Austin news

• Texas linebacker S'Maje Burrell enters transfer portal

  12-04-2024 23:54 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas Longhorns linebacker S'Maje Burrell announced on X he is entering the transfer portal after one season with Texas.On Wednesday, Texas Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian said Burrell was indefinitely suspended from the program. T'Vondre Sweat charged with DWI after early morning crash"We're aware of the situation involving S'Maje Burrell and have suspended him indefinitely from all team activities for conduct detrimental to the program," Sarkisian said in a statement
  
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• Texas Ag Commissioner talks rural hospital grant, potential cabinet position

  12-04-2024 22:43 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Nearly $24 million will go toward technological improvements for Texas rural hospitals, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller announced on Tuesday. The program aims to help hospitals upgrade existing technologies to improve medical services and telehealth capabilities. Funding is also intended to enhance communication between hospitals and statewide specialists by expanding broadband infrastructure. “We have a lot of challenges,” Miller sai
  
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• Why is a house floating across the San Francisco Bay?

  12-04-2024 22:13 via kxan.com
  
  SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- Mystery surrounds a two-story house that has been seen floating on the San Francisco Bay for at least three days.
  Crowds were gathering along the waterfront at San Francisco's Exploratorium to watch the solar eclipse on Monday when another unusual sight appeared: a big wooden house in the middle of the bay. The buoyant home navigated its way around Alcatraz Island with help from a slow tow boat.Nexstar's KRON tracked the house down on Tuesday and confirmed it is now ancho
  
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• Semiprecious stone shaped like human heart found on the Oregon Coast

  12-04-2024 22:13 via kxan.com
  
  PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A translucent, 2-pound rock the shape, color, and size of an anatomical human heart was recently found on the Oregon Coast.The Ransom family of the greater Portland area told Nexstar's KOIN 6 News that they were walking along Short Beach near Oceanside on March 29 when they found the stunning rock resting near the shoreline at low tide. Matt Ransom, who runs an Instagram account dedicated to rock hunting around Oregon, shared a video of the moment he discovered the
  
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• Pflugerville students win 2 awards in electric car showcase

  12-04-2024 21:07 via kxan.com
  
  PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) — Pflugerville students won a first-place award during an electric car showcase competition. The students were part of a team from Harmony Science Academy – Pflugerville (HSA-P).Hand-built electric cars were presented during the South Texas F24 Showcase in Edinburg, Texas, and the team won first place in the Stock Category and fourth place in the Advanced Stock Category, according to the school.The F24 showcase is available to sixth through 12th-grade stude
  
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• PHOTOS: Erwin Center enters final stages of demolition

  12-04-2024 20:39 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's note: The above video shows KXAN News' top morning headlines from Friday, April 12, 2024.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Members of the media got one of their last chances to see the remnants of the Frank Erwin Center Friday before it's fully demolished.
  The demolition process on the longtime University of Texas venue began in September, after the UT System Board of Regents approved the $25 million demolition project in May 2023.Construction site at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin on A
  
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• Austin budgeted more than $40M in ARPA funding for rapid rehousing, that money is going away

  12-04-2024 20:39 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Money the City of Austin received from the Biden administration to help deal with the blowback of the COVID-19 pandemic is running out -- and with it, will come tough decisions about what programs the city will need to cut.
  We're talking about American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money.Advocates call on Austin leaders to prioritize permanent supportive housing in budgetOf the $188 million the city received in funding, the most recent expenditures report from January -- which KXAN rec
  
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• Austin Public Health shutting down, archiving COVID-19 dashboard

  12-04-2024 19:34 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The City of Austin's COVID-19 dashboard is being discontinued and archived, a little over four years after the virus was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization.
  Austin Public Health (APH) in a memo notified city and Travis County leaders of the move to archive the dashboard, which followed a decision made in March by the Department of State Health Services (DSHS) to remove laboratory-confirmed or suspected COVID-19 cases as a reportable condition in Texas.New inter
  
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• LIVE | 'Intentional, criminal act': Commercial vehicle crashes into Texas DPS building, multiple people seriously injured

  12-04-2024 19:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Public Safety reported multiple serious injuries after a commercial motor vehicle crashed into a DPS office Friday.DPS said on social media the building was its Brenham location, which is at 975 US Highway 290. Brenham is located about an hour northwest of Houston and about two hours east of Austin.Emergency personnel work at the scene after an 18-wheeler crashed into the Texas Department of Public Safety Office in Brenham, Texas,Friday, April 12, 20
  
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• 'Intentional, criminal act': Commercial vehicle crashes into Texas DPS building, multiple people seriously injured

  12-04-2024 19:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Public Safety reported multiple serious injuries after a commercial motor vehicle crashed into a DPS office Friday.DPS said on social media the building was its Brenham location, which is at 975 US Highway 290. Brenham is located about an hour northwest of Houston and about two hours east of Austin.The department said to stay clear of the area while investigators and medical personnel respond.According to DPS, the Texas Rangers are investigating the
  
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• 'Intentional, criminal act': 1 dead after commercial vehicle crashes into Texas DPS building, multiple others seriously injured

  12-04-2024 19:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Public Safety reported one person died and others were seriously injured after a commercial motor vehicle crashed into a DPS office Friday.DPS said on social media the building was its Brenham location, which is at 975 US Highway 290. Brenham is located about an hour northwest of Houston and about two hours east of Austin.Emergency personnel work at the scene after an 18-wheeler crashed into the Texas Department of Public Safety Office in Brenham, Te
  
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• Commercial vehicle crashes into Texas DPS building, multiple people seriously injured

  12-04-2024 19:05 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's note: The above video shows KXAN News' top morning headlines from Friday, April 12, 2024.AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Public Safety reported multiple serious injuries after a commercial motor vehicle crashed into a DPS office Friday.DPS said on social media the building was its Brenham location. Brenham is located about an hour northwest of Houston and about two hours east of Austin.The department said to stay clear of the area while investigators and medical personnel
  
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• 1 dead after stolen 18-wheeler crashes into Texas DPS building, several others injured

  12-04-2024 19:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Public Safety reported one person died and others were seriously injured after a stolen 18-wheeler crashed into a DPS office in Brenham Friday.The department said law enforcement was in pursuit of the stolen vehicle when it went into the building.DPS said the Texas Rangers are investigating the incident, and a suspect has been arrested.The suspect was identified as 42-year-old Clenard Parker, and according to DPS, he was at the Brenham office Thursda
  
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• 1 dead after stolen 18-wheeler crashes into Texas DPS building, multiple others seriously injured

  12-04-2024 19:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Texas Department of Public Safety reported one person died and others were seriously injured after a stolen 18-wheeler crashed into a DPS office in Brenham Friday.The department said law enforcement was in pursuit of the stolen vehicle when it went into the building.DPS said the Texas Rangers are investigating the incident, and a suspect has been arrested.The suspect was identified as 42-year-old Clenard Parker, and according to DPS, he was at the Brenham office Thursda
  
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• Police investigating reports of tire slashing in Austin's Goodnight Ranch neighborhood

  12-04-2024 18:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department (APD) has received reports of tire slashing in the Goodnight Ranch neighborhood, which is in southeast Austin near Onion Creek.
  The most recent cases occurred in the early morning hours of Saturday, April 6, APD said.In one resident's surveillance footage, you see a masked person walk up to cars in a driveway and try to open the doors. After discovering the doors are locked, the person looks into the camera, flashes a knife and slashes the car's tire
  
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• 2 more Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings from Nate Paul's World Class hit courthouse

  12-04-2024 18:02 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Austin Business Journal) — Two entities tied to World Class Holdings, Nate Paul’s embattled real estate firm, declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier this month.WC 56 East Avenue LLC and WC 5th & Waller LLC both declared bankruptcy on April 1, according to voluntary petitions filed with the Texas Western Bankruptcy Court. Both entities declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the past, emerging from it in 2021. The properties tied to the entities are in prime locations near the R
  
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• Patrick lists housing affordability, fighting antisemitism on campus among 2025 priorities

  12-04-2024 17:57 via kxan.com
  
  (Texas Tribune) — Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick put improving housing affordability, fighting antisemitism on college campuses and examining charitable bail organizations among 57 items on a to-do list for senators before the next legislative session begins in January.Patrick, who oversees the Senate and wields tremendous power over bills passed into law, said the list was whittled from hundreds of ideas submitted from the state’s 31 senators, which the lieutenant governor reviewed with his s
  
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• HOV construction traffic, other future improvements coming to I-35, north Austin

  12-04-2024 17:57 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Construction on I-35 in north Austin has really ramped up over the last few months as crews work on the I-35 Capital Express North Project.Eventually, by 2029, there will be high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes in the center of I-35 in both directions between Hwy 290 and SH 45.Drivers on I-35 in North Austin around Braker Lane and Tech Ridge frequently get stuck in traffic as construction crews begin to work in the middle of the highway for the future HOV lanes."Now, folks ar
  
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• Report: Policymakers need to prepare for extreme heat emergencies

  12-04-2024 16:14 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Research group Trust for America’s Health is urging city, state and federal leaders to have a plan in place for extreme heat.“Extreme heat is really a concerning public health issue. It’s the number one weather-related cause of death in the United States. 2023 was hottest year on record,” said Nadine Gracia, the President and CEO of the non-profit. Austin records hottest summer on record, driest in 113 yearsAs a result, Trust for America’s Health lo
  
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• Report: Policy makers need to prepare for extreme heat emergencies

  12-04-2024 16:14 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Research group Trust for America’s Health is urging city, state and federal leaders to have a plan in place for extreme heat.“Extreme heat is really a concerning public health issue. It’s the number one weather-related cause of death in the United States. 2023 was hottest year on record,” said Nadine Gracia, the President and CEO of the non-profit. Austin records hottest summer on record, driest in 113 yearsAs a result, Trust for America’s Health lo
  
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• Authorities capture escaped inmate in Lubbock Thursday night

  12-04-2024 16:05 via kxan.com
  
  LUBBOCK, Texas — The Lubbock County Sheriff's Office said on Thursday night they had successfully captured Benjamin Soliz, 36, an inmate who had stolen an Upton County Sheriff's Office pickup truck while being transported earlier in the day.
  LCSO said Soliz was taken into custody in the 6700 block of Cedar Avenue at 9:18 p.m.The Texas Department of Public Safety said Soliz was being transported by Upton County when he used the vehicle to escape, the vehicle would then later crash near CR 7
  
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• A look inside Austin PBS' Austin City Limits TV show, and how all 50 seasons are being digitized

  12-04-2024 16:02 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The longest-running music program in television history is based in Austin, airing weekly on Austin PBS, and it's celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
  We're talking about Austin City Limits... and not the festival. To celebrate the TV show's milestone birthday, Austin PBS is digitizing all of its 50 seasons and hundreds of thousands of photos from it and other PBS programs.Related: Austin PBS digitizing all 50 seasons of ACL TV show to celebrate 50th anniversaryDirector o
  
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• Dump truck crashes, loses load on I-35 in Georgetown; Traffic being diverted

  12-04-2024 14:30 via kxan.com
  
  GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) -- Traffic driving through Georgetown on Interstate 35 is being diverted after a dump truck crashed and lost its load.
  Georgetown Police said the inside Northbound lane and inside Southbound lane are blocked due to debris. Some traffic was being diverted onto FM 972.Police initially said all northbound lanes of the interstate were closed.
  Police said it's not clear how long the interstate will be affected and advised drivers to found alternate routes if possible.
  
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• Why some Loop 360 projects forge ahead while others stall

  12-04-2024 14:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — For decades, Loop 360 has been a critical north-south corridor weaving through west and northwest Austin, offering connection points throughout the capital area region. But what's the latest status on projects in development to alleviate congestion along the corridor?What is the Loop 360 program?The Texas Department of Transportation oversees the roadway. With Loop 360 being an essential corridor linking the western part of Austin with downtown as well as further north, TxD
  
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• One dead after being hit by vehicle on East Riverside

  12-04-2024 12:34 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One person died Friday morning after they were hit by a car on East Riverside Drive overnight.
  Austin-Travis County EMS responded to the scene around 2:30 a.m., which was near the intersection of Riverside and South Lakeshore Boulevard, and began performing CPR on an adult patient.
  ATCEMS said the person was ultimately pronounced dead on the scene.
  KXAN has a crew at the scene working to get more information. Check back for updates.
  
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• Long lines continue at AUS following eclipse

  12-04-2024 03:55 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN)-- Long lines continued at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on Thursday as about 38,000 people departed from Austin.
  The lines were much shorter than Wednesday, when lines backed up all the way outside the airport. The lines were still long enough to cause concern for some people flying out."It is super packed today," said passenger Jasmine Brunson, who was flying out of Austin.Monica Reyes, who was flying out of Austin on Thursday, said she was caught off guard by all the
  
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• City offering $5K grant to support local creatives

  12-04-2024 03:49 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Local creatives have the chance to get thousands in grant money to turn their creative visions into a reality.The City of Austin Economic Development Department announced a new round of funding through the Nexus Grant to support local small organizations, individual artists and small arts businesses, the city said in a news release Thursday.The program will offer $5,000 grants to cover expenses, such as administrative costs, equipment and space rentals, marketing and other eligi
  
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• Trusting the plan has Texas RB Jaydon Blue where he wants to be in 2024

  12-04-2024 03:44 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas running back Jaydon Blue hopes he can take a page out of Jonathan Brooks' book in 2024.Blue rushed for 398 yards on 65 carries last season playing behind Brooks and freshman CJ Baxter, but now the junior is ready for a bigger workload and a chance to showcase his elite speed to the nation — along with his bigger physique and improved vision. Sarkisian on talent meeting culture in football program"The main thing for me was to get bigger and stronger and I wanted
  
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• Challengers sign 'contract with Texas' to push the legislature more conservative

  12-04-2024 01:23 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Conservative candidates running to unseat Republicans in the Texas House joined with some of the most conservative representatives in signing the "Contract with Texas," a commitment to procedural changes like eliminating Democratic committee chairs that they say will make the House more efficient in passing conservative priorities."Texans are fundamentally annoyed, frustrated, disappointed with the obstruction, the dysfunction within the Texas House," GOP nominee for Hou
  
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• Travis Co. property owners to receive 2024 appraisal notices soon

  12-04-2024 01:10 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Travis County property owners will soon receive 2024 appraisal notices over the next few weeks from the Travis Central Appraisal District.The notices are "being mailed to 424,060 Travis County property owners" starting this week, TCAD said in a news release.TCAD Appraiser Leana Mann said in the release this is a "perfect time to check on your exemptions and learn more about the protest process.”"According to this year’s values, the 2024 median market value for a resi
  
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• 'More unified' Vandegrift in 6A boys soccer semis for 1st time in school history

  12-04-2024 01:07 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — After an early exit in last year's playoffs, Vandegrift boys soccer head coach Jonathan Winship said the next time the team met following the season-ending loss created a shift in the program.Whatever was said at the meeting worked.MORE THAN THE SCORE: Stay up to date on sports stories like these, and sign up for our More than the Score sports newsletter at kxan.com/newslettersThe Vipers, 22-2-2 on the season and District 25-6A champions, take on Lewisville Flower Mound in
  
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• Former Sumo Grand Champion and Hawaii native Akebono Taro dies at 54

  12-04-2024 00:35 via kxan.com
  
  TOKYO (NEXSTAR) — Hawaii-born Akebono Taro, one of the greats of sumo wrestling and a former grand champion, has died at 54. He was the first foreign-born wrestler to reach the level of “yokozuna” — or grand champion — in Japan.Survived by his wife, daughter and two sons, they plan to honor his memory with a private celebration of life. Sumo legend Akebono remembered by friends“It is with sadness that we announce Akebono Taro died of heart failure earlier this
  
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• 'No great loss': Father of Ron Goldman reacts to death of O.J. Simpson

  12-04-2024 00:32 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) — Fred Goldman, the father of Ron Goldman, reacted to reports of O.J. Simpson’s death on Thursday, telling NBC News that he considers Simpson’s passing “no great loss to the world.”Ron Goldman was murdered alongside Nicole Brown Simpson at her Los Angeles home in June 1994. Goldman’s parents had maintained that O.J. Simpson was responsible for their deaths, despite his acquittal in the following year. Simpson was, however, found liable in 1997 for th
  
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• Rarely-seen 'species of concern' captured on West Virginia trail cam

  12-04-2024 00:15 via kxan.com
  
  CLARKSBURG, W.Va. (WBOY) — An animal considered by the National Parks Service (NPS) to be a "species of concern" in West Virginia was recently spotted on a trail camera in Monongahela National Forest.The national forest shared the footage from March on its official Facebook page this week. In the post, it said there are only an estimated 100,000 of the federally threatened Allegheny woodrats left in the wild. Despite their name and large size, the rodent is more closely related to a mouse
  
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• The NFL records still held by O.J. Simpson

  12-04-2024 00:11 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) — Former Buffalo Bills star O.J. Simpson has died, his family confirmed Thursday morning.
  The Bills drafted Simpson as the first overall pick in 1969, a year after he won the Heisman Trophy while playing at USC. He would go on to be MVP in 1973, and was the league leader in rushing yards multiple times in the 1970s.
  Simpson played 11 NFL seasons — nine with the Bills, where he became known as “The Juice” with an offensive line known as “The Electric Compan
  
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• Shohei Ohtani's ex-interpreter charged with bank fraud, allegedly stole $16M from MLB star

  12-04-2024 00:02 via kxan.com
  
  (KTLA) — Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, allegedly stole more than $16 million from the MLB player while working as his interpreter and "de facto manager," federal prosecutors announced Thursday.Authorities simultaneously cleared last year's American League MVP from any wrongdoing in the recent sports betting scandal.In a news conference Thursday morning, U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said Mizuhara, who was fired by the Dodgers last month s
  
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