Austin news

• Court records: Man arrested, confesses to shooting under Austin bridge

  04-12-2024 23:45 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A 39-year-old man told police he had no remorse after he was accused of killing another man in north Austin last week, according to an arrest warrant affidavit. APD: Man arrested, accused of murder in north Austin shootingSteven Rippley was arrested on a first-degree murder charge on Nov. 25, according to the Austin Police Department. He was booked into jail on a $1 million bond, according to online court records.Steven Rippley, 39 (Courtesy Austin Police Department)KXAN has rea
  
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• JetBlue cancels Austin-New York route, citing low performance

  04-12-2024 23:37 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — JetBlue Airways has canceled its nonstop route between Austin and New York's John F. Kennedy Airport.The summer seasonal route won't return next year, an airline spokesperson told KXAN."At JetBlue, we're always working to fine-tune our network to better align with customer demand," the spokesperson said. "As part of this effort, we've made the tough decision to discontinue our summer seasonal flights between New York's JFK and Austin."The spokesperson said the route "hasn't
  
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• How Austin is changing intake procedure for its homeless services, shelters

  04-12-2024 23:31 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — On Wednesday, the City of Austin Homeless Strategy Office (HSO) announced recent changes to the intake process for all city-operated shelters. PAST COVERAGE | City of Austin directed to find money to keep Marshalling Yard homeless shelter openAccording to HSO, the changes are meant to improve coordination between city departments and community partners, as well as simplify access to shelter services.At the Marshalling Yard Emergency Shelter (MYES), intakes will be prioritiz
  
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• How to get to, from Austin's Trail of Lights this December

  04-12-2024 22:39 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's note: The above video is KXAN coverage from Nov. 29, 2022 on the Trail of Lights being named one of the best Christmas lights displays in the country.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Zilker Park will transform into a winter wonderland this December in commemoration of the 60th year of the Austin Trail of Lights. More than two million lights, 90 holiday trees and over 70 festival displays will illuminate the park, dazzling hundreds of thousands of visitors.This year's Trail of Lights preview party
  
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• UT researchers develop ink-based E-tattoo that decodes brainwaves

  04-12-2024 22:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Researchers from the University of Texas Austin and the University of California, Los Angeles developed ink that can be printed on a person's head and measure their brainwaves.According to a news release from UT, the e-tattoos serve as, "sensors for electroencephalography (EEG), a medical test that measures the brain’s electrical activity."An EEG test can help diagnose and monitor brain tumors, sleep disorders and other brain issues.
  How does it work?This new method uses a
  
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• Austin and Limerick, Ireland set to officially become sister cities this week

  04-12-2024 21:05 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The cities of Austin, Texas, and Limerick, Ireland, are taking the next step in their relationship; the pair are officially becoming Sister Cities this week.On Thursday afternoon, Limerick Mayor John Moran, Consul General Robert Hull of Ireland, and Austin Mayor Kirk Watson are set to participate in a signing ceremony officially establishing Limerick and Austin as Sister Cities, per a Nov. 29 Limerick City Council memo.RELATED | Austin could soon have another sister city —
  
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• Timeline: First Buc-ee's set to open in Amarillo

  04-12-2024 20:35 via kxan.com
  
  AMARILLO, Texas (KAMR/KCIT) - After nearly two years and eight months since the Amarillo City Council approved an economic development agreement with the Buc-ee's Travel Center Chain, legal hurdles, hiring events and construction time, the iconic gas station has set its long-awaited opening date.
  As Amarillo's growing beaver-mania comes to a head for an expected opening on Dec. 16, here's a look at how the Texas Panhandle's first Buc-ee's has come to be.
  2022As was previously reported by MyHighP
  
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• Trooper, the dog abandoned on I-75 before Hurricane Milton, finds forever home

  04-12-2024 20:31 via kxan.com
  
  TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — Trooper, the dog who was rescued by the Florida Highway Patrol during Hurricane Milton now has a new home, the Leon County Humane Society announced.While the community was evacuating for Hurricane Milton, an FHP trooper found the dog in water up to his chest and tied to a fence on I-75 near Tampa.According to Leon County Humane Society, adoption applications for Trooper came from all over, but one couple, Frank and Carla, were the perfect fit.Trooper instantly co
  
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• MoPac Express toll lanes to roll out higher rates in January

  04-12-2024 20:18 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Heads up, Austin drivers: Commuters on the MoPac Express toll lanes will see higher rates in the new year.
  The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority (CTRMA) is increasing the toll lane's base rate from $0.57 for each segment to $0.65 per segment, a spokesperson confirmed. That new rate will take effect Jan. 1, after the CTRMA board of directors approved the change in October. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Is the MoPac Express Lane price going up? It did, 10 months agoThe rate can
  
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• No winner for Mega Millions, jackpot grows to $579 million

  04-12-2024 19:55 via kxan.com
  
  (NEXSTAR) — No one won the Mega Millions drawing on Tuesday night. The jackpot has now grown to an estimated $579 million ahead of the next drawing on Friday. Three Match 5 winners were chosen, two in Ohio and one in Wisconsin.Lottery players have been watching the Mega Millions 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 10th-largest, passing
  
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• Where Texas football stands in the national recruiting rankings

  04-12-2024 19:50 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas football received two near-National Signing Day commitments that boosted the Longhorns to the top of the team rankings for some national recruiting services. Texas has to play ‘a better brand of football’ against Georgia this time aroundOn Tuesday, Hightower High School safety Kade Phillips flipped his commitment from LSU to Texas. Phillips, who was previously in Texas' 2025 class but spent the last few months committed to LSU, is considered a top 50 playe
  
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• Learn about the Oak Hill Parkway project at upcoming Touch-A-Truck event

  04-12-2024 18:21 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The Oak Hill Parkway is a massive Texas Department of Transportation project currently underway that is creating flyovers at U.S. 290 and Highway 71 while eliminating traffic lights and creating 14 miles of shared use paths.This Saturday, for the second year in a row, TxDOT is hosting a Touch-A-Truck event. It's a family-friendly opportunity for the community to learn more about the project in person."It's important for us to bring the public along the journey through the c
  
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• Austin Army Veteran laid to rest in unmarked grave gets headstone 75 years later

  04-12-2024 18:19 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — On a rainy afternoon at Austin's Memorial Park Cemetery, a U.S. Army Veteran who lies in an unmarked grave, will finally be honored with dignity, 75 years later.Frank S. Alvarado was a member of the elite First Special Service Force. He was killed in action in Italy, in December 1943, according to a relative.Alvarado's family said he was missing in action until 1949. His cremains were brought home to Texas and taken to the Austin Memorial Park Cemetery.
  "His grave has been
  
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• I-35 Central expansion kicks off with MLK road closure in Austin

  04-12-2024 17:31 via kxan.com
  
  Editor's note: The above video is KXAN coverage from Oct. 30, 2024, when TxDOT hosted a groundbreaking for the Interstate 35 Capital Express Central project.AUSTIN (KXAN) — Road closures are underway as part of the Interstate 35 expansion near downtown Austin, beginning with a portion of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, the Texas Department of Transportation confirmed.The northbound I-35 Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard bypass lane is closed now through the start of early 2025, TxDOT offi
  
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• Cedar Park man receives prison time for child sexual assault

  04-12-2024 17:25 via kxan.com
  
  CEDAR PARK, Texas (KXAN) -- On Monday, 51-year-old Richard Nicholas Osborn pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a child after a jury was selected in the case, according to the Williamson County District Attorney's Office.After the court dismissed the jury, Osborn agreed to a contested sentencing hearing by District Court Judge Rick Kennon, according to a press release. A contested sentencing hearing is when the judge presiding over the case decides the convicted person's punishment.Ken
  
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• Walkway of Lights returns to Marble Falls for 34th year

  04-12-2024 17:10 via kxan.com
  
  MARBLE FALLS (KXAN) -- A holiday favorite is back at Lakeside Park in Marble Falls -- the Walkway of Lights.Over 300 light sculptures light up the northern edge of Lake Marble Falls at Highway 281 for the 34th annual Walkway of Lights. A leisurely stroll through the park features light-up displays with Hanukah and Christmas classics like Santa Claus, the Grinch, a dreidel and menorah, Frosty the Snowman and more.Walkway of Lights, Marble Falls (KXAN/Todd Bailey)The event is open nightly from 6 p
  
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• Inside the Investigation: 12,000+ kids sent to court over missing school

  04-12-2024 16:00 via kxan.com
  AUSTIN (KXAN)—More than 80,000 Texas teens have been sent to court for missing school since lawmakers reformed the system in 2015. A KXAN investigation found cases are escalating yearly, with more than 12,000 this year. This week, on Inside the Investigations, investigative reporter Kelly Wiley explained that no state agency tracks outcomes and whether the students are being helped or harmed.Join Kelly Wiley and Esmeralda Zamora every Friday at 9:30 a.m. on KXAN Live, for a live recap
  
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• UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot in 'targeted attack' in NYC, officials say

  04-12-2024 15:41 via kxan.com
  
  MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WPIX) – The CEO of UnitedHealthcare was killed in a targeted shooting in New York City on Wednesday morning, police said.  Brian Thompson, 50, was shot in the back and leg by a masked gunman just before 7 a.m. in front of a Hilton hotel on 54th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, according to officials. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. NYC is the worst city for package theft in 2024: studyThe suspect had been waiting for Thompson to a
  
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• UnitedHealthcare CEO fatally shot in NYC: Sources

  04-12-2024 15:41 via kxan.com
  
  MIDTOWN, Manhattan (WPIX) – The CEO of UnitedHealthcare was killed in a Midtown shooting Wednesday morning, sources have confirmed to Nexstar's WPIX. Brian Thompson, 50, was shot just before 7 a.m. near a hotel on 54th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, sources said. Thompson was rushed to an area hospital and later died. He was in New York City for an investors meeting at a Hilton hotel, according to sources.Thompson became CEO of UnitedHealthcare in 2021 after joining UnitedHe
  
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• City, county leaders talk about getting ready for winter weather

  04-12-2024 14:48 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- City of Austin and Travis County leaders will talk Wednesday morning about preparedness for winter weather as the colder months approach.
  Austin Mayor Kirk Watson, Travis County Judge Andy Brown, and representatives from city and county departments will hold a press conference to discuss the upcoming winter weather season and personal resilience and readiness needs, according to an announcement from the city. The conference is set for 12:15 p.m.
  According to data from Camp Mabry
  
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• How Texas football changed after the Georgia loss

  04-12-2024 14:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — The class of college football in the past few years has without question been the Georgia Bulldogs. The Bulldogs rarely come in to a game as an underdog.On Oct. 19, Georgia coach Kirby Smart's group made the trip to Austin to face the No. 1 team in the country. Steve Sarkisian's Texas Longhorns entered the game as the favorite and unbeaten. They left with a loss.Georgia dominated Texas, who struggled to get any sort of momentum rolling. Since that tough October evening, the
  
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• 1 dead, 2 seriously hurt in east Austin crash on Thanksgiving Day

  04-12-2024 13:11 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- One person died and two were seriously hurt after a crash between two vehicles in the 8200 block of Farm-to-Market 969 Road on Thanksgiving night, according to the Austin Police Department. This was near FM 969 Road and Decker Lane intersection.APD said the crash occurred at 9:15 p.m.Authorities said the driver of one of the vehicles was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver and the passenger of the other vehicle were transported to a local hospital with serious injuries.
  
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• Photos: H-E-B opens new South Congress storefront after years-long revamp project

  04-12-2024 13:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- After a years-long wait for the facelift of H-E-B's SoCo storefront to be completed, the new site saw its first customers before it even saw sunlight Wednesday morning.The new location, which sits on the corner of South Congress Avenue and Oltorf Street, celebrated its grand opening at 6 a.m. Wednesday. H-E-B announces opening date for revamped South Congress storeThe grocer announced plans to revamp its "longest-standing Austin store" back in December 2021. According to H-E-B's
  
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• 1 hurt after home catches fire in southwest Austin

  04-12-2024 10:21 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Fire Department and Oak Hill Fire Department responded to a home that caught fire in the 8800 block of Thunderbird Road in southwest Austin Tuesday night at 10:30 p.m. This is located near State Highway 290 and Scenic Brook Drive.AFD said the caller reported seeing smoke and flames coming from inside their home. Whenever fire crews arrived on scene they extinguished most of the exterior fire and were able to safely evacuate other structures.
  One man suffered minor inj
  
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• Ex-ballerina convicted of killing husband in 'Black Swan' case gets 20 years in prison

  04-12-2024 05:39 via kxan.com
  
  TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) -- Ashley Benefield, the former ballerina convicted of killing her estranged husband, was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years in prison followed by 10 years of probation.The 32-year-old was found guilty of manslaughter in July for fatally shooting her husband, Doug Benefield, during an argument at her Florida home in September 2020.
  The case was dubbed the "Black Swan murder trial" due to Ashley Benefield's ballet background, with comparisons drawn to the protagonist of the 2010 fil
  
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• E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's onions is over: CDC

  04-12-2024 05:31 via kxan.com
  
  (The Hill) -- The E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s quarter pounders has come to a close as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officially ends their investigation.  An outbreak across 14 states in October connected to McDonald’s slivered onions from the popular menu item impacted at least 100 people, causing the chain to temporarily pause sales of the burger in affected states. Officials previously said the onions were supplied by Taylor Farms, a California
  
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• Travis County District Attorney's Office unveils remembrance space mosaic to honor sex assault survivors

  04-12-2024 05:09 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Travis County District Attorney's Office unveiled a remembrance space honoring the courage of sexual assault survivors on Tuesday at the Ronald Earle building in downtown Austin on Tuesday.The mosaic is entitled "Rise Above, Stand Strong," according to a news release from the DA's Office. The mosaic is around 3 feet by 5 feet and was created "from stained glass, fused glass, recycled glass tile, Italian Millefiori, and 24k gold tile," the release said.The Travis County Distr
  
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• St. Edward's nursing program aims to help with healthcare worker shortage

  04-12-2024 04:49 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- St. Edward's University celebrated its first group of nursing students with the traditional white coat ceremony. Those students can now enter into clinic patient care.This comes at a time when the Texas Workforce Commission expects demand for healthcare jobs to grow faster than all other occupations combined by 2030.Report: Texas workforce to add 144k jobs by 2028In Austin alone, Workforce Solutions Capital Area counted about 15,000 current healthcare job openings.
  'Go out into
  
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• APD identifies man in East Wonsley Drive homicide

  04-12-2024 04:34 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department identified the victim in a north Austin homicide that happened last week, the agency said in a news release Tuesday.Officers responded to a residence in the 400 block of East Wonsley Drive for a shoot/stab hot shot call shortly before 11 p.m. on Nov. 25, the release said.Homicide in north Austin leaves one man dead, APD saysWhen officers arrived, they said they found a man shot dead inside the residence. Police identified that man as Xavier Jones Jr.
  
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• Rural providers, advocates create plan for Texas Legislature to 'rescue' maternity care system

  04-12-2024 03:09 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN)- Almost half of all Texas counties have nowhere to get prenatal care or deliver a baby and more than a quarter of rural mothers live more than 30 minutes away from the nearest provider. This means these mothers are living in a “maternity care desert.” Living in a “maternity care desert” contributes to delayed prenatal care, increased pregnancy complications and worse delivery outcomes. Despite these factors, more rural labor and delivery units are shutt
  
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• Sinkhole may have swallowed Pennsylvania grandmother looking for missing cat: police

  04-12-2024 02:53 via kxan.com
  
  UNITY TOWNSHIP, Pa. (WHTM) - Pennsylvania State Police and other first responders are looking for a missing grandmother who may have fallen into a sinkhole while looking for her missing cat.State Police in Marguerite say around 1 a.m. ET Tuesday, the family of 64-year-old Elizabeth Pollard contacted law enforcement saying she had not returned while looking for her missing cat on Monday.Troopers said in a press conference that during the search, they found Pollard's young granddaughter in her veh
  
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• An inside look at Texas DPS' high-intensity trooper training

  04-12-2024 02:37 via kxan.com
  
  FLORENCE, Texas (Nexstar) -- After 30 weeks at the Texas Training Academy, the Department of Public Safety’s 130 new trooper trainees will graduate on Dec. 13.“It's still unbelievable at this moment,” trooper trainee Derek McCloud said. “I'm still in shock and awe, because DPS is a great agency, and it's something I've always wanted to be as a kid. To finally be here at this step is something that not only I'm happy for myself and my classmates, but for the agency getting
  
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• 2 arrested in north Austin after police conduct 'shoplifting blitz'

  04-12-2024 00:42 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Two people were arrested in what the Austin Police Department is calling a "shoplifting blitz," operation, an APD spokesperson told KXAN Tuesday.Those two people were identified as 43-year-old Omar Cuellar Sanchez and 27-year-old Dailena Rodriguez Herrera, according to police. They were both arrested and charged with theft, which is a Class B misdemeanor.Omar Cuellar Sanchez, 43; Dailena Rodriguez Herrera, 27 (Courtesy Austin Police Department)The department said it worked
  
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• Public Utility Commission discusses legislative recommendations to grid reliability oversight committee

  04-12-2024 00:34 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (NEXSTAR) -- The executive director of the Public Utility Commission, Connie Corona, delivered testimony to the Grid Reliability Legislative Oversight Committee Tuesday morning where she spoke about recommendations the Legislature could take in the upcoming session.
  A majority of Corona's recommendations were mentioned in a November report on the investigation into how utilities prepared and responded to Hurricane Beryl in greater Houston.People were without power for weeks after the hurr
  
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