Austin news

• Manor ISD student accused of killing another student found mentally incompetent to stand trial

  31-12-2024 23:55 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A Manor Independent School District student accused of stabbing and killing another student was found mentally incompetent to stand trial, according to Travis County court documents obtained by KXAN on Tuesday.Mac Brown Mbanwei, 18, was charged with murder in the death of 18-year-old Darrin Loving after police say he stabbed Loving multiple times with a kitchen knife in a restroom at Manor Senior High School on Oct. 29, according to an arrest affidavit. Court records allege Mano
  
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• Hays CISD considering partnering to build affordable house community for staff

  31-12-2024 23:51 via kxan.com
  
  HAYS COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) –  Hays CISD is considering partnering with a developer to build affordable housing for teachers and staff amid the growing cost of living and a growing district. Upward Communities is a Central Texas-based developer with a mission statement of bringing modern homes at an affordable rate. Founder and CEO Jason Roberts wants to bring that idea to Hays CISD staff members. “The problem we see is that the cost of living is quickly outpacing these
  
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• Watch live: Fireworks and The Jacksons welcome 2025 at Lone Star NYE

  31-12-2024 22:28 via kxan.com
  
  DALLAS (NEXSTAR) -- The most spectacular fireworks show in the Central time zone is here to usher in 2025 for New Year's Eve!The main event of our "Lone Star NYE 2025" broadcast will be the remarkable, nonstop, 10-minute fireworks show that will illuminate the Dallas city skyline at midnight. The show includes breath-taking panoramic fireworks with more than 5,000 pyrotechnic special effects fired from 560 feet above ground atop Reunion Tower.The tower itself, meanwhile, is covered with 259 LED
  
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• Replay: Fireworks welcome 2025 at Lone Star NYE

  31-12-2024 22:28 via kxan.com
  
  DALLAS (NEXSTAR) -- The most spectacular fireworks show in the Central time zone ushered in 2025 at the Reunion Tower in Dallas for New Year's Eve.You can see a replay of the remarkable, nonstop, 10-minute fireworks show that illuminated the Dallas city skyline. The show included breath-taking panoramic fireworks with more than 5,000 pyrotechnic special effects fired from 560 feet above ground atop Reunion Tower.The tower itself, meanwhile, was covered with 259 LED lights that displayed thousand
  
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• Live tonight: Fireworks and The Jacksons set to welcome 2025 at Lone Star NYE

  31-12-2024 22:28 via kxan.com
  
  DALLAS (NEXSTAR) -- We're just hours away from the most spectacular fireworks show in the Central time zone as we usher in 2025 for New Year's Eve!
  The main event of the broadcast will be the remarkable, nonstop, 10-minute fireworks show that will illuminate the Dallas city skyline at midnight. The show includes breath-taking panoramic fireworks with more than 5,000 pyrotechnic special effects fired from 560 feet above ground atop Reunion Tower.The tower itself, meanwhile, is covered with 259 LE
  
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• Sarkisian gives injury updates on Cam Williams, Isaiah Bond day before Peach Bowl

  31-12-2024 22:11 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — This late in the season, no team is 100% healthy, but the Texas Longhorns are trying their best to get as healthy as possible ahead of Wednesday's College Football Playoff quarterfinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl.The Longhorns are about to play their 15th game of the season in the middle of the expanded CFP and two key players are desperately trying to make it back on the field. Thinking of simpler times allows Quinn Ewers to stay calm in big momentsHead coach Steve Sarki
  
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• CapMetro waiving fees Tuesday night for New Year's Eve travel

  31-12-2024 22:06 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — CapMetro will waive fares on all its services Tuesday evening in recognition of New Year's Eve.Beginning at 5 p.m., the Austin transit authority will offer free bus and rail rides, as well as extend certain services in light of the holiday. CapMetro Rail service will run until 2 a.m., with the final train departing from the downtown station at 2:22 a.m.
  CapMetro's bus services will run on its regularly scheduled service levels, while the Night Owls buses will operate betwee
  
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• Need rent help? Austin's emergency rental assistance portal opens again Wednesday

  31-12-2024 21:49 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The application portal for the city of Austin's "I Belong in Austin" emergency rental assistance program opens up once again Wednesday, Jan. 1 at 8 a.m. and will run through Jan. 7 at 5 p.m.The program provides up to $6,000 per household in rental help for people facing eviction. El Buen Samaritano helps the city run the program.Here's what you need to know.
  How to get helpThe portal opens from the first through the seventh of every month. If you’ve applied previously and
  
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• School choice, border, affordability among priorities in upcoming legislative session

  31-12-2024 21:09 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (Nexstar) -- In two weeks the Texas Legislature will be back in session in Austin to deliberate on thousands of bills -- a historic amount -- that have already been pre-filed. Historically only about 15% of bills filed at the Texas Capitol are actually passed, meaning lawmakers will have to prioritize what they want to get done.State Republicans, who will hold a healthy majority in both chambers of the Capitol, have made it clear one of the top priorities this session will be school choic
  
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• Austin panadería named one of New York Times' best bakeries in the US

  31-12-2024 21:04 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- A panadería in east Austin was named among 21 other bakeries across the country in The New York Times' round-up of its favorite bakeries this year.
  The New York Times named Comadre Panadería as one of its "22 of the Best Bakeries Across the U.S. Right Now."
  Comadre Panadería started as a pop-up in Seattle in 2017, eventually moving to owner Mariela Camacho's home state of Texas in 2019, then later becoming a brick-and-mortar inside of 12th Street Kitchen in
  
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• Planned 'new town' near Jarrell moving 'full speed ahead' — albeit behind the scenes

  31-12-2024 20:35 via kxan.com
  
  (Austin Business Journal) — About 18 months ago, representatives of Arizona-based DMB Development LLC unveiled initial plans for its long-anticipated Solana Ranch project near Jarrell. The effort called for billions of dollars of investment and construction of 14,000 homes and mixed-use buildings on more than 7,000 acres.Elements of the project aren't yet visible on the sprawling site at the northern end of the Austin metro, but DMB President and CEO Brent Herrington said the company
  
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• Austin Pets Alive! shares pet safety tips this New Year's Eve

  31-12-2024 19:42 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN)-- As Austinites ring in the New Year and enjoy fireworks shows lighting up the sky, Austin Pets Alive! is reminding pet owners how to make that experience safe for all pets.The New Year is just hours away, and preparations for those celebrations have already begun. Whether your plans involve food, drinks, music or a fireworks spectacular, Austin Pets Alive! staff said pets may not be as prepared for these events as you are.The loudness that comes with the holiday can cause pets &md
  
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• Williamson County animal shelter waiving fees for first 100 adoptions of 2025

  31-12-2024 19:27 via kxan.com
  
  WILLIAMSON COUNTY, Texas (KXAN) -- If your New Year's resolution is to provide a forever home for a pet, you're in luck.
  The Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter announced that adoption fees for the first 100 dog and cat adoptions at the shelter in 2025 will be waived thanks to a partnership with Hill's Pet Nutrition. Fees will be waived up to Jan. 12.
  WCRAS will be closed on Wednesday to commemorate New Year's Day and will reopen for normal business hours on Thursday, kicking off the free
  
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• In Memoriam: Those we lost in 2024

  31-12-2024 19:03 via kxan.com
  
  PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — They came from every walk of life to make ours better, richer, more rounded. They were Oscar winners in front of and behind the camera. Legendary journalists, rock stars, country stars, Deadheads.They were comedians, politicians, firebrands, scientists. There were athletes, famous and infamous. An astronaut, a sex therapist, and a fitness guru. Game show hosts and talk show hosts. Humanitarians, World War II heroes, and poets.Here's a look at those we lost in 2024.J
  
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• Australia, New Zealand first to welcome 2025 with fireworks

  31-12-2024 19:03 via kxan.com
  
  WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Auckland has become the first major city to welcome 2025, with thousands of revelers counting down to the new year and cheering at colorful fireworks launched from New Zealand’s tallest structure, Sky Tower, and a spectacular downtown light show.Thousands also thronged to downtown or climbed the city’s ring of volcanic peaks for a fireworks vantage point, and a light display recognizing Auckland’s Indigenous tribes. It follows a year marked
  
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• CapMetro to ring in new year with tap to pay, new app system

  31-12-2024 18:59 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — CapMetro transit users will have a new way to pay in the new year as Austin's transit authority plans for a fare payment system revamp.CapMetro will retire its current app in March and onboard its new Umo app to pay for fares. In the interim, the Transit app will be the one-stop-shop for riders to plan their trips, but CapMetro officials said they're working to integrate payment and trip planning services into a streamlined app in the future."This is an iterative process. I
  
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• Have any New Year's resolutions? Here are some tips to help make them stick

  31-12-2024 17:55 via kxan.com
  
  LONDON (AP) — As the new year dawns, so too does the opportunity for change.Experts say January can be a good time to reflect on self-improvement, but acknowledge it takes work to make resolutions stick.Studies have shown that up to 70% of people who make New Year’s resolutions abandon those good intentions within months.Here are some tips for how to keep those resolutions when your willpower starts to falter.Start smallPsychologist Lynn Bufka suggests being realistic about any
  
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• UTPD: Several vehicles burglarized in Speedway Garage

  31-12-2024 15:14 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Several vehicles were broken into and burglarized at the University of Texas at Austin campus Monday.The UT Police Department posted on X that officers discovered several vehicles in the Speedway Garage had been burglarized. That garage is located at the corner of East 27th Street and Speedway.
  UTPD said unknown individual(s) broke into several vehicles by breaking the windows and tried to steal the vehicles.
  No suspects have been identified, and an investigation is ongoing, acc
  
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• World records set in Texas or by Texans in 2024

  31-12-2024 15:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Many in Texas had the opportunity to accomplish new goals in 2024, and some even broke a Guinness World Record in the process. 15 world records set in Texas during 2023As a new year begins, look back at the 23 world records that were made in Texas during 2024.MostBeyoncé is one Texan who had an amazing year of breaking records.She broke five records, mostly surrounding the release of her country album, Cowboy Carter.FILE - Beyonce, left, accepts the Innovator Award d
  
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• ‘What goes up must come down’: Dangers of celebratory gunfire

  31-12-2024 14:30 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Ahead of New Year’s festivities, the Austin Police Department took to social media to remind residents that celebratory gunfire was illegal.Celebratory gunfire is the act of shooting a shot or several rounds into the air.“What goes up must come down, and it could hurt someone,” APD said in the post. “Let's keep the celebrations safe and sound!”The department said discharging firearms into the air accounts for many U.S. injuries and sometimes ev
  
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• AFD: 30 people displaced after apartment fire in south Austin

  31-12-2024 13:01 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) — Around 30 people lost their homes in a fire that damaged 16 units at an apartment complex in south Austin Tuesday morning.The Austin Fire Department said on its X account at 2:15 a.m. that crews were working an apartment fire in the 4300 block of South First Street. AFD later confirmed it was at the Iconic at South First Apartments.
  Crews were able to get the fire under control shortly before 3 a.m., according to a follow-up post from AFD. Three people were transported to h
  
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• LIVE: First Warning: Signs of wintry weather next week

  31-12-2024 13:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- We may just be wrapping up the second hottest December day on record, but we're seeing several signs of a cold plunge through the middle of the country for next week that could have impacts on our weather in Central Texas.Colder than normal temperatures arrive next Monday (January 6)
  Turning much colder for longerA cold front arriving later on Sunday (January 5) should usher in some of the coldest and longest-lasting chills since last winter.Our coldest highs in recent weeks cam
  
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• First Warning: Signs of wintry weather next week

  31-12-2024 13:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- We may just be wrapping up the second hottest December day on record, but we're seeing several signs of a cold plunge through the middle of the country for next week that could have impacts on our weather in Central Texas.Colder than normal temperatures arrive next Monday (January 6)
  Turning much colder for longerA cold front arriving later on Sunday (January 5) should usher in some of the coldest and longest-lasting chills since last winter.Our coldest highs in recent weeks cam
  
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• First Warning: Cold next week & a wintry mix possible

  31-12-2024 13:00 via kxan.com
  
  NOTE: This article has been updated with the latest trends and information on Monday, January 1, 2025. We'll keep updating this article over the next few days.AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As we step into 2025 we're getting closer to the arrival of the coldest air since last winter and the potential for some wintry precipitation as well.Colder than normal temperatures arrive next Tuesday (January 7)Turning much colder for longerA cold front arriving later on Sunday (January 5) should usher in the coldest and
  
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• Steady warming trend to start 2025

  31-12-2024 12:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Happy New Year! New Year's Day should feature plenty of sun with temperatures in the low 60s, but some high clouds will increase late in the day.New Year's Day weatherSlow warm-up with more cloudsTemperatures will slowly climb as a southerly flow returns to the area.Highs next few daysWith that flow we'll find more clouds around, especially in the mornings. Those clouds could even squeeze out some sprinkles or drizzle, especially on Thursday.We'll find high temperatures peaking
  
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• Seasonable temperatures to ring in 2025

  31-12-2024 12:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- After record-breaking heat Monday, we're in for a much cooler (relatively speaking) stretch of weather for the rest of the week.Afternoon highs will warm to the mid- to upper 60s this afternoon - more than 20° cooler than yesterday but still above average for this time of year. Winds will be gusty at times (up to 25 mph) with sunshine and dry skies areawide.New Year's Eve & New Year's DayThe cooler and more seasonable air in place will make for a chilly New Year's Eve in
  
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• Chilly start to 2025 before a slow warm-up

  31-12-2024 12:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Happy New Year! Temperatures will continue to drop into the first few hours of 2025.Overnight lows will get down into the low 40s and upper 30s at dawn with some patchy freezes possible in the Hill Country.Morning lows on WednesdayNew Year's Day should feature plenty of sun with temperatures in the low 60s, but some high clouds will increase late in the day.New Year's Day weatherSlow warm-up with more cloudsTemperatures will slowly climb as a southerly flow returns to the area.H
  
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• Chilly New Year's Eve before a slow warm-up

  31-12-2024 12:15 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Temperatures this afternoon were roughly 20 degrees colder than Monday afternoon making for a more seasonable, yet still warmer-than-normal, final day of 2024.The cooler air in place will make for a chilly New Year's Eve in Central Texas with midnight temperatures in the upper 40s in Austin.
  New Year's Eve ForecastOvernight lows will keep dropping down into the low 40s and upper 30s at dawn with some patchy freezes possible in the Hill Country.Morning lows on WednesdayNew Year's
  
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• Stargazing and exploration in 2025; a look ahead to the new year in space

  31-12-2024 12:00 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- 2025 is going to be a busy year among the stars. From moon missions to multiple meteor showers, outer space will again be a major topic throughout the year, especially in Texas.
  Firefly’s Blue Ghost spacecraft will travel to the moon in early-2025. (Credit: Firefly Aerospace)
  At least 20 maiden flights are scheduled for 2025. Like all space missions, these flights could be delayed or canceled entirely.Four rockets built in the United States are scheduled, including the New
  
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• Update: Here's the final January forecast

  31-12-2024 10:08 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- As we wrap up 2024, the Climate Prediction Center updated their January outlook.A "weak and short duration" La Niña is expected to develop, and the weather patterns should largely follow what is typical for La Niña, which is a storm track to the north and a warmer and drier pattern for the south. KXAN FIRST WARNING WEATHER TEAM'S WINTER OUTLOOK 2024-2025The latest forecast release for January from the Climate Prediction Center follows that guidance.Odds are leaning
  
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• What is Walmart's 'Wirkin' bag and why is it trending?

  31-12-2024 05:40 via kxan.com
  
  (NewsNation) — Walmart is offering an alternative to the Hermès Birkin handbag, making the luxury look accessible to a wider audience, but the budget-friendly piece has become a point of controversy in the process.The "Walmart Birkin," also known as the "Wirkin," is a handbag that closely resembles the luxury handbag, but for less than $100.The original Hermes Birkin is known for its exclusivity and high price tags, often ranging from about $9,000 to $500,000. Authentic handbag
  
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• 'Gone Girl' kidnapper Matthew Muller charged in 2009 home invasions

  31-12-2024 05:38 via kxan.com
  
  (KRON) – Matthew Muller, the notorious convicted kidnapper in the Vallejo "Gone Girl" case has been charged in a series of home invasion sexual assaults reported 15 years ago in the San Francisco Bay Area.
  The incidents took place in Mountain View and Palo Alto, according to the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Office.Muller, 47, was one of the central figures in the Netflix documentary series "American Nightmare" about the 2015 kidnapping of Denise Huskins. Authorities initially sus
  
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• 4 injured in crash on I-35 at Howard Lane, traffic delays expected

  31-12-2024 03:55 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Four people were injured, two critically, after a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 35 at Howard Lane in northeast Austin, Austin-Travis County EMS said on social media Monday.ATCEMS medics said they responded to the crash shortly after 8 p.m., with two adult patients who suffered "critical injuries." They were both transported to Dell Seton Medical Center. Additionally, two other patients had non life-threatening injuries and were not transported, medics said.All southbound lanes
  
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• 4 injured in crash on I-35 at Howard Lane

  31-12-2024 03:55 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Four people were injured, two critically, after a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 35 at Howard Lane in northeast Austin, Austin-Travis County EMS said on social media Monday.ATCEMS medics said they responded to the crash shortly after 8 p.m., with two adult patients who suffered "critical injuries." They were both transported to Dell Seton Medical Center. Additionally, two other patients had non life-threatening injuries and were not transported, medics said.
  
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• Family of Bastrop man killed files wrongful death lawsuit against teen's mother

  31-12-2024 03:12 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The family of a man shot and killed in Bastrop County earlier this year gathered Monday at the Bastrop County courthouse to demand justice and announced they filed a civil lawsuit against the mother of the teenager accused in his death.On Sept. 16, the Bastrop County Sheriff's Office responded to the deadly shooting in western Bastrop County and said Steven Allan Smith, 41, died from a gunshot wound. A 13-year-old boy was accused of being involved in the shooting.
  The Bastrop Co
  
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• Round Rock Police increasing patrol ahead of New Year's holiday

  31-12-2024 02:55 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Round Rock Police Department will be increasing patrols to curb drunk driving and keep impaired drivers off the road ahead of the New Year's holiday.Authorities said over the next few days, officers will be stationed around the city to watch out for impaired driving and help prevent alcohol-related crashes.
  “Driving under the influence is preventable, and we want everyone to celebrate safely,” said Round Rock Police Department Chief Allen Banks. “Please mak
  
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• About 100 DWI suspects refuse blood, breath tests per month, APD says

  31-12-2024 01:57 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- The Austin Police Department's now full-time "No Refusal" initiative has been operational since October, and Detective Kristopher Morrison said APD initiatives it about 100 times a month.At its core, the "No Refusal" initiative requires drivers to provide investigators with a breath or blood sample if they get pulled over for DWI - even if they try to refuse. The department does this by staffing a DWI specialist at the jail every night who can issue a search warrant for these dr
  
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• Possible gas leak in Pflugerville leads to partial road closure, PPD says

  31-12-2024 01:31 via kxan.com
  
  PFLUGERVILLE, Texas (KXAN) -- A possible gas leak in Pflugerville has led to a partial road closure near the 15900 block of Windermere Drive, according to the Pflugerville Police Department.Atmos Energy is on-site investigating the incident, and requested a portion of Windermere Drive to be closed off to ensure safety, PPD said.
  Authorities said to please avoid the area at this time.
  
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• Drug deal leads to teen's death after shooting in parking garage near The Domain, affidavit says

  31-12-2024 01:19 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- An 18-year-old was arrested after a 17-year-old was killed in a Dec. 13 early morning shooting at an apartment complex parking garage near The Domain.Dedric Verse has been charged with capital murder in connection with Carlos Sotelo's death, records state.
  A police affidavit obtained by KXAN said Sotelo's death was a result of an attempted robbery that occurred during a planned meetup to exchange a "pound of narcotics" for $1,100.Verse's attorney Brian Erskine provided a stateme
  
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• City of Austin to tackle short term rental regulations early next year

  31-12-2024 00:55 via kxan.com
  
  AUSTIN (KXAN) -- You're about to get another purple notification slip in the mail, just like you did for the HOME initiative. Starting next month, the city of Austin will start notifying you about changes they could be making to short-term rental (STR) rules, according to several city council members.Council Member Ryan Alter said there are a couple of areas city council seems to be focused so far: setting up rules that are "actually workable and usable" and enforcement. Airbnb’s anti-part
  
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