Austin news

• Bastrop film studios to open in late 2024, CEO said

  12-09-2023 23:01 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A massive film studio project in Bastrop is moving ahead, with the project's developer estimating the site's first part to open next year.Alton Butler, CEO and owner of Line 204, said the nearly 600-acre project is scheduled to finish in December 2024 with some grounds opening before then.
  Details of the project were first shared in 2021, and Butler's plans have only grown from there. The development along the Colorado River will have stages, office space, warehouses, roadways f
  
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• We Are Blood cites 'historic patient need' in donor call

  12-09-2023 23:00 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today's top headlines for Sept. 12, 2023AUSTIN (KXAN) -- We Are Blood is seeking additional blood donors amid a "historic patient need" exacerbated by ongoing blood supply shortages, officials said in a release.In August, We Are Blood reported its highest local patient need for transfusions in the organization's history, with 9% more red cells -- or 386 units -- needed compared to August 2022.“Blood shortages across the country mirror our stru
  
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• Austin unveils new signs along Red River Cultural District

  12-09-2023 22:55 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Red River Cultural District in downtown Austin is debuting a new look this week.The City of Austin's Economic Development Department collaborated with the Red River Cultural District on new signs and banners adorning the downtown corridor. The elements aim to pay "tribute to local artists and venues, enhancing the exploration for district visitors as they experience its vibrant landscape," per a release.“The revitalization of the Red River Cultural District through ini
  
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• Austin installing paid parking along South Congress

  12-09-2023 22:11 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Beginning Monday, city crews began installing paid parking signage along South Congress Avenue as part of the South Congress Parking and Transportation Management District.Austin City Council approved adding paid parking to the strip in March. Under that council item, at least 100 parking spaces on or near South Congress would be designated as paid spots.City crews are expected to finish installing parking signs on South Congress Avenue by early next week before focusing ef
  
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• One in four older adults in Austin still working, online study says

  12-09-2023 22:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) --- According to a new study conducted by ChamberofCommerce.org, Austin ranks 12th in the nation for cities with the most working seniors. The report said more people 65+ are delaying retirement or unretiring and going back to work.
  "Specifically, among adults ages 65 to 74, the workforce participation rate is expected to grow from 25.8% to 30.7% by 2031, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics," the report said.
  The study shows one in four Austin seniors ar
  
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• McCallum HS upgrades safety on campus with new fencing

  12-09-2023 21:53 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – There is a new fence surrounding one side of McCallum High School."Safety and security for our students is the top priority," said Michael Mann, executive director of construction management for Austin Independent School District.
  The new fencing just recently went up at McCallum, but the plans to add safety upgrades to campuses around Austin ISD were made possible back in November, when the 2022 Bond Package was passed by voters.
  "We are in the first wave of getting t
  
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• McCallum High School upgrades safety on campus with new fencing

  12-09-2023 21:53 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – There is a new fence surrounding one side of McCallum High School."Safety and security for our students is the top priority," said Michael Mann, executive director of construction management for Austin Independent School District.
  The new fencing just recently went up at McCallum, but the plans to add safety upgrades to campuses around Austin ISD were made possible back in November, when the 2022 Bond Package was passed by voters.
  "We are in the first wave of getting t
  
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• Texas Education Agency will delay A-F school ratings

  12-09-2023 20:38 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today's top headlines for Sept. 12, 2023AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Texas Education Agency said Tuesday it will delay the release of A-F school ratings for one month.
  The A-F ratings were set to be released to the public on Sept. 28.
  "Analysis of that growth data shows that the 2021-22 growth was more anomalous than expected, so setting baselines that partially incorporate data from the 2021-22 school year may not adequately take into account the impact of the
  
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• Travis County approves 12-week paid parental leave for county employees

  12-09-2023 20:37 via kxan.com
  
  TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- Effective immediately, eligible employees working for Travis County can take up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave.Travis County commissioners approved the program extension Tuesday. The vote came after commissioners received the first annual report on the county's paid parental leave policy, established in May 2022 under an initial eight-week model.The county's paid parental leave program is available to eligible employees "to bond and care for a child after the b
  
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• Texas DPS given $3.3 million grant to help reduce rape-kit backlog

  12-09-2023 20:19 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today's top headlines for Sept. 12, 2023WASHINGTON, D.C. (KXAN) -- The Texas Department of Public Safety was awarded a grant of over $3 million to help reduce a backlog of untested DNA and rape kits in the state.The funding, which is a total of $3,378,789, comes through the Department of Justice as part of the Capacity Enhancement for Backlog Reduction (CEBR) Program.
  The funding was authorized by the Debbie Smith Act, which helps provide fundi
  
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• WATCH LIVE: Paxton communicated with lawyer via encrypted messages, witness says

  12-09-2023 20:11 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Texas’ Court of Impeachment reconvened Tuesday morning for the second week of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton’s trial, leading off with testimony from Brandon Cammack — the outside counsel Paxton hired to help investigate campaign donor Nate Paul’s claims that are central to the articles of impeachment. Affair and bribery: Witness testimony from day 5 of Paxton's trialCammack, a Houston attorney, had about five years of experience
  
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• WATCH LIVE: Paxton communicated with lawyer via encrypted mesages, witness says

  12-09-2023 20:11 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Texas’ Court of Impeachment reconvened Tuesday morning for the second week of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton’s trial, leading off with testimony from Brandon Cammack — the outside counsel Paxton hired to help investigate campaign donor Nate Paul’s claims that are central to the articles of impeachment. Affair and bribery: Witness testimony from day 5 of Paxton's trialCammack, a Houston attorney, had about five years of experience
  
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• Paxton communicated with lawyer via encrypted messages, witness says

  12-09-2023 20:11 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Texas’ Court of Impeachment reconvened Tuesday morning for the second week of suspended Attorney General Ken Paxton’s trial, leading off with testimony from Brandon Cammack — the outside counsel Paxton hired to help investigate campaign donor Nate Paul’s claims that are central to the articles of impeachment. Affair and bribery: Witness testimony from day 5 of Paxton's trialOutside counsel hired to investigate Nate Paul's claims reported
  
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• Affidavit: Man charged with murder after allegedly shooting man following fight at strip club

  12-09-2023 18:34 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today's top headlines for Sept. 12, 2023AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A man was charged with murder after he allegedly shot another man following a fight at a south Austin strip club over the weekend, according to court records.
  According to an affidavit, Elliot Garcia, 41, was paying his tab at a club in the 3600 block of South Congress Avenue shortly after 2 a.m. Sept. 9 when he got into an argument with one of the servers at the bar then "shoved a female serv
  
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• City officials break down 10 years of construction planned at Austin airport

  12-09-2023 18:26 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — As the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport dives into its multi-year expansion project, city leaders received updates Tuesday on key improvements in development.Planned improvements to AUS come as the facility — with a capacity load of 15 million annual passengers — is poised to hit 22 million passengers passing through the airport in 2023.RELATED: City council considers expediting expansion at Austin airportProjects underway include the West Gate Expansion p
  
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• City Council considers expediting expansion at Austin Airport

  12-09-2023 15:14 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is flying forward as one of the fastest-growing airports in America.This July, AUS experienced its busiest month of all time. AUS Data Hub: How many passengers have flown out of AUS so far this year?On Thursday, Austin City Council will consider expediting expansion at the airport.Local leaders will vote on two separate items during the council meeting, which could fast-track the airport’s ability to expand.One item council w
  
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• 124 DWI arrests made over Labor Day holiday, APD says

  12-09-2023 14:48 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin Police Monday released the results of the department's DWI Enforcement Initiative on roadways and waterways over the Labor Day holiday.
  APD said officers made 124 DWI arrests during the enforcement period which lasted from Aug. 18 to Sept. 4.
  Austin Police made their arrests as the the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) increased enforcement for the Labor Day holiday in an effort to reduce crashes.DPS said Sept. 3 it was looking for people not wearing their seat
  
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• El Niño has a little brother: How it affects storms

  12-09-2023 14:35 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It turns out there's more than one Niño impacting our weather. According to scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, they're increasingly researching a phenomenon known as "Atlantic Niño" which may have a major impact on certain hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean.
  Meteorologist Nick Bannin spoke with NOAA Oceanographer Hosmay Lopez about their findings so far.KXAN Meteorologist Nick Bannin: Hosmay, some of your research has pointed
  
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• Texas' State of Education: 'It's not about us'

  12-09-2023 14:00 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's Note: Watch the State of Education special on KXAN at 4 p.m. Tuesday. Read a sneak peek of what to expect below.
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – State and school leaders from across Texas speak with KXAN Investigative Reporter Kelly Wiley and Education Reporter Nabil Remadna about some of the most important challenges facing our schools: from the governor’s push for Education Savings Accounts to school safety in the wake of the Robb Elementary School mass shooting.The panel includes veteran
  
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• Harmony Public Schools finds success with teacher retention program

  12-09-2023 13:51 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Harmony Public Schools announced it received $7.5 million of bonuses from the Texas Education Agency, with a million going to teachers at its Central Texas campuses. The school district said it's helped retain its teachers in the classroom.
  The Teacher Incentive Allotment was created in June of 2019 after the Texas legislator passed H.B. 3. The money is to reward high-performing teachers to create a pathway to a six-figure salary that will help keep them in the classroom.
  "I fee
  
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• Texas contractor using wearable tech to keep employees safe in heat

  12-09-2023 13:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — One Texas construction company is looking to technology to keep its employees safe during the hottest summer months.Seth Campbell, a safety manager for Rogers O'Brien Construction, said heat is his top safety concern for workers. His job is to make sure everyone goes home safe to their families at the end of every day."Heat is definitely one of our top conversations because it can sneak up on you before you even know it," he said. "And next thing you know you're in the hosp
  
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• AFD Wildfire Division providing updates on 'wildfire hub' website

  12-09-2023 13:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Fire Department's (AFD) Wildfire Division continue to improve and update information related to wildfire via its new simplified "wildfire hub," according to a City of Austin news release.The "wildfire hub" has extensive information on wildfires, as well as a new simplified website address -- ATXWildfireHUB.com. On this website, you can find current wildfire risk for your neighborhood, directions on how to prepare for an evacuation, measures you can take to prevent wil
  
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• APD investigating after body found at park

  12-09-2023 12:13 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – Austin Police launched an investigation Monday night after a person found a body at a park in far east Austin.
  According to APD, the person called 911 just after 9:30 p.m. to say they found what appeared to be a body at the John Treviño Jr. Metropolitan Park off FM 969. That is just half-a-mile east of Decker Lane.
  Police said detectives found the body in a woodline on the border of the park.
  An APD spokesperson did not say how long the body had been there but s
  
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• Turfgrass company wants more wells, neighbors concerned with water supply

  12-09-2023 04:40 via kxan.com
  
  PAIGE, Texas (KXAN) --- At a time when wells are running dry and much of Central Texas is under water restrictions, in Bastrop County a company is trying to expand its water supply by drilling for more wells.
  But now people in the area are outraged.
  'It's just devastating'It's something Diann Watson and her husband never expected to see.
  "We've never been without water there. I mean it's just devastating," they said.
  Water on their ranch in Paige is drying up; both on the surface and underground
  
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• Texas DE Ethan Burke, an All-American lacrosse player, gave up the sport for a school that 'didn't really recruit him'

  12-09-2023 02:19 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Longhorns sophomore defensive end Ethan Burke didn't decide to pursue college football until the middle of his senior year at Westlake High School, and he certainly didn't think it was going to be at the University of Texas at Austin.With four solo tackles and a sack in the fourth quarter against Alabama to help the Longhorns beat the Crimson Tide 34-24 on Saturday, Burke's path to stay home and play at Texas was a long and winding one. Longhorns capture more weekly awards
  
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• VIDEO: Restaurant fire fills downtown Austin with smoke

  12-09-2023 02:13 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Fire Department responded to a restaurant fire in downtown Austin on Monday evening.AFD said firefighters are working to extinguish the fire and remove smoke in a 30-story high-rise building at 303 Colorado Street.
  The restaurant has been evacuated, AFD said.According to photos and videos shared with KXAN, a large plume of smoke could be seen pushing through the street.Multiple firefighters responded to the area, according to photos shared with KXAN.This developi
  
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• No damage to Colorado Tower after fire at Red Ash Restaurant

  12-09-2023 02:13 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — There was no damage to the Colorado Tower after reports of a fire at the Red Ash Restaurant in downtown Austin on Monday evening, according to Cousins Properties.At approximately 6:30 p.m., a fire was reported in Red Ash, which is located on the ground floor of Colorado Tower, Cousins said.AFD said firefighters were working to extinguish the fire and remove smoke in a 30-story high-rise building at 303 Colorado Street.
  There were no injuries in the fire, and the entire buil
  
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• 5 takeaways from Day 5 of Ken Paxton's impeachment trial

  12-09-2023 01:31 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The impeachment trial for suspended Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton entered its second week Monday.RELATED COVERAGE: Ken Paxton impeachment trial enters second weekHere are a few takeaways from Day five of the trial:
  1. Jury could begin deliberations this weekThe prosecution and defense each have about 14 hours left to present and defend their case, as of Monday morning. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said both sides could run out of time by Thursday, meaning the jury of senators c
  
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• SEC away games could be pricey but UT fan says it's worth it

  12-09-2023 00:39 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Longhorns put the Southeastern Conference on notice with a big win over Alabama this weekend.Texas is not in the SEC just yet, but after a trip to Tuscaloosa many fans are excited for away games in the future. By the numbers: Stats to know about the Texas Longhorns’ 2023 season"Leaving the stadium in Tuscaloosa was a Texas Takeover," Texas Longhorns super fan Andrew Cornwell said.
  Cornwell made the trip to Alabama. He ranks the 34-24 win over the Crimson Tid
  
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• One person dead after crash involving 18-wheeler, vehicle in southeast Travis County

  12-09-2023 00:22 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's Note: The video above shows KXAN News Today's top headlines for Sept. 11, 2023TRAVIS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- One person is dead after a crash involving an 18-wheeler and a vehicle southeast of Austin in Travis County on Monday, Austin-Travis County EMS said on social media.Shortly after 4 p.m., medics said they responded to a report of a confirmed crash with a vehicle pinned by an 18-wheeler near U.S. Highway 183 and Evelyn Road. Medics said a person was reported to be unconscious.Travi
  
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• Texas DPS said 'no major issues' on first day driver license offices reopen

  12-09-2023 00:20 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — After a nearly weeklong closure, Texas driver license offices reopened Monday.
  Appointments were canceled Sept. 5-8 for a driver license system upgrade, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. The upgrade was required for Texas to be REAL ID compliant.
  DPS said affected customers will get priority rebooking, and its goal is to accommodate those affected in the next two to three weeks or at the customer's earliest convenience.
  Driver license offices in "high volu
  
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