Austin news

• Report reveals rising organized retail theft in Texas

  26-11-2024 21:44 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On the brink of the holiday shopping season, a newly released study by the state wants to tackle the growing problem of goods stolen from retail stores. Specifically, organized crime rings that target certain stores and areas of the state. The current problem? There's no system in place to track those kinds of thefts. At least not yet."Are we going to completely eliminate it tomorrow? No. Are we going to significantly reduce it? Yes," State Comptroller Glenn Hegar said. Retail t
  
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• Austin Energy continues its effort to have the lowest energy bills in the state

  26-11-2024 21:13 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN)-- Austin Energy is lowering its customer's utility bills for the third month in a row. Customers can expect to see a change in their bills effective Dec. 1, according to a release from Austin Energy.
  Austin Energy said in a press release, that it has been working to reduce its customer's energy bills for the past two months. Dec. 1 will be the third month in a row that Austin Energy has reduced the Power Supply Adjustment (PSA) rate in each customer's bill. RELATED: Austin Energy m
  
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• Texas attorney general files lawsuit against homeless navigation center in south Austin

  26-11-2024 20:38 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit against a south Austin homeless navigation center "for operating as a common nuisance in violation of Texas law," according to an Office of Attorney General press release.The Sunrise Homeless Navigation Center is located near Menchaca Road and Ben White Boulevard. It offers services like connecting people experiencing homelessness to food and housing help. PREVIOUS: City looks at solutions as concerns grow over homeless activity
  
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• 179-unit affordable housing project opens in southeast Austin

  26-11-2024 20:20 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — City and housing leaders are celebrating the opening of a new affordable housing development in southeast Austin aimed at serving those 55 and older, people exiting homelessness and those with disabilities.The Ekos City Heights apartments are now open at 4400 Nuckols Crossing Road, the Austin Housing Finance Corporation and McDowell Housing Partners announced Tuesday. Officials note the 179 units on site are all income-restricted and feature one-bedroom and two-bedroom floo
  
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• Trump's favorability climbs in post-election poll

  26-11-2024 18:09 via kxan.com
  
  (The Hill) -- President-elect Donald Trump’s favorability climbed by six points after he was elected president earlier this month, a new poll on Tuesday found.The president-elect’s favorability rating hit 54 percent post-election, which is up from 48 percent pre-election, according to an Emerson College poll. Trump is viewed most favorably by men, at 61 percent, while 48 percent of women view him favorably.Among white voters, 59 percent view him favorably, while 53 percent of Hispani
  
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• Austin office vacancy rate at an all-time high, among highest in the country

  26-11-2024 17:56 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) --- According to commercial real estate information company CoStar, Austin has a record high office vacancy rate. The company said vacancies could keep growing because of millions of square feet of additional office space still under construction."Approximately 4.4 million square feet that's under construction right now, and two million of that is currently unleashed," CoStar Senior Market Analyst Israel Linares said.Linares said the vacancy rate sits at 16.8%, which is among the h
  
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• WestJet to launch new nonstop between Austin and Vancouver in May

  26-11-2024 17:40 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Canadian airline WestJet will launch a new nonstop route between Austin and Vancouver in May.The seasonal route is set to launch on May 11, 2025, and will operate three times a week.Flights will leave Austin-Bergstrom International Airport at 8 a.m. and arrive in Vancouver at 10:38 a.m. local time. Return flights leave Vancouver at 6 p.m. and arrive in Austin at 12:17 a.m."This service will provide a valuable connection between the Greater Vancouver Area and Southern U.S.,
  
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• Austin names newest parks and recreation director

  26-11-2024 17:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Jesús Aguirre has been named the newest director of the Austin Parks and Recreation Department, Austin City Manager T.C. Broadnax announced Monday.Aguirre has more than 25 years of experience working in both the parks and recreation realm as well as public education and leadership roles. He has previously served as the lead of parks and recreation departments in Washington, D.C. and in Seattle, as well as CEO of the Waterloo Greenway in Austin.Community members had t
  
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• Trump’s latest tariff plan aims at multiple countries. What does it mean for the US?

  26-11-2024 17:28 via kxan.com
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump has identified what he sees as an all-purpose fix for what ails America: Slap huge new tariffs on foreign goods entering the United States.
  On Monday, Trump sent shockwaves across the nation's northern and southern borders, vowing sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada, as well as China, as soon as he takes office as part of his effort to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs.In a pair of posts on his Truth Social site Trump railed again
  
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• North Carolina football coach Mack Brown won't return for 2025 season

  26-11-2024 17:25 via kxan.com
  
  (AP) — North Carolina coach Mack Brown, a College Football Hall of Fame member who won a national championship at Texas, won't return for the 2025 season.The school announced the move Tuesday with a statement from athletic director Bubba Cunningham, who had informed the 73-year-old Brown that there would be a coaching change. Brown will coach the regular-season finale on Saturday against rival N.C. State, though a decision hasn't been made about whether Brown will coach a bowl game. Kyle F
  
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• Trail of Lights 2024: Where to get tickets

  26-11-2024 16:52 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's Note: The video at the top of this story is from October and shows the Trail of Lights Foundation discussing plans for the event's 60th anniversary.
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin Trail of Lights is celebrating 60 years in Zilker Park this year.
  The family-friendly trail featuring more than two million lights, 96 lighted holiday trees and 70 displays and tunnels is open from Dec. 10 through Dec. 23.
  Get your tickets online now
  There are also a handful of nights when general admission
  
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• How to take care of your heart's health during the holidays

  26-11-2024 16:33 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — As millions of Texans tuck into their Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, local cardiologists are giving tips and tricks on how to take care of your heart while still indulging this holiday season.Dr. Aaron Grober said heart problems are primarily the cumulative impact of years' worth of eating or lifestyle choices but added people can still be mindful of their eating and drinking levels during festivities. He said it's all about balance: When eating on Thanksgiving, he said p
  
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• Secret oceans could exist in our solar system; new UT model aims to find them

  26-11-2024 15:58 via kxan.com
  
  An infrared composite image of the two hemispheres of Uranus obtained with Keck Telescope adaptive optics. (NASA JPL)
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The ongoing search for oceans in our solar system is taking us to Uranus. A new computer model, designed by researchers at the University of Texas, could help a future NASA mission locate liquid water on the icy world's moons.A new paper, published in Advancing Earth and Space Sciences, revealed how the model could use Uranus' moons wobble to detect the oceans.S
  
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• LIVE: Secret oceans could exist in our solar system; new UT model aims to find them

  26-11-2024 15:58 via kxan.com
  
  An infrared composite image of the two hemispheres of Uranus obtained with Keck Telescope adaptive optics. (NASA JPL)
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The ongoing search for oceans in our solar system is taking us to Uranus. A new computer model, designed by researchers at the University of Texas, could help a future NASA mission locate liquid water on the icy world's moons.A new paper, published in Advancing Earth and Space Sciences, revealed how the model could use Uranus' moons wobble to detect the oceans.S
  
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• A new UT model aims to discover secret oceans on Uranus's moons

  26-11-2024 15:58 via kxan.com
  
  An infrared composite image of the two hemispheres of Uranus obtained with Keck Telescope adaptive optics. (NASA JPL)
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The ongoing search for oceans in our solar system is taking us to Uranus. A new computer model, designed by researchers at the University of Texas, could help a future NASA mission locate liquid water on the icy world's moons.A new paper, published in Advancing Earth and Space Sciences, revealed how the model could use Uranus' moons wobble to detect the oceans.S
  
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• 1 dead after crash on 183A in Cedar Park Tuesday morning

  26-11-2024 15:19 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — A person is dead after a crash on the 183A Toll Road in Cedar Park Tuesday morning, the Cedar Park Police Department confirmed to KXAN.The Texas Department of Transportation said all lanes on Northbound 183A were closed as of 5 a.m. Tuesday due to a crash near Park Street. Cedar Park Police added the toll road is expected to be shut down until about 8:30 a.m. Tuesday due to the crash.The fatal crash left one person dead and another person hospitalized with serious injuries.
  
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• More witnesses expected at APD officer's hearing Tuesday, sentence possible next week

  26-11-2024 15:17 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- More witnesses are expected to testify Tuesday as the Defense continues its portion of the sentencing hearing for APD officer Christopher Taylor, who a jury found guilty of deadly conduct last month in the 2019 death of Mauris DeSilva.Police responded to 911 calls of DeSilva walking around his condo complex with a knife to his throat and ultimately shot and killed him on the fifth floor common area.Taylor's attorneys said he acted in accordance with his training and in defense o
  
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• Austin police officer's sentencing in deadly conduct case possible next week

  26-11-2024 15:17 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- More witnesses testified Tuesday as the defense continues its portion of the sentencing hearing for Austin police officer Christopher Taylor, who a jury found guilty of deadly conduct last month in the 2019 death of Mauris DeSilva.Police responded to 911 calls of DeSilva walking around his condo complex with a knife to his throat and ultimately shot and killed him on the fifth floor common area.Taylor's attorneys said he acted in accordance with his training and in defense of hi
  
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• How to deal with grief, stress during holiday season

  26-11-2024 14:08 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — With the holiday season underway, some might be feeling additional stress as they navigating gift giving, attending festivities with extended family or grieving the loss of loved ones.And they aren't alone: A 2023 study from the American Psychological Association found 41% of U.S. adults' stress levels uptick during the November to January timeframe. Kate Carmichael with ATX Counseling spoke with KXAN News' midday team Monday and said it's critical to lower the stakes surro
  
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• Texas A&M's Marcel Reed is a 'legitimate dual-threat quarterback'

  26-11-2024 14:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas has faced dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks this season, but Texas A&M's Marcel Reed is different.Reed earned the permanent starting job for Mike Elko's ballclub after coming in for the second half against Louisiana State and willing the Aggies to victory, accounting for four touchdowns en route to a 38-23 win. He replaced embattled sophomore Conner Weigman and has been the starter since. Kyle Field is tough place to play; Longhorns have been exposed to plenty of h
  
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• 12,000+ Texas kids sent to court for missing class, no one tracks what happens next

  26-11-2024 14:00 via kxan.com
  
  Investigative Summary: More than 86,000 Texas teens have been sent to court for missing school since lawmakers' 2015 reforms made truancy a civil matter, rather than criminal. A KXAN investigation found cases are escalating every year, with more than 12,000 this year. Meanwhile, no state agency is tracking whether the students are being helped or harmed.GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) – Nathaniel Karle’s brother answered a knock at the door on April 15, then called back into the house for
  
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• Trump's incoming 'border czar' to join Abbott at Texas border Tuesday

  26-11-2024 13:12 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — President-elect Donald Trump's incoming "border czar" will visit the Texas border Tuesday alongside Gov. Greg Abbott, the governor's office shared in a release.Trump named Tom Homan as his border czar earlier this month — a position the president-elect said will focus on policymaking at the northern and southern borders alongside maritime and aviation security, per reporting from CNBC. Homan previously served as the director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
  
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• Vacant building in east Austin catches fire Tuesday morning

  26-11-2024 10:52 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A vacant Austin Disaster Relief Network thrift store in east Austin located at 1122 East 51st Street caught fire Tuesday morning, according to the Austin Fire Department. This is located near the corner of East 51st street and Cameron Road.
  AFD said they are unsure if anyone was in the building when it caught fire. Fire crews had temporarily pulled back while they actively fought the fire due to the roof sagging.A vacant Austin Disaster Relief Network thrift store in east Austin
  
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• Homicide in north Austin leaves one man dead, APD says

  26-11-2024 10:03 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One man is dead after a homicide late Monday night in north Austin at the 400 block of East Wonsley Drive, according to the Austin Police Department. This is located near East Anderson Lane and the South Interstate 35 Frontage Road.Officer Austin Zarling with APD said the homicide occurred just before 11:00 p.m. on Monday. APD did not say if this was a stabbing or shooting.When officers arrived on scene they found a man inside an apartment between 20-30 years old with signs of t
  
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• Menendez brothers' resentencing request hearing pushed back to January

  26-11-2024 05:41 via kxan.com
  
  (KTLA) – The Menendez brothers have waiting nearly three decades, and now they'll have to wait a little longer to hear their fates.Erik and Lyle Menendez appeared in front of a judge for the first time in 28 years at Southern California's Van Nuys Courthouse on Monday through a screen — they attended virtually from their San Diego prison. Also in the courthouse were 16 members of the public who had to win a lottery on Monday morning to gain access to the hearing.At that hearing, a ju
  
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• Couple charged in ring suspected of stealing $1 million in Lululemon clothes

  26-11-2024 05:10 via kxan.com
  
  MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Connecticut couple has been charged in Minnesota with being part of a shoplifting ring suspected of stealing around $1 million in goods across the country from the upscale athletic wear retailer Lululemon.Jadion Anthony Richards, 44, and Akwele Nickeisha Lawes-Richards, 45, both of Danbury, Connecticut, were charged this month with one felony count of organized retail theft. Both went free last week after posting bail bonds of $100,000 for him and $30,000 for her, cour
  
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• This Christmas song already in the Hot 100

  26-11-2024 05:08 via kxan.com
  
  WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) -- It's not even Christmas, but this now famous or infamous Christmas song is already on the Billboard Hot 100. No, it's not Mariah Carey.Released on Dec. 3, 1984, as a B-side by the Duo Wham! "Last Christmas" is the only Christmas song currently listed on the Billboard Hot 100. It comes in at No. 38, ahead of Luke Combs "Ain't No Love in Oklahoma" from the Twisters soundtrack.Over the decades since its release, it has spent a total of 39 weeks on the Billboard charts, peaki
  
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• 24-year-old man dies while hanging Christmas lights at California home

  26-11-2024 05:04 via kxan.com
  
  (KTLA) -- A 24-year-old man died by electrocution while installing Christmas lights on the roof of a home in Southern California, officials said.The accident happened on Thursday, Nov. 21, in Escondido, a suburb of San Diego.According to the San Diego County Medical Examiner, Antonio Pascual Mateo was hanging Christmas lights near a high-voltage power line.“The decedent threw the lights over the power line resulting in electrocution,” the medical examiner said. Bird flu detected in r
  
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• City to shut off water 'multiple hours' due to construction project on Spicewood Springs Road

  26-11-2024 04:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Beginning Tuesday, the city of Austin will shut off water for multiple hours for those living in a west Austin neighborhood, the City of Austin said in a construction project update email.Starting at 6 p.m. Tuesday through Wednesday at 5 a.m., those living in residential and commercial properties between 4701 and 4900 Spicewood Springs Road will be without water, the city said in a newsletter.This is due to construction for the Spicewood Springs Road Regional Mobility Improvemen
  
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• New Grinch-inspired doughnuts to debut at Krispy Kreme

  26-11-2024 03:19 via kxan.com
  
  TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Krispy Kreme is set to debut the "Merry Ginchmas Doughnut Collection" for the holiday season.
  Beginning Friday, Nov. 29, three new holiday doughnuts will join the lineup at participating Krispy Kreme shops nationwide. Each treat is based on a character from Dr. Suess' classic tale "How the Grinch Stole Christmas!"Want to get paid $2,500 to watch holiday movies? Here’s howThe Grinch Doughnut is filled with cookies and cream and topped with green icing and a chocol
  
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• Burnet County Judge could face once-dismissed criminal charges again, following appeals court decision

  26-11-2024 02:16 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A new decision from the Third Court of Appeals could land the Burnet County Judge back in court on criminal charges that were previously thrown out.
  Judge James Oakley faced several criminal accusations, including abuse of office, official oppression and tampering with evidence and was indicted in 2023. The claims centered around two different issues: his role as a Pedernales Electrical Cooperative board member while also serving as Burnet County judge and, separately, the handl
  
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