Austin news

• Pflugerville ISD joins lawsuit taking issue with new A-F school ratings

  04-09-2023 23:58 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Pflugerville Independent School District has joined a lawsuit against the Texas Education Commissioner, saying the new rules for how the state will grade schools and districts were not provided before the school year they will be applied to.The 2023 A-F accountability ratings will go public on Sept. 28. The lawsuit asks a judge to prevent the Texas Education Agency from releasing scores that use the newest metrics.Seven school districts, including Del Valle ISD, are alr
  
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• More self-driving cars are coming to Austin

  04-09-2023 23:53 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — More self-driving cars will be cruising through Austin soon.Waymo will be the newest company to add these autonomous vehicles to the streets around the city."I think this is something I can really get behind," said Ayush Vajhala.Vajhala said he welcomes more self-driving car companies, adding he recently rode in one and was impressed."I took a trip to get some food downtown and it was really nice," Vajhala said.Self-driving cars are popping up in cities across the nati
  
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• Driver crashes into a Texas Denny's, injuring 23 people

  04-09-2023 23:31 via kxan.com
  
  Rosenberg, TX (AP) — A driver plowed through a wall of a busy East Texas restaurant, injuring 23 people.Police in the Houston suburb of Rosenberg, Texas said a man crashed his SUV into a Denny's restaurant just off the highway late Monday morning. The vehicle slammed into the restaurant's south wall leaving patrons with injuries ranging from minor cuts to “severe injuries” that don't appear to be life-threatening, police said in a statement. Victims ranged in age from 12 to 60
  
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• Texas governor slams temporary block of drag performance law

  04-09-2023 22:23 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Gov. Greg Abbott slammed a federal judge's issuance of a temporary restraining order against Senate Bill 12, a Texas law that could criminalize drag performances statewide.In a statement on social media Monday, Abbott referred to the temporary restraining order as "absurd.""Federal judge in Texas blocks a law I signed that bans sexually explicit drag shows in front of children. This is absurd," the governor posted on his personal account on X, formerly known as Twitter. "We
  
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• Forecasting our hottest second week of September on record

  04-09-2023 22:20 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Record heat is expected day and night many days this work week as the dreaded heat dome builds back overhead. Combined with unusually high September humidity, heat alerts are likely later this week.Day and night temperatures are expected to average out to over 90° in Austin over the next 7 days -- by far the hottest second week of September on record. But some minor relief could be on the horizon. NEW BLOG: End in sight for consistent 100º daysForecast high temperatures
  
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• Eyes on Alabama: Texas set for future SEC clash

  04-09-2023 22:06 via kxan.com
  
  Austin (KXAN) - In their last year in the Big 12, Texas is 'Embracing the Hate,' according to head football coach Steve Sarkisian. The Longhorns are set to join the SEC next fall and have a future conference foe on the docket this week.The Longhorns opened the season with a 37-10 win over Rice at home, but now travel to perennial power Alabama for a ranked battle. Texas went toe-to-toe with the Crimson Tide a season ago in Austin, falling in the final seconds 20-19."I'm not big on moral victorie
  
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• 'So much pain': Family of young girl and father killed in hit-and-run crash, suing two men

  04-09-2023 21:37 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The family who lost a young girl and her father to a hit-and-run crash in east Austin are suing two men who they believe are responsible.   They hope this puts pressure on the men to come forward, even though the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has not been able to file any charges or make any arrests as of Monday.
  The hit and run happened on Delta Post Drive in June 2023.Father, 3-year-old daughter on ATV die in hit-and-run crashFamily members drive past
  
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• Child drowns in Hutto neighborhood's pool Sunday, city says

  04-09-2023 19:58 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today's top headlines for Sept. 4, 2023AUSTIN (KXAN) — A child drowned at a neighborhood's pool in Hutto Sunday, according to a city of Hutto spokesperson.It happened at a pool off Great Western Drive. The only pool in that area, according to Google Maps' satellite view, is associated with a neighborhood called the Park at Brushy Creek. The address of The Park at Brushy Creek matches the area of the pool, according to its website. Photos there
  
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• Smash Mouth front man Steve Harwell dead at 56: reports

  04-09-2023 16:53 via kxan.com
  
  (KTLA) – After years of battling health problems, former Smash Mouth front man Steve Harwell died, multiple outlets reported Monday.Harwell’s manager told TMZ that the 56-year-old singer had suffered from alcohol abuse for years and that he had reached the final stages of liver failure, which he had recently been receiving treatment for.
  After being place in hospice care at his Boise, Idaho, home, Harwell died surrounded by loved ones, band manager Robert Hayes told Rolling Ston
  
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• Smash Mouth front man Steve Harwell dead at 56, band confirms

  04-09-2023 16:53 via kxan.com
  
  (KTLA) – After years of battling health problems, former Smash Mouth front man Steve Harwell died, the band confirmed Monday. He was 56 years old.Harwell’s manager told TMZ that the singer had suffered from alcohol abuse for years and that he had reached the final stages of liver failure, which he had recently been receiving treatment for.
  After being place in hospice care at his Boise, Idaho, home, Harwell died surrounded by loved ones, band manager Robert Hayes told Rolling St
  
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• Liberty Hill ISD parents want stoplight at 'dangerous' intersection

  04-09-2023 14:30 via kxan.com
  
  LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) — Liberty Hill ISD parents have reported bumper-to-bumper traffic at the intersection of Ronald Reagan Highway and Bar W Boulevard. The backup of cars has led to demand for a stoplight at the crossing but infrastructure leaders say that could take more than a year to do.This stretch of Ronald Reagan Highway separates the Rancho Sierra and Bar W neighborhoods. Leander City Manager Rick Beverlin said while the road itself is in the City of Leander's jurisdiction, the ne
  
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• Robotics students get boost following $2.3M grant from Texas Workforce Commission

  04-09-2023 13:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) - A new multi-million dollar grant is giving Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) students across the state a little extra help this year. The Texas Workforce Commission recently gave $2.5 million in grants to various STEM programs in Texas."It's probably been the largest amount we've given out," said Albert Trevino III, Commissioner Representing Labor for the Texas Workforce Commission.The money goes to programs like FIRST in Texas, a UIL robotics competition fo
  
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• 2 dogs presumed dead in house fire in eastern Travis County

  04-09-2023 13:27 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Two dogs died in a house fire in eastern Travis County early Monday morning, according to the Austin Fire Department.
  Firefighters from Austin Fire and Travis County Fire Rescue responded to the call on Dalton Lane around 1 a.m., AFD said. The area is east of Highway 183 and north of State Highway 71.When crews arrived, the structure was on fire, Austin Fire said, and fire had spread to the grass and a surrounding vehicle.
  Fire destroys home in eastern Travis Coun
  
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• A comprehensive guide to Ken Paxton's impeachment trial

  04-09-2023 13:00 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's Note: The above video explains the Ken Paxton impeachment trial rules.AUSTIN (Nexstar) — The historic impeachment trial of suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton begins at the Texas Capitol Tuesday morning. Here is a comprehensive breakdown of what you need to know and how we got here.How will the impeachment trial work?When the House of Representatives voted to impeach Paxton, they adopted 20 articles of impeachment. Senators will vote on 16 of those 20 articles of impeachme
  
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• Brutal heat and humidity for Labor Day

  04-09-2023 12:20 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Another week of triple digit heat ahead of us, and we'll likely take down a few records while we're at it.LABOR DAY: A mainly sunny and very hot holiday with afternoon highs returning to the upper 90s and low 100s. High humidity will bring heat index values up to 104°-108°.Labor Day - lake forecastOngoing drought resulting in very low lake levelsVery high UV index for Labor Day afternoonTHIS WEEK: Afternoon highs will stay above 100° through the week with records lik
  
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• Week 2 of KXAN's top high school football plays

  04-09-2023 05:03 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — It was a wild week in high school football around Austin.In the video above are a few of the top plays shot by KXAN during Week 2 of the season. IF you have a great play you want to show off, send the clip to [email protected] with a description and then watch your email closely for a reply with a form giving us consent to use the footage. We'd love to feature your play, but for legal reasons, we can't until you fill that form out.REPORT YOUR SCORE: We'd love to post your tea
  
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• Safety a top priority for boaters over holiday weekend

  04-09-2023 03:09 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The holiday weekend is in full swing, which means the lakes around Central Texas will be busy."I am for sure there are going to be a lot of people on boats partying having fun," said Rocio Campos, who was getting ready to go out on Lake Austin.Over at Walsh Boat Landing there was a constant line of boats coming and going."My home lake is here, Lake Austin," said Brian Shiba, who was just getting off the lake. Labor Day watercraft ban in effect on Lake Austin through Tuesday
  
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• End in sight for consistent 100º days

  04-09-2023 00:18 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — First things first, this week is going to be hot again. We're forecasting triple digit heat every single day and it gets hotter toward the end of the week.Highs this weekNow that's out of the way, let's look farther ahead.An end to daily highs of 100º?We're starting to see some signs that a turning point away from consistent 100º days may be in sight after September 10.Both the American (GFS) and European (ECMWF) computer models suggest the unrelenting triple digi
  
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