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• Who's responsible for Austin's widespread power outages? City Council wants answers

  07-02-2023 00:35 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- People living in the Forest North Estates neighborhood are now going on nearly a week without power.
  Alana Cortes is one of them. She expressed frustration at the lack of communication from the utility and the city. She said she "just [wants] to have some kind of faith that the stuff we pay taxes for is actually reflected back in our resources."Austin Mayor Kirk Watson says the frustration is valid. It's why he and city council members plan to look at the effectiveness of City M
  
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