Austin news

• 1st Texas pediatric partial heart transplant performed in Austin

  10-07-2023 23:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Dell Children's Medical Center announced Monday it had successfully performed a partial heart transplant on an 11-month-old boy, marking the first of its kind in Texas and the seventh worldwide. The surgery was performed June 23 at the Texas Center for Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease at Dell Children's, done in coordination with UT Health Austin.
  Dell Children's described a partial heart transplant as a procedure where heart valves are taken from a donor heart "not suitab
  
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• 'It was amazing': Round Rock's Travis Sykora selected by Washington Nationals

  10-07-2023 23:23 via kxan.com
  
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — Flamethrowing right-handed pitcher Travis Sykora didn't have to wait long on the second day of the MLB draft. Sykora was selected 71st overall by the Washington Nationals as the first selection of the day in the third round."It was amazing," said Sykora. "Growing up as a kid, your goal is to be a professional baseball player, to get to the big leagues and achieve that first step. It’s amazing."MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like thes
  
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• $1 million winning lottery ticket sold in Austin

  10-07-2023 22:44 via kxan.com
  
  Editor’s Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today’s top headlines for July 10, 2023AUSTIN (KXAN) — A trip to Austin just made someone $1 million richer.A winning lottery ticket, worth $1,000,002, was sold to a Dallas resident in Austin. The Mega Millions ticket was for the June 30 drawing and was sold at Players Cafe, at 7801 N. Lamar Blvd.The winner chose to remain anonymous, according to a press release from the Texas Lottery Commission.The lucky ticket matched all five wh
  
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• AFD fighting brush fire near I-35 in south Austin

  10-07-2023 22:43 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Fire Department is fighting a brush fire Monday afternoon along Interstate 35 in south Austin.The department tweeted photos and a video of the fire near I-35 and Woodward Street. AFD said the fire was in the northwest corner of the area.Austin firefighters are responding to a brush fire near Interstate 35 and Woodward Street in south Austin on Monday. (Photo courtesy of AFD)Austin firefighters are responding to a brush fire near Interstate 35 and Woodward Street
  
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• How many crashes involve driverless cars in Austin?

  10-07-2023 22:22 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Known as a growing tech hub, the City of Austin has also become an epicenter for autonomous vehicle technology in recent years with General Motors' Cruise, Volkswagen and Waymo being just a handful of companies who currently have an autonomous vehicle footprint in the Texas capital.These companies have pointed to Austin's concentrated pedestrian regions downtown and in the West Campus neighborhood, as well as its specific transportation network, as the reasoning behind the
  
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• Gov. Abbott appoints deputy chief of staff as interim Attorney General

  10-07-2023 21:53 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed his deputy chief of staff as the interim Attorney General of Texas.
  In a press release Monday, Abbott said Angela Colmenero will take over as interim Attorney General effective at 10 a.m., July 14. John Scott, the former Secretary of State appointed interim AG by Abbott in May, is leaving."John Scott faithfully executed his duties as the interim Attorney General of Texas, and I thank him for his leadership in stepping up to serve his fellow Te
  
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• Heat Advisory in effect through Wednesday night

  10-07-2023 21:20 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Hotter than normal July weather refuses to loosen its grip on Central Texas this week with temperatures soaring over 100 degrees every day.Camp Mabry had a low this morning of 79°, tying a record warm morning low for the date. There may be a few more record warm lows tied or set during the next seven mornings.Austin is up to three days this month of a triple-digit high. Add seven more to reach ten by the time this current 7-Day Forecast ends.
  This new heatwave means seven mo
  
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• Who's responsible if an autonomous vehicle causes a crash?

  10-07-2023 20:10 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As Austin grows in population, so, too has its appeal to driverless vehicle technology.
  General Motors' Cruise, Volkswagen and Waymo are just some of the companies that have set up shop testing autonomous vehicles in the Texas capital, with its transportation network and high pedestrian traffic noted as some of the reasons behind the appeal.But with more vehicles sans drivers on Austin roadways, it begs the question: What happens if an autonomous vehicle causes a crash?Austin-ba
  
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• WATCH LIVE: Gun safety advocates hold press conference at Texas Capitol

  10-07-2023 20:10 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Gun safety advocates and families impacted by school shootings are holding a press conference at the state Capitol at 1:30 p.m. Monday, in conjunction with the Parkland High School Bus Tour in Austin today.Parents of a student killed in the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting are driving a bus across the country, "to shed light on the dire effects of gun violence across the nation."The parents will be joined by Texas Rep. Vikki Goodwin, as well as famili
  
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• Families of school shooting victims call for change at Texas Capitol

  10-07-2023 20:10 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Gun safety advocates and families impacted by school shootings spoke at the state Capitol Monday, in conjunction with the Parkland High School Bus Tour in Austin today.The parents of Joaquin "Guac" Oliver, a student killed in the 2018 Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School mass shooting, are driving a bus across the country, "to shed light on the dire effects of gun violence across the nation."Manuel and Patricia Oliver were joined by Texas Rep. Vikki Goodwin, as we
  
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• Madonna rescheduling tour leg, including Austin shows, after ICU stay

  10-07-2023 19:04 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Madonna has confirmed she will reschedule her North American tour, including two concerts in Austin, after contracting a bacterial infection that forced a stay in the ICU.The popstar tweeted Monday that "the current plan is to reschedule the North American leg of the tour and to begin in October in Europe."The news comes a couple of weeks after Madonna's manager said she was suffering from a "serious bacterial infection." The 'Material Girl' singer had to stay in an intensi
  
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• Lights over Central Texas spark concern; what are they?

  10-07-2023 18:22 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Mysterious lights appeared over the Austin metro area in the early morning hours on Monday, sparking concerns from viewers. The string of lights moved across the sky to the northeast, before disappearing below the horizon.What is causing these mysterious lights? Blame Austin's own Elon Musk.In 2015, the billionaire and SpaceX founder began the Starlink project. According to the website Starwalk, the company has launched over 700 of these satellites, with plans for 12,000 more sa
  
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• Who regulates driverless vehicles in Texas?

  10-07-2023 18:19 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Last week, KXAN reported on two autonomous vehicles blocking lanes of traffic Friday evening. General Motors' Cruise has been testing its driverless vehicles in the state capital since late 2022 -- but despite operating in Austin, it's not under the city's purview to regulate these vehicles.Back in 2017, the Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 2205, which amended the state's Transportation Code to include new policies related to autonomous vehicle, or AV, technology. Under that
  
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• 5 arrested after Fort Worth street takeover; suspects connected to Austin takeovers

  10-07-2023 18:06 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Five people were arrested in North Texas over the weekend in connection to a street takeover Saturday in Fort Worth. Police said they are part of the same group that organized February street takeovers in Austin.
  Fort Worth Police said officers responded to a call around 10:30 p.m. Saturday where they saw a car "doing donuts in the intersection with a crowd starting to gather around them filming."PREVIOUS REPORTING: Austin street takeovers highlight persistent problemThe ca
  
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• Lakeway police investigate golf course death

  10-07-2023 18:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Lakeway police are investigating what they describe as "an incident involving a deceased person" at a nearby golf course on Monday.The department tweeted about it at 10:30 a.m. and said it happened at the Flintrock Falls Golf Course, which is off Jack Nicklaus Drive. It said portions of the course will be shut down throughout the day.Police added "there is no immediate safety concern to anyone in the community in relation to this incident."
  
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• Report: Downtown Austin on the precipice of a 'major transformation'

  10-07-2023 17:24 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The 600 acres encompassing downtown Austin are not just seeing a post-pandemic new normal. Instead, leaders describe a significant overhaul in the way the space is used, leading to what they call a "major transformation."While the days of large skyscrapers filled with a single major employer are waning, more and more developments are filling with smaller tenants from a diverse variety of industries.
  "What we're seeing is that merging in downtown after the pandemic, or during thi
  
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• $18 billion deal reached: Texans to get biggest property tax cut in state's history

  10-07-2023 17:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — After months of trying to reach a deal, leaders of the Texas Senate and House announced proposed legislation for property tax relief on Monday.
  Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and Speaker Dade Phelan released a joint statement detailing the following proposed legislation:Over $12 billion will be spent on reducing the school property tax rate for all homeowners and business properties.Every homeowner who homesteads their home (about 5.7 million homeowners) will get a $100,000 home
  
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• Solar storms this week light up the sky for 17 states

  10-07-2023 16:57 via kxan.com
  
  SPACE (KXAN) -- Skies across the United States will light up later this week. Two solar storms are expected to occur on Thursday night, meaning the Northern Lights could be visible in 17 states.This year is an exceptionally active year for our sun. Every 11 years, the sun reaches a point of peak activity, where storms are more likely. This year is that peak. Antarctica explorer and University of Texas researcher to be honored with Polar MedalThe Northern Lights, also known as Aurora Borealis, ar
  
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• How to survive excessive heat: 5 scientific findings 

  10-07-2023 15:10 via kxan.com
  
  (The Hill) -- Last week marked a grim record for Earth's climate, as temperatures repeatedly hit — and passed — levels not seen in 125,000 years, according to government scientists.For context, the last time things were this hot, the first modern humans were just beginning to leave Africa, and chips of sharpened flint represented the bleeding edge of high technology.Science moves slowly, and it will be years before we learn the impacts of this new era of heat on urban infrastruc
  
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• Relentless rain floods roads in Northeast, leads to evacuations, rescues

  10-07-2023 15:05 via kxan.com
  
  NEW YORK (AP) — Heavy rain washed out roads and forced evacuations in the Northeast on Monday as more downpours were forecast throughout the day. One person in New York drowned as she was trying to leave her home.
  The slow-moving storm reached New England in the morning after hitting parts of New York and Connecticut. Heavy downpours with possible flash flooding were forecast in parts of Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.
  One of the worst hit places was
  
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• Ex-gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar stabbed multiple times during Florida prison altercation: AP sources

  10-07-2023 14:54 via kxan.com
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Disgraced sports doctor Larry Nassar, who was convicted of sexually abusing female gymnasts, was stabbed multiple times during an altercation with another inmate at a federal prison in Florida.Two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press the attack happened Sunday at United States Penitentiary Coleman in Florida. The people said he was in stable condition Monday.One of the people said he had been stabbed in the back and in the chest.The people were not au
  
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• Antarctica explorer and University of Texas researcher to be honored with Polar Medal

  10-07-2023 14:31 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- University of Texas researcher Ian Dalziel will be honored later this summer at Buckingham Palace. The medal is awarded by the British Royal Family to scientists who have spent significant time in the Arctic Circle.
  "I got an email, which apologized, first of all, for the vulgarity of communicating in such a way," Dalziel said.Dalziel has visited the icy continent more than fifty times since the late 1960s."I was interested in looking over the horizon, Dalziel said. "I wanted to
  
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• DPS troopers involved in chase that ended in north Austin

  10-07-2023 14:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Department of Public Safety troopers were involved in a pursuit that ended in north Austin Monday morning.KXAN's Dylan McKim reports it appears the chase ended in a parking lot of a business park near I-35 and Rundberg Lane.Troopers were seen looking at a black Lincoln car that had some damage to the front right tire. Investigators were also walking around a small grassy area by the parking lot.Further details were not immediately available. KXAN will update this stor
  
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• DPS trooper shoots driver after car chase that ended in north Austin

  10-07-2023 14:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper shot a man in the arm after a car chase that ended in north Austin Monday morning, according to DPS.The department said a trooper tried to pull over a driver headed north on Interstate 35 who they believed had active warrants out for his arrest, but the person didn't stop.KXAN's Dylan McKim reports it appears the chase ended in a parking lot of a business park near I-35 and Rundberg Lane. McKim reported troopers looking at a black
  
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• Texas coyote sightings, attacks on pets increase during denning season

  10-07-2023 13:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Some Central Texas residents have reported seeing more coyotes recently, leading to concerns about potential attacks on people and pets.Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) tells KXAN that coyote attacks on people are "extremely rare." The agency's main focus with coyotes is in assisting local governments, such as the City of Austin, in "coordinating nuisance coyote control and public education.""Coyotes live with and among people in all urban areas in Texas," TPWD said, "
  
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• Democrat Roland Gutierrez joins US Senate race in Texas after pressing for action over Uvalde

  10-07-2023 13:23 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Democratic Texas state Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who has pushed for police accountability and tougher gun laws after the Uvalde school shooting, announced Monday he will run for U.S. Senate in 2024.He becomes the second Texas Democrat to embark on what will be a longshot bid to deny Republican Sen. Ted Cruz a third term representing the nation's biggest red state.
  In May, Rep. Colin Allred became the first to enter the race. He says his campaign has since raised more than
  
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• Watershed Protection continues treatment of Lady Bird Lake for blue-green algae

  10-07-2023 13:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Lady Bird Lake will have a cloudy, greyish look on Monday and Tuesday as the city of Austin and its partners continue a pilot program to get rid of the toxic blue-green algae that mats the surface of the water.
  This week will be the second treatment this summer, after the first application in early June.Dr. Brent Bellinger, the city's conservation program supervisor, said he has already seen a reduction of the toxic blue-green algae on the surface of the water at spots like Red
  
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• Report: Austin's population could hit 22 million by 2100, third-largest metro in the US

  10-07-2023 13:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Austin is one of the fastest-growing cities in the country, but a new report suggests explosive growth is only just beginning.The city recently climbed into the top 10 largest cities in the U.S., with a 2022 population estimate of about 975,000. New population estimates show which areas of Texas grew the most in 2022In the 2020 census, the Austin metro as a whole had more than 2.2 million residents. The metro is defined by the U.S. Census Bureau as Bastrop, Caldwell, Hays,
  
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• Triple digits for days

  10-07-2023 12:20 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The sky at sunrise was partly cloudy for the eastern portion of Central Texas. A mostly clear sky greeted early risers in much of the Hill Country. Most lows were in the mid to upper 70s.Camp Mabry had a low of 79°. It tied a record first set in 2011 and tied in 2020. There may be a few record warm lows tied or set during the next seven mornings.Austin is up to three days this month of a triple-digit high. Add seven more to reach ten by the time this current 7-Day Forecast e
  
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• Summertime sizzle all week

  10-07-2023 12:20 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Today will be our 19th triple digit day of the year... with tomorrow expected to be our 20th.. Wednesday our 21st... Thursday our 22nd... (catch our drift here?)A strong and stubborn high pressure system centered to our west will control our weather pattern for next 7+ days. High heat and humidity will be the main focus this week as afternoon highs exceed 100° and heat index values reach up to 112° daily.Heat Advisory in effect for most of Central Texas 1 p.m. to 9 p.m.
  
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• Joey Meneses homers for third consecutive day, leads Nationals past AL West-leading Rangers, 7-2

  10-07-2023 03:58 via kxan.com
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Joey Meneses homered for the third consecutive day, Patrick Corbin earned his first home victory since May 20, and the Washington Nationals defeated the Texas Rangers 7-2 on Sunday.Stone Garrett and Dominic Smith also homered for last-place Washington, which won the final two games of the series after dropping 15 of its previous 16 at Nationals Park.“Hats off to the group to come back against a first-place team like that and to take a series going into the (All-Star
  
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• Kelenic’s double, Gilbert’s strong start help Mariners over Astros 3-1

  10-07-2023 03:52 via kxan.com
  
  HOUSTON (AP) — Jarred Kelenic hit a two-run double to back up a strong start by Logan Gilbert and give the Seattle Mariners a 3-1 win over Houston Astros on Sunday.Gilbert (7-5) allowed just three hits in seven innings, with his only mistake coming when Martín Maldonado connected on a solo homer off him in the sixth.“We’ve just really seen the emergence of his breaking ball, the slider, the curveball and he still has a good fastball,” Mariners manager Scott Servais
  
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• Iga Swiatek finally reaches the Wimbledon quarterfinals. Novak Djokovic’s match was suspended

  10-07-2023 03:43 via kxan.com
  
  WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Twice, Iga Swiatek was a single point from exiting Wimbledon on Sunday, a single point from the sort of confounding defeat at the place that gives her so much more trouble than any of the other Grand Slam tournaments.Down a set and 6-5 in the second against Belinda Bencic, the No. 1-ranked Swiatek steeled herself and dispensed with the pair of match points. She erased the first with a booming forehand, the second with a forceful backhand,
  
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• Tesla hiring seasonal test drivers in Austin, 14 other cities

  10-07-2023 03:13 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Tesla will begin hiring drivers who will help test vehicle performances, according to job postings on the vehicle manufacturer's website Sunday.The company is seeking applicants who, if hired, will serve as a "seasonal vehicle operator." These employees will "operate a vehicle in a designated area for data collection" and help write drive reports detailing on observations or issues, per a job posting.The company is hiring for operators in the following cities:
  Austin, Texas
  
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• How this summer's heat compares to last year in Austin

  10-07-2023 02:56 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- We had a hot June and July is shaping up to be hot as well. Our most recent roasting summer was just last year, so let's see how 2022 and 2023 compare.June 2022 vs. June 2023June 2022 was the hottest June ever recorded in Austin with an average mean temperature of 87.7º. We had 21 triple-digit days in June last year -- the most ever -- and some rain, but measurements came in below normal at 2.28".This June marked the sixth hottest June in Austin, with an average mean temper
  
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• 2 children, 1 adult injured in Manor crash Sunday

  10-07-2023 02:26 via kxan.com
  
  MANOR, Texas (KXAN) — Austin-Travis County EMS and Travis County ESD No. 12 responded to a crash involving three patients off East U.S. Hwy. 290 and North FM 973 in Manor Sunday evening.ATCEMS tweeted the call came in just after 6:30 p.m. Sunday, with patients pinned into their vehicle following a crash. One adult and two children were transported following the crash, with all three marked trauma alerts.Crews transported the adult patient to Dell Seton Medical Center with potentially serio
  
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