Austin news

• Texas women's basketball soars to Big 12 tournament championship game with win over Oklahoma State

  11-03-2023 22:58 via kxan.com
  
  KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KXAN) — Through a season full of injuries and adversity, the Texas women's basketball team now finds itself in a familiar position — the Big 12 tournament championship game. The top-seeded Longhorns took down fourth-seeded Oklahoma State 64-57 in the semifinals Saturday at Municipal Auditorium.Shaylee Gonzales with 17 points to lead the Longhorns, but the attack behind her was very balanced. DeYona Gaston notched 14 points while Shay Holle added 13. Rori Harmon was
  
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• Five takeaways from the February jobs report

  11-03-2023 22:08 via kxan.com
  
  The February jobs report was a bit of a mixed bag with the unemployment rate rising even as the economy added more jobs last month than economists had expected.The unemployment rate ticked up to 3.6 percent, though economists had been expecting it to stay down at the January level of 3.4 percent—a more than 50-year low. The economy added 311,000 jobs while analysts were expecting a monthly increase of only 225,000.Perhaps most significantly, wages increased only 0.2 percent from January to
  
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• 'It's about time': Lawmakers renew push to make daylight saving time permanent

  11-03-2023 22:06 via kxan.com
  
  WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — As Americans get ready to reset their clocks, lawmakers are renewing a fight to make daylight saving time permanent. The biannual routine of springing forward and then falling back leaves many people feeling groggy and annoyed. Some lawmakers want to do away with that. "I think it's about time," Sen. Rick Scott said. Sen. Scott is one of the sponsors of the Sunshine Protection Act, which would end the practice of switching the clocks and make daylight
  
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• Ecologists want you to eat invasive frogs, but Texas frogging laws are stricter than you might think

  11-03-2023 22:05 via kxan.com
  
  TYLER, Texas (KETK) - The State of Utah is serving up the American Bullfrog on a silver platter but in Texas, where frog "gigging" is more popular, the laws are more strict.In Utah, the American Bullfrog is an invasive species and Utahns can hunt as many bullfrogs as they can eat, according to KTVX. Utah's Division of Wildlife Resources even lists its own "breaded bullfrog legs" recipe. Texas is a different story for the amphibians, though.Bullfrogs are native to parts of Texas, but are consider
  
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• This Louisiana bird is gorgeous, despite binge-eating and whining

  11-03-2023 21:59 via kxan.com
  
  ATHENS, La. (KTAL/KMSS) - Most people like to associate certain birds with certain seasons, for instance, bluebirds with spring, goldfinch with winter, or bats with Halloween. (I know! - Don’t write me! - Just seeing if you’re paying attention.)
  Anyhoo, we get one species in winter that regularly becomes more observable in March as it gorges itself on the remaining crops of holly berries or other native goodies to put on extra fat to convert for energy in its upcoming migration, and
  
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• Lockhart man found not guilty of murder, aggravated assault after May 2021 incident

  11-03-2023 21:57 via kxan.com
  
  LOCKHART, Texas (KXAN) — Court documents showed a man accused of murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Caldwell County was found not guilty by a jury Feb. 24.Roberto Cruz, who was 48 at the time the charges were filed, was accused of shooting and killing a 55-year-old man and wounding another. PREVIOUS: Lockhart man faces murder charge following Thursday shooting near city parkAccording to past coverage, the incident occurred around 8:15 p.m. May 6, 2021, in the 900 block o
  
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• Suspect disguised as technician robs two Austin businesses

  11-03-2023 21:19 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – The Austin Police Department said it was searching for a man suspected of robbing an Austin business March 1.According to police, the suspect entered two Verizon locations attempting to pass himself off as an IT employee.Police said the suspect initially tried the disguise at the Verizon Store at 2401 S. Lamar Blvd. in south Austin but was turned away. However, according to police, the suspect entered the Barton Creek Square Verizon store approximately 30 minutes later
  
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• Dateline hosts talk to KXAN on first SXSW panel, Austin murders, new podcast

  11-03-2023 21:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – Keith Morrison and Josh Mankiewicz of Dateline – which has covered several notorious Austin murders, including Moriah Wilson and Heidi Broussard – will appear at SXSW for their first panel discussion Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. CT at the Austin Convention Center.
  The two sat down with KXAN’s Sam Stark ahead of their session to talk Dateline, their voyage into podcasting and reporting on Texas crimes. Can you talk about the explosion of the true cr
  
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• Dateline correspondents talk with KXAN about Austin crimes ahead of their first SXSW appearance at 4 p.m.

  11-03-2023 21:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – Keith Morrison and Josh Mankiewicz of Dateline – which has covered several notorious Austin murders, including Moriah Wilson and Heidi Broussard – will appear at SXSW for their first panel discussion Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. CT at the Austin Convention Center.
  The two sat down with KXAN’s Sam Stark ahead of their session to talk Dateline, their voyage into podcasting and reporting on Texas crimes. Can you talk about the explosion of the true cr
  
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• Dateline correspondents talk to KXAN on first SXSW panel, Austin murders, new podcast

  11-03-2023 21:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – Keith Morrison and Josh Mankiewicz of Dateline – which has covered several notorious Austin murders, including Moriah Wilson and Heidi Broussard – will appear at SXSW for their first panel discussion Saturday afternoon at 4:00 p.m. CT at the Austin Convention Center.
  The two sat down with KXAN’s Sam Stark ahead of their session to talk Dateline, their voyage into podcasting and reporting on Texas crimes. Can you talk about the explosion of the true cr
  
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• CapMetro awarded $65M for new rapid lines

  11-03-2023 20:03 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – CapMetro said it was hosting a celebration ceremony Saturday afternoon after it was awarded more than $65 million in grants from the Federal Transit Administration for the new CapMetro Rapid lines.The grants were specifically for the Pleasant Valley and Expo Center CapMetro Rapid lines, as part of the Project Connect program, according to CapMetro.During the ceremony, CapMetro said speakers would discuss the importance of the grants and how they would help with the building
  
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• The first Best Picture Oscar movie was filmed in this Texas city

  11-03-2023 18:29 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) — The Lone Star State has a surprising claim to fame at the Academy Awards. Did you know the first movie ever named "Best Picture" at the Oscars was filmed right here in Texas?It goes back all the way to the first ceremony, held May 16, 1929, when the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' honored the 1927 silent film "Wings" with the first-ever Academy Award for Best Picture.Why do the Oscars still separate acting categories by ‘actor’ and ‘actress’
  
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• Lawmakers ask for state park to temporarily reopen before permanent closure, sale to private developer

  11-03-2023 14:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Lawmakers have asked the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to consider temporarily reopening a state park before its sale to a private developer later this summer.Fairfield Lake State Park, about 70 miles east of Waco, closed at the end of February after almost 50 years in operation. The site is not owned by the state, but rather leased by Vistra Energy, which operated a coal plant on the lake until 2018.The company is selling the land to a private developer, Todd Interes
  
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• Cold front tonight knocks down Sunday's highs

  11-03-2023 14:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Day 2 of South by Southwest came in hot with highs in the upper 80s and low 90s! We avoided records, but it was still toasty.Tonight will stay very warm ahead of a cold front that comes through early Sunday morning. Evening temperatures will mostly be in the 70s! NEW BLOG: La Niña has ended — Here’s what’s next and when El Niño could beginAs our cold front comes through we'll find morning lows dropping into the 50s, making for a much cooler start
  
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• Back on the temperature roller coaster

  11-03-2023 14:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The final day of Central Standard Time is dawning with low clouds and fog reducing the visibility to under a mile at several locations east of I-35.
  Much warmer air will be felt today as high temperatures this afternoon peak in the upper 80s to some low 90s. The morning clouds will clear to abundant sunshine especially during the middle- to late-afternoon hours. Today's normal high is 72°. The record high for today is 92° first set in 1955 and tied in 1967.The next cold
  
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• What musicians would you like to see in Austin?

  11-03-2023 13:50 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN)-- What musicians, bands and performers would you like to see in Austin? KXAN did a social media callout asking for your opinion, the answers did not disappoint.There were a few artists in various genres people mentioned on Facebook that show Austin's diverse taste in music.One particular band mentioned in the social post officially made an announcement it was coming to Austin in a news release Tuesday.KISSLegendary rock band KISS will spend one of its final shows rocking out at Aus
  
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• Man killed by falling construction debris near UT Austin campus, APD investigating

  11-03-2023 03:43 via kxan.com
  
  Austin (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department said it is investigating a death allegedly caused by a falling object from a high-rise construction project in the West Campus neighborhood.An APD incident reportsaid a call for a deceased person came in to dispatch around 8:30 p.m. Thursday, March 2, in the 2400 block of Rio Grande Street.SafeHorns, a private group of UT Austin parents, students and faculty, tweeted Friday about the death, asking witnesses to contact authorities and family atto
  
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• SXSW means big bucks for hosts, but are they licensed?

  11-03-2023 03:34 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) —With thousands of people coming to Austin for South by Southwest, many will choose to stay in Airbnb's around the city, but there are rules if someone is operating one.Joe Arenella has been renting his Airbnb out for eight years, each year he makes sure to get his license to operate in Austin."We are booked for SXSW, ACL, Formula 1," said Arenella.He expects to make a lot of money during these big weekends. With so many people coming to town, Arenella said he is usually book
  
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• SXSW means big bucks for Airbnb hosts, but are they licensed?

  11-03-2023 03:34 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) —With thousands of people coming to Austin for South by Southwest, many will choose to stay in Airbnb's around the city, but there are rules if someone is operating one.Joe Arenella has been renting his Airbnb out for eight years, each year he makes sure to get his license to operate in Austin."We are booked for SXSW, ACL, Formula 1," said Arenella.He expects to make a lot of money during these big weekends. With so many people coming to town, Arenella said he is usually book
  
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• APD arrest 6 juveniles wanted in connection with series of aggravated robberies

  11-03-2023 03:27 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Police Department Robbery Unit arrested six juveniles wanted in connection with a series of aggravated robberies that occurred from March 4 to March 5, APD said in a news release.Officers responded to a total of nine aggravated robberies, which resulted in two reported victims, the release said. Additionally, police said shots were fired during most incidents, and one victim was shot during one of them. According to police, the victim was in stable condition.The
  
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• U.S. Secretary of Education visits Austin school

  11-03-2023 02:16 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Friday, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona visited Webb Middle School in Austin.Cardona toured the school, spoke to parents and laid out his priorities to promote academic excellence. He also discussed the importance of providing every student with a pathway to multilingualism."We believe firmly that to get our students to be able to succeed anywhere in the world. We need to promote multilingualism,” Cardona said. “We have $1.2 billion in the budget f
  
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• How to find out which airlines seat families together for free

  11-03-2023 01:58 via kxan.com
  
  WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) — If families want to fly together without paying an extra fee, they have a new tool to help them. On Monday the Department of Transportation rolled out a new dashboard that shows travelers which airlines guarantee fee-free family seating.
  Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says this is part of an ongoing effort to pressure airlines to let families sit together without paying fees. "So far three airlines have agreed to do it, Alaska, Frontier, and Americ
  
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• Man with nearly 30 active warrants arrested in connection with commercial burglaries, APD says

  11-03-2023 00:47 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN)-- A man wanted in connection with several burglaries at local businesses has been arrested, according to a news release from the Austin Police Department.In October 2022, officers received numerous reports of business burglaries, and detectives identified the primary suspect as Kyle Jones, 36, the release said.According to police, Jones had 13 active felony arrest warrants out of Travis and Milam Counties.
  With the help of the APD Metro Tactical Unit and the Lone Star Fugitive Task
  
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• After nearly a 4-year ban, bump stocks are available in Texas

  11-03-2023 00:01 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – Two years after a man killed 58 people in Las Vegas, the Trump administration banned bump stocks — a device the gunman used, which can enable a shooter to rapidly fire multiple rounds from semi-automatic weapons after an initial trigger pull. After several legal battles, Texans are now able to purchase them again. Following the massacre, the Department of Justice amended the regulations of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) to change t
  
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