Austin news

• Gov. Abbott on 'one yard line' in fight for education savings accounts

  13-10-2023 23:57 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- Gov. Greg Abbott on Thursday projected confidence that his push for education savings accounts will pass the Texas legislature, following months of intractable disagreements between the Governor and some reluctant lawmakers in his own party."As we begin this final push, we are on the one-yard line, a good place to be," Abbott said at an event arranged by the conservative think tank Texas Public Policy Foundation. "I am committed. However long it takes, that race is going to c
  
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• Family member suing American Airlines for $1M after airline employee death

  13-10-2023 23:52 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The family member of an airline employee who died at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in April is suing American Airlines for negligence, according to court records obtained by KXAN.On April 20, the Austin Police Department responded to a report of a crash involving an airline employee who was operating a ground service vehicle that struck a jet bridge.Court documents Friday revealed the employee as Michal Ingraham, who worked for American Airlines at the time of the
  
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• 'Vigorous' exercise, thermal pants part of Armstrong's escape plan, court records reveal

  13-10-2023 23:12 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – Travis County court records obtained by KXAN investigators surrounding Kaitlin Armstrong's brief escape Oct. 11 during a trip to a medical facility, Ascension Orthopedics in Austin, outline months of planning before evading from two Travis County correctional officers on foot.Kaitlin Armstrong attempts escape ahead of Austin murder trial; will face additional chargesAccording to the affidavit, Armstrong fled as she was exiting the rear entry doors of the doctor's office, wa
  
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• NEW: 'Vigorous' exercise, thermal pants part of Armstrong's escape plan, court records reveal

  13-10-2023 23:12 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – Travis County court records obtained by KXAN investigators surrounding Kaitlin Armstrong's brief escape Oct. 11 during a trip to a medical facility, Ascension Orthopedics in Austin, outline months of planning before evading from two Travis County correctional officers on foot.After brief escape, Kaitlin Armstrong medical records, surveillance footage sought before murder trialAccording to the affidavit, Armstrong fled as she was exiting the rear entry doors of the doctor's
  
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• Why do you need glasses to prevent permanent eye damage during eclipse?

  13-10-2023 19:43 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — We're less than a day away from the first of two solar eclipses over the next few months.On Oct. 14, an annular eclipse will briefly dim the skies over sections of the western U.S. and Central and South America. Viewing the eclipse safely will require some prep on your part, however."(I see) a few patients a year that have either accidentally looked at the sun or were trying to view an eclipse," said Dr. Andrew Neighbors, a Seattle-based optometrist.According to Neighbors,
  
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• Abbott urges school choice supporters to 'not be like UT Football' in final push

  13-10-2023 19:20 via kxan.com
  
  Austin (Nexstar) — Governor Greg Abbott said supporters of school choice are close to their goal at the Capitol. But Thursday night, he urged backers to avoid mimicking the Texas Longhorns in the final push for the legislation.
  Abbott spoke at Texas Public Policy Foundation (TPPF) 2023 Parent Empowerment Leadership Summit dinner, about an hour after the Texas Senate gave preliminary approval to a bill to allow parents to use public funds to pay for private education. Senate passes plan to
  
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• Texas Senate gives final approval to ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates for private employers

  13-10-2023 19:17 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — At the end of a marathon 15-hour day Thursday, the Texas Senate voted along party lines to approve legislation that bans COVID-19 vaccine mandates for private employers, though the author carved out a slight caveat on how some of the rules will apply to hospitals and health care facilities in the state.
  Senate Bill 7, introduced by Republican Sen. Mayes Middleton of Galveston, passed on a vote of 19-12 Thursday evening, sending it to the Texas House of Representatives for f
  
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• Israeli, Palestinian rallies at Texas Capitol this Sunday

  13-10-2023 19:09 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Two groups have rallies planned at the Texas Capitol this Sunday surrounding the events of the Israel-Hamas war.The Austin branch of the Israeli-American Council will host a rally from 12 to 3 p.m.
  The Palestine Solidarity Committee, a student organization at UT Austin, will host its rally starting at 3 p.m., according to the group's social media accounts.
  As war continues to rage in Israel, the Texas Department of Public Safety said at this time it is not aware of any spec
  
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• Where and when to see peak fall colors in Texas in 2023

  13-10-2023 19:03 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's Note: The above video shows when you can see fall colors across the U.S.TEXAS (KAMR/KCIT) — As communities around Texas welcome the autumn season with an array of festivals and excitement for the upcoming holidays, they're also looking forward to cooler weather and scouting out the best view of vibrant fall foliage.
  However, as noted by the 2023 fall foliage forecast by Smoky Mountains National Park, autumn colors will touch Texas treetops over the course of multiple months and wo
  
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• Arch Manning trading card leads to $100K donation for Ronald McDonald House Charities

  13-10-2023 18:55 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – The sale of a trading card featuring a sought-after University of Texas quarterback will benefit children and families in Central Texas hospitals, according to St. David’s HealthCare and St. David’s Foundation.
  They said Tuesday Arch Manning donated the money made from the sale of his first 1-of-1 Prizm Black autographed Panini America trading card to Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Texas.According to the announcement, the proceeds totaled $102,500 fo
  
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• Another new international route coming to Austin in 2024

  13-10-2023 18:35 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Air Canada is launching a new international route from Austin beginning in May 2024.Nonstop flights to Montreal will begin May 3. Flights will leave Austin at 11:30 a.m. and arrive in Montreal at 4:28 p.m. local time on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday.Returning flights leave Montreal at 6:15 p.m. and arrive at AUS at 9:32 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, according to the Air Canada website. Tickets are already on sale.KXAN has asked Air Canada if the ne
  
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• $800 million Williamson County road bond on November ballot

  13-10-2023 18:28 via kxan.com
  
  WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- In November, Williamson County voters will decide if more than $800 million dollars of road improvements will get funding.There are 38 road projects on the bond program that will be on the ballot, adding up to $825 million in road improvements. Georgetown, Leander are the fastest-growing cities in the nation"There are projects across the county. And so they're in all four precincts. They are projects that will benefit residents all across the county. And there
  
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• Drug restores ability to fight tumors, UT researchers say

  13-10-2023 17:31 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – University of Texas researchers led a team that found a drug that restores effectiveness of immune cells in fighting cancer, the university announced Monday.
  According to the announcement, the drug, called PEG-MTAP, slows the growth of tumors, extends lifespan and boosts the efficacy of immunotherapy in mice with melanoma, bladder cancer, leukemia and colon cancer. Texas approves $90 million in grants to bolster cancer researchDNA deletion and cancerMany cancers delete a st
  
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• WATCH: Robots host parade at University of Texas campus

  13-10-2023 17:07 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – Thirty robots took center stage at the University of Texas at Austin campus Thursday.
  Faculty, students, and organizations in Texas Robotics joined in the robot parade down Speedway to Gregory Gym Plaza, according to UT.Austin company unveils humanoid robotOne of the robots, Alph, is an armed Spot robot from Boston Dynamics used for searching for Alpha radiation, UT said.Marc Raibert, left rear, founder and chair of Boston Dynamics watches one of the company's Spot robots d
  
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• Why doctors say parents should ask their pediatrician now about the new RSV shot for babies

  13-10-2023 16:28 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, affects about 97% of children by the age of two. “RSV on a national level causes 1.5 million outpatient visits. It causes 80,000 hospitalizations in kids less than five years of age every single year, and it causes 300 deaths in ages zero to five,” said Dr. Juanita Mora, an immunologist and American Lung Association Board Member.This week, the American Lung Ass
  
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• LIVE: Kristen's Classroom: Make a tornado in a bottle

  13-10-2023 16:23 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Tornadoes are one of Mother Nature's most destructive forces, but they're also one of the most fascinating weather phenomena.Just like cupcakes, tornadoes require the perfect amount of ingredients — warm air, cool air, moisture and a change in winds with height. Not every thunderstorm produces a tornado, but the ones that do tend to be rotating thunderstorms with a lot of energy and instability.At-home experiment: tornado in a bottleSupplies:
  Two 2-Liter bottles (empty)Duc
  
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• Kristen's Classroom: Make a tornado in a bottle

  13-10-2023 16:23 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Tornadoes are one of Mother Nature's most destructive forces, but they're also one of the most fascinating weather phenomena.Just like cupcakes, tornadoes require the perfect amount of ingredients — warm air, cool air, moisture and a change in winds with height. Not every thunderstorm produces a tornado, but the ones that do tend to be rotating thunderstorms with a lot of energy and instability.At-home experiment: tornado in a bottleSupplies:
  Two 2-Liter bottles (empty)Duc
  
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• Live video: Watch the 2023 'ring of fire' solar eclipse over the U.S.

  13-10-2023 15:02 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) – On the morning of Saturday, Oct. 14 an annular, or partial, solar eclipse will pass over the United States, as well as Central and South America.Millions of Americans will be able to see the phenomenon, but only a handful of cities in the "path of annularity," or the maximum amount of obscuration, will see the "ring of fire" created when the moon lines up perfectly with the sun, leaving only the burning rim visible.How to watch the 2023 solar eclipse safely – and what you
  
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• Leander debates closing low-water crossing with a history of crashes

  13-10-2023 14:51 via kxan.com
  
  LEANDER, Texas (KXAN) -- Leander city council is considering permanently closing a low-water crossing on County Road 177 after a history of crashes and accidents, including the time a school bus was swept by flood waters after the driver tried to cross, but neighbors in the area are asking the city to pump the brakes.
  City council discussed the closure during an Oct. 10 city council meeting. The ordinance that was introduced said the road is "narrow" and in "poor condition." The fire and police
  
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• From 90s to 40s as windy cold front clears out

  13-10-2023 12:20 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A cold front continues to move through Central Texas bringing gusty winds and a quick drop in humidity. This front will help to clear the skies and knock down temperatures from the highs in the 90s that some felt on Friday!Tonight will go from partly cloudy to mostly clear as the drier air blows in. Winds out of the northwest and then north will range from 10-20 mph, but may be briefly gusty.Overnight lows drop down into the upper 50s in Austin by the time you wake up to start y
  
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• Cold front brings gusty winds, cooler weekend weather

  13-10-2023 12:20 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It's cold front day!Low clouds, drizzle and mist could slow the morning commute some, but sunshine will make an appearance later today helping temperatures soar into the low 90s.
  This autumn heat comes ahead of our next cold front, expected to enter the Hill Country late morning before reaching the Austin-metro by early afternoon. Gusty northerly winds will hit first, followed by a drop in humidity and temperatures tonight into the weekend.Gusty winds follow this afternoon's col
  
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• Breezes increase as the humidity decreases

  13-10-2023 12:20 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A cold front will move across Central Texas during the afternoon. The first effect of the front will be an increase in gusty winds with speeds of 15 to 20+ mph expected.The second effect will be the drop in the dew points/relative humidity.
  Temperatures will eventually start to cool but not before reaching some upper 80s to low 90s during the mid- to late-afternoon.Clouds will be clearing during the afternoon after the front has passed. Look for a mostly clear sky this evening.
  
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• Texas high school football scores for Thursday, Oct. 12

  13-10-2023 05:39 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The push for the UIL state playoffs is underway with Central Texas teams deep in district play.
  On Thursday night, No. 5 Vandegrift routed Round Rock 45-3 in our KBVO Game of the Week.Vandegrift had little trouble with the Dragons as the Vipers dominated in all three phases with its special teams taking center stage.Weiss rolled Thursday night, dispatching Bryan 42-13.Scores from around the KXAN viewing areaVandegrift 45, Round Rock 3Pflugerville Weiss 42, Bryan 13Scor
  
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• After brief escape, Kaitlin Armstrong medical records, surveillance footage sought before murder trial

  13-10-2023 05:31 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) – A few weeks before her murder trial begins, prosecutors are trying to get Kaitlin Armstrong’s medical records, as well as surveillance footage from the night before she attempted to flee from corrections officers, according to court filings obtained by KXAN investigators.Armstrong is accused of killing professional cyclist Moriah Wilson in Austin in May 2022. The trial is set for Oct. 30.On Wednesday morning, Armstrong led two Travis County corrections officers on a 1
  
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• Senate passes plan to let Texas parents use public funds to pay for private schools

  13-10-2023 05:16 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's note: This story is updated to reflect that the Senate passed Senate Bill 1 just after midnight Thursday. The video above aired before the vote.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Texas Senate just after midnight Thursday evening passed a plan, 18 to 13, to let Texas parents use public funds to pay for private schools.Senate Bill 1 would allocate $500 million toward the creation of an education savings account program, which was the primary education policy request on Gov. Greg Abbott’s agenda f
  
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• Plan to let Texas parents use public funds to pay for private schools gets preliminary approval

  13-10-2023 05:16 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The plan to let Texas parents use public funds to pay for private schools cleared a key hurdle Thursday evening.Senate Bill 1 would allocate $500 million toward the creation of an education savings account program, which was the primary education policy request on Gov. Greg Abbott’s agenda for this third special session. Texas Senate unveils its priority school voucher-like legislationThe funding comes from Texas’ general revenue and would be available for eligible p
  
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• Thousands flooding to Austin for events staying in unlicensed short term rentals

  13-10-2023 03:33 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As tens of thousands of people flood to Austin for major events, like Austin City Limits Music Festival and F1 racing, a majority of them staying in short term rentals (like AirBnB or VRBO) will be staying in rentals unlicensed by the City of Austin.Despite Austin City Council chatter about how to get property owners to comply, thousands of short term rentals remain without a City-required license, according to the City's Development Services Department. KXAN previously reported
  
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• City of Austin on high alert as war wages on in Israel

  13-10-2023 03:23 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The City of Austin is on high alert according to Mayor Kirk Watson as the war wages on in Israel."We have not received any information to believe that a threat is imminent here in Austin. However, our Austin Police and Homeland Security & Emergency Management departments are on high alert to help prevent and respond to any act of violence that may be attempted." said Austin Mayor Kirk Watson in a press release released Thursday.As fighting continues in Israel and Gaza,
  
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• Driverless cars improve emergency vehicle detection, Austin first responders develop AV training for crews

  13-10-2023 02:58 via kxan.com
  
  Austin (KXAN) — Cruise, a company that operates autonomous vehicles for rideshares and deliveries, said it has improved its technology to better detect emergency vehicles.According to the company's blog, innovations to its AV tech include better siren detection, slowing down when a scene or siren has been detected, and recognizing and avoiding emergency scenes. How to stay safe sharing the road with driverless carsKXAN.com reached out to several emergency response agencies who said compani
  
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• Texas Republicans divided over US Speaker fight

  13-10-2023 01:27 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- Congress is moving further away from electing a speaker to lead a paralyzed House of Representatives, and some Texas congressmen are leading the charge of opposition against U.S. Rep Steve Scalise, their party's designee for speaker."I'm not going to be with Steve on the floor," Central Texas Republican Congressman Chip Roy said Thursday. "We need to figure out what to do. Let's pick the right speaker, let's unite, and let's move forward."Roy is calling for stronger assurance
  
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• Kaitlin Armstrong faces new felony charge after attempted escape, inmate records show

  13-10-2023 00:21 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's Note: The above video is KXAN's previous coverage after a murder suspect attempted to escape custody Wednesday morning.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Jail records show murder suspect Kaitlin Armstrong faces a new felony charge, following an attempted escape from Travis County corrections officers Wednesday morning outside a South Austin medical building.Kaitlin Armstrong attempts escape ahead of Austin murder trialTravis County court records do not show the new charge as of 5 p.m. Thursday.Armstrong,
  
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• San Marcos CISD employee will be charged for bringing firearm to a prekindergarten class

  13-10-2023 00:14 via kxan.com
  
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — A San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District employee no longer works for the district after a firearm was reportedly found in their backpack, according to a letter set out to families Thursday by SMCISD.The incident occurred at the Bonham Prekindergarten School in San Marcos, according to SMCISD.“It was an unintentional mistake. But regardless, bringing a fire arm to campus is illegal, inexcusable. And we will not tolerate this type of actions for
  
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• San Marcos CISD employee no longer employed after firearm found in backpack

  13-10-2023 00:14 via kxan.com
  
  SAN MARCOS, Texas (KXAN) — A San Marcos Consolidated Independent School District employee no longer works for the district after a report that a firearm was found in their backpack, according to a letter set out to families Thursday by SMCISD.The letter indicates the incident happened at Bonham Prekindergarten School in San Marcos.In the letter, it said a student "got a hold" of an instructional assistant's backpack and found a firearm. The student then took it out of the backpack and put
  
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