Austin news

• Austin-area schools get grants for climate action projects

  03-12-2024 22:48 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Sustainability lessons are coming to classrooms around Austin as 50 schools will receive up to $3,000 to fund climate action projects.The funds come from the Bright Green Future Grants Program, from a pool of $146,000. The city of Austin's Office of Sustainability received 135 project applications from 60 different schools. At least one school in each Austin City Council District was selected, including schools in the Austin, Leander and Del Valle school districts, as well
  
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• 'No work-life-balance': Tech founder goes viral for 84-hour work week post

  03-12-2024 22:30 via kxan.com
  
  SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) – The 23-year-old founder of a San Francisco tech startup has gone viral over a social media post admitting that his company offers "no work-life-balance."
  In a post on X last month, Daksh Gupta, the founder of AI startup Greptile, said his company offers an 84-hour work week.Employees at Greptile, according to Gupta, work 14-hour workdays six days a week, or sometimes seven days."Recently I started telling candidates right in the first interview that Greptile offers n
  
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• MLB commissioner says there's 'buzz' about a Golden At-Bat rule. What is it?

  03-12-2024 22:30 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) – MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred hinted that club owners are open to the idea of a rule that could significantly change how the game is played.Manfred, during a recent appearance on “The Varsity” podcast hosted by John Ourand, was discussing the reception of recent rule changes that made their way from the minors to the major leagues, such as the pitch clock or the larger bases.He then mentioned there were multiple possible rule changes that have been discussed for futu
  
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• Mega Millions jackpot hits $541M: What's the tax bill?

  03-12-2024 22:30 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) — Without a Black Friday winner, the Mega Millions jackpot has grown to an estimated $541 million ahead of the next drawing. While the win would be nearly historic, the amount that the winner would take home would be much smaller.Mega Millions players have been watching the jackpot grow since September when a ticket sold in Texas landed an $800 million jackpot, the seventh-largest payout in the game's history.At $541 million, the current jackpot ranks as the eleventh-largest
  
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• New trees at bus stops installed with smart devices

  03-12-2024 22:26 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Bus stops near St. Edwards are getting a bit of extra shade as students plants trees with a little extra hardware.The trees are part of the schools efforts to not only bring some much needed relief from the sun for those waiting for the bus, but also new and important information on how the trees do throughout the season. Each tree will have a tag on them which will feed information back to the Climate Resiliency Living Laboratory team at St. Edwards."If you look at the weather
  
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• CapMetro launches 'Magic of Transit' series for holiday season

  03-12-2024 21:52 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- It might not be the Polar Express, but CapMetro is ringing in the holidays with a series of events as part of its "Magic of Transit" initiative.The Austin transit authority will host customer appreciation events throughout December, including breakfast and coffee provided at multiple transit stops, a social media contest and surprise fare pass giveaways. Those interested in participating in the social media contest can take a photo of themselves riding CapMetro services, add the
  
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• CapMetro gears up for new Pickup, MetroRapid bus services in 2025

  03-12-2024 20:41 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- CapMetro is poised to add three new services to its transportation network, unveiling new Pickup and MetroRapid services come 2025.CapMetro is presenting a status update on its newest services to the Austin Urban Transportation Commission at its meeting Tuesday evening at 5 p.m. Included in that discussion are details on the Decker Pickup service along with the Pleasant Valley and Expo Center MetroRapid lines.CapMetro's Decker Pickup service will launch Jan. 13, partnering with
  
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• Sentencing expected Tuesday for APD officer found guilty of deadly conduct

  03-12-2024 19:50 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The sentencing hearing for Austin police officer Christopher Taylor continues Tuesday afternoon.In October, a jury found him guilty of deadly conduct in the 2019 police shooting of Mauris DeSilva. Police responded to 911 calls of DeSilva walking around his downtown Austin condo complex with a knife to his throat.Officers confronted DeSilva outside of an elevator in a common area of the building, told him to drop the knife, and shot and killed him. Taylor and another officer, Kar
  
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• Judge decides on 2-year prison sentence for Austin police officer in deadly conduct case

  03-12-2024 19:50 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Judge Dayna Blazey has announced Austin police officer Christopher Taylor will receive a two-year prison sentence in Taylor's deadly conduct case.In October, a jury found him guilty of deadly conduct in the 2019 police shooting of Mauris DeSilva. Police responded to 911 calls of DeSilva walking around his downtown Austin condo complex with a knife to his throat.Officers confronted DeSilva outside of an elevator in a common area of the building, told him to drop the knife, and sh
  
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• Austin police officer sentenced to 2 years in prison, out on appellate bond

  03-12-2024 19:50 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Judge Dayna Blazey has sentenced Austin police officer Christopher Taylor to two-years in prison in his conduct case. He is out on an appellate bond and not in custody.In October, a jury found him guilty of deadly conduct in the 2019 police shooting of Mauris DeSilva. Police responded to 911 calls of DeSilva walking around his downtown Austin condo complex with a knife to his throat.Officers confronted DeSilva outside of an elevator in a common area of the building, told him to
  
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• Texas outdoor recreation economy raked in $55.8B in 2023

  03-12-2024 19:36 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Texas was home to one of the largest outdoor recreation economies in 2023, according to findings from the Bureau of Economic Analysis released in late November.Collectively, outdoor recreation spending amounted to $639.5 billion in the United States, with $55.8 billion of those dollars fueling Texas' economy. The Lone Star State ranked third in the country overall for outdoor recreation spending, trailing behind California with nearly $81.5 billion and Florida with $57.8 billion
  
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• Driver pleads guilty to manslaughter in fatal 2022 crash

  03-12-2024 19:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The man facing a manslaughter charge in connection with a fatal 2022 crash in north Austin accepted a plea deal sentencing him to 12 months of deferred adjudication. Jealious Anthony Ordillano is also required to complete 80 hours of community service and a driver's safety course. The plea deal stated he has already completed the safety course. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Arrest warrant issued in 2022 fatal crash in north Austin, man now faces manslaughter chargeAccording to the Jan
  
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• 'Start saving lives': Texas lawmakers re-file bills to legalize fentanyl test strips

  03-12-2024 19:25 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- After failing to make it to the governor's desk last legislative session, Texas lawmakers are re-filing bills to decriminalize fentanyl test strips. Those strips can alert drug users to the presence of fentanyl which is often more potent and deadly than other drugs.
  HB 253, filed by Rep. James Talarico (D-Williamson County), would decriminalize the test strips. Sen. Sarah Eckhardt (D-Austin) filed an identical bill in the Senate — SB 362. Staff for Rep. Tom Oliverson (R-Ha
  
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• Mysterious mailers, texts target Round Rock residents

  03-12-2024 19:18 via kxan.com
  
  ROUND ROCK, Texas (KXAN) — Mystery mailers and text messages are targeting residents of Round Rock."We appreciate our Round Rock Police Department," the mailer reads. "We need the mayor and city council to fully support them. Until now they haven't been." Group pushing for new billboards in Round Rock fails to gain enough signatures on petitionIt states the city needs to "reduce 911 call response times," "hire more detectives" and "[the city needs] a specialized unit focused on human traff
  
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• Austin's Crux Climbing Gym sued over climbing walls

  03-12-2024 18:43 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Crux Climbing Center's location in south Austin will be leaving its space at the end of this year, but whether the landlord or Crux owns the climbing walls inside of the gym is up for question.The building landlord, 3432 Pickle LLC, filed a civil lawsuit, disputing Crux's claim to remove the climbing walls when the lease ends. The landlord is seeking a declaration that the climbing walls are its property. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Austin Bouldering Project to take over Crux Climbi
  
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• CLEAR debuts new verification technology at Austin airport

  03-12-2024 18:19 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is one of a dozen airports across the country to debut new identity verification technology as part of its security process for certain passengers.CLEAR announced Tuesday it was rolling out its new EnVe Pods, a faster-paced identity "enrollment and verification" system for CLEAR Plus customers traveling through airports. The technology employs a wide-angle camera that uses CLEAR's NextGen Identity program to verify travelers via th
  
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• Kyle eases drought restrictions, new water supply soon to come online

  03-12-2024 17:59 via kxan.com
  
  KYLE, Texas (KXAN) – The city of Kyle announced Tuesday it is able to ease some drought restrictions, citing successful conservation efforts and the anticipated delivery of a new water supply. The increase in water is coming from Alliance Water, a regional water authority, which has constructed a 20-mile pipeline that will bring groundwater from the Carrizo-Wicox Aquifer, a large aquifer that spans 60 Texas counties, to Kyle. Once the pipeline is active – in early 2025&ndas
  
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• 34-year-old woman dies from injuries in November crash

  03-12-2024 17:36 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department said on Tuesday that 34-year-old Marianne Ashley Agusto died from injuries sustained during a crash on November 6 at the intersection of Dessau Road and Collinwood West Drive.APD said the call came in at 8 p.m. PAST COVERAGE: ATCEMS: 1 seriously injured after northeast Austin crashAPD said the crash involved two vehicles and resulted in Agusto being transported to a local hospital, where she was later pronounced deceased on Nov. 23.Authorities said t
  
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• Texas has to play 'a better brand of football' against Georgia this time around

  03-12-2024 17:35 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian and Georgia head coach Kirby Smart agree that neither team is the same as they were on Oct. 19 when the Bulldogs handed the Longhorns their only loss.
  Georgia took advantage of Texas miscues and converted short-field opportunities into points, winning 30-15 on Oct. 19 at DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium. Texas turned the ball over four times, something they hadn't done all season, and Georgia made them pay. Texas safety Michael Taaffe honors Jake
  
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• SIMS Foundation receives funding to go toward 'Restore the Rhythm' campaign

  03-12-2024 16:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- On Tuesday, the SIMS Foundation announced it received funding to go toward its "Restore the Rhythm" campaign, according to a news release from the foundation. This comes after the foundation announced a "temporary 90-day pause in services to focus on restructuring and fundraising."The foundation said it received funding from Armadillo World Headquarters (AWHQ) and C3 Presents, which has helped it reach 30% of its campaign goal, the release said. Former Austin music venue revived
  
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• 'It is wild!'; Asteroid named for University of Texas professor

  03-12-2024 16:00 via kxan.com
  
  Maruthi Akella's work includes lunar lander guidance and teaching at the University of Texas. (Credit: UT Austin)
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- "It's not my asteroid. I don't own it," said Maruthi Akella while discussing a newly named asteroid located more than a hundred thousand miles from Earth.The asteroid's name: Maruthiakella."It's now been a few weeks, and I guess it's still kind of in the process of sinking in," Akella said. The University of Texas professor is still awestruck by the honor.Of the 1.4
  
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• Austin nonprofits ask for support on Giving Tuesday

  03-12-2024 14:04 via kxan.com
  
  Austin — On the heels of the biggest shopping holidays of the year, nonprofits come together for Giving Tuesday. Each organization hoping to cash in on spender's generous spirits and raise money for the various causes they support.I Live Here I Give Here is Central Texas's official Giving Tuesday community leader, acting as a hub for donors to browse over 700 area nonprofits and donate online.Piper Stege Nelson, executive director of I Live Here I Give Here, said her organization raised $2
  
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• City of Austin gives update on first 'soccer city' resolution

  03-12-2024 14:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- We're getting our first update from the city of Austin after City Council approved a "soccer city" resolution earlier this year.That resolution aimed to do the following:Increase the number of fields availableExpand youth programs and access to those programsAnd attract new soccer events to the city
  "I think the initial resolution, we were all very excited just about the energy to create more opportunities to play, more field spaces," said Aaron Rochlen, the founder of Socc
  
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• Here's the top 25 list of most-viewed Wikipedia articles of 2024

  03-12-2024 13:01 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — We collectively spent an estimated 2.4 billion hours reading English-language articles on Wikipedia in 2024, and we now know which were the most popular.The Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit that operates Wikipedia, has released its annual list of most popular articles on the site.Wikipedia's list of deaths in 2024 claimed the top spot, with more than 44.4 million page views. The site's annual list of notable deaths often features as one of the most-read articles each yea
  
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• 1 dead after single-vehicle crash in Pflugerville early Tuesday

  03-12-2024 12:41 via kxan.com
  
  PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) -- One person is dead and another is in the hospital after a single-vehicle crash in Pflugerville early Tuesday morning in the 17800 block of State Highway 130 near Kelly Lane, according to the Pflugerville Police Department.PPD said the vehicle left the roadway and struck the wall near the Kelly Lane exit. The driver of the vehicle was transported to the hospital, and the passenger was pronounced deceased at the scene.As of 5:20 a.m., one lane is closed at SH 130 and
  
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• Water concerns take Lago Vista city council to the White House

  03-12-2024 12:00 via kxan.com
  
  Lago Vista, TX (KXAN) -- City councilmembers from Lago Vista are heading to the White House. The purpose: the fight for water."Because of Austin's growth, we're experiencing significant amount of growth that's putting a real strain on our water infrastructure, and that's both wastewater and drinking water," said councilmember Shane Saum.Lago Vista City Hall (KXAN file photo)Saum is scheduled to meet Tuesday with the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs. The office acts as a liaison to
  
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• SWAT call in southeast Austin brought to 'peaceful resolution', APD says

  03-12-2024 09:28 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department's SWAT unit on Tuesday morning responded to a call about a barricaded subject in the 2500 block of Oltorf Street. This is located near the corner of East Oltorf Street and South Pleasant Valley Road.
  Officer Leah Ratliff said the urgent disturbance call came in at 9:56 p.m. at an apartment complex. The caller told officers the barricaded subject had access to a "large machete type knife."After arriving on scene and based off the information provided
  
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• Barricaded subject in southeast Austin brought to 'peaceful resolution', APD says

  03-12-2024 09:28 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department's SWAT unit on Tuesday morning responded to a call about a barricaded subject in the 2500 block of Oltorf Street. This is located near the corner of East Oltorf Street and South Pleasant Valley Road.
  Officer Leah Ratliff said the urgent disturbance call came in at 9:56 p.m. at an apartment complex. The caller told officers the barricaded subject had access to a "large machete type knife."After arriving on scene and based off the information provided
  
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• AFD: Fire contained to one apartment at northwest Austin complex

  03-12-2024 05:50 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Fire Department is continuing to monitor a fire that happened at a northwest Austin apartment complex Monday night.AFD said on social media shortly after 10 p.m. it responded to the apartment complex in the 7900 block of San Felipe Boulevard. That's near U.S. 183.When crews arrived, they responded to a three-story apartment at the complex, AFD said.The agency said the fire was "under control and contained to one apartment with possible water damage to the apartments b
  
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• Watch: Colorado officer uses kid's bike during pursuit

  03-12-2024 05:20 via kxan.com
  
  DENVER (KDVR) -- A police officer in Lone Tree, Colorado went above and beyond to try and catch a suspect who took off on a scooter.The City of Lone Tree posted a body camera video of the two-wheel police chase on its social media, where officer Jacob Tarr decided to commandeer a kid’s bike to apprehend someone suspected of felony theft.The suspect was initially confronted, but then hopped some fences and used a scooter as a getaway vehicle. Luckily, Tarr had another mode of transportation
  
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• 'Nightmare': Ohio man recovering after alleged assault over McDonald's sandwich

  03-12-2024 05:14 via kxan.com
  
  COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – An Ohio man is struggling to get back to normalcy after he says he was punched repeatedly by several McDonald's employees during a dispute over his Quarter Pounder in October.Karrigan Norwood was reportedly assaulted sometime after midnight on Oct. 17 at the McDonald's on East 17th Street in Columbus.He recently sat down with Nexstar's WCMH to talk about the experience, which he described as a "nightmare."Norwood said he had visited the McDonald's for a late-ni
  
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• LAPD give update on Maui woman who vanished in Los Angeles

  03-12-2024 05:07 via kxan.com
  
  (KTLA) — After a massive and lengthy search for a 30-year-old woman from Maui who vanished in Los Angeles last month, sparking concerns of human trafficking and foul play, investigators announced Monday that she was seen crossing into Mexico, appeared unharmed and is now considered a voluntary missing person.  Hannah Kobayashi traveled from Maui to L.A. on Nov. 8.  There, investigators said she deliberately missed her connecting flight to New York where she was planning on visiti
  
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• APD enhances officer mental health support services

  03-12-2024 04:39 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Employees from the Austin Police Department gave a briefing during the city of Austin's Public Safety Commission meeting earlier on Monday focused on how the department is aiming to bolster the officers' mental health in a stressful career.It's all under the umbrella of the victim services and employee wellness division. The department employs psychologists, volunteer chaplains and even brings in dogs as part of what the department called a "pet comfort program."While most offic
  
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• Woman sentenced to 10 years for burglary in connection with deadly 2021 home robbery

  03-12-2024 03:57 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A woman was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her involvement in an April 2021 home robbery that left one man dead, according to court documents.Tiffany Ruoff entered a guilty plea for burglary habitation intend other felony, court documents said. She was sentenced on Nov. 14.Ruoff, along with two others, attempted a home invasion in the 6200 block of Boxcar Run in south Austin. Woman charged in man’s shooting death stemming from April home invasion in south AustinDuring
  
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• Elon Musk's Neuralink expands offices in Austin area

  03-12-2024 03:25 via kxan.com
  
  DEL VALLE, Texas (KXAN) --- Elon Musk's footprint in Central Texas continues to grow. His brain-computer interface company, Neuralink, will expand in the area with more space and job openings.Bastrop keeps up with growth, Elon Musk moving another company to the areaThis comes after Musk already moved several of his headquarters to the region. According to a filing with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, construction on the $14.7 billion building started this July.
  Filings showed i
  
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• Taylor water may smell, taste different during temporary disinfectant change

  03-12-2024 01:47 via kxan.com
  
  TAYLOR, Texas (KXAN) -- On Monday, the city of Taylor announced residents may notice changes in the taste and odor of their water over the next month.From Tuesday, Dec. 3, through Jan. 6, 2025, the city will be converting the disinfectant used in the distribution system from chloramine to free chlorine temporarily, according to a press release from the city.Prolonged use of chloramine can impact the water quality, the release said.
  "High temperatures or stagnation of water, may result in the gro
  
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